Kokedama DIY, floating island, hanging moss ball planter

Make your own kokedama! 

Also known as floating islands or hanging moss ball planters, poor mans bonsai. Whatever you call it these planters are AWESOME! They are also pretty darn easy to make.

Its a nice damp winter in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Causing mushrooms to grow

and

Tis the season for fresh sphagnum moss covering the forest floor in a dense glorious green carpet. I love to peel off small squares to use for making kokedama

These compact floating plant islands can be created with nearly any plant, so long as the roots are trim and tidy and fit in the ball shape you are creating.

Today I’m using ivy because it grows in abundance outside my home, Ivy is incredibly good at putting down roots and super hardy,  I’m hoping this boosts its survival rate and it doesn’t need much light, which makes it ideal for indoor growing.

Although many people will make kokedama with string, jute, hemp or cotton, I choose not to use string because it will mold then rot then fall apart, thus unraveling the entire kokedama.  I use fishing line instead, its strong, versatile and creates a magical sense of floating because you can’t see it.

 

What you will need to create your kokedama.

Sphagnum moss (get it here)

Peet Moss (get it here)

organic potting soil (get it here)

English ivy (get it here)

Fishing line (get it here)

a bowl for mixing soil

a spoon for scooping

a couple cups of water for wetting the soil

pure joy (because what is life without it?)

 

To make;

blend half peet moss with half potting soil in a bowl, blend well,

add enough water to moisten the soil blend

 

roll out your sphagnum moss into a nice sheet,

add peet moss soil blend in a clump in the center of your sphagnum moss sheet,

find the roots of your english ivy

 

stick your english ivy roots into the soil ball,

start folding the sphagnum moss around the soil/plant roots,

Once you have a nice ball shape,

pull out your fishing line with about a foot above your moss ball, if you have a friend have them hold that end of the line,

if not hold the line in your mouth and start wrapping the line around and around the moss ball,

missing the ivy plant until you have fully wrapped your moss ball and the line is ready to tie,

tie the line in the center of the ivy in a knot,

Pull the extra string up to meet the beginning side end (the one wide you were holding in your mouth) and cut at the same lengths, tie in a knot at the top of the line, done!

 

Hang somewhere magical.

Love!

To care for,

Mist moss daily with water, maybe two times a day if you live in an exceptionally dry or warm home.

Once a week to every two weeks (when ever you lift the kokedama and it feels light) soak in water until fully submerged about 5 minutes,

pull out of the water, let drip drain and re-hang.

As you can see I do all my kokedama at once  by hanging on a stick and soaking in the bath tub, it works.