This centuries-old Japanese garden form is making a comeback.
Well show you how to make and care for a kokedama ball.
Kokedama is aJapanese bonsai varietythat thrives indoors and makes a great hanging accent.
Credit:BHG / Michela Buttignol
Once your kokedama is finished, dont feel limited to hanging it.
It also makes an impact in a clear bowl or on awooden shelf.
Mix peat moss and bonsai soil, and then slowlyadd wateruntil the compound adheres as a ball.
This is the base.
Finish it in sheet moss, with more twine to secure it, and spritz it with water.
Make and Form Soil Balls
Mix peat moss and bonsai soil together in a 7:3 ratio.
Wrap Ferns with Moss
Soak the sphagnum moss in water until its damp, and then rinse.
Next, clean the soil from the fern plants roots.
Use the damp sphagnum moss to wrap the roots and bind the fern with twine.
Form Soil Ball Around Moss Ball
Break the soil ball in half.
Place the moss-wrapped plant between the two halves, shaping the resulting ball as needed.
Use sheet moss to wrap the ball, and then bind it with twine.
When the kokedama is done, spritz it with water.
When the ball feels light, theres a good chance it needs to be watered.
Another telltale sign that your plant needs watering is browning of the tips of its leaves.
Cut off any brown parts of the plant to keep it from spreading.
Watering your plant is simple: Soak the ball in a bowl of room-temperature water for about 10 minutes.
When the ball no longer drips, its ready to hang again.
Yellowing leaves and mold are two indications that your plant is being overwatered or is not thoroughly drying.
Moss Lighting Needs
Like most plants, kokedama needs some light to thrivebut not too much.
Since the plant is moss-based, its likely to dry out if it sits in direct light.
To elongate the plants life, pick asemi-shady spotin your home and keep a close eye on it.
Fertilizing Kokedama
Once a month, fertilize your plant to give it the nutrients it needs.
Add a water-soluble indoor plant fertilizer to your water-soaking routine, using half of the products recommended concentration.
you could also hang it from a pergola, balcony, porch, or other shady area outdoors.
More About Moss
Mosses are nonvascular plants grouped according to growth pattern: acrocarps and pleurocarps.
Acrocarps are unbranched and erect, forming a mounded colony.
Each key in has a different design appeal.
Harvest moss from your propertyor check local garden centers, floral shops, and online sources.
Removing moss from protected areas, such as state and national parks and public lands, is illegal.
To collect moss, use a spatula and include a thin layer of soil along with the moss.
Always collect responsibly, removing only small portions of a colony.
Keep in mind that moss is sensitive to metals and chemicals.
Asucculent pieceis 3-dimensional wall art you’ve got the option to make in just a few hours.
it’s possible for you to build your ownindoor hanging plant holdersfor a natural look off the ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
In general, expect a kokedama ball to last for one to three years.
Tie the pieces together at the top and hang the ball from a hook.
Some people prefer using fishing line to hang the ball because it is less visible but strong.
you’re able to if you have an outdoor location that is always in full or partial shade.
Even then, the kokedama may require more water than it does when grown indoors.
