Do you wet terrarium moss?
Directions to create your Terrarium
Wet the moss with water, but just enough for the moss to hold all the water. Compact the moss in the container so that the next layer will not drop through it. This wet layer should help your plants stay nourished.
Look for signs of the moss turning dark and if there is a reduction in height. These signs indicate it's getting too much water, and a break from frequent moisture is needed.
If kept indoors, terrariums with moss require more light than you might realize: bright light but not direct sun. They definitely need a fair amount of relatively strong, natural light, or more regular artificial light from fluorescent or LED grow lights.
And, the majority of soil-type mosses (with the exception Sphagnums and Bartramia) will not tolerate constant, soggy conditions or “wet feet.” Beware of overwatering your mosses! So, if it doesn't rain, it is important to consistently water mosses.
Watering Your Moss
This is especially true if you have your moss in a terrarium, where, unlike regular potted houseplants, excess water won't be able to evaporate. To keep your moss healthy, simply mist the plant regularly and give it a good watering about twice a week.
For moss terrariums, they need a light water once a week. For plant-heavy terrariums, they need to be watered twice a week. Use a spray gun or a terrarium water bottle that has a pointy nozzle to help guide the water. Make sure your terrarium is not in direct sunlight to avoid the plants over heating and drying out.
These terrariums can be lightly sprayed once every 8+ weeks. However, if you own a terrarium that is not tightly sealed you will want to water more frequently. These can be sprayed every few weeks, and adding an occasional 1/2-1 cup of water to the soil will help raise humidity inside the jar.
They can do so without ever having to water the display or worry about making sure that it gets enough sunlight. Preserved moss should last indefinitely.
In general, for terrariums with a normal, loose-fitting glass lid, it most likely will need to be watered a small amount every 3 months. For a terrarium with a cork, rubber, or tight glass enclosure, it can stay closed without needing any water at all.
You can mix either gentle dish soap or baking soda with lukewarm water to create an effective DIY herbicide that will kill moss. If you are using soap, mix 2-4 ounces with two gallons of water. For the baking soda method, mix 2 gallons of water with a small box of baking soda, the sort they sell for fridge deodorizing.
How do I know if my terrarium has enough water?
The first and most obvious way of testing is to just get your hands dirty and feel it! Tropical terrarium substrate should be moist to the touch, but never soggy. Or, (if you don't want to get your hands dirty) you can check the condensation levels against the glass through the substrate level.
Some mosses can survive in full sun, though most prefer shade. Moss can grow on any type of soil because their shallow roots simply hold the moss there without drawing nutrients from the soil. They get some nutrients from water, but mostly they make their own food through photosynthesis.
It can take six to eight weeks or a little bit more to grow and reach maturity. This moss doesn't grow too tall and prefers moderately cool climatic conditions. The Christmas moss is sometimes confused with Java moss due to their similar appearance, and fast growth rate, but they are two different species.
"If you decide to encourage moss to take over naturally, the most important thing is to keep any debris off the moss," Dave says. "And you do that basically with a broom or by hand and remove leaves and debris. Bare soil areas will actually encourage small moss plants to spread."
What Is the Difference Between Preserved Moss and Dried Moss? Dried moss is at the dormant state and will lose its green color over time. However, when rehydrated it will return to life and start growing again. Preserved moss is no longer alive and has been chemically treated to maintain its feel and allure.
A completely enclosed terrarium requires little or no watering, but if in doubt always water less. If the soil is completely dry and the leaves are wilting this is a sign that the terrarium is too dry and needs watering. NEVER pour water into your terrarium.
Lighting. To put it simply, our moss will do just fine with bright fluorescent or LED bulbs in the 5000-6700K (kelvin) range, illuminated for 12 hours daily. Lights should be timed for about 12 hours on & 12 hours off for the best plant growth & a healthy day/night cycle for the inhabitants residing in the vivarium.
Tap water contains too much chlorine and can turn your mosses brown. Moss requires the same lighting as your enclosed terrarium. It should be placed in indirect light. It should never be placed in direct sunlight, otherwise moss will lose its green color.
When mosses first dry out, they don't die right away; they simply turn brown and go dormant. They can stay like this for various lengths of time before they must be rehydrated, depending on the species. One variety, Anoectangium compactum, can survive an incredible 19 years without water [source: Richardson]!
Moss is quite easy to care for if it is in a closed terrarium. Closed terrariums create their own water cycle. They have less evaporation and plenty of condensation which creates the perfect conditions for growing moss.
How do you increase moss growth in a terrarium?
Use a closed terrarium with a 2-inch base layer of gravel, and a half-inch layer of activated charcoal. Separate the base with landscape fabric. Add regular potting soil then tamp the moss onto the soil. Moss grows on the soil, not into it, so the soil does need to be nutrient-rich.
You can easily transplant moss in your yard to expand its growth. Not everyone's yard is suited for a moss lawn, but it can be a great choice for accent areas like rock gardens, shady areas or trouble spots where other plants struggle to grow.
Moss Care Indoors
Keeping moss indoors is very carefree, as it doesn't need much moisture or sunlight and absolutely no fertilizer. Mist the surface a couple of times a week to keep the moss moist. After you mist it, replace the top on the container, leaving a small amount of space for air to exchange.
Every two or three weeks, it's wise to ventilate a closed terrarium for a few hours. After you've aired it out, close the lid again and wait to see if condensation builds up on the glass. If so, then it's good to go for a while. If not, then open it and give it a small drink of water.
Closed terrariums provide you with a self-watering, self-sufficient ecosystem. With plants that require no upkeep or watering, this indoor garden is a great gift for those who like the look of real plants but lack the time or desire to spend on maintenance.
Water is condensing due to the difference in temperature between the inside and outside of your terrarium. If your cold house is cooling the temperature of the glass, when warm terrarium air hits the cold surface it reaches its dew point and condenses.
Snow and freezing temperatures signify dormancy or death to most plants BUT NOT MOSSES. Mosses grow in winter weather... not just survive but actually thrive. Most plants exhibit growth patterns between 65-85 degrees F. In contrast, bryophytes can grow in sub-zero temperatures.
Sheet Moss (Hypnum genus) thrives in shade, but will also tolerate partial sunlight but not direct afternoon sun. If you have a sunny area where you want moss to grow please check out our Sun Moss Products.
Moss gets its nutrients and moisture from the rain and air. You'll never need to fertilize it. And moss isn't reliant on any sort of chemical supplements or interventions whatsoever.
Add the dried moss layer
Next, take your dried moss and soak it in a bowl of water for about a minute. Squeeze out the excess water, form it into a sheet and spread it over the rocks. This layer helps keep your terrarium fresh.
How fast does moss grow in terrarium?
It can take six to eight weeks or a little bit more to grow and reach maturity. This moss doesn't grow too tall and prefers moderately cool climatic conditions. The Christmas moss is sometimes confused with Java moss due to their similar appearance, and fast growth rate, but they are two different species.
A terrarium can and will function without a charcoal layer.
A completely enclosed terrarium requires little or no watering, but if in doubt always water less. If the soil is completely dry and the leaves are wilting this is a sign that the terrarium is too dry and needs watering. NEVER pour water into your terrarium.