Moss in the desert

[pablo]

All the moss that I have on the surface of my trees has died out here in Las Vegas. Any tips or tricks on how to keep moss alive in the desert? Or is this a lost cause due to the heat/dryness here?

 

[Wulfskaar]

I have the same issue out here in southern CA.

I do find moss growing around here, but have never been able to keep it green after collecting.

The longest I've been able to keep moss green was by putting chopped sphagnum moss on top and then added the moss on top of that. The sphagnum stays moist for a while, so the collected moss has a better chance. But still, after a couple weeks it starts dying off.

I have considered trying to put shade cloth over it, basically wrapped around the base of the trunk. Maybe that would help?

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I live in Utah and I have had good success. If you can find the thick pillow moss it can dry out totally and turn brown but come back green once it’s watered. If you look for moss that is exposed to direct sun facing west that will be your best bet. I would recommend looking in yards that have been consistently watered for many years. I agree a layer of sphagnum is a good idea mine is just the totally dried stuff and it turns green without me adding any moss to it. Here is a picture of it. it greened up a lot more when started watering with kelp once a week.

Here is the pillow moss I’m talking about it’s like an inch or more thick. It grows great in the shade but if it dries out and turns brown it won’t die.

 

[Colorado]

All the moss that I have on the surface of my trees has died out here in Las Vegas. Any tips or tricks on how to keep moss alive in the desert? Or is this a lost cause due to the heat/dryness here?

I think you just need to find the right type of moss. I’d recommend hiking up in the mountains near Vegas and collect some local moss.

Then I take the moss and tear it up into small pieces in a bowl. Then I add in a little bit of spaghnum moss and mix it all up really good. Put it on the surface of the soil and wait for new moss to grow. It can take awhile.

Alternatively, you can also keep the mountain moss intact and place the pieces on the surface of the soil. I find that it helps to soak the moss for a couple minutes prior to placement.

Both ways will work, although I can imagine it might be pretty challenging in the Vegas heat. Good luck!

 

[pablo]

I live in Utah and I have had good success. If you can find the thick pillow moss it can dry out totally and turn brown but come back green once it’s watered. If you look for moss that is exposed to direct sun facing west that will be your best bet. I would recommend looking in yards that have been consistently watered for many years. I agree a layer of sphagnum is a good idea mine is just the totally dried stuff and it turns green without me adding any moss to it. Here is a picture of it. View attachment 552087 it greened up a lot more when started watering with kelp once a week.

Here is the pillow moss I’m talking about it’s like an inch or more thick. It grows great in the shade but if it dries out and turns brown it won’t die. View attachment 552088

Nice, thanks for sharing. The thick pillow moss looks like a great option. Any suggestions on where you found it?

 

[TrevorLarsen]

Nice, thanks for sharing. The thick pillow moss looks like a great option. Any suggestions on where you found it?

I found it growing on the west side of a building in my yard. It had been there for years and was totally dried out and brown when I first took it.

 

[rockm]

Moss is seasonal. It dries up when it's hot and dry. It returns when conditions are good for it. It is NOT a permanent addition to bonsai containers. It's temporary and will come and go. The moss in all those photos of exhibition bonsai has been added for the photo/show specifically. It's removed after that event.

Also, Trying to keep it green in a bonsai container all the time is a waste of time and potentially detrimental to the tree in the container--what works for the moss (higher soil moisture) may not be what the tree prefers. I've found that it can grow well where bonsai soil has become compacted and constantly wet--a sign the soil is collapsing and drainage has broken down. It other words, a sign you have brewing problems with the tree...

Bottom line, The best moss to use for bonsai is Bryum argenteum. It's the green/blue green stuff that grows in cracks in concrete sidewalks and other locations. The moss in Trevor's second photo is bryum. It can take a lot of sun and heat. It stays compact and low on the soil. It's pretty common if you look. You can peel it off of sidewalks, the ground, etc. pretty easily in smaller patches. Other species of moss, like mosses from forests etc., can be a waste of time, since it won't adapt well to hot, sunny well drained bonsai soil.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

Moss is seasonal. It dries up when it's hot and dry. It returns when conditions are good for it. It is NOT a permanent addition to bonsai containers. It's temporary and will come and go. The moss in all those photos of exhibition bonsai has been added for the photo/show specifically. It's removed after that event.

Also, Trying to keep it green in a bonsai container all the time is a waste of time and potentially detrimental to the tree in the container--what works for the moss (higher soil moisture) may not be what the tree prefers. I've found that it can grow well where bonsai soil has become compacted and constantly wet--a sign the soil is collapsing and drainage has broken down. It other words, a sign you have brewing problems with the tree...

Bottom line, The best moss to use for bonsai is Bryum argenteum. It's the green/blue green stuff that grows in cracks in concrete sidewalks and other locations. The moss in Trevor's second photo is bryum. It can take a lot of sun and heat. It stays compact and low on the soil. It's pretty common if you look. You can peel it off of sidewalks, the ground, etc. pretty easily in smaller patches. Other species of moss, like mosses from forests etc., can be a waste of time, since it won't adapt well to hot, sunny well drained bonsai soil.

Totally agree I only have that moss in trees that love water and so I grow out the moss with them, for future use in a show. I also have some just by itself growing on totally organic soil.

 

[pablo]

Moss is seasonal. It dries up when it's hot and dry. It returns when conditions are good for it. It is NOT a permanent addition to bonsai containers. It's temporary and will come and go. The moss in all those photos of exhibition bonsai has been added for the photo/show specifically. It's removed after that event.

Also, Trying to keep it green in a bonsai container all the time is a waste of time and potentially detrimental to the tree in the container--what works for the moss (higher soil moisture) may not be what the tree prefers. I've found that it can grow well where bonsai soil has become compacted and constantly wet--a sign the soil is collapsing and drainage has broken down. It other words, a sign you have brewing problems with the tree...

Bottom line, The best moss to use for bonsai is Bryum argenteum. It's the green/blue green stuff that grows in cracks in concrete sidewalks and other locations. The moss in Trevor's second photo is bryum. It can take a lot of sun and heat. It stays compact and low on the soil. It's pretty common if you look. You can peel it off of sidewalks, the ground, etc. pretty easily in smaller patches. Other species of moss, like mosses from forests etc., can be a waste of time, since it won't adapt well to hot, sunny well drained bonsai soil.

Thanks for the reply on this. I'll keep an eye out for some moss in our area as we do have some areas that might actually grow around our park areas! Good to know that show purposes is the main approach here rather than trying to keep it alive all year round!