I have recently built a water feature that has water dropping down a stone face. I have glued some sheets of native moss in place hoping that they will naturalize. The water flow is constant for about 12 hours/day.. enough to keep the moss wet. Since I have no substrate other than bare rock I want to encourage this moss to grow and spread and the water to drip from it. The aspect (shaded eastern exposure) is good for moss. My question is: Since the water is recirculated in this system...can I fertilize the moss with a liquid fertilizer...if so which one?...would it do any good to have fertilized water running in this system?...how strong should it be? Any advice/ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
Without knowing the answer properly, I'd use a seaweed emulsion such as seasol. I use this in my pond for water lillies and it works a treat. Not sure if moss would have adverse reactions to this. To be safe I'd dilute it to quarter strength
What about painting your rocks with old milk that is supposed to encourage moss growth. I have seen concrete statues go green after this treatment. also "Moss and lichens love wood and will happily establish themselves if given the chance." can you incorporate some rotting wood? Found this on a cached site Introduction Adding moss to a garden is a beautiful way to enhance its appearance, and with this easy and inexpensive recipe, you'll enjoy growing moss as well. Instructions Difficulty: Easy Steps 1 Step One Put a handful of the moss you want to grow into a blender. 2 Step Two Add 1/2 tsp. sugar and one can of beer (the cheapest brand). You can substitute buttermilk for beer if you want. 3 Step Three Blend just long enough to mix the ingredients and break down the moss. 4 Step Four Spread the soupy mixture with a spatula over the ground or rocks where you want the moss to grow. Tips & Warnings Remove as much dirt from the moss as you can before you start. Moss grows best in shady areas. Once you've spread the moss mixture, don't get it wet or you will wash the mixture away Liz
Just to warn you that any fertilizers you use, whether they are organic or not, algae will feed on them and you will get an algae bloom. In terms of trying to get moss to grow on the rock I read an article in the recent edition of Gardenwise magazine about creating a "moss milkshake" which involved mixing water, moss and some other ingredients in a blender and blending it to the consistency of a chowder and then smearing it on the surface of where you want moss to grow. Might want to check that article out if you can get your hands on this magazine. Eric
If you have natural moss growing anywhere near your area it will eventually grow on your water feature. It may not be the quick fix you are looking for but it will eventually happen. Gene
