Moss Jackpot!

Share ideas and photo's of accent plants and moss.
User avatar
MJL
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 2840
Joined: October 26th, 2014, 8:47 pm
Favorite Species: Maples, Elms, Cedars and Pines
Bonsai Age: 7
Bonsai Club: Waverley Bonsai Group & Yarra Valley Bonsai Society
Location: Melbourne
Has thanked: 424 times
Been thanked: 643 times

Re: Moss Jackpot!

Post by MJL »

treeman wrote: April 10th, 2018, 5:51 pm Remember too that some mosses hate shade and love sun and some hate sun and love shade. The place where you find them will give you the clue. You can't mix the two. One will die.
This is an excellent tip. I get a high degree of transplanting success in when I transplant moss in conditions where I found it. So - if is found under the dappled shade of a tree - unlikely to survive on bonsai that requires full sun. If found in a gutter - look at when and where the sun hits it and try to replicate. I also not that I had grabbed moss from roadsides on the Mornington Peninsula - very sandy, tight stuff growing in nearly full sun...that transplants well into full sun areas where I live but... you must keep the sand base... it dies when the sand base is removed... in my experience.

In short - if you can replace the conditions it is found in .... it has a higher likelihood of survival... in my experience.
Tending bonsai teaches me patience.
matlea
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 563
Joined: July 24th, 2011, 4:15 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Been thanked: 32 times

Moss Jackpot!

Post by matlea »

Hi MJL have you tried breaking up the moss with the sandy base and then mixing through sieved sphagnum? Give it all a soak and then place a thin layer onto the surface of the potting mix and pat down.
Seen a clip of this method and seems to work well. But yes still need the correct moss for the light / environmental conditions as the others said earlier.
User avatar
MJL
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 2840
Joined: October 26th, 2014, 8:47 pm
Favorite Species: Maples, Elms, Cedars and Pines
Bonsai Age: 7
Bonsai Club: Waverley Bonsai Group & Yarra Valley Bonsai Society
Location: Melbourne
Has thanked: 424 times
Been thanked: 643 times

Re: Moss Jackpot!

Post by MJL »

matlea wrote: May 29th, 2020, 10:09 pm Hi MJL have you tried breaking up the moss with the sandy base and then mixing through sieved sphagnum? Give it all a soak and then place a thin layer onto the surface of the potting mix and pat down.
Seen a clip of this method and seems to work well. But yes still need the correct moss for the light / environmental conditions as the others said earlier.
Hi matlea, good idea. I haven't but my step-dad has and as you say, it has worked really well. I will try it... thanks for the reminder. It is also worth pointing out that if people see dry moss (say on a rock face or in a gutter) - it probably isn't 'dead' so to speak ... add a bit of moisture and wait ten minutes. :) Of course - a bit of a rash generalisation on my part but dried moss in gutters can spring to life.
Tending bonsai teaches me patience.
Post Reply

Return to “Accent Plants and Moss”