Need tips on keeping Scotch Moss ALIVE

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I don't have good luck with plants and I just planted Scotch Moss on the northeast side of the house. Soil mixed with goat manure/hay plus some bags of mulch from the nursery. Are they fast spreaders and what are your personal tips on keeping them healthy? And does anyone have the "recipe" for manure tea? Thanks.

-- gita (gschmitz@directcon.net), November 07, 2001

Answers

Scotch moss spreads fairly slowly, here in SW Oregon. However, I started with two pieces five or so inches in diameter, and kept pulling one inch diameter pieces off, and placing them on the ground, tamped lightly and watered. After two years I'd completely filled in the cracks between quartzite stones on a 600-800 square foot patio. Since then, I've given LOTS of it to friends for similar use.

Mine's growing on an inch or two of sand, over crummy clayey soil. Doesn't seem to need fertilizer, or all that much water.

JOJ

-- joj (jump@off.c), November 07, 2001.


Buttermilk. Take a piece of the Moss, blend it in the blender with buttermilk and spread that over the area you want it to grow. I believe yogurt will do the same but I KNOW buttermilk works

-- Laura (LauraLeekis@home.com), November 07, 2001.

I don't think there is a specific formula for manure tee. When I make it I just put about 3-4 inches of fairly fresh cow manure in a 5- gallon bucket, add water and stir. Can be put on plants either stirred or let sit to where the solids settle to the bottom. On the latter, keep adding water and using it until what doesn't settle out looks like weak tea. I use it on my one house plant also. I'm told roses, in particular, love manure tea. Can't find the source now, but fresh cattle manure contains NPK plus trace minerals. I haven't heard of someone doing it, but I don't see why rabbit manure couldn't be used also.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 08, 2001.

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