Sunlight
Moss is distinguished for thriving in shaded places, which makes sense because these are often the moistest regions of the woods. However, a few mosses species desire somewhat more sun than usual. That is why knowing the conditions under which your moss naturally thrives in nature is critical to determining where to put your plant to ensure it gets adequate light.
Of course, this is simpler if you’ve foraged the moss yourself and can refer to the location where you originally discovered it growing for ideal circumstances. However, just doing a bit of research on your particular type of moss should give you an idea of how much sunlight it needs, or you can give the trial and error method a shot. Just move your moss to different areas of your garden and see which areas seem to be growing best.
Soil
As stated earlier, moss doesn’t need soil to grow but depending on the type it can definitely help. You can create your own mossy soil by mixing 2 parts peat, 2 parts sand, and 1 part perlite together. Make sure you have at least 15 cm of the mixture in order to support decent growth.
Moss has microscopic roots that are much too small for humans to see without a microscope. These are referred to as rhizoids that are for nutrient uptake while larger roots are called mycorrhizae which are used for stability. These larger roots should be buried in the soil mixture to give the moss stability.
Pruning
Moss plants are very simple to care for, but it is important not to remove any green parts of the plant. This will kill it. If your moss is looking like it needs some trimming, take scissors and cut above where you want new growth to come out, but leave behind green parts. A good way to tell if your moss is healthy is to run a hand over the stems and if they spring back up, it’s ok.
If not, trim a couple of inches. If you notice any areas of your moss looks dead, don’t be afraid to cut it down and leave the dead pieces in place. This will allow fungus from decomposing leaves to travel through the moss and assist with nutrient uptake.
Propagating
Moss is a great choice for anyone looking to create a garden with very low maintenance. Mosses can grow and thrive even in the dimmest corners of your yard or garden, and they will spread quickly to fill any empty areas. Before you know it, moss will be growing on every surface around! This makes propagation easy: simply move the moss to the area where you want more. You do have to pay attention during this process so that you don’t accidentally break off any of the roots, which will be very fine strands on your plant.
Conclusion
If your moss is looking a little spotty, don’t worry too much. Mosses are very low maintenance and thrive on neglect. That being said, now you have some tips to help keep it healthy! With the proper amount of water, sunlight, soil mixture, and pruning, your moss should spread quickly throughout your garden as the stem successions work their way through your mossy areas.