Re: [SG] Introduction and questions

Welcome to the list, Dennis..

I love moss and keep moving it around my garden.  I've only converted small
areas and, since my soil is already naturally acid, did not add anything.

I just finished reading "Moss Gardening" by George Schenk and highly
recommend that you get your hands on a copy before you begin your project.
He talks about converting lawns to moss and describes (with photographs)
many mosses and lichens and the conditions they will thrive in.  It's
enough to make anyone want to grow moss!

It's published by Timber Press:  http://www.timber-press.com/mo/mosgar.html
and probably available elsewhere, as well - Amazon.com, most likely.

One of the most interesting things I learned is that when you move moss,
you need to move it to exactly the same light conditions it was growing in
or it is likely to die....explains why a lot of my attempts have failed
over the years.  I am much more careful now.

My only other words of semi-wisdom are that moss takes a fair amount of
futzing with.  All kinds of weed seeds love it as a nurse bed, so it needs
careful hand weeding a couple times a year.  Plus, you have to keep leaves
off of it or they smother it  faster than you'd think.   Critters
(squirrels in particular) love to dig in it, so you need to keep an eye out
and replace the "divots" before they dry out and die.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Dennis Goos <dennis_goos@MINDLINK.NET>
> Date: Saturday, April 24, 1999 2:57 AM
(snip)>
> We want to convert a large part of the shadiest part to a moss
> garden where we can collect and plant the multitude of natural
> mosses found in the local environment.
>
> So after all that scribble, I have a question. How do I convert from
> grass to moss ? Has anyone done it successfully and can pass on
> their experience ?
>
> Currently, I am planning to use sulphur dust to lower the ph of the
> soil but have not yet determined an optimum level. Any one know
> what the best ph level for moss would be. I was thinking about
> dropping down to 4 - 4.5.
>
> Suggestions and comments would be appreciated.
>
> Dennis
>
> Dennis_Goos@mindlink.net
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