Re: [SG] Introduction and questions

From:                   Peggy L Kinnetz <pkinnetz@JUNO.COM>
Subject:                Re: [SG] Introduction and questions
To:                     shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU

>
> For several seasons, I hand picked the weeds and grass out, so that today
> I have very little grass left and the weeds that were left were declared
> wildflowers, and permitted to stay.  I have come to realize that I need
> something with roots to help anchor the moss or it tends to come off in
> sheets, exposing the dirt.  For a perfect moss garden, get rid of the
> squirrels.  They like to dig in looking for food, leaving little holes
> and scarred moss. I didn't  and couldn't even if I wanted to. But if you
> don't strive for large expanses of moss perfection, then these little
> pocks won't be so noticeable.

We feed the little native squirrel, the Douglas squirrel, and although
they are only half the size of the black squirrels, his family keeps
the imported squirrels away

> It's very important not to disturb the ground underneath, to grow moss.
> I put in a pond and had to do quite a bit of digging.  Where I scraped
> the top of the soil, the moss has not come back after four years, despite
> there being adequate growth right next to it.  I don't know why.  I've
> also notice that around the mole hills, where I patted them back down,
> these areas are also next to impossible to get moss to regrow.

This is the case in disturbed natural areas as well. I've just
assumed that the ph in the shallow root zone of the mosses has
been increased by the disturbance, that the deeper soil brought to
the surface is less acidic.

>
> In the fall, be exceptionally careful or raking the leaves to avoid
> scrapping the surface.

Today when the dog and I took our walk I made observations about
the effect of canopy litter on mosses. The moss areas under
cedars and firs seem to be unaffected by the litter and seem to
benefit from the needle drop but the areas under deciduous trees
and shrubs seem to vary considerably according to the species of
the 'litterer'. I intend to take a notebook on the next walk and write
down what I see as my memory doesn't work as well as it should
even though it is my best remaining attribute!

Thanks for your response.

Dennis
Dennis_Goos@mindlink.net
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