How To Use Spaghum Moss To Hydrate A Bonsai?

To grow bonsai trees, allow the collected moss to dry for a couple of days before crumbling it into a dust-like substance. Thoroughly water your bonsai tree before sprinkling the dust over the top layer of soil and continue to mist this layer twice a day to promote growth. Moss is highly absorbent and helps your tree’s roots be fully hydrated. It prevents soil from drying out too quickly and makes watering easier than traditional methods. If using sphagnum moss, aim to have enough moss to cover ¾ the total width of your bonsai pot.

Sphagnum moss has excellent water retention properties, but unlike sphagnum peat, it retains its open structure, making it fast-draining and well-aerated. It is useful for increasing bonsai to retain plenty of water. Spaghetti moss plants can contain 16-26 times more water than their dry weight and does not decompose easily. To water your bonsai with sphagnum moss, submerge the entire pot in a container of water until air bubbles cease to come out from the soil.

To water a bonsai tree with moss, ensure even distribution of moisture without disturbing the delicate root system. One method is to soak the moss in water and then wrap it around the roots. Once the moss becomes established, continue to water your bonsai tree normally. Sphagnum moss acts like a sponge and can stay wet for long periods, holding moisture so the top layer of moss does not dry out. It can be used when transplanting trees and as a surface to keep in moisture on small bonsai that need frequent watering.

The trick is to wet and work/tease the moss into the surface of the soil to establish it. If it dries up and comes loose, rub it up and scatter it. The best way to do this is with sphagnum moss, which can be rehydrated in a bucket of water before application. Watering the moss down before placing fresh moss makes the work easier and keeps the soil moist.


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How long to soak sphagnum moss before using?

To create damp moss, one must first soak Sphagnum or sheet moss in water for approximately fifteen minutes. Thereafter, the moss must be removed and squeezed to remove any excess water, ensuring that the moss is not dripping wet.

How do you water sphagnum moss?

Sphagnum moss is a non-vascular plant that requires regular watering and a shallow tray of water. Its tips turn brown or white when they dry, indicating the need for watering. As a non-vascular plant, it doesn’t require soil to provide water or nutrients. Instead, it absorbs water and nutrients through direct contact. In the wild, it grows over anything with enough moisture. It’s important to avoid overexposure to feeds and fertilisers, as they are used to nutrient-depleted areas and can tolerate small amounts of diluted feed. Over-concentrated feed can turn the moss into a puddle of slime. In summary, Sphagnum moss thrives in moist conditions, but overfeeding can cause harm.

How to use sphagnum moss for bonsai?
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How to use sphagnum moss for bonsai?

Sphagnum is a valuable soil medium for air layering and rejuvenating weak trees in bonsai collections. It covers the entire surface of the pot and has a less satisfactory appearance than traditional soil. However, small amounts of Sphagnum can be added to inorganic soil mixes like akadama, seramis, turface, and grit to provide a stable organic ingredient and add color to coniferous species. It is also useful for repotting large bonsai in akadama, seramis, or turface.

It is important to avoid using a large proportion of Sphagnum with organic soil components like peat, as the combination could be too water-retentive. If Sphagnum is available, collect small amounts from a range of places to allow the mosses to recover and replace the harvested moss quickly. Sphagnum contains insects, so it is essential to spray the moss with a systemic insecticide to prevent future damage.

How to water a bonsai tree with moss?

The Chinese Elm tree thrives in bright indirect light and humidity, requiring weekly watering and fertilization. It thrives in full sun and partial shade, and requires more frequent trimming than other Bonsai Trees. Watering should be done when the moss ball is light to touch, and fertilization should be done every two weeks during the growing season and once a month in winter. Leave approximately 7 leaves per stem when trimming.

Can you overwater sphagnum moss?

Peat moss, a layer beneath sphagnum moss, can naturally hold up to 20 times its own weight in moisture, making it a great water-retaining material. However, it is important not to overwater peat-based soils, as it can attract pests like gnats and expose plants to diseases and fungus. Overwatering can cause plants to die quickly, so it is crucial to be cautious about watering habits. Fungus gnats, or soil gnats, are attracted to moist soil and can lay up to 300 eggs on the soil’s surface, hatching on plants within three to six days. Therefore, it is essential to be cautious about overwatering and to ensure that your plants receive the necessary amount of water to prevent pests and diseases.

What is the best way to water an indoor bonsai tree?

In order to water a Bonsai tree that is being cultivated indoors, it is necessary to place the tree in a sink located in the kitchen and to thoroughly saturate the soil with water before returning the tree to its original location. The optimal solution is rainwater, which does not contain any chemicals. However, if this is not a viable option, tap water can be used as an alternative.

How much to water sphagnum?

Sphagnum moss, a plant that does not receive direct sunlight and is cultivated in a 5. 0-inch pot, requires 0. 8 cups of water every 9 days. It is optimal for the plant to be situated in a location with bright, sunny windows and requires 0. 5 cups of water every 9 days. To customize irrigation recommendations, utilize our water calculator or download Greg for more detailed information. Sphagnum moss exhibits optimal growth in a 5-inch pot and is not susceptible to direct sunlight.

How often should I water my sphagnum moss?

Sphagnum Moss plants require 0. 8 cups of water every 9 days when they don’t get direct sunlight and are potted in a 5. 0″ pot. They need 0. 5 cups of water every 9 days when they don’t get direct sunlight and are potted in a 5″ pot. To personalize watering recommendations, use our water calculator or download Greg for advanced recommendations. Sphagnum Moss thrive in bright, sunny windows.

Do I need to wash sphagnum moss?

The following procedure should be carried out in order to clean spaghetti moss: For those aged five years and above, the use of mild baby shampoo is recommended, followed by multiple rinses before reinstallation. In the event that the subject in question is over one and a half years of age, the following procedure should be followed. If the moss is over five years old, it should be replaced.

How to tell if a bonsai needs water?

The speaker is making a comparative observation between two soil samples, one of which is markedly darker than the other. To prevent the introduction of moisture into the darker soil sample, the lighter soil will be carefully removed.

How often should I mist sphagnum moss?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How often should I mist sphagnum moss?

To facilitate the successful acclimatization of the moss, it is recommended that it be misted twice daily for a period of three weeks in its new environment, with a minimum of three misting sessions. Provided that the moss is adequately illuminated, humidified, and misted, it should begin to exhibit a greener hue.


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How To Use Spaghum Moss To Hydrate A Bonsai
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23 comments

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  • Your decisions to article your work is ALWAYS ALWAYS valuable and appreciated greatly. You give your advice so freely and plentiful. And we don’t mind you repeating because some of us need reminding. So many other YouTube sites would break up their bits of information and stretch it out too much. Love the way you just get to the subjects. Thank you and we love you

  • This trick and article deserve way more popularity ! The spagnum moss worked wonders on my girlfriend’s dehydrated bonsai. It seemed quiet dead and nothing happened for a while, but just when her hope was dwindeling, little green leaves started to sprout again. A few more weeks and it is looking good again – the bonsai just got back in a new pot with fresh substrate. The guys at the bonsai store who put it in a new pot were sceptical when they saw the method, but no one could deny its obvious success. So, thanks again for this bonsai life-saving trick !

  • I am living in Germany and i have a Chinese privet, and it Grows very very nicely, i wouldnt call it difficult in any way. And i did some very horrible Experiments With it, because i am newish to Bonsai (this is my second Summer With my plants). I removed Like 70%+ of roots, and washed all remaining roots. Put it in pure seramis, pruned it very intensely, Put it Outside by 5°C at night. I am a little proud that is still Managed to survive 🙂 and is actually thriving now

  • “for some reason they have some lovely moss there”. Peter, its New Zealand. The Elves are caring for the moss 😛 Jokes aside Actually its a rather temperate yet kind of moist climate in New Zealand and its a volcanic Island (volcanic earth being one of the most nutritious wild soils you can grow plants on/in). Kind of the best environment for most mosses. Spaghnum also thrives around swampy and moist ground areas like marshes.

  • Thank you. I have just put one of my smaller outdoor bonsai in sphagnum moss. I would like to know when to water it or how to know when please. The top is lovely but the roots are not. I have just heard you say 5/10 deg and I will keep it in my garage with a lot of light as that is the only sheltered indoor suitable place. The tree is roughly 40 years old.

  • Thank you Peter, I have used this technic in two of my trees. I was watering as usual and so lost one. The other I was perusal as the sphagnum moss was put along with the soil. Now I saw some rot development of the Ficus drop roots. The tree I am having from 1981. So I pulled out many areas Sphagnum moss and added natural vermiculite. I am from India and have few bonsai trees (About 40 nos) collected from wild in 1980s. Peter can you please tell me 1. Are we to remove the sphagnum moss after the tree regains. 2. when we use on almost dead tree sphagnum moss fully no watering to be done and no need to put any soil with it till three months or so. I will be thankful if you could give a reply. It is sad I missed seeing your articles in earlier years. They are all very good legacy you are leaving for youngsters to learn art of bonsai.

  • This is probably the most commonly sold tree species for bonsai (second only to the Ficus) in the UK home/diy stores and yet a bad choice for indoor bonsai. No wonder people struggle to take care of them. You’re much better off having a native outdoor bonsai. With the amount of rain here, I don’t worry about watering for at least half of the year.

  • Peter, don’t forget to show us the final result. Also please tell us how often you watered it and misted it while you nursed it back to life and at what point you decided to replant it with soil. I have the exact same tree and it almost died because it wasn’t getting enough sunlight where I put it at first. Now, about 70% of it is green and lush again, the other 30% looks like dead branches. Not sure what to do there, besides waiting patiently that it will eventually all be okay.

  • I was sure that the best thing to do was instead to put the tree in a very draining substrate like pumice and not a retaining substrate like sphagnum. I can’t wait to see the reaction of the tree. How long can the tree be left in the sphagnum moss once it has picked up? does this solution also work for deciduous and coniferous trees?

  • I have a bonsai emergency. I just bought what looks to be a crepe Myrtle bonsai and while transporting it home I broken off two of the crown branches. Something in my truck fell on it and broke them completely off. I immediately put the broken branches in water. Can I put them back on with some kind of tape to see if it’ll grow back together?

  • Thanks for the tips Peter! My indoor bonsai has been struggling lately so I purchased some sphagnum moss from my local garden centre. You mentioned that you will keep this bonsai into your conservatory where the temperature is 3-5 degrees, sometimes 10. I don’t have a conservatory, or anywhere that gets below 18 degree in my house, so where would you say is the best place to keep my bonsai with the sphagnum moss? I usually keep my bonsai on the windowsill but I’m guessing that will be too warm and sunny now with the sphagnum moss?

  • I have a ficus that I’ve had for 25 years. I brought it home when I started training in aikido thinking that we could both grow together. It was about 12-13 years old when I brought it home. It thrived until a year ago when I repotted it. I left the root ball in tact, it wasn’t a mess and followed the recommended procedures to repot. After, at least half of it’s leaves fell off and haven’t come back. The leaves left don’t look good. It’s not a neglected tree and I’m at a loss. Any help would be appreciated 😞

  • I went through a bonsai class 20 yrs ago when I was a teen, right after finishing my juniper tree (probably a 12 yr old half trained) one of my grandparents died and I had to leave it in the care of my mom’s friend who also took the class with me. She watered it properly but when we got back home it had just turned brown…one of the teen boys in the neighborhood (I lived in an apartment complex at the time) later admitted that two of them peed on the tree while I was away “as a joke”. Basically they just didn’t like me and wanted to get some revenge. Could them peeing on the tree have caused it to not absorb the water properly or just shock the root system? It was shortly after repotting. The other thing I worry is that it may have just been getting too much sun even though it was getting a good soak every day it got full late afternoon sun. It didn’t turn brown; it was still green but it just dried up even though it was getting watered daily or every other day I don’t remember, but not overwatered.

  • Thank you so much for this article! I know this is a silly question but how does one water a tree sitting in Spagnum moss. I am currently trying to save 4 trees and I notice the sphagnum dries out and I must moisten it but I wonder if by watering it the sphagnum on the bottom of the pot retains too much water (can this kill the plant roots). How often do you water this tree that is sitting in sphagnum and how much water do you give it?

  • What if it got too wet? I have a grapefruit that I grew from a seed and it’s about 8 years old now. And I recently had an issue where it got too wet without proper drainage, and all the leaves started falling off. I caught the issues and repotted into a larger flower pot with better drainage and some fresh potting soil. And the rest of the leaves finished falling off. Would the Spaghnum Moss work for it? Or is there something else to do for overwatered? I really hate losing it, it has bark and everything! Thank you in advance.

  • Still been unable to find any spagnum moss in Aus unless I get some from Ebay as a Japanese import, no idea why NZ isnt sending us any at the moment… any tips on getting the surface moss to survive? I’ve never had any luck with it, as soon as I remove it from between paving etc it just starts to die on me

  • Hi, I am wondering if there is such a thing as, or even a branch (no pun intended) within the art of bonsai, where the goal is to create as symmetrical a tree as possible? If not for the aesthetics then just for the challenge of trying to make it happen with such an organic thing as a tree! You always stress how to make things crooked and interesting. But you also say that you are not always right, haha, so I can imagine some people who might take a left turn entirely just for the sake of it.

  • Does the conservatory see sunlight? I am asking because I have a Chinese Wisteria seedling (about 3 months old), it was doing very well until the edges of the leaves started to yellow. I read online it may be due to lack of phosphorus. The roots still appear to be healthy but the seedling completely stopped from growing, even after feeding it a bit of fertilizer for a month. I give the seedling 4 hours of direct sunlight everyday (unless its overcast) and try to water it every one/two days if it has been very sunny. Any ideas of how I could incentivize the seedling to get it to grow again? Don’t want it to die 🙁

  • Great intro Jason and some nice tips about joining clubs or societies. I’m too far south, down in Sussex, to join your club 😢. Some good tips on Sphagnum moss. Did you know the troops in the trenches during WW1 used this stuff to treat their wounds! Let’s hope your trees make a full recovery! Cheers, Gav

  • I think the Fuji is done for, I’ve lost one completely to the vine weevil this year but the other they attacked I’ve nearly recovered. The big difference was leaves, without the leaves creating the energy to promote the growth of new roots you’ve got essentially a hard wood cutting. Another cherry was looking sad with wilting leaves but it just needed a soaking and a couple of days on the shade shelf. I think fruiting trees may be a fussier about heavy root pruning before the flowering.

  • Hi Jason . did you lose both trees. l have a very small elm that is not producing leaves in the spring. my other elm is prolific with its leaves. l thought its gone to the bonsai gods but l scratched the lower trunk and its showing green beneath the bark. Looks like a job for sphagnum moss. Bought this about 7 months ago in autumn, the previous owner may have the wrong soil. Thanks for this article. Has given me enlightenment and hope for a resurrection.🌲🌳🌴

  • Thanks for the emergency advice. I wish I could give you advice, as you helped me in my emergency a couple of months ago. I am a night owl, and lucky for me, you seem to be a morning guy, catching you at breakfast for advice, with a 6 hour time difference. Wishing you all the luck, in addition to all you bonsai knowledge Jason.

  • Hi Jason, I put a tall-ish Hawthorne on a bed of Sphagnum moss and filled the sides with it as it was looking very bad and threw a branch!, I left it in the box for two years, In the second year it came back brilliantly so that I could get it back in to the pot (One of Peters pots that he made!!) I kept it in the greenhouse all the while too 👍 Here’s a pic in my imgur account 🙂 Almost forgot to say- Hope your two bounce back 👍😎 i.imgur.com/mV1BCJi.jpg