Fig 1. Natural Moss ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

 

First, Let's talk about Moss!

Fig 3. Collected Moss ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

Fig 2. Flowering Quince ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

• Varied types growing together.
• Differing heights, textures and colors.
• Stay away from the long hair types. These grow very fast and will take over a pot very fast. They grow up the trunk and can cause rot.
• Look for the stuff that looks like the old tomato pin cushion your mom used to use. It should look like green velvet, something you would like to walk on bare footed. Then there is the sort of grey colored moss, it sort of looks like lichen.
• Look for it in parking lots of commercial buildings. They sometimes have large patches of bare ground with all sorts of moss growing. I lift mine with a kitchen utensil used to ice cakes. That long spatula thing. My wife is always wondering where hers is, I haven't the heart to tell her I use it for collecting moss! Please don't tell!

Fig 4. Stored in Flats ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

Once I have the moss collected, I keep it all winter in nursery flats like color plants come on. I put several layers of newspaper on the flat and keep it on the paper. It stays wet all year, and actually starts to grow on the paper!

Placing Moss 

Now, on to the proper placement of the moss. First you have to assemble many things to get started.

Fig 5. Soil Components ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

I have many jars full of very finely sifted soil components that I lace the moss together with. Some are shale, lava, turface, and akadama. It is sifted through a window screen. Then through several layers of wedding tulle, the stuff bridal veils are made of. When I have that, then I am ready to plant it.

Fig 6. Jin Fluid ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

The bottle contains Japanese jin fluid. Far superior the dormant disease control we are used to using here in America. I really like this stuff. It stays suspended and does not fall out of solution.

Fig 7. A Mossy Nebari ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

For me, the application of moss starts around the exposed roots. There is no better way to accentuate the nebari then to apply moss right up to them and let them show against the moss.

The moss should be broken down into small enough pieces to help with ease of placement. This depends a lot on the size of the pot. Smaller pieces with shohin, and larger pieces with a larger pot. The main thing is to break down the larger pieces.

Fig 8. Separated Moss ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

It is not cool to strip up a piece of moss about a foot in diameter and try to put the whole thing down on the entire top of the soil. I have seen guys do this. I have seen them apply a piece of moss so large and thick, that it took both hands pressure on the top of the soil to "press" it down. I think they squirted all the tree's roots right out the drainage holes! This is not the way to put on moss.


The moss should be shaved with a pair of scissors. It should be tapered in profile, thicker in the middle, tapering down to paper thin at the edges. Place the moss on the soil surface. Use a spray bottle to moisten the area first. I like to use akadama dust on the surface and then spray that. The moss will actually glue down to the dust.

After all the moss has been applied in a pleasing manner, look at it.

Fig 9. Placing Moss ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

It should look natural. It should have a small space between each seperate piece of moss. It should also be layed in sone sort of pattern. It should kind of radiate from the trunk. The latest rage seems to be to apply moss up near the trunk, to about one third distance from the tree to pot edge, leaving open soil near the borders. I like this effect and plan on useing it more during my repotting this spring.

Topping Off

After the placement of the moss is done, and you are pleased with it, this next step is the one that is always left out. Most people just push the moss into the soil and hope for the best. It looks OK for a month or two, then spring sets in and the heat gets turned up. The moss starts to dry out and the edges curl up! Why! Has this happened to you? If it has, read on and I will tell you the secret for great moss all year long.

Now take all those jars of sifted topping I told you about.

Fig 10. Paper Chute ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

Make yourself a paper "concrete chute." Start placing the topping on the chute and let it cascade down the shoot and fill in all the cracks you left in between the moss patches.

Fig 11. Topping Off ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

Use akadama dust, if you have it, mixed with the stone. It will help to glue the thing together. These patches of stone left in between the moss are like aquaducts. The moss will repell water like a duck's back, and these places with stone will allow the water into the soil. (That's why you don't just apply a full sheet of moss to the top!)

When done spreading the topping, use the finest dressing you have

Fig 12. Chinese Juniper ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

and dust it on the entire surface. Use a small paint brush or a soft Japanese dusting brush to sweep all the excess off the moss. Now water it in. Let it run till it is clear, but don't jet all the work out of the pot! When throughly wet, tamp it in with light hand pressure or a Japanese tamping tool. I have one, but I prefer my hands better. I like to feel the soil give to look for air pockets.

Fig 13. Mossy Inspiration ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

Remember when repotting to pot about a 1/4 inch too low to accommodate the moss. The moss should mound up above the pot rim around the trunk, but should taper to just below the pot rim at the borders. 

There you have it: Moss 101!