“I like the moss in my yard. How do I keep it going?”

By Sherrie Ottinger (The Tennessee Dirtgirl)

Moss LOVES compacted, moist, shady soil. What makes it compacted? Usually mature tree roots, as in old growth forests. It loves low pH (acidic) soil. Moss isn’t really “rooted”. It kind of sits on the surface. To thicken already existing moss or to establish an area, real buttermilk and moss, blended in a blender to the consistency of a milkshake, will work great. You can paint it onto rocks, logs, or low-lying deco, then keep it reasonable moist, and you’ll have moss growing in no time. You can do several kinds of moss, but do them individually. A couple times a year spray the area with buttermilk-water. You’ll have the prettiest moss-walk ever!

The flip-side is the folks who don’t like all the moss. Pay attention to your environment. Do you see anything else growing under the dense shade? Probably not, so what you glean from that observation is that the biome that’s functioning there is in a good balance. You want other things growing there? Don’t dig into the roots and try to plant. It generally won’t work and it will injure tree roots. Sitting large containers around where you want color, is the best solution to add life. Enjoy the beauty of the shade, and your lush moss carpet!