Greenery galore

Kokedama

Explore the Japanese art of Kokedama — growing plants in moss balls — with this easy guide. From selecting the right plant to crafting the moss ball, discover how to create a unique, visually striking piece of indoor or outdoor garden art.

Kokedama is the ancient Japanese garden art of growing plants in a moss ball. They look great as a feature indoors or out, and making your own Kokedama is easy as.

How to make a Kokedama

Tools required

Garden hand tools

Gloves and face mask

Secateurs

Watering can

2x Buckets

Scissors

Spoon

Long tweezers

Other Materials

Peat Moss

Indoor Potting Mix

Sphagnum Moss

Heavy Duty Twine (to tie moss to plant)

Rope (for Kokedama to be hung)

Hooks (to hang Kokedama)

Your choice of plant

Plant type

You need to choose your plant depending on your location. Some plants may burn easily when in full sunlight, so make sure you choose the correct plant for your location.

Foliage plants such as indoor hanging plants, palms, ferns, calatheas, or begonias are good choices. You can also choose flowering plants such as spathiphyllums or anthuriums. But if you want something a little different try bromeliads, succulents, or orchids; these will need less water.

In this guide we’ve decided to plant a Maidenhair Fern, but the techniques we use to create our Kokedama will be the same for your choice of plant.

Make root ball

Soak your moss for about 15 minutes in a bucket of water.

In another bucket, soak the peat moss in water until it’s absorbed and looks and feels like coffee grounds.

Wearing gloves and a mask, add the same amount of potting mix into the peat moss. Start with a small amount and roll it around to form a ball. Add a little water when needed to maintain a dry/muddy consistency, and build it up as you go.

The size of the mud ball will depend on the size of your plant. As a general rule the ball should be slightly larger than the pot your plant came in.

Plant

Put the root ball base aside and get your plant ready. Remove it from the container and shake away any loose soil from the roots. Try to keep some soil to minimise any transplant shock.

Use your hands to create a hole in the centre of the mud ball that’s the same depth and width as the central plant roots.

Place plant roots into the hole and work the soil around the roots and stem.

Alternatively, you can break the ball in half, lay the roots on one half, then push it back together.

Press the ball together.

Spray water on the ball as needed while planting to keep the mud moist and pliable.

Secure with moss and twine

Take moss and squeeze out excess water.

Cover the exposed soil with the moss, pressing it into place. Use a thick layer of moss, as it helps retain the water.

Alternatively, you can harvest your own fresh moss. To do this use a flat, sharp-edged tool like a paint scraper or metal spatula and gently scrape it off. Make sure to take some of the soil under it too, even if it’s a thin layer.

Wrap twine at least twice around the ball, and snip off the ends. This will help hold the moss in place until it forms roots and adheres to the soil.

Loop another length of twine around the twine reinforcement. This is what you’ll hang it with.

Hang or sit Kokedama

When it comes to hanging your Kokedama — you can choose a material to suit. Rough twine will give you a more organic look, and you can also use fishing line or wire – whatever suits your plant’s loaction.

Choose a spot to hang it up and you’re done.

Alternatively, you can sit a Kokedama on a decorative plate, on rocks, or on a wood slab — it’s up to you.

Location

Inside, your Kokedama will enjoy bright, but indirect sunlight. Outdoors, they prefer shade to stop them from drying out.

Watering

You can water them in two ways. Mist them daily with a spray bottle — or dunk them in a bucket of water every few days until bubbles stop appearing, allowing them to drain before hanging them back inside.

Most importantly, don’t let your Kokedama dry out — you need to keep the soil ball moist.

Feeding

For many plants adding a small amount of fertiliser to your water can keep them healthy.

Maintenance

Once your Kokedama is hanging, manicure your creation with scissors to form a tidy ball shape.

Trim off dead leaves as necessary. — Courtesy of Mitre10