Overview:
By Karen Edgington
Each week, Signal Akron will help you in your gardening adventures with an excerpt from "The Root of It," a monthly newsletter from the Summit County Master Gardeners, Ohio State University Extension.
The subtle shades of green and soft textures of moss on a forest path, stream bank, or rocky outcropping soothe the senses on a hot summer day.
Bring a bit of the ahhh-factor to your shady nook – that spot where a cold beverage, a summer read, and a view of your beautiful garden can be found. This moss planter is a breeze to assemble, and makes a charming centerpiece or garden gift.
You’ll need:
- A flat-ish container. Most anything will work but think about what blends with the natural moss or perhaps creates a striking contrast: raised-edge trays, flat bowls, squat tins, old silver pieces, etc. You might consider a footed, flat-bowled container — beautiful!
- An assortment of mosses.*
- A fern or like accent plant (optional).
- Soil or soilless mix. I opt for garden soil in order to duplicate the growing conditions of my mosses.
- Aggregate, such as pea gravel or turkey grit.
- Accent pieces: rocks or stones, lichen-covered bark (lichens add great color contrast and interest — I highly recommend using them), rust-covered doo-dads, shells — whatever strikes your fancy.
- Bowl and trowel or spoon for mixing the soil.
- Watering can with small spout or rose (the perforated watering can attachment that creates a soft shower of water) and spray bottle of water.
*Moss cannot be collected from parks, public or private spaces without permission. Use a trowel or spatula to scrape a sheet of moss from the ground or object, including a thin layer of soil, and keep damp until planting. An assortment of mosses can be purchased online at reasonable prices. Did you know that you can freeze moss for later use? Layer sheets of living, damp moss in a ziplock bag, seal, and pop in the freezer. Make sure to label and date – confusing your moss stash with pea soup can be a bit disconcerting!
DIRECTIONS:
- If your container does not have a drainage hole, use a drill to create one. Check out this tutorial on drilling a drainage hole in pottery or ceramics.
- Gather your materials in a shady workspace.
- Mix your soil with some aggregate, about two-thirds soil to one-third aggregate. The aggregate creates excellent drainage. Add water to dampen the mix. (This will allow you to create “hills” and other contours.)
- If your drainage hole is large, cover with a piece of coffee filter, hardware cloth, or window screen to keep soil from escaping. Make a plan by placing the accent pieces and fern in your container and reposition until you have a pleasing arrangement. Remove them and start building your moss garden by adding the soil mix, mounding as desired to create dimension.
- Add the accent pieces, setting rocks in the soil, rather than on top.
- Plant your accent plant if you are using one. Just the suggestion of a fern or like plant will enhance the vignette and create the illusion of a mossy glade.
- Top all bare soil areas with moss, tucking the edges under the container edge and against accent pieces.
- Water well with your watering can. If needed, use a spray bottle to clean off rocks and accents.
- Place in a shady area, and water when dry.
Moss is a resilient plant, and can take some drought, but watering when dry will keep your moss garden at its greenest. When winter days arrive, place your container in a sheltered outdoor location, and water during prolonged dry weather.
