Bonsai Tip: The beautiful but deadly Irish Moss

[@jonathanaristone2468]

You just saved my collection. I never new this and was thinking of planting this next year. Thanks a Million Ben.

[@francovlla]

Makes sense! As an angiosperm it will develop true roots and outcompete the bonsai for the small amount of nutrients in the pot. Real moss has has no real roots and no vasculature to hurt the plant.

[@tylerjamesnewton1422]

Found this older video after I just planted Irish moss in my brand new Yoshino cherry tree bonsai pot because it “looked cool”. I will be planting the devil moss out in the yard tomorrow. Thanks

[@Serentropic]

I covered a bunch of my trees in this stuff this spring not realizing that it wasn't normal moss. I spent a bunch of my fall fighting it back. I've been shaving it off the surface with a knife, but I'm worried this will be a problem for a while. This is a good warning to put out there, it would have saved me a lot of trouble!

[@saraira]

Did it grow like a epiphyte?

[@guywatson-bognorregisbonsa7370]

Thanks for the video Ben. I've used vinegar to clear moss from the trunk of some of my trees but I hadn't thought of using it to kill the dreaded Irish moss. I'll give it a go straight away ! Cheers !

[@yummycookies1423]

i dont have a garden, but i want to spice up my patio, i have some gravel and thought moss would look nice. do you think it would still be a bad idea?

[@murray821]

Orc: This moss is strong my lord, their roots go deep. Saruman: Bring them all down!

[@BenBSeattle]

Lol

[@alecpydde3726]

Thank you so much, you saved my bonsai.

[@tryzton84]

Thanks for this! Planted this on my bonsai a few weeks ago and so great full I saw this now before it is to late

[@BlueJayBonsai]

Thanks for the warning and tips Ben! 👍

[@emmalouie1663]

this plant sprung up in my yard and it's pretty, I don't have bonsai so I won't worry about it, also how can it have long roots, it's tiny it settles on the surface, ah I see the roots in your video, interesting

[@tgward313]

it also creates a home for other pests-- cottony cush etc

[@starbell5407]

Gheeez Thanx Ben 4 the heads up on the subject cause i have noticed that the irish moss is a problem that spreads rapidly but never new it being that bad!

[@LuminousTurtle2029]

Thank you for this video. I had no idea Irish moss roots were this invasive.

[@CD-zd6zr]

So it's bad for Bonsai. Is it okay for a general lawn?

[@3nigma.3nc]

It's bad for bonsai because it's growing directly over the bonsai tree's roots. So it's fine anywhere else. It's basically grass..

[@BrokenCurtain]

You can use it as a grass replacement for no-mow lawn, like the woman did in the original video. It's great if you plant it between pavers as it won't grow larger than about 5 centimeters.

[@tonimagery]

Thanks for the tip! So what is good moss to use for bonsai?

[@ninashaw2609]

Thank you! I was just about to order some of this to plant under my new acer tree. Do you know if SCLERANTHUS UNIFLORUS would be just as bad please ?

[@maxinla2501]

I have this moss in my garden !!

[@donnasantamaria8317]

I planted this under a bloodwood Japanese maple in my garden. Should I remove it for the health of my tree? Or does this only apply to bonsai? I have also used it in miniature dish gardens.

[@OwOUwUOnO]

Oh my God, I just put irish moss seeds in my favourite terrarium. Now I'm worried that it'll eventually choke out the wild plants I already have in there D:

[@Just_Vryatt]

So if you just wanted to grow Irish moss by itself it’s not dangerous, it’s only bad if it’s in the same container as another plant of some kind

[@coolbirth]

thank you for the information - i just bought some irish moss to co-plant with my much loved kangaroo paw ferns, and i would've been devastated had my ferns gone the way of the dodo

[@lemagreengreen]

This stuff is the bane of my onion bed, it's nearly impossible to get rid of and extremely tedious to weed due to each plant being so tiny, you inevitably miss some.

[@ShalomYal]

this just started to appear in my pots a month ago - I thought it looked nice. Just went out and yanked it all out. Thanks I'll see if it comes back. ill try the vinegar

[@AnaRuizNeko]

I was planning on using it in a terrarium, I guess maybe it could steal the nutrients of the other plants on the terrarriun then :(

[@larryj1048]

Thanks for this useful tip. I have some growing around the base of my Winter Flame Maple - and I thought it looked nice, but... yikes! I hope pulling it out will kill it off and not return.

[@gandalfstormcrow8439]

I have no idea, but only been 19 seconds and I can't love this video enough!🤣

[@alyssa0411]

But it’s fine for a flagstone patio….right?

[@Jose-J-U]

La mejor planta tapizante que puedes usar para tus bonsai es la Soleirolia no echa raíces profundas y no le quita alimento al bonsai si acaso es mínimo el impacto sobre el bonsai llevo años usándola y es genial

[@MatthesGardens]

Thanks for adding the Latin name. Very different from Chondrus crispus “Irish moss” used in beer brewing and clarifying!

[@nkdevde]

Thanks a lot! I bought this "moss" because it was mis-labelled as "star moss". Now I will instead use it for... uhh... trash decoration(?)

[@BrokenCurtain]

It's fine as a lawn replacement.

[@RainMakeR_Workshop]

Scotch moss and Irish moss are different.

[@je-xv7it]

I found some moss down by the creek were I live and used it as a covering plus to keep moisture in the soil of my trees is that moss no good

[@garyjohnson2989]

This type of moss he talking about is Irish moss. True moss don't have long roots at all

[@BertBonsai]

Thank you I learned a lesson about moss

[@judgetoogood1033]

Thank you

[@lankydude]

The enemy!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@tgward313]

spider plant?

[@jalissaarchuleta6966]

Is it still okay to grow in a yard with plants other than bonsai

[@BenBSeattle]

yes, the roots cant choke out plants in ground, bonsai pots are shallow

[@thelazybonsai]

Good video!

[@1Mutton1]

does it spread from pathways into pots without you putting it there?

[@BenBSeattle]

yes.

[@TheMurpleMan]

Well TIL. Do you think I'll have the same problem with clover? Thanks for the tip!

[@BenBSeattle]

Not exactly the same problem but remove those all the same they tend to hover near the surface but can get matted at the surface vs the drainage holes.

[@LuminousTurtle2029]

Once you plant clover you'll never be able to get rid of it. It looks great but it attracts aphids like crazy. I've been trying to get it out of my container plants and garden beds and it keeps coming back. Good luck if you tried it.

[@andreimandru4800]

Thank you, very useful video.