I am making many kokedama and moss on drift wood.
Unlike regular bonsai,moss bonsai and kokedama are easy to make , easy to maintain, also very inexpensive to make.
Chenging tray is so easy and you have unlimied selection( almost). Tray can be soap dish, floor tile, naural flat stone, dish( for cooking), clay soucer,
ash tray, salsa cup ( I just got it from Wall Mart for $1.50) Some soucer has differnet colors, size and again those are inexpensive $2.00 to $8,00 mast case, some nice shape and material tray are more expensive, but $ 20.00 is most expensive. Wall Mart, Target is good place to find sorcers. Don't look in garden section. home decore, craft, kichen ware sections are best place to find soucer. Selection of soucers are unlimited and inexpensive.
You don't have to have many tools too.

Within next 2 weeks or so I make at least 20 of different shape and design and take photos and post it here. I have to ask to my friend to take photos,scan and post it here. I can't take photo of process of making moss ball and moss bonsai this time.
( Some day, Cady and I may able to offer class to teach how to make it.) ..........................yama

I am looking forward to seeing the photos of your kokedama. Will you be keeping them indoors when they are finished? It sounds fascinating and I would love to learn how to make one. Thanks for sharing.

:-)
pm2

Bonkei is like bonsai but tray is larger and compress landscape on the tray. you can use weeds, out of season bargen plants which offten not best shape. as well seeding of unwanted area/out of place plants. but for some reason, those not best look plants are better than best look plant on moss ball.

Your imagination is the best tool to make and enjoy moss ball. It is not required special tools to make moss ball and don't need much of skill like bonsai. You don't have to wait months nor years to have good looking moss ball. Imidiatly you will have decent look of newly created moss ball or moss bonkei less than one year you will have lovely moss ball and moss bonkei. Even you kiil it, you won't feel so bad to lose plant. you din't spend lot's of money ^^ and any time of year you can try to make kokedame/moss ball again.

When I am making moss ball, my hand is too mudy and can't take photos my self during makeing moss ball.
Embrass to say that I am using gabage can as work bench now. ^^

To answer to your question , Yes some of them I keep indoor so that I can enjoy my self, most of them I leave outside, because I don't have space for it.
Since We have warmer climate than New England, all moss ball, moss bonkei or moss bonsai can be outside without special protection. ..............................Yama

Can you also work with lichen? Or is it too slow growing, or difficult?

I'm picturing lichen growing in an interesting pattern on a shrub or tree trunk.

Claire

Thanks, Yama, I'd never heard of a moss ball before, but they are certainly wonderful. What a great idea; we are really lucky to have you on this forum!

Here's a random pic I found via google images:

http://www.tropical-aquarium-plants.co.uk/images/moss ball.jpg">

dd
you have an idea. ^^
To make it set steady, bottom is slitly flat. I am making list of plants you can grow on moss ball. It is only small portion of sugestion. You can grow many good looking weeds of New England too.

Once you see it, You will have many questions how to do it^^. I made about 10 of them. once I made 20 or so, I will show you photo of it, you will say "I want make one my self"
Please give me time . Soon as made 20 or so, I will post photos of moss ball and moss bonsai,moss bonkei.

yama

yama..
I am looking forward to seeing what you end up with when you make your moss balls. Yes, I am sure I will want to make one myself. :-)

What I'd like to do is just grow moss on some round items - maybe hypertufa balls - up to about a foot across. A small group of them in different sizes, partly hidden in a shady corner of the garden, would be an awesome thing to come upon - a little surprise for anyone who gets that far into the garden. I suppose they'd need very regular watering - which might not be practical for my lazy mode of gardening.

I *do* love that picture, though!

Claire

I thought that hypertufa might be a good material to use as a base, so I've posted on the hypertufa forum to see what the experts there recommend. That stuff doesn't normally appeal to me, because of its rough texture, but if it's capable of growing moss well, I'd love to give it a try.

I started a moss garden this past summer with all kinds of shapes, textures, shades of green that I really like. A few of those moss balls would look fantastic there.

moss can be any kind. I can't ID moss name. Some are nicer than other, some has fine texure and some are course texture. What ever you can find moss in your area ,should work fine.
sheet of moss you need is about 3" wide8" long. It is not have to be one piece. you can pach "ball" with small pieces.

root ball is covered with clay soil . making clay soil wet and make it 1/4 " to 3/8 "or so thick and wrap around root ball. then wrap with sphagnum moss and tie with twine. Make it round shape butbottm can be flat.
After put sphagnum moss place sheet of moss and tie with black thread. ( ordernary sewing thread. I like to use 100% polyester, 3ply . 1000yd thread cost only about $2,50 or so)
If you have empty spots, use twizer to fill spot after trim off some moss's root. sharp point twizer works better.

some of moss bonsai I made is that
I built up small mound of clay soil on top of flat stone, then covered with moss and tie it to stone to secure moss. some moss are planted on drift wood or stone. It is more than craft. It is form of art.

Picture can tell 1,000 words. After New Year day, I will post photo of my Kokedama/moss ball and moss bonsai.

After you see photo , try to make one your self....Yama

What if you don't have much moss in your yard, can it be purchased somewhere, anyone know?

Thanks so much yama...looking forward to your photos too.
Very fascinating and it sounds like a really fun project.

:-)
pm2

Very high end nursery on Long Island, Martin Viette sells all kind of moss covered geometrical figures, balls, pyramids, conuses etc, made out of hypertufa.
At astronomical prices, of course!
Theoreticaly, you could grow moss on ANY surface for as long as you could make growing medium stick to that surface and provide proper watering regimen. Of course, rough texture of hypertufa is very suitable for such things.

Now to the 'sticking' part.
I remember couple of years ago there was a thread on a Moss, Ferns & Cryptogams forum and someone [presumably in-the-know] offered recipe of 'how to' so simple that I still remember it, though never got to use it myself:
Prepare your 'statue' by covering it by thin layer of wet soil/clay/mud. Let it dry little bid, so it will hold on a surface.
Collect naturally growing moss from the area similarly lighted to where your 'moss object' will be located. Collect it with ample amount of native soil.
Chop it into small pieces.
Put it into blender (yes, the regular kitchen blender).
Fill blender with KEFIR (semi-liquid yogurt might mork as well, but it has to be plain, no flavoring whatsoever).
Blend everything.
Done!
You got a green-grey sticky 'stuff' which now you could apply on any surface you would like it to grow.
For the first X-days (do not remember for how long) MIST your 'statue', don't water it.
In a future try to use gentle shower or mist only.

I also just vagely remember that someone suggested that dark beer also could be used either instead or in combo with kefir, but I'm not sure about that.

Yama, it sounds like we can make these just using a plant as the base? With the plant's roots holding the soil in the center in place, and the sphagnum and thread securing the moss to the outside surface. That seems like it will work for small spheres; I will keep looking for ideas for larger sized ones. It would be kind of fun to have some tiny, medium, and large ones - 3 generations of a mossball clan.

Maybe what appeals to me about them is the implication of motion inherent in a ball; so definitely *not* associated with members of the plant kingdom.

OK, OK, I'll admit I am partly kidding, but if those mossballs don't look to you like they're just waiting for you to look the other way so they can start rolling (or possibly hopping) around again, well, I can't say anthing that will help you.

As far as moss growing on hypertufa, I am almost hoping it doesn't, because I hate the stuff and really don't want to have to start liking it. I do like Yama's idea of using the root system of another plant as the structure, although I'm not optimistic about my ability to make something even vaguely round out of something not completely round to begin with; Martha and I don't see eye to eye on this.

So, that probably means that rolling stone balls' inability to gather moss won't be an issue, Debra. Good one, though, you ARE quick!

Interesting that moss grows directly on burlap - I wouldn't have guessed that. Hmm, maybe a burlap wrapping over a hypertufa ball, in a shallow dish that could wick the water around the ball ... hmm. As long as the dishes don't interfere with the party games ...

To make moss gorw on hard surface, like stone lantern, useing clay soil spread on suface and sheet of moss can past onto clay soil. some of moss I tied with black thread for sewing and moss stay on suface of stone ,drift wood etc. Some of stones and drift woods, I only use clay soil and not use thread to secure onto stone or drift wood.

I didn't make any hyfertufa this time. Useing only stuf you can find around your home, and able to bring into room. also able to cheng containers to make look different. Like dressing up, chenge color, size. shape, able to give different look in snap. Moss ball and plants on moss ball can'nt chenge easely. but containers.

I have tight budget or no bugdet at all, So that I am using many weeds I can find in the back yard or vacant lot. within nextfew days, I can post photos. I am going to ask a customer who is professional photographer to take photos now and again 2~3 month later.

When I design moss ball, moss bonsai, carefully use contrast of color, texure ,shape and size. I made about 20 of them. Each one made slitly different inside and out side. but if I want to chenge container, it is 1,2,3 . I can leave it outdoor or bring into any room or office.

Aftre you see photos , you can make it your self ^^.
Best regard.
yama

I read up on moss culture before I started my moss garden, and several experts said that the buttermilk/moss in the blender rarely works for propogating moss.

Once I finish Moss ball, I will post how to grow Moss on small container or on ground. If forks in New England of old money, you can order at Moss acres.

I made moss balls, also other use of moss with ordarnary container, drift wood, flat stone. Since it is inexpensive to make and so much of possibilty of create garden art wich you can enjoy. I made sample of it and going to show it for you.

Yama/mike.
Yama is part of my last name. Mike is my nick name. I have to spell my first name very often, but no one asked me how to spell "mike" so far. In Japanese yama means mountain. In sunskrit yama means king of hell. Hehehe.

We got permission from a private property owner who has a large wooded tract with a trail system used by the public--an abundance of moss of all shapes and colors. Several walks throughout the summer we were able to collect enough samples for my 3' x 20' assorted moss garden. We would bring a trowel, newspaper, water mister and backpack. Gently scrape the moss up (those that came up easily--we left those alone that didn't), lay on newspaper, mist with water, wrap up and stack in backpack.

Moss is abundant everywhere in the shady forest of NE. Just ask the property owner or municipality (if public) if you can take some moss.

It amazes me how many different kinds of moss there are - one or more for any condition you can think of. It grows in sand between bricks in full sun, and in very well-drained soil at the top of a stone retaining wall, as well as in the places I expect, like along the north side of the house and in other shady and/or damp places. The different shades of green and the various textures are really fascinating - I can't walk past some of them without having to touch them.

I just ordered a couple of books: Moss Gardening: Including Lichens, Liverworts and Other Miniatures, and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. I'll report back when they arrive - can't wait.

When prepare ground for growing moss, high side of ground should be made shallow trench to guide water away from moss. newly planted moss can protectedby thinly spread pine strow and shade cloth or reed fence to provide shade and also keep moist. moist in earth is not so important but moist in air. Root ofmoss) is is not true roots. moss roots do not up take water nor nurition.it only function to suport/ ancher own body to ground or suface.

stracture of shade/protection are temporary.
If any one willing to help me and others posting my drowing of how to protect on this thread, I make drowing to show you how to do it. I dont have scaner and computer knowlege. I only know how to turne on and off computer.

Please contact me at japanesegardener1@yahoo.com

You can use old decaying log, branch to slow down speed of water. or guide water to proper direction. old log can be part of landscape providing "intrest" of moss garden as well. using simple, low split bamboo fence also can be employied. Since it is beled into landscape ,the bamboo fence can be part of landscape untill completely aged and decaied.Also setting boulders create intrest of landscape too.
When you grow moss your self, you need to have/make some tools by your self. tools are not sold at store . if you have the tools which made by your self, tools make your work lot's easier. Making tools do not require speciale quipent or tools. Home depot or Lows will cut plywood for you with little or no extra cost. only you need is simple tool like drill,screw driver, hammer. I can't explain everything in text.
If I can explain to you face to face or come to your garden and doing my self. It is lot's easier than writing in English^^.

Hormon type hebcide such as2,4-D can be use to enhance to grow moss...............................................
Yama

This fall I planted a weeping J. Maple and tree peony on the sunniest side of the moss garden, and a thalictrum on the opposite end that I am hoping will arch over the garden. A few of those moss balls yama is talking about would look outstanding there!

pm2

Pm2
your moss is ready to propagate. ^^ .your moss is almost perfect for moss bonsai and moss ball. your moss spread spore soon. spore , first they look like green algee at first stage. I am sure that You have more and different kind of moss, look carefuly and will find more.

Once I move to Salem Mass , I offer class to make moss ball and moss bonsai beside Japanese gardening.
yama

How exciting that my moss is developing spores! So is it possible that I could collect the spore and sow them to make more moss? How would I tell when the sprores will be ready? I will keep looking, but right now, we 'should' really have snow and 20 degree temps. This is very unusual weather and will not last much longer. We are due for a drop into the 30s next week. Everything has a layer of leaves over it for the winter, so I might find more in the spring...around March. I will keep my eye on this one though. Thanks yama :-)

try to toutch moss gently, or use paint brash gently. If any of moss part come lose, that will be new moss. If those lose moss contact to soil firmly, they develpoe colony of moss. If you brake clamp of moss and make 3~ 4 pieces togather with twizer and set in moist/wet soil . That is another way to propagate in small scale. you don't have to have natunaly formed moss clamp(s) to propagate moss.( transplanting from other place)

In large area, let's dry moss and place small piece of moss between both hand/ like prayer's hand and make it moss small pieces and splinkle over wet soil.( like masaging hand aginst both hand) then step on it , or use board and tamp moss. Make sure that moss contact to eath firmly. If you have or make knee board which easy to make and not so expensive and "kakiita" make your work very easy. also knee pad save your knee and pant.

twizer have many differnt shape and size .One I like to use is straight , sharp pointed, about 5" long. Twizer wich bent at end is not easy to work with.
After danger of frost is gone, youcan try to grow moss.
It will take 4~6 month to moss to grow and established. first one to two month is key to sucess. moit, not wet. ground moist is not so important but moist in air. You can spray fine mist evry day for first 2~ 3 week. provide some shade if you can. Using shade cloth, reed fence etc. shade clothand reed fence over moss also help washing off of hard rain.
sprading pine straw lightly also help.
If you have extra time, you can tie moss on wood about 1/3 of diameter / useing sewing thread ,I like to use 100% polyester 3 ply black thread.( or any nutunal fiber twine) wood can be decayedlog branch, part of fire wood bark or stone. And place them in garden. Since moss is old enught to produce spore or egg and tied to secure, it also help to establish moss garden quickly.

When you set moss , not to fertilize moss or soil. Since moss root( it is not true root, it not function to up take water nor nutrition from ground. main fuction of moss root is suport it's body and secure to the location and hold moist. You can feed moss after moss is settled but not begining.

PH of soil.
Don't warry about it. Moss is like pine tree. Moss can grow wide range of condition more than you can think of.
Most populated area has low ph rain water some where between 5 to 5.5.
without adding sulpher, you get free sulpher from air polution. Moss can grow on concreat, lime stone which is material of cement and have high ph.
yama

Have you ever heard of winter sowing? There is a forum on GW for that. I did some of it last winter and you use milk jugs to sow seeds in winter and at the right time, they germinate. I was thinking that trying to start the moss transplants and/or spores in the milk jugs might give them that extra humidity so you wouldn't have to mist them all day in the beginning.

How fun...a new project for the spring.
Hi Mayalena..nice to see you. :-) I am with you..sign me up! lol

yama...when are you planning on moving to Salem..any time soon?

:-)
pm2

You can find a small sprayer from Auto part store,groscery
store, Kmart, Wall mart. If you save tile cleaner container,window cleaner or inddor pesticide container, those sprayer work good as gift of god.^^

I sugest to keep record what ever you do/did. The record will help you later.
Many Univercities, USDA.Every one of State have been conductiong reserch of agriculture or for Nusery industry but not moss culture. Moss is not giving any economical impact to our society.so that not many large scale study is not conducted. Your note will help you to grow moss better.

We have been using moss for Japanese garden for long time.( I am a professional gardener)I had to learn how to grow moss. Learning from elder coworker or boss wasn't enough to know all about moss. Biology text book for college is very useful to learn moss. Some text book is better than others. Moss books are also goog information source.

Happy gardening............yama

Claire

Yes, I would love to do that this winter...I guess I didn't think I would have spores ready to plant that soon from the moss I posted a photo of. Especially if the weather turns cold again. I didn't think I could find any for sale anywhere.

I have plenty of containers. I have spray bottles. I just thought you couldn't let it dry out and needed an automatic misting system. NO? I like the idea of keeping a record. I always get the best results when I track things well like that. I will check the library for a book on moss too..hadn't thought of that.

Thanks for all the input yama. :-)

Claire...that is an adorable form to grow something on.[g]
Not in my budget any time soon..lol. I am trying to remember if I have seen it somewhere. Thanks for posting that. :-)

pm2
I am trying to grow moss without spending any money.now Experiencing growmss indoor in first food container and cake. Sand came from near by lake shore, soil are scraped off from backyard, organic material also from back yard. I found 3 gal container at constraction site and lot's of mosses very attracting look weeds and alos so good looking gravel left on constraction site. grow moss in 3 gal container different soil mix and feeding program different method of propagations. I let's you guys result later.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Out door moss cultivation
I have made small test plot to grow moss to find informations which I can't find in books. It may take few years or longer to find fact and get results. use of fertilizer or chemicals such as 2-4D to accelate growth.
I am making lists of questions myself and find answers one by one.

Today I was observing bottom of moss and found many intrsting things. Nematoda, small spider, mite, fungi, mass of egg of insect, some seeds. Soon after I trim off root, it chenged color to darker brown.It must have be some sort of chemical reaction. Few years ago I started to grow moss and experimenting differnt way to grow moss. Before I find any resoult, I had to leave home becouse of divorce.

I am going to take a role of film to CVS ( moss photos) I should able to post moss pictures by this week end.
yama

I will find it a pleasure to follow along with your project and see how it all works out. Thanks very much for sharing with us.

:-)
pm2

When you visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden with Cady you should check out the NYBG in the Bronx too.

But you have to be careful, some of these things stalk small prey...

Claire

That wasn't staged, luckily I had the camera out when I saw the little kid hanging around the creature.

Claire

I don't have good writting skill nor speaking English well enought to communicate perfectly. but you see how to make it, then you understand easely. If anyone who are intrested,Please contact to me.
yama