Exceptchoosing the right pot, there are several other ways to visually improve home bonsai. One of these ways iscovering the soil surface with moss. This method is very common, especially when presenting bonsai trees at exhibitions or whenformation of the compositionIn addition to the aesthetic effect of using moss, there is a practical benefit in that it protects the soil from drying out and birds that dig the soil in search of insects.
The Japanese have used moss in their famous Japanese gardens for centuries and even specialize in "moss gardens." To get a beautiful soil surface covered with moss, lichen and ferns, there are two ways that will be discussed in this article.
Collecting Moss for Bonsai
The first method is obviously to collect moss and transplant it directly onto your bonsai. It can be found in a variety of places, but some places are best suited to growing the right type of moss that will cover the surface evenly and not grow excessively. You don’t want your bonsai to struggle with fast-growing moss.
So where do you find the right moss for your tree? Try to collect it from places similar to the bonsai it is intended for. Most often, this is sunny areas of the roof, cracks in the sidewalk, tree bark, etc. You can even try to find different types of moss to create a more attractive look.
Gather the moss with a trowel, trying to get larger, whole sections. Keep the moss moist and try to plant it directly on the surface of your bonsai's soil. The surface should consist of a thin layer of nutrient-rich soil that retains moisture well (potting soil).
Growing Moss for Bonsai
Instead ofmoss collectionfor bonsai and its replanting, we can grow it ourselves. The main advantage is that in this way it is easy to combine different types of moss. This will add variety and help to get a more attractive result.
As described above, we collect moss in sunny places. It is advisable to collect different types. Next, you need to dry the moss in the sun so that it can easily crumble into small particles. After this, the resulting “dust” is sprinkled on the surfacebonsai soil, rich in nutrients. Keep the soil moist and within a few weeks you will notice the moss starting to grow.
Alternatively, you can grow moss separately in flat containers so that you can use it as needed.
