Planting & Growing Moss

WHERE TO PLANT MOSS

Planting and growing moss is not complicated. The planting is easy, the growing just takes a considerable amount of time. Moss likes to grow in areas where there is little or no competition, which happens in acidic and poor, compacted soils, even stone. Since most other plants avoid these areas, it makes for an easy target for moss to thrive. There are some mosses that do well in sunlight also, but for the most part, most mosses prefer shade.

Once you have selected the area, smooth it out and clean it of all debris, leaves, twigs, branches and such, as they make it hard for moss to find a stable substrate of which to attach. Moss likes to have direct contact with whatever it is spreading onto. Smooth substrates allow for easier contact by the spreading moss. Moss loves plastics, ceramics, stone, soil, wood, fabric, seasoned concrete, and glass.

Want to plant moss on a large object with sides like a clay pot or a wall. All you have to do is attach the moss with a light netting and it will adhere and grow over the netting. Monofilament line works very well for attaching points for different angles.

PLANTING THE MOSS

For moss to develop the most important things are that moss likes moisture and no competition. Moisture is what allows young mosses to perform photosynthesis, which develops growth.

Lightly water or mist the area until it becomes moist, not muddy. Try to start at the beginning of the wet season, this way you will have to water less while waiting for its establishment. Place the moss gently in the desired location and press firmly for the moss to seat into the soil. Lightly mist the area. That's it, your done with the planting part.

If you are planting a large area it is best to spot plant the moss as you would be if sodding with plugs for a lawn. Remember moss will spread and fill in. Wind and animals can disturb your freshly planted moss, so think of some sort of netting or line to keep it intact.

WATERING THE MOSS

Now comes the watering part, first and foremost, what kind of water are you going to use?

Rainwater is the best. Bottled water that has been filtered by reverse osmosis or distilled water are other alternatives. Tap water varies from place to place. Some places you can use the water straight from the house, while others may have some chloramines in which you would want to “age” the water.

Frequent misting is the best, do not drench. Watering in the morning or afternoon is better than the evening. Avoid creating a constant wet then dry cycle during the course of hot summer days. It's better to keep moist all day, than dry all day, this way the moss won't go into dormancy several times in a 24 hour period. This uses as much energy as it produces, resulting in a net loss for the mosses growth.

PRECAUTIONS

Mosses are sensitive to heavy metals and some chemicals. Do not water from galvanized or zinc plated containers. Avoid planting moss near pressure treated lumber or copper as the runoff from them contains chemicals that are not good for the moss.

Mosses are extremely drought tolerant, they don't need water to survive, they need it to grow. When hydrated they perform photosynthesis, along with light, otherwise they remain dormant until moisture returns.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Our "Just Picked" Sheet Moss is about a half inch thick and looks like little tiny ferns. It is great for a low lying, carpet like effect. 

Our "Just Picked" Mood Moss is 3" to 4" thick and is a clumping type moss giving an elevated appearance. 

You can combine the mosses in ground arrangements kind of like a golf course for a spectacular look.  Eco-walls are a perfect example of using different mosses.

Do you have any moss growing wild in your area? That is the best to use as it is already adapted to your local environment. If you want to try other mosses as well or if moss is not available in your area, call us for the finest "Just Picked" mosses.

For best results we recommend using our “Just Picked” Sheet or Mood Moss as it is freshly picked and shipped in waxed boxes as it is still wet. Boxes are shipped in multiples of two and five as you can mix or match. For something really unique try using our Reindeer moss.

Our Sheet and Mood moss comes out of North Carolina and Kentucky, while our Reindeer moss is from Florida.

*** We do NOT guarantee our mosses due to unknown application, weather, maintenance, and other unknown factors.***