How to find & grow your own moss

It was a beautiful day, so I decided to see if I could find some moss in my garden. Growing your own moss is not only the most sustainable way of adding more moss into your life, but it is also a really satisfying and rewarding process.
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[@the_desi_arthropod3084]

Hey hi loved the video . Would like to suggest a correction, mosses have 'RHIZOIDS' as holdfasts and not rhizome . Interchanging it totally changes the meaning . none of the Bryophytes have rhizomes

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Ah! You are so right, its actually quite an important difference. Such a silly mistake on my part, definitely going to correct myself in the future

[@kalnakamura4600]

That dove sounds like it's doing its own rendition of a Conga Line Song.

[@motherlandbot6837]

Sounds like a Cape Turtledove (Streptopelia capicola) a bird of dry savannahs and semidesert areas in sub Saharan Africa! "Cape" refers to the Cape of Good Hope, capicola = dwelling in cape.

[@cornfarts]

Yes yes!!

[@carmelinatown]

1:09 almost started dancing

[@oliverwells2095]

I'm into growing moss and have some very interesting specimens in my yard, also thank you, this video was very helpful.

[@bouclechocolat]

Thank you for this very soothing and informative video 😊 I recently collected some moss from an oak at home. There can be so many different kinds in a small patch!

[@tipsaquascape]

Fresh moss so green nice.. 😃👍 good work..👍👍

[@lun4rl1ght]

Thanks to KZbin for bringing your channel to me. Subscribed!

[@qflower4982]

Great video. Not alot of unnecessary talking. Straight fwd to the information while enjoying the song of nature. Well done.

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Thank you 🤗

[@saiompsy]

Thanks. Nice informative video. I will now try to grow moss .

[@abc-bm3yu]

So nice, thanks for the tutorial I’ll try it to grow moss for my toad terrarium

[@juntar4065]

Good quality content 👌 , thanks for sharing 👍 subscribed!

[@animon87]

Thanks for the video.

[@Growgreen445]

Beautiful 🎉

[@ApatheticBlogger]

Wonderful video - those lil nematodes wiggling around give me the shivers though. Even when im collecting I hate to see the fellers, I know theyre beneficial but they give me the ick lol

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Lol, it also sends shivers down my spine. I'm both fascinated and terrified

[@motherlandbot6837]

@@forestfloorterrariums Have you seen the bdelloid rotifers (usually Philodina spp) that inhabit most non Sphagnum moss? They go dormant in the absence of free water and quickly become active in rain or dew. They either swim about with everted paired crowns of cilia (which look like rotating wheels when in action, hence their early name of wheel animalcules) or retract their cilia crowns and crawl about like leeches (bdelloid = leechlike)? Water bears (Tardigrades) are also regular inhabitants of non Sphagnum moss.

[@forestfloorterrariums]

@@motherlandbot6837 back in high-school we took river water samples to look at them under a micro-scope. I see why they get the nickname 'water bears'. They are really cute, I've never seen them with my naked eye though

[@motherlandbot6837]

@@forestfloorterrariums To the naked eye, even the largest tardigrades are just tiny specks. So are Philodina rotifers. Tardigrades really do suggest tiny bears (complete with tiny claws!) when viewed laterally. If you're an aquarist who breeds egg laying fishes, Philodina are excellent food for most larval fishes that have absorbed their yolk. They offer more concentrated nourishment than the ciliate protozoans commonly cultured as "infusoria". Marine aquarium fish breeders rely on marine Brachionus to rear most species of fry. These and their freshwater congeners don't have the dormancy capabilities of Philodina, and some Tardigrades.

[@curiositytube5924]

Oh my god, I feel you! I absolutely adore and love moss but hate those worms. I usually just have to suck it up and think it's worth it for the moss ;)

[@ABCDuwachui]

Does the water you use on them have to be treated or filtered?

[@kfitz192]

I can't wait to get some Pete Moss and for the snow to melt so I can start a moss box!

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I wish you the best of luck in your moss growing adventures!

[@079-lalitha7]

its very informative video. i have collected the moss i dont have peat moss is soil also a good substrate and will anything happen if moss is over watered

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I find that any soil is appropriate as long as it is fine textured. Too much moisture can cause a bit of mold to develop, but you can simply remove the mold and air out the container a little.

[@079-lalitha7]

@@forestfloorterrariums thank you the soil is fluffy only and i will air out my moss sometime

[@bestshittyphotographer]

I've tried to grow moss multiple times in a terrarium and it always seems to die 😢

[@kurzowy]

Nice video, I will definitely try this. I have few specimens at work I would like to cultivate (: what are names of the plants at 1:20 and at 12:45?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

1:20 is an Arum Lily 12:45 are Hypoestes Good luck with your moss cultivation!

[@doncorleone7228]

can it be possible to grow a moss on a vermicast?

[@vedantkumar3852]

i think you are a introvert like me

[@Maononeko]

Hi ~ your video is really cool ! I wish you'll keep going ^^

[@nnibo412]

tysm for this vid. I’ve tried so hard to grow moss in my terrariums but it often turns brown (as it’s happening now) do you have any advice for me? I keep my moss farming boxes and my terrariums in a decommissioned aquarium (transformed into a small greenhouse) kept on the opposite side of the room but in front of the window as the crow crow. The greenhouse still takes some sunlight in the afternoon and at sunset, but to make up for the lack of strong sunlight I use the light integrated in the aquarium for the plants and mosses that are inside the greenhouse. Despite this, however, mosses (some types) become browns while others initially do the same but then grow green and fresh, could you give me some advice? Thank you very much 💖

[@forestfloorterrariums]

The first thing you need to realise is that brown moss is not dead moss (moss goes black and starts rotting when its dead). Brown moss has gone dormant or bleached itself because the environment inwhich its growing is either different to where it originally started growing (so you have forraged it) or the current environment is not consistent enough in lighting or humidity and the moss bleaches itself to basically start over in a new environment so it can be better acclimatised. The moss you grow in terrariums (or whatever project) needs to be acclimatised to those conditions. This can be done through letting the moss bleach itself and start growing from scratch (the new moss growth is acclimatised and will have success) or when you first start out in growing moss, wait for the sporophyte phase of growth. Those new released spores will grow in relation to their environment The environment in which you grow moss needs to be consistent in humidity (an upward of 75% humidity), lighting (the same type and hours of light - avoid consecutive hours of direct sun and opt for filtered light as this is closer to lighting in a forest floor) and finally temperature (overheating is going to cause dormancy in moss, opt for cooler temps much like in a forest) It takes patience, but you won't get anywhere until you let the moss regrow to its new environment conditions

[@nnibo412]

@@forestfloorterrariums thank you very much, I have often looked for information of this type but I have never been able to find it complete, thank you very much again for the clarity and the incredible availability

[@confirmpurchase1174]

Will domesticated moss have a less chance for parasites, bugs or any other things that could harm an animal in a terrarium?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Most definitely, but you want to probably wait until the moss you are growing is free of mold issues. If the trimmings from your first growth (added into a separate box to grow) grow with no signs of mold in its first 6 weeks, then its safe

[@confirmpurchase1174]

@@forestfloorterrariums Thank you!

[@jointgib]

nice

[@zemmourihicham5290]

Good job. Wish to you the better

[@quackkith]

hi! question! the moss i have foraged had already had sporophytes that have appeared :0, do u think that my moss would grow faster inside my cultivation box or would that mean nothing? i got my moss from a forest nearby :)

[@forestfloorterrariums]

If the sporophyte capsule is green then it means its still filled with moss spores, but if its brown and the stem has gone dark then the spores have already released. I don't think it would increase the rate at which your moss grows, it would just mean more moss growing if spores did release in your cultivation box. If you are foraging from a forest or wild space, I would actually avoid taking moss with green sporophytes, just to increase the amount of moss growing in the forest/wild because its so beneficial to forest ecology. Just a sustainable practise tip! I hope your moss grows well 🌱

[@katalinacastanares4602]

@@forestfloorterrariums Thank you for explaining the issue with taking moss before its had the chance to spread its spores. It's especially important today since it's become so popular for people to go out and collect mosses for their terrariums, or animal enclosures. This was a wonderful video, with great info and showing a sustainable way to collect and grow your own mosses. Tfs!

[@moon_wolfk7456]

Can you grow carnivorous plants in "normal moss"? A lot of people talk about using peat or sphagnum moss but I've heard that is quite detrimental to the environment, so I thought: "maybe I should use normal moss?" I'm not sure if normal moss likes being stacked like that tho. If anyone has tried this already id love to know before I kill my plants or the moss! 😅

[@vichope6408]

Can i keep this in a fish tank?

[@meenasay4670]

Can we grow it on a bed of cocopeat Or vermicompost?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I see no reason as to why not

[@rice_krispie_with_moss]

finally some normal food

[@kateXifengTang]

I used soil with some domestic manure only, is that ok for the moss growth. Also, can I ask you for the name of the plants in your garden.

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I've never tried to grow moss using domestic manure, but others have had success so I'm sure with experimentation it will work The plants I have in my garden include arum lilies, salvia, chamomile and floribunda roses 🌹

[@kateXifengTang]

@@forestfloorterrariums thank you

[@luvmyferretz]

How do I get 100% domestic moss? Do I remove the sporphytes before they release and put them in their own container?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

No, let them release in the container they formed in. The moss will grow from there. To have a container with 100% domesticated moss, take the trimmings from the moss that grows and put them in a separate container to start growing.

[@luvmyferretz]

@@forestfloorterrariums thank you for the information 🙏

[@ccacc_]

what do u do to prevent mold from growing?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I manually remove the mold and increase light exposure and airflow until its no longer a problem. I have found that mold will always show up in the beginning, but down the line as you grow more moss from the trimmings, the second generation mosses will be more resistant to mold out breaks. Making sure your containers and substrate is sterile is also a good start

[@radhasathian9672]

Hi I had a question, can we substitute peat moss with anything else?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Yes! Moss will pretty much grow on anything. I would avoid things that are likely to grow mold (like wood heavy soil mixes)

[@laurasPlants]

How long did it take you to have the container completely filled with moss?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Roughly 2-3 months

[@kathyflores4534]

Do moss only likes distilled water? Is tap water too harsh for them?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I think it depends on the overall tap water quality in your country. Some tap water is more mineral heavy than others. I personally use tap water because I haven't had many issues with mineral build up or chlorine levels but I do think its safer to use filtered water

[@emilcesantos5779]

Hola !!! Que sustrato usas para el cultivo?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I use a mix of coco peat and peat moss with powdered charcoal mixed in. Sometimes I add powdered clay

[@Spooder1989]

My moss trays tends to get moldy quite quickly, how do you prevent that?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Increase airflow in your container, reduce moisture and make sure you have good lighting. You can also remove the mold with an alcohol soaked QTip. Its normal for the first generation of mosses to be prone to mold, but as you grow more and more you will develop a moss that is intolerant to mold.

[@Spooder1989]

@@forestfloorterrariums thanks for the tips mate. So to increase airflow I should leave the lid slightly open?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

@@Spooder1989 yes 👌

[@imrandom966]

Do I have keep the container open for it to thrive

[@forestfloorterrariums]

As long as you have humidity of 70% and up your moss will be fine

[@vedantkumar3852]

can we use cocopeat insted peat moss?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Yes :)

[@Zeus-wx1mp]

How often do we have to water moss? Im a beginner😅

[@forestfloorterrariums]

If you don't see any condensation on your closed container for a week or longer - its time to add in a few sprays of water

[@dipikachu05]

Can a moss grow without sunlight What if i put it in my room ?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

An LED bulb that is at least 400 lumens will do fine. Or florescent lighting will also do fine. Light is definitely needed to grow moss, but it doesn't necessarily have to be sunlight

[@koinglmao4059]

When do I water it?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I would refresh the water once a month in summer and once every 2 months in winter. This is just a guideline. You can gage if the moss needs moisture by how open the 'leaves' of the moss are. Dehydrated moss will become shriveled. You definitely want to avoid too much moisture as this will increase the chance of mold and rot

[@whoamigladiator2529]

What is your mixing soil ?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

A mixture of equal parts peat moss and coco peat

[@whoamigladiator2529]

@@forestfloorterrariums thank you btw im from PH

[@xyricabanera3025]

From Philippines too!!

[@izanmr]

is it ok if my moss is very wet?

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Let it dry out just a little bit. Sitting water can result in harmful bacteria forming which can rot your moss

[@muthaharahmed4616]

What do u mean by peat moss

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Peat moss is dead fibrous material that forms when mosses and other plant materials decompose. Its very moisture retentive

[@RADIUM108]

Moss can be grown but maintaining it with plant is almost impossible

[@bestshittyphotographer]

I've tried many times to grow moss in a terrarium with other stuff and the moss always dies

[@forestfloorterrariums]

I find that just finding moss and transplanting it straight into a terrarium will always cause problems. But when I grow it separately and only use the trimmings from new growth in terrariums, I have more success.

[@josecarlosguerracorzo6542]

That didnt work for me ;[

[@forestfloorterrariums]

:(

[@abbesdimiri8839]

I invite everyone to read coran the last book of god on earth

[@anthonybeers]

Are you in Africa? just going of the dove calls.

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Yes! South Africa to be more specific

[@cpaigestuart]

It's unfortunate that you chose not to narrate your video. By doing that, you made it impossible for a blind or visually impaired person to benefit from it. Otherwise, it's a great video. But blind people listen to KZbin too.....

[@forestfloorterrariums]

Valid point and definitely something that needs to be considered 🤗

[@cpaigestuart]

@@forestfloorterrariums I say this because my fiance is blind and has been for 14 years. However, he's very tech savvy and loves to listen and learn on KZbin. He gets frustrated and disappointed when they're not narrated and only have music and captions. Thank you for being kind and considering his interest.

[@Lifeofcabo]

@@cpaigestuartit’s unfortunate that you didn’t consider mute people, they can’t benefit from putting there voice in videos for more accessible audiences. Otherwise, this would have been a great comment, unfortunately you’re doing the same thing! Should we all take into consideration every possible disability one might have and apply it to content that we might not enjoy making that way? Hmm maybe we can just enjoy what we get freely. Mute people can still make videos too…❤ I’m just messing with u… kinda

[@cpaigestuart]

@@Lifeofcabo You may be correct. However, I only live with a blind partner, not a mute one, so I cannot speak to that experience. However, I am certain that there are mute people that make videos that use editing software that uses AI or other technologies to create voice overs to accompany subtitles. Even Alexa and Google can be made to articulate voice sounds as can phone technology such as Talk Back. I know for a fact that there are KZbin videos made by non-English speakers that do this very thing to create dialogue to accompany videos in English.

[@whothennow24]

Every disability must be catered to in every video. Maybe he should have made his video only 10 seconds long to cater to those who have ADD.

[@mehrdadh5723]

too long , borrrrring.

[@ABCDuwachui]

Any specific editing suggestions?