If you've walked barefoot in a forest, you may have noticed the soft, fluffy moss underfoot. This plant is ideal for gardens and lawns as it helps retain moisture and never needs mowing. Alternatively, you can sprinkle a mix of moss on fences, foundations or stones to transform them into a magical forest. To grow moss, all you need is a little initial work and then it will grow on its own for years to come.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Plant the Moss in the Garden
Step 1. Get strips of moss from your garden or from a nursery
If this plant is already on your lawn, gently pull it out of the ground with a rounded knife. If you don't have moss on hand, buy it at a local nursery.
- You can get acrocarpal mosses, which grow in long strands that look like hair.
- Alternatively, you can take pleural mosses, which are more compact and grow in small horizontal formations.
- Moss doesn't have a root system, so you don't have to worry about moving the soil.
Step 2. Choose a moist area of the garden with minimal drainage
Moss isn't particularly delicate, but it grows best in a wet environment. Select an area of your property that has a tendency to flood during heavy rainfall, such as a section at the bottom of a slope.
- Moss can improve your garden drainage.
- Moss doesn't have a root system, so it can easily grow on rocky ground that grass wouldn't be able to cover.
Step 3. Choose a rather shaded area
Numerous species of moss do not grow well when exposed to direct sunlight because they need a lot of moisture. Look around your garden and find an area that doesn't get a lot of sunlight, for example under a tree or along the side of the house.
There are some species of moss that grow well in direct sunlight, but they are quite rare
Step 4. Measure the soil pH and make sure it is between 5 and 6
You can check this by using litmus papers. Moss prefers acidic soil, with a pH between 5 and 6, so correct that of your soil based on the result of the survey.
- If you are going to plant moss on the ground or on a flat surface, make sure it is smooth and completely flat. Unlike grass, this plant does not cover the holes or depressions of the area in which it grows.
- To raise the pH of the soil, add agricultural lime.
- To lower the pH of the soil, add sulfur, aluminum sulfate, iron sulfate, or mulch.
Step 5. Push the strip of moss onto the ground
Rake up all the leaves, debris and remove them from the area you have chosen, then level the ground so that it is almost completely flat. Place all the strips of moss on the ground with a steady hand. Push down to make them stick to the ground.
You can push some of the moss onto stones or rocks, but make sure most of the plant is on the ground
Step 6. Water the moss daily for the first 3 weeks to encourage growth
Use a garden pump or a sprinkler with a very fine mouth to gently vaporize the water on the plant, avoiding the direct pressure of the water that can damage it. Alternatively, you can use a gentle irrigation system to keep her wet all the time.
- If the moss starts to turn dark green or spotted, it probably gets too much water.
- You can reduce how often you water after about a month, but you should always keep the moss moist.
- You can check that the moss has taken root by pulling it lightly and checking that it does not move.
Step 7. Weed around the moss to help it grow better
Weeds, especially herbaceous ones, can steal moisture from the moss causing it to become dry and brittle. If you notice any weeds appearing, weed them from the base, along with all the roots. Always keep an eye on moss throughout the seasons to make sure it has enough room to grow and thrive.
- Moss cannot kill grass or weeds, it simply covers the ground they would have grown on.
- Moss can spread quite quickly in your garden, especially if there is a large area of completely cleared land. If this plant becomes a weed, just pull some with your hands to stop its growth.
Method 2 of 2: Grow Moss on Other Surfaces
Step 1. Obtain moss from your garden or from a nursery
Use a blunt-tipped knife to scrape this plant off the ground or a vertical surface, such as a wall or fence. Look for pleural carp species, which grow more compact and in horizontal formations.
Moss types consisting of long strands do not grow well on surfaces other than earth
Step 2. Pour 500ml of water and 500ml of buttermilk into a blender
Buttermilk is acidic and sticky, so it's the ideal base for moss. Add equal parts water and buttermilk to a blender to start making your musk smoothie.
You can also use plain yogurt if you don't have buttermilk
Step 3. Fill the blender with crumbled moss
Take a few handfuls of healthy moss and crumble it in the blender until full. It doesn't matter whether the plant is wet or dry and its quantity doesn't have to be exact. However, when in doubt, it is better to abound.
Step 4. Run the blender to blend the ingredients into a thick mixture
Operate it in short intervals 4-5 times, until the contents seem well blended. Aim for a smoothie or milkshake texture.
Avoid blending the mixture too much. If the pieces of moss are too small, they may not take root and no longer grow
Step 5. Pour the mixture onto surfaces such as brick, stone, pots or fences
Since buttermilk is sticky, it will treat the moss on any vertical surfaces you choose. Give preference to easy-to-water shaded spots. Use a rag or paintbrush to spread the moss mixture on fences, sides of pots, stones, bricks, or house walls.
If you really want to make something special, try drawing a pattern or writing words with moss
Step 6. Water the moss daily for the next 2-3 weeks to take root
When the plant begins to grow and set, you need to keep it very moist. Gently water it with a watering can over the next few weeks until it looks healthy and green. Keep it out of sunlight so it can stay cool during the day.
If you prefer, you can wet the moss with a spray
Advice
- Since moss absorbs nutrients from the air and not from the earth, it is very easy to care for this plant, which requires no nourishment or fertilizer.
- When spreading out the moss, try placing a plank of wood or other hard object on top of the plant and pushing.
