Kokedama is a special way of planting indoor plants. The word literally means "moss ball". This art is native to Japan, but has recently been gaining popularity all over the world. Kokedama is a ball of soil covered with moss on which an ornamental plant grows. These balls can be placed on the windowsill or hung. This interior decoration is easy to do with your own hands, which will be discussed in our article.
We collect the necessary materials
To create a composition, we need the following materials.
Indoor plant
It should be a young, healthy plant, easy to maintain. It is advisable to choose shade-tolerant species, since the moss, which we will use for decoration, will disappear in the sun. Dracaena, spathiphyllum, ivy, fittonia, nephrolepis, various succulents are suitable.
Soil mix
The Japanese Akadama soil is traditionally used. It is a substrate for bonsai that contains clay, peat and nutrients necessary for the plant. It has to be ordered from Japan and is not cheap.
In our conditions, you can make the soil yourself. This will require the following components:
- garden land, preferably loam - 1 part;
- peat - 1 part;
- sphagnum - 2 parts, if we plant moisture-loving plants.
Peat "Keto"
This is a special Japanese peat that has a sticky structure. It is difficult to obtain, but can be replaced with regular high-moor peat with the addition of clay or sapropel. We mix these components so that the mass becomes sticky.
Clay is used cosmetic black or blue. White clay is not suitable due to its chemical composition. You can also use regular brown clay.
Sphagnum moss
This particular moss is needed, since it has a number of important qualities:
- Hygroscopicity. It absorbs and retains a large amount of moisture, and then gradually gives it to the plant, while maintaining optimal air humidity.
- Bactericidal and antifungal properties. Sphagnum does not rot or mold.
- It is able to soften and slightly acidify water.
Sphagnum can be purchased at the flower shop or harvested from the forest on swampy soils.
Moss green
It is used for decoration. Instead of moss, you can use other materials at hand.
Thread for fixing the structure
It is advisable to use cotton thread. It will decay over time, and the roots of the plant will perform its function. You will also need synthetic thread or fishing line to hold the green moss layer in place.
Preparing the soil and moss
Soak the Akadama granules for a day. For this, it is advisable to use distilled water. If it is absent, you can use a settled tap, but the chlorine contained in it negatively affects the quality of the material. Then we drain the excess water and dry the substrate for 2 hours.
We prepare dry sphagnum immediately before use. Having cleaned from large particles, grind it and fill it with distilled water. After the moss is soaked, squeeze it out.
Build process
We mix the components:
- akadama or prepared earthy mixture - 3 parts;
- high-moor peat - 3 parts;
- clay - 2 parts.
- Stir until a plastic-like mass is obtained. Add water if necessary, being careful not to overflow.
- From the resulting mixture, we form a ball and make a depression in it.
- We clean the roots of the plant and wrap them with a small amount of pre-soaked sphagnum.
- We place the plant in the depression and seal the ball with our hands, displacing the air bubbles.
- We put the product on a flat surface and give it a stable shape.
- Add a layer of wet sphagnum. For this it is convenient to use cling film. Spread the moss evenly on it and wrap it gently. The thickness of the sphagnum layer in the compressed state must be at least 15 mm.
- We remove the film and begin to wrap the structure with cotton thread, gradually increasing its tension. You should get a tightly wrapped ball.
- Finish the composition with a layer of green moss, which we fix with fishing line. We make turns at large intervals.
- Immerse the finished kokedama in water for 20 minutes, then squeeze it slightly and move it onto the pallet.
Kokedama care
Caring for a composition is different from caring for potted plants and has the following features:
- Water the kokedama once a week, immersing it in water for 20-30 minutes. If the plant is moisture-loving, then it is necessary to ensure that there is always a little water in the pan.
- Moss is often sprayed with a spray bottle and trimmed as needed.
- The plant is fed by irrigating the leaves. For foliar feeding, half the fertilizer dose is sufficient.
It is not difficult to create a kokedama. Having mastered this art, you can make your interior unusual and interesting. In addition, you already have an idea for an original gift for family and friends.
