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Where To Buy Moss For Lawn

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Why Moss Is Better Than Grass

Moss control in your lawn

Moss offers an attractive, low-maintenance, lawn ground cover option. Once established, it requires almost no maintenance. It never needs to be mowed, fertilized, or sprayed for diseases and insects. Along with its fondness for compacted, nutrient-poor, acidic soils, it is surprisingly adaptable to sunny areas as well as shade. And moss only needs minimal watering in extreme drought.

Blade Runners: The Joy Of Moss Lawns

Your lawn is a disaster. Abandon the uphill struggle, switch to the low-maintenance alternative

I know I mess with the hallmarks of traditional British gardens at my peril, but there is one that I still struggle to love: the grass lawn. Of all garden features, to me at least, it has to be the one that provides the most work and worry, while offering possibly the least in return. This is particularly the case if you are growing a lawn on a problem site that suffers from compaction, waterlogging, drought, poor soil, thin soil, acid soil, too much shade or heavy traffic. Frankly, does anyones lawn not fall into at least one of these categories?

Grass lawns provide the most work and worry of traditonal British garden features, while offering the least in return

However, if you still long for an expanse of soft, soothing green, and are up for something a little different in a small space, there is a simple substitute that might give you a whole lot more reward for a lot less effort: moss lawns. In Japan, moss gardens have not only been a mainstream feature for hundreds of years, but are so commonplace one can buy more than a dozen named cultivars of moss for any situation. Meanwhile, in the UK, if you mention moss in the context of a lawn, its almost always in terms of the huge amount of effort to get rid of it.

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Negative Environmental Effects Of Moss Poaching

Commercial moss poaching in sensitive ecological areas is harmful to our environment. The current market for live moss is causing environmental degradation. Live moss is part of the eco-system and must be harvested sustainably to minimize negative environmental impact.

Here are a few final thoughts to consider when looking for moss for sale and when :

The question is how soon new moss can take its place. A tree shrouded in moss may have needed decades or longer to get that way, and after harvesting, regeneration is even slower. Dr. Kimmerers study of an experimentally harvested area found in some cases a recovery rate of only 1 percent per year. Youre looking at 100 years to get back to the initial volume, she said. Yes, its a renewable resource, but not on any meaningful time scale.

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Expertly Designed Lawn Care Tools

Landzie Industries manufactures and sells an array of expertly designed lawn tools to help you get your backyard project completed properly, the first time.

Landzie design and manufacture innovative, high-quality garden equipment and machinery.

Launched in 2020 with the best-selling 24-inch compost spreader, we have partnered with leading garden experts to develop new and innovative products, available to you in the very near future.

Founded in 2013, Swardman set out with a vision to become the producer of the best reel mowers in the world.

Ease of use, the finest materials and the most precise engineering combine to produce the most perfect cut possible on a blade of grass. We provide Swardman products to the USA and Canada.

Carpet Moss And Sheet Moss

Wholesale Preserved Moss Panel,Artificial Moss Ledge Grass ...

Carpet and sheet moss are ideal to use around smaller shrubs, with the added advantage of prohibiting unwanted weeds from growing. Growing moss is easy, too: simply lay the moss pads in the desired location, add water, and over time they will attach their fibrous roots to the soil before growing and spreading.

These types of moss can also be used to enhance the effect around the base of trees. After carefully exposing some of the roots, moss can then be planted around them to enhance the naturalistic appearance of a quaint forest retreat.

Cushion moss and rock cap moss

Cushion moss and rock cap moss offer different hues of green and textural variation, allowing you to bring some additional complexity to how moss can be used to transform your garden. Once the moss has taken root, it requires minimal maintenance, remaining green even throughout dreary, cold winters and a little watering during dry seasons to keep it fresh.

Peat moss

Peat moss delivers a number of advantages for gardeners, making it ideal for those looking to get a little more out of their moss. As well as producing attractive green fronds, its also an effective way to bring some additional acidity when potting plants such as camellias and overall improving potting soil.

Its also a popular addition to wired hanging baskets, and florists often use peat moss to line baskets or bring a decorative element to potted plants.

Topiary moss

Terrarium Moss

Hair cap moss

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Moss In Landscaping Is More Than An Evergreen Ground Cover

Much of the targeted marketing that influences home and business owners is predicated on the idea that you are a consumer who will continue to buy goods and materials. Vibrant images lead property owners to believe that thick green lawns are an absolute must. Of course, you will need to make lifelong purchases that include better seeds, fertilizers, mowers, weed whackers, and perhaps worst of all, pesticides. An enviable green lawn ranks among the minor sustainable aspects of todays landscape.

Thats why environmentally conscious nurseries encourage property owners to consider employing moss to complete their grounds. Moss has proven ecological and landscape benefits that have flown under the radar. When a plant nursery posts a Moss For Sale sign, home and business owners are asked to make a one-time purchase. Perhaps nothing worries fertilizer and pesticide corporations more than a TN nursery offering an inexpensive way to beautify a property without spending money year after year. If you are concerned about the environment and want to save money on property upkeep and maintenance, the following information about moss could be a game-changer.

How To Grow A Moss Lawn

Site preparation is the most important step. Remove any plants in the area, and rake it smooth and free of debris. Check the soil pH, which should be around 5.5. If your soil is higher, lower the pH with sulfur applied as directed. Once the soil has been amended, tamp it down to a solid surface. Then its time to plant.

It is not recommended to harvest mosses from nature, as these are important parts of the ecosystem and will take a long time to re-establish in the environment. Mosses can be purchased from some nurseries, or you can propagate moss, making a slurry by grinding up the moss with water and broadcasting it onto the prepared surface.

The latter method takes longer to fill in but it has the advantage of allowing you to select a wild moss from your landscape and use it as a moss lawn alternative. The reason this is beneficial is because you know that moss likes your site conditions and is a native moss, which gives the plant a better chance of thriving.

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Environmental Benefits Of Landscaping With Moss

Homeowners won’t need a green thumb to maintain it throughout the landscape. They do not require fertilizers or pesticides of any kind. This facet makes it environmentally because their presence doesn’t contribute to groundwater contamination. Including those also delivers proactive benefits, such as the following.

  • It plays a positive role in reducing air pollution by feeding on dust particles.
  • Helps protect the land against erosion.
  • Make gardens support water conservation because they do not usually require watering.
  • Helps filter impurities from acid rain.

Soaks up carbon dioxide at a high rate.

Employing these plants in your landscape delivers the dual benefit of looking fantastic and feeling good about supporting a healthy environment. Every seemingly small effort that TN residents make adds up to a sustainable world.

How To Reinvigorate Your Lawn

Establishing a Moss Lawn | Volunteer Gardener
  • Aerate the lawn in autumn by spiking holes in the soil at regular intervals. For small gardens, you can do this using a garden fork, pushing it in as far as possible and then removing it. For large areas, its easier to use a mechanical aerator.
  • Re-seed sparse or bare patches of lawn. Shady areas of your lawn are always going to be more prone to moss, so for these areas, use grass seed mixes especially designed for shade.
  • After aerating and re-seeding the lawn, brush in a lawn top dressing. You can buy pre-prepared top dressing from garden centres or make up your own mix using three parts loam, six parts sharp sand and one part multipurpose compost. Spread it evenly over the lawn, using a firm garden brush to work it in.
  • When mowing, take care not to cut the grass too short, as this will stress the grass, reducing its vigour and encouraging moss.
  • Moss in lawns doesnt need to be a problem. With a little care and attention, you can turn a mossy lawn into beautiful green turf to be proud of.

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    Choose The Right Moss Plants

    Annie Martin suggests several mosses for special circumstances.

    If you want moss that emulates the height and appearance of a lawn and has a high tolerance for foot traffic, Atrichum undulatum offers a solution. Although an upright grower, it provides a consistent height for a horizontal expanse of translucent green. It prefers shady, moist soil. A close relative, Atrichum angustatum, is less choosy about soil conditions.

    Some mosses can actually handle a bit of mowing if you want the flat look of a lawn.

    Beautiful Polytrichum commune can be tamed with an occasional visit from whirring blades, says Martin. This moss also excels at holding erosive slopes due to its deep rhizoids.

    Another versatile species is Leucobryum glaucum , as well as its relative Leucobryum albidum. These species grow all over the globe in a wide range of temperature, sun, and soil conditions.

    For waterlogged areas or storm water control, plant Climacium americanum .

    For drier areas with plenty of shade and acidic conditions, use Dicranum scoparium .

    Finally, Thuidium delicatulum likes shade but tolerates the sun. It thrives on many different surfaces and is a good choice for moss lawns.

    Buying Moss At Specialty Garden Shops And Craft Stores

    You can generally buy live moss at specialty garden shops and craft stores. Wholesale moss is generally sold at a bulk price at $1/pound. Small retail packages of live moss for sale sell for about $10/pound.

    Stores that specialize in terrariums, kokedama, or bonsai are a great place to look if theres a local retailer in this space. There are also companies which supply live moss for pet terrarium habitats, such as for pet frogs. You can always look for your own moss too!

    Concerns about the sustainability of wild moss lead to one question: can it be raised instead? Though bryology, the study of mosses, lichens, and liverworts, has been around for centuries, virtually nothing is known about cultivation. It really is time that we start learning how to farm them just like we do corn and tobacco and everything else, said Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, a forest ecologist at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash.

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    The Murky World Of Moss Poaching

    Mossers can apparently camp out in the woods and collect into 10- or 50-pound feed sacks, or just fill the back of a pickup truck. There are even moss-poaching rings.

    Fountain said he stopped a suspect a few weeks ago with 600 pounds of moss in the back of his pickup. And eventually, that illegally harvested product was scheduled to make its way to a national retailer that would sell it at $9 for less than a pound, he said. Think of the market value of that, he added. And thats typical.

    Word to Poachers From Deputy Ted: Gather No Moss Olympic National Forest Is Hotbed of Greenery Theft Leaving No Stone Unturned, by Dionne Searcey, Wall Street Journal

    Using Live Moss Youve Found In Your Crafts

    How to grow moss in your yard

    Your foraged moss has many uses, including:

    • Use it as a base for a living centerpiece
    • Create a kokedama moss ball hanging string garden
    • Make an enclosed mossy terrarium
    • Use it as a carpet in a fairy garden
    • Use the moss as basket liner
    • Place it outdoors on some dirt or a stone to start a new moss colony

    In the photo above, Ive used live moss from my yard as a base for some eggs dyed with red cabbage. The moss was lovely in my Easter centrepiece and I was able to successfully return it to my outdoor moss garden without it being much worse for wear.

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    How To Transplant Moss

    Find a Good Place for the Moss

    Determine where you want the moss to grow and look around your landscape for moss that is thriving under similar conditions.

    Clean the Surface of the Moss

    Remove the plants and grass from the area where you want to establish the moss and rake the location free of leaves and twigs.

    Check the pH of the New Soil

    Perform a soil test in the area you want to transplant the moss to. Mosses prefer a low pH level , so use sulfur to lower the pH level if necessary.

    Prep the Soil

    Tamp the soil and lightly water it, creating welcome conditions for the new moss to thrive in.

    Collect Moss for Transplanting

    Dig up clumps of moss â about the size of your outstretched hand â from the area you located earlier. Dig deeply enough to collect the rhizoids that extend into the soil. Collect some of the soil below the moss as well. This will help keep the clumps from drying out.

    Transplant the Moss

    Moisten the bottom of the fragments and press them into the soil firmly to remove air pockets. You can leave gaps among the pieces and let the moss fill in as it grows. Use small sticks to hold the moss in place if necessary.

    Water Thoroughly & Regularly

    Keep the area well-watered until the moss becomes established. This could take several weeks. Once established, it should only need watering during extended hot, dry periods.

    Buying Sustainable Live Moss Online

    Two of the best places to buy live moss happen to be online, directly from the supplier:

    These companies are currently the best source of sustainable live moss for purchase. Moss Acres also has a sister company that sells pre-made moss walls for indoor use.

    These are excellent sources from which to buy live moss for terrariums, crafts, and outdoor planting. The moss supplier Mountain Moss even runs a Moss Rescue program to retrieve moss from threatened habitats.

    We grow about 40 percent of our moss currently and we sustainably harvest the rest from different areas some farms, some logging, and some private woodlands. We leave 50 percent of the area to grow back quickly.

    Jim Fucetola, Moss Acres

    Our sustainable moss-scapes offer beauty balanced with function. Through our rescue efforts, cultivation research at our Mossery, online Moss Shop sales, creative garden designs and educational outreach, we advocate the joys of moss gardening. Ethical principles and quality standards are maintained throughout all aspects of our operations, services and products.

    About Us, Mountain Moss

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    How To Grow A Moss Lawn Where Grass Will Not Survive

    Who says grass is the best groundcover for a yard? Anyone who has struggled with compacted, acidic soil or damp shade just to cultivate a lawn knows that other plants grow better in these areas, with little or no work. Moss is an excellent example. Conventional wisdom, and many community associations, look down on moss in the yard, mostly because it is seen as a nuisance that impedes the growth of grass. On the contrary, it is simply moving into territory where the unsuitable turfgrass has died out. Rather than spending so much labor, time, and money encouraging grass to grow in unfavorable locations, maybe its time to consider growing moss lawns.

    Maintain Your New Moss Lawn

    Moss removal from a small lawn – HOW TO

    For the first growing season, a bit of care will be required to help the new moss lawn become established. Avoid walking on it other than in bare feet or flat shoes. Mist it as needed to keep it from drying out. Remove any weeds that appear.

    After a few months, the moss may seem to bloom. What appear to be tiny flowers are actually sporophytes, the reproductive parts of moss. This is a sign of maturity and an indication that the moss is well established. At this point you can discontinue nearly all care other than occasional misting during drought. When you begin to realize the many benefits of moss, youll soon wonder why you didnt convert your lawn earlier.

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    Replace Lawn Grass With Moss

    If the lawn is mostly made up of healthy grass with little or no moss, remove grass, weeds, and other vegetation to prepare for planting moss. It can take a full growing season for newly planted moss to become established, and buying live moss can get pricey, so it may be best to start with a small area of less than 1,000 square feet. Test the soil pH, and adjust it to about 5.5.

    Acquire moss that is adapted to the growing conditions in your yard. Planting several different species adds to the resiliency and visual appeal of the landscape. Source fresh moss either from your own property, a neighbors yard, or buy it from a nursery. Do not purchase dried crafting moss as it will not grow. Collecting moss from public areas, including parks, nature preserves, and other areas is almost always against the law.

    Plant the moss in moist, bare soil. Rake the soil to remove any debris and loosen it slightly. Moisten the soil surface. Place the mats or pieces of moss on the soil, firmly press it into the soil, and water lightly.

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