How to Create a Sustainable Moss Garden: A Step by Step Guide
Due to the irreversible effects of global warming and climate change, more people have started to look for alternative methods to beautifying their homes and gardens. One of the most unique and low effort is making a garden of moss. Moss is visually calm and serves the purpose of cleaning the air, absorbing carbon dioxide, and lessening the water runoff. In this blog, we will show you how to make a non expensive and a moss garden eco friendly.
What Makes Moss A Good Candidate For Your Garden?
Moss is a non invasive, eco friendly and low resource plant. Unlike most plants, moss doesn’t need any maintenance, mowing, watering or fertilizing. It is perfect for people who want to curb the carbon footprint of their garden and also want to enhance the greenery of their home. It also helps to improve the air quality since moss absorbs carbon dioxide and emits oxygen during the night.
Moreover, moss also helps to reduce the pollution in water runoff by purifying it, hence reducing the pollution in rivers and lakes. For such people who are seeking to achieve an environmentally sustainable garden, moss is a perfect choice.
Consider the Following Varieties of Moss If You Want to Start a Moss Garden
But before we go into the details of making a moss garden, we need to review what types of moss might be most suitable for the project. Below are some moss types that would be a great step to include in a moss eco-friendly garden.
Fern Moss: For example, the feather-like structure of a fern moss is very pleasing. It is a great example of moss because it loves the shade, and those soft, green carpets of fern moss are ideal to grow in those shady regions in a garden.
Cushion Moss: This type of moss is a stout and pillow-like type. It is great for adding depth to a workspace, and it is very easy to grow.
Carpet Moss: This species is great for big gardens, especially because it is fast growing. It is also an environmentally friendly species since it is a great replacement for grass. It is also much easier to maintain, requires less water, and reduces soil erosion.
Rock Cap Moss: This species thrives in rocky gardens and it can be a great addition to a vertical garden or a moss wall. It also creates interesting outdoor textures that can enhance outdoor design.
Sheet Moss: Sheet moss forms a vital component from an ecological and landscape design perspective. The aesthetic contribution paired alongside the importance of improved soil structure and quality with the addition of sheet moss makes it a worthy addition to mull over.
How To Plant A Moss Garden That Is Eco-Friendly
Constructing a moss garden is straightforward and simplistic. No special skills or prior gardening experience is needed. Simply follow the four outlined steps:
Find your Ideal Location
The first step is identifying the position for your moss garden. Moist. moss prefers shade and a little indirect sun. Check places in your house or garden that have some overhang and retain moisture. A garden corner or some of the house windows is appropriate.
Collect the Required Items
You will have a shallow container (like a terracotta pot or wooden box), some good quality potting soil, pebbles, moss of different types and some decorative stones maybe.
Ready the Container
Put a three inch layer of potting soil in your container. Then make little geographies where the moss will go which will allow the moss to settle and not be disrupted by other plants.
Placing the Moss and Accessories
Gently spread the different types of moss over the surface of the soil. Place them lightly along the surface of the soil to ensure the moss has proper contact. You may also use decorative stones and pebbles to beautify your moss garden. Moss thrives better when there is more soil contact, so avoid placing it in high traffic areas.
Advantages of Having a Moss Garden
A moss garden also has many aesthetic and environmental advantages.
Minimal Water Usage
Moss needs very little water to survive and grow and will thrive. Hence, it is a great alternative for gardeners who are conscious and wish to conserve water.
Lower Care Demand
Once the moss garden is established, minimal care and maintenance is needed. It is not necessary to mow, fertilize, or spend time regularly watering the garden.
Improving Air Quality
Moss absorbs and removes air pollutants along with carbon dioxide. Hence it turns out to be very beneficial for improving the air inside as well as outside the house.
Visual Attraction
If you are making a terrarium, moss can add a soft, unique, and calming appearance. It also adds a gentle, tranquil vibe along with the other parts of the garden or a garden bed, making it almost an essential part of any moss wall.
Moss Garden Problems and Solutions
Moss gardens are usually low maintenance but there are still challenges to be addressed. Here are some possible remedies.
Moss Turning Brown
Whenever there’s too much heat or humidity, your moss tends to turn brown and dry. Try stashing the moss in a cooler place and increasing the humidity around it.
Weeds
While moss is not a weed prone plant, it can develop some weeds now and then. Just take the weeds out and try to keep the moss’s moisture levels high.
Moss drying out
Whenever moss is light, it adds a bit of water vapor to the surrounding humidity. Try not to water it too much as no matter how resilient moss is, it can drown.
Other Plants for Eco-Friendly Gardens.
Moss is the centerpiece of an eco-friendly garden, but to add some variability, consider the following.
Creeping Thyme
This is a low-growing, drought-resistant plant that thrives in dry areas. Its pleasant aroma and resilience to light foot traffic is quite impressive.
Sedum
Sedums are low maintenance and hardy succulents which are perfect for xeriscaping. These succulents are drought tolerant and require low watering.
Hostas
If you are looking for plants to grow in the shade, hostas could be the answer for you. They are easy to grow and come in many shapes and colors making them perfect to grow beside other plants.
Conclusion: Your Eco-Friendly Moss Garden Awaits Preparation
Your preparation for an eco friendly moss garden starts easily and promises to add to the beauty of the surrounding area. Even with no experience, you could grow this moss garden as it requires very little effort. You could rely on just the simple moss and few primary materials, and you would be ready with your moss garden to relish for numerous years.
Check out TN Nursery to get your moss plants.
Moss works wonderfully in gardens or for decorating at home and it is perfect for starting a new compost heap. Head to TN Nursery Moss Collection and get started! We sell quality moss plants like fern moss, cushion moss, and super thick sheet moss. Head over to our website and get started for a sustainable and beautiful garden!
FAQs
Is moss landscaping eco-friendly?
Yes, moss landscaping is eco-friendly. It is nature’s very own air purifier: it purifies the air, absorbs CO2 and also helps to minimize water run off. It is also very easy to maintain, as it grows in moist, shaded, and cool areas. There is no need for fertilizer or pesticides, and thus no harmful chemicals are used.
How to create a moss garden?
Moss gardens are best constructed in shaded areas which do not experience direct sunlight. Start by gathering shallow containers, potting soil, different moss varieties, and decorative stones. Place the moss on the 3 inch layer of soil such that it is in contact with the soil surface. Keep the moss moist by misting it and do not let it dry in direct sunlight.
Is moss environmentally friendly?
Yes, moss is good for the environment because it takes in carbon dioxide, uses little water, helps with the management of water pollution, and is low in maintenance. Moss is a useful and low maintenance plant that decreases the eco-footprint of a garden.
Is there a downside to moss Wall?
Indeed, moss is sustainable. It captures atmospheric carbon dioxide, absorbs and cleans excess water, and has a low water and attention appetite. For a relaxed, garden with minimal effort and positive impact, this plant is targeted for eco-friendly gardeners.
What is the 70/30 rule in gardening?
The 70/30 rule in gardening suggests 70% of the area with hardscape and 30% area with softscape elements. The majority of the area is reserved for constructing walls, pavements, and other hard elements. The rest of the area is then used for planting soft elements such as flowers, mosses, and shrubs. This helps in achieving a beautiful and useful garden.
What are the downsides of moss lawns?
Moss lawns are still fuss free, sustainable, and beneficial to the environment. There are, however, disadvantages to moss lawns. Most importantly, moss is notoriously hard to grow, and it will struggle in hot and dry conditions as well as in spots that are heavily travelled. Additionally, hot, dry, and sunny garden patches where no cover is provided will not work either.
