Moss use in Kusamono/Bonsai

[Cadillactaste]

Scotch moss can be a real problem in a bonsai pot. It grows quickly and produces a mass of roots (real moss doesn’t have roots). Left on its own in a pot, I’ve found scotch moss to make a thick mostly impenetrable layer on top of soil. So much so it can clog drainage and sometimes prevent water from draining into the trees root mass.

It can be very difficult to keep under control and spreads to other pots quickly. I pull it as soon as I see it.

It must not be what I have. Mine doesn't grow roots down into my pot at all. Which was what made me pause. All this what I first thought aa paranoia. It grows roots you say. I've never seen moss just not peel off the surface of even soil when collecting for accent pots and what not. I've even collected it for friends in Florida for shows. So what I'm after...must be something entirely different.

And what I collect doesn't have roots.

 

[Michael P]

Sagina subulata a.k.a. Irish moss and heath pearlwort is not a moss but a flowering plant in the carnation family. Here in Texas it won't grow in the landscape but it is a terror in a bonsai pot.

 

[Gonzoe]

Sagina subulata a.k.a. Irish moss and heath pearlwort is not a moss but a flowering plant in the carnation family. Here in Texas it won't grow in the landscape but it is a terror

Well that’s a totally different cultivar. The roots on this definitely aren’t anything crazy, just as all other moss I’ve seen but more lush. Here a pic for reference…

 

[Gonzoe]

It must not be what I have. Mine doesn't grow roots down into my pot at all. Which was what made me pause. All this what I first thought aa paranoia. It grows roots you say. I've never seen moss just not peel off the surface of even soil when collecting for accent pots and what not. I've even collected it for friends in Florida for shows. So what I'm after...must be something entirely different.

And what I collect doesn't have roots.

I agree, definitely sounds different. I just put a pic up for reference to the reply above

 

[rockm]

If it has roots it’s NOT moss.

Well that’s a totally different cultivar. The roots on this definitely aren’t anything crazy, just as all other moss I’ve seen but more lush. Here a pic for reference…View attachment 593793

Moss has no real roots and no vascular system. This looks like Irish moss to me -sagina. A light case of it. You must

 

[Gonzoe]

If it has roots it’s NOT moss.

Moss has no real roots and no vascular system. This looks like Irish moss to me -sagina. A light case of it.

Idk, doesn’t sound at all like what you described earlier lol we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one. Plus we’re in separate parts of the country so it can definitely look similar but not be the same cultivar. It’s moss after all..

 

[rockm]

Sagina link below. Looks like your photo if you ask me. Sagina (Irish moss and a very common ground cover) is not moss.

Sagina subulata - Irish Moss (3.5" Pot) | Little Prince To Go

Sagina subulata, known as Irish Moss, features dark green, moss-like foliage that makes a soft, rolling carpet of lush greenery. Tiny white flowers cover the plant in early summer. Plant in any moist, well-drained soil with regular water. May need afternoon shade in very hot climates. Irish...

littleprinceplants.com

 

[Gonzoe]

Sagina link below. Looks like your photo if you ask me. Sagina (Irish moss and a very common ground cover) is not moss.

Sagina subulata - Irish Moss (3.5" Pot) | Little Prince To Go

Sagina subulata, known as Irish Moss, features dark green, moss-like foliage that makes a soft, rolling carpet of lush greenery. Tiny white flowers cover the plant in early summer. Plant in any moist, well-drained soil with regular water. May need afternoon shade in very hot climates. Irish...

littleprinceplants.com

Yea looks a lot like it lol mines not as long for sure. Hope it’s not as bad, it’s labeled as Scottish moss, I don’t have the tag for the cultivar tho. Annoying smh

 

[Cadillactaste]

Well that’s a totally different cultivar. The roots on this definitely aren’t anything crazy, just as all other moss I’ve seen but more lush. Here a pic for reference…View attachment 593793

It's not the kind of moss I collect. This has a different nap to it.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Sagina link below. Looks like your photo if you ask me. Sagina (Irish moss and a very common ground cover) is not moss.

Sagina subulata - Irish Moss (3.5" Pot) | Little Prince To Go

Sagina subulata, known as Irish Moss, features dark green, moss-like foliage that makes a soft, rolling carpet of lush greenery. Tiny white flowers cover the plant in early summer. Plant in any moist, well-drained soil with regular water. May need afternoon shade in very hot climates. Irish...

littleprinceplants.com

That doesn't even look remotely like moss to me. It's...weedy looking. yeah...I am not seeing this in my pots at all.

 

[rockm]

Sagina can resemble some of the coarser forms of mosses. The bryum species are the “gold standard” for use in bonsai

Sun Tolerant Moss Clumps - Bryum Caespiticium - Moss Acres

Sun Moss Clumps

mossacres.com

Bryum species trend to be low growing, tight and grows in clumps. It is not easy to maintain in a bonsai pot as it requires relatively wet to damp close grained surface soil to survive.

To introduce it to your pots find a dozen clumps (as large as possible). Let the dry out. Remove as much soil from the bottom of the clumps. Then grind the dried moss through a soil sieve. Take the ground up moss and apply it to the surface of the bonsai soil in the pot. Keep the soil adequately watered You will probably see moss in six weeks. You can get a mix of moss species if you grind different kinds of moss together and spread that on the soil.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Sagina can resemble some of the coarser forms of mosses. The bryum species are the “gold standard” for use in bonsai

Sun Tolerant Moss Clumps - Bryum Caespiticium - Moss Acres

Sun Moss Clumps

mossacres.com

Bryum species trend to be low growing, tight and grows in clumps. It is not easy to maintain in a bonsai pot as it requires relatively wet to damp close grained surface soil to survive.

To introduce it to your pots find a dozen clumps (as large as possible). Let the dry out. Remove as much soil from the bottom of the clumps. Then grind the dried moss through a soil sieve. Take the ground up moss and apply it to the surface of the bonsai soil in the pot. Keep the soil adequately watered You will probably see moss in six weeks. You can get a mix of moss species if you grind different kinds of moss together and spread that on the soil.

Now that looks like what grows on my rock wall. But I feel it's to loose a nap to use. Again I've never been to a show. I was told to use tight nap moss. So I use it.

 

[Gonzoe]

Sagina can resemble some of the coarser forms of mosses. The bryum species are the “gold standard” for use in bonsai

Sun Tolerant Moss Clumps - Bryum Caespiticium - Moss Acres

Sun Moss Clumps

mossacres.com

Bryum species trend to be low growing, tight and grows in clumps. It is not easy to maintain in a bonsai pot as it requires relatively wet to damp close grained surface soil to survive.

To introduce it to your pots find a dozen clumps (as large as possible). Let the dry out. Remove as much soil from the bottom of the clumps. Then grind the dried moss through a soil sieve. Take the ground up moss and apply it to the surface of the bonsai soil in the pot. Keep the soil adequately watered You will probably see moss in six weeks. You can get a mix of moss species if you grind different kinds of moss together and spread that on the soil.

Yea I think the square I bought is kinda young still so it’s not as long. Fuck it, just gonna wait for some of my local moss to grow since I already put in the work

 

[Calnicky]

There are two ways to apply moss to your tree.

Grow it: dry out some moss with sphagnum and grind it on your largest sifting screen then sift the fines out and sprinkle it over the surface of your soil and wet it into place. Then wait.

Apply living moss: wet your substrate and prep the moss pads. Don't use large sheets work with pieces no larger than two postage stamps at a time. Trim the bottom rhizoids off the moss so you mostly have green moss and no black dying stuff on the bottom. This will also remove any soil clinging to it. Soak the moss in a little pan of water. Some species tend to fall apart once you cut the bottom off so hold them together as best as you can. Apply wet moss to wet soil. Stretch the moss out as you apply it so it grows to fill in the space between the plantlets. Work the moss so it makes solid contact with the substrate.

What kind of moss you use is important. The best most drought tolerant moss I've found is the stuff that grows in the cracks of sidewalks or on vertical rock walls. You shouldn't have to water extra to keep your moss alive so collect moss that grows in sunny locations so that you can keep your bonsai trees in sunny locations and you don't risk rotting your bonsai tree trying to keep the moss alive.

I do the "Grow it" method. I took a repotting workshop with Andrew Robson and that's what he does - grind up green, collected moss with sphagnum moss using your biggest sifting screen. Then apply the shredded mixture to the substrate. It takes maybe a month to start greening up. I'm hoping from that I get a nice moss. (Of course, climate matters immensely!)

Applying pads of moss is great for showing a tree and sometimes the moss pads "take," but I find it's hit or miss.

 

[Paradox]

I dont put moss on my trees in general. I dont want anything that could keep the soil too wet or that can prevent water from getting into the pot.
I get enough of the bad moss that grows on its own to drive me nuts trying to keep up with getting it off the pots and the trunks.
The only time I would put moss on the pot is if I was going to show the tree then it would come right off after

 

[shohin_branches]

I do the "Grow it" method. I took a repotting workshop with Andrew Robson and that's what he does - grind up green, collected moss with sphagnum moss using your biggest sifting screen. Then apply the shredded mixture to the substrate. It takes maybe a month to start greening up. I'm hoping from that I get a nice moss. (Of course, climate matters immensely!)

Applying pads of moss is great for showing a tree and sometimes the moss pads "take," but I find it's hit or miss.

The living moss strategy I mostly use for mossing bonsai at the Lynden Sculpture Garden collection. It needs to look good right away and continue to grow. Making sure there is solid contact with the soil and has no gaps is the most important part of the process.

 

[Gonzoe]

I do the "Grow it" method. I took a repotting workshop with Andrew Robson and that's what he does - grind up green, collected moss with sphagnum moss using your biggest sifting screen. Then apply the shredded mixture to the substrate. It takes maybe a month to start greening up. I'm hoping from that I get a nice moss. (Of course, climate matters immensely!)

Applying pads of moss is great for showing a tree and sometimes the moss pads "take," but I find it's hit or miss.

I think sometimes it takes the moss much longer to establish but I would say that’s the way to go for sure

 

[Wulfskaar]

Is there a best time of year to do the process of grinding local moss with sphagnum?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Is there a best time of year to do the process of grinding local moss with sphagnum?

Tuesday,

seriously, any day will work, Just Do It.
Moss are not seasonal, if you are out in the yard or in the house and want to make moss grow on the surface of your potting mix, just grind up some moss and put a layer down.

I have had the quickest results in humid spring. For me, April, and May. I have started the process in winter, spring, summer and autumn. Indoors on under lights trees or orchids, moss is easier to start in spring, but if the humidity is kept high enough, any time will work. Under lights moss the forest or shade loving species tend to grow better.

I was rarely able to keep sphagnum moss living more than 2 or 3 years. I have not tried again in a decade or two, since I downsized out of carnivorous plants.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Tuesday

Saturday works better for me.

• I ground up some dry sphagnum. It was ground through a screen with a rock.
• Then I washed the dirt out of some moss growing in my yard 20 feet from where my trees are, and ground that through the screen.
• The ground mosses were then mixed together with water to create a slurry.
• I then spread it out over the soil on several deciduous trees, trying to place it in as purposefully as possible. I pressed it into the soil, trying to make good contact.
• Then I watered.

We'll see what happens!

The green stuff in the middle is leftover from my last experiment.