Moss in a garden is like comfort food for the soul. There is arguably no other plant which brightens up primordial feelings of mystery, peace and nurture. Fossils have been discovered that date moss back to 400 million years back, suggesting that it preceded the fern. Bringing moss into our gardens generates a link to the past, fulfilling us on a deep and fundamental degree. Additionally, it’s very tactile, just begging to be touched.
The way to successfully develop moss and how to incorporate it into a cohesive garden layout stay elusive to many gardeners. Many moss gardeners attribute their victory to a partnership with nature, concluding that ultimately, moss will do what it needs to perform.
Let us take a look at moss: the best way to grow it and use it efficiently in a garden layout.
Jay Sifford Garden Design
Moss most frequently grows in moist or moist locations. Diverse species may grow in shade or sun, in soil, on rocks and on tree trunks. In summer it is sometimes a plush rug that anchors our gardens; even in winter its luxuriant evergreen color provides that much-needed respite from seasonal doldrums.
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Moss has root-like structures called rhizoids that hold it in place. But, it doesn’t have any circulatory system; it transports nourishment through osmosis. That is why moss tends to grow best at a water’s edge, in which it can absorb water directly out of a pond, dispersing it throughout the patch.
Because moss holds moisture nicely, many different shallow-rooted plants, such as ferns, grow readily in it bringing enjoyment and deep satisfaction to many woodland gardeners.
Irish moss (Sagina subulata, zones 4 to 8) and Scotch moss (Sagina subulata ‘Aurea’), combined with Club moss (Selaginella kraussiana, zones 6 to 10), aren’t mosses in any way. Selaginella is really more closely related to ferns than to authentic moss.
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How to Boost Moss
On a recent trip to Pennsylvania, I had been lucky enough to visit the moss garden of David Benner. Benner has been growing moss in his garden for more 50 years. One of his mum runs Moss Acres, a specialization mail-order moss nursery. Benner’s appreciation for this primitive plant was evident as he gave me a two-hour tour of the garden. He is shown with a prized moss-covered stone that he has been nurturing for 50 years.
Let us look at how Benner grows moss.
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Moss, such as this sheet paints, grows steadily into a prepared bed. Moss grown this manner requires acidic soil, full to partial shade, protection and moisture from leaf litter. You may note these pictures that Benner covers his moss using a nice plastic mesh in autumn so that he can quickly remove fallen leaves.
He states moss will grow in which it needs to grow. To encourage it, he recommends preparing a flat, shaded part of your garden by making certain that the chosen area has moisture-retentive soil and is raked clean. He advocates amending garden soil with humus, which retains moisture and will offer the moss with nutrients.
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For developing moss, such as this hair cap and fern moss, soil with a pH of 4.5 to 5 is ideal. You are able to achieve the proper pH by adding aluminum sulfate for your own soil. You can even use powdered sulfur, but it can take several months for this to succeed.
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You can even develop moss on rotting wood, according to this tree stump from Benner’s garden. Moist, decomposing wood offers the ideal pH to encourage moss.
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Finally, you can grow moss on stones. Rock cap paints are right at home on a boulder such as this one, assuming that it receives enough moisture and shade.
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You are able to introduce moss into your garden in various ways. The mere act of soil acidification, coupled with proper preparation, will probably encourage moss to grow by itself. This moss garden was created by this method, supplemented with a bit of transplanting, and is three years old. A moss garden is not for the impatient. It may take an average of five years to firmly establish a moss garden through soil acidification.
Moss could be commercially purchased. Specialty nurseries such as Moss Acres promote it by the square foot. You can even introduce it by crumbling dry moss and scattering it throughout your planting area, provided that the area stays consistently moist.
Finally, slurries or even “milkshakes” of moss can be prepared by putting moss, together with buttermilk or plain yogurt, in a blender and mixing thoroughly. A can of beer and two cubes of sugar, or even manure diluted with water, might be mixed with the moss as well.
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How to Use Moss on Your Garden
As is evident from the photos of Benner’s garden, moss is at home in a rustic woodland garden. This photograph shows 50-year-old moss happily growing on his stone wall. Moss will typically be at home where ferns and rhododendron thrive.
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Moss may also grow beautifully involving patio pavers in the event the area is shaded and moist. Soil acidification is your best way to encourage moss to develop this manner, although it can be successfully transplanted. Do not cut it too thinly, as it may readily dry out before it has been established.
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You can even use moss to groom up planters, assuming you pair it together with acid-loving plants, site it in shade and keep it moist.
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Moss can be recruited to be used as a yard, too. If you already have patches of moss growing on your shaded turf, then take a cue from nature and think about replacing your yard with moss. It may take limited foot traffic when it has been established.
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What could be a more fitting house for more compared to a Japanese garden? Truly, moss gardening originated in Japan over a thousand years back.
More: The best way to Provide a garden soul