Craft Corner

Miniature Moss Garden

Adding Green to the Indoors

Moss!

You learned a bit about this plant in our Nature’s Garden selection. Now, let’s talk about how we can enjoy this intriguing, fuzzy green plant up close, indoors and year-round.

Making an indoor moss garden is a fun project for the whole family to work on. When it’s complete, caring for your moss garden is also easy, even for our beginner gardeners.

Supplies Needed:

  • Quart jar (or larger), wide mouth preferred
  • Gravel
  • Potting soil, peat moss or dirt
  • Sand
  • Moss
  • Optional: pretty stone, shell, sticks, piece of bark or other decor
  • Newspaper (to control the mess)
  • Moss!
  • Spray bottle

 

 

Making the Moss Garden

 

Step 1: Collect supplies

Step 2: Collect some moss

Step 3: Put a layer of gravel in the bottom of your jar

Step 4: Mix the soil with some sand, peat moss or dried sphagnum moss to make it lighter

Step 5: Add a 1-inch layer of the soil mixture on top of the gravel layer

Step 6: Press the moss firmly onto the soil. You can then use your fingers to “fluff” the moss a bit.

Step 7: Add decorations (if desired)

Step 8: Water thoroughly with chlorine-free water

Caring for the Moss Garden

Water:

Your moss garden will want to stay moist, but not waterlogged. Make sure to avoid water that has been treated with chlorine. You can use bottled water, well water, rainwater, filtered water, or let water sit in an open container for two days before it is used.

You can use a spray bottle to water your garden, unless the moss starts to appear brown and dry, and then use a watering can or cup to water more thoroughly.

Water once or twice a week, as needed. Drier climates will need to water more frequently.

Light:

Your moss garden will want some daylight, but not a lot of direct sunshine. A window facing east that gets a bit of morning sun is good. Moss does not want complete shade

Moss Garden Variation:

The Water Moss Garden

Some moss can grow happily submerged completely in water. A common type is called marimo moss. With a source of marimo moss and a similar set-up to our terrestrial moss garden, your water moss garden can also be an easy addition to the indoor greenery.

Supplies:

  • Mason jar or other glass enclosure
  • Stones, washed thoroughly
  • Marimo moss ball
  • Other water-proof decorations (if desired) such as shells or figures
  •  

Rinse the stones, then carefully add them to the jar bottom.

Add any desired decorations.

Fill the jar with chlorine-free water.

Add the marimo moss.

Place your water moss garden in a spot that gets indirect light only, not direct sunshine.

Upkeep is straightforward: Change the water every couple of weeks.