Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
pankhi_gw

scotch moss between flagstones of a path

pankhi
18 years ago

I would like to grow scotch moss between the flagstones of my path. Some spaces between the stones are only an eight of an inch. Path is on North side of house and parts of the path get 4-6hrs sun at different times of day. Some of the stones are in crushed gravel/soil mixture.

I want to start the scotch moss from seed. Can anyone provide information on how to start this project - what do I need to do to prepare the soil, do I just sprinkle the seeds, do I cover up the seeds, water daily?

Thank you very much.

Comments (7)

  • Belle_Eire
    18 years ago

    Hi! New to this forum. This is going to sound nuts, but I heard that you can mix the seed in w/some buttermilk and pour it on the area in which you want the moss to grow. I have moss growing naturally between my bricks (old c.1811, c.1907, and new bricks) laid out in a courtyard over sand. The fact that there are different ages and a slightly variant size means that there's room for stuff to grow, and this year the moss has taken hold, and I'm happy about that. I also have some wild violet seed I'm going to try out here and there to see if I can get that to grow, as it has sentimental value (my late Nana's violets). Well, that's all I know, but I know the folks that used the buttermilk mixture had good luck w/it. You might Google it and see if there are any results on the web.
    Happy gardening!

  • pankhi
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thank you Belle Eire for your response. Your suggestion is excellent for regular moss but scotch moss is not a moss, just looks like it so its called a moss. I just bought 2 cartons of buttermilk for my regular moss.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    18 years ago

    First, Scotch moss is not a true moss although it certainly bears a strong resemblance to it, so the buttermilk/yogurt routine will not work with this plant. Second, groundcover seed is not the easiest thing to find. If you already have located seed, you only need to add a layer of good soil between the pavers, sprinkle the seed on evenly, lightly cover and keep moist until it germinates and gets established. Rope or screen off the area so that no one or no critters can walk on it until it gets established. This is probably the most difficult part - are you able to do without the pathway for a good month to 6 weeks until the sagina is established well enough to take foot traffic?

  • pankhi
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thank you gardengal48. I have found some sources for the scotch moss on the web. The information you have given me is precisely what I was looking for. Just one more question- does scotch moss need to be watered regularly once established or can it be left alone? I live in MD zone 6 outside Washington, D.C.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    18 years ago

    Sagina prefers moist but well drained soil, so I would think watering during dry periods is the way to go. Our summers here are very dry and this is a groundcover that typically gets regular irrigation.

  • pankhi
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thank you again gardengal48.

  • gugs_shaw_ca
    12 years ago

    What would cause browning of Scotch Moss. Especially in the middle?

Sponsored
Ed Ball Landscape Architecture
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars30 Reviews
Exquisite Landscape Architecture & Design - “Best of Houzz" Winner