Whether you want to grow a Moss garden outside, grow a large one indoors, or use living moss to create distinctive home decor, keep reading. Here are tips on how to create a moss garden that can transform any space into a quiet, cool garden.

Choose Your Moss

There are two main kinds of moss leurocarpous and acrocarpous. Pleurocarpous spreads out quickly, while and acrocarpous grows in clumps that get taller before joining together. You will have to think about what you want your finished moss garden to look like before deciding. Many experts recommend that if you want to cover a large area, like an entire wall or stone fence, to use a mixture of both pleurocarpous and acrocarpous.

Buy Your Moss Starter

A moss starter is just a small piece of moss removed from its mother plant. With care, this piece can develop into a full-sized moss. You can sometimes purchase moss starters from local nurseries, and you can reliably purchase them online. Some people dig up their own mosses from the forest, but caution is always advisable.

Examine the Soil

Before you plant your moss, check the garden. Mosses will not grow in soil with a PH higher than 5.5 or below 5. Your moss thrives in a sweet spot, so to speak. If your soil measurement shows conditions are not ideal, treat your soil before planting your moss starters. Depending on whether your soil is too base or too alkaline, you will need to treat your ground differently. Bring the results of your PH test with you when you select your fertilizing agent.

Plant and Water

Gently press the moss starters into soil that has been slightly loosened. Make sure you keep the moss well-watered. This is especially important while the moss is establishing itself in its new environment. Once your cushion moss or sheet moss is well established, you can reduce the among of water you are giving to your moss garden, but you will still need to keep your plants well-hydrated. Make sure that your moss garden is shaded during periods of direct sun and remember to water before the moss plants start to feel dry or crisp to the touch.

Making Moss Walls

While the above tips can help you make a traditional moss garden, if you want to use moss in non-traditional ways, you need to make a slurry mixture out of moss. In a blender, mix chunks of moss and buttermilk. Blend until the moss milkshake has a fairly consistent texture. Now, you can paint this picture on and moss will grow in those areas. This is the easiest way to create carpet moss. You can also treat outdoor decor items with the moss milkshake to add rustic charm to your decor aesthetic. Unexpected outdoor elements like a cushion moss or a carpet moss are some of the hottest design ideas of today, and if you follow these tips, you'll be able to have whatever sheet moss garden you can dream up.