Re: Urea

**P*@aol.com**

RE:Adam's request for  a solution to putting urea on rocks without an 
infraction of NYC laws and health codes in order to promote moss  growth.   
Many fertilizers have urea as the component of their nitrogen content.   If 
urea on a rock will promote moss growth, then  I would presume that painting 
the rock with some fertilizer would be a good place to start experimentally.  
 Different strengths of a particular fertilizer would probably have different 
effects.   You can buy active moss spores from a BONSAI store or supply 
source and they even have some sticky material that can be obtained as a 
gluey material that they put on rocks for tree roots(I forget the name of 
it).   To start moss in a new place, deeper shade would be preferable.  
Bonsai people have a lot of experience with mosses.  Try consulting with a 
local group for further info.  Also, a painted on coating or slurry of 
clay(thin) would be another experimental technique that I would try.   Lots 
of area for study and experimentation here.   pH, strength of solution, light 
intensity, chemical composition of the substrate, microbial content etc. are 
all parameters which need to be considered.

Elmer L. Morehouse   - Biologist and Advanced Master Gardener

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