4 Common Issues When Farming Moss & How To Avoid Them
There are many things that can make you question the health of your moss, and moss is surprisingly tricky to farm due to its sensitivity to environmental changes. We have to remember that moss works very differently to plants. Where plants are able to get their nutrients through their roots and the sun above them, moss are only able to collect water and filter sunlight through the surface of their leaves. This makes moss very reactive to chemicals, changes of light, watering amount and heat.
Unfortunately, farming moss is not as fast of a process as you would think, this is because a lot of the time in nature you only notice wild moss after it has spread. Also, moss will go dormant during long periods of drought and will darken, blending in with the ground and appear green after rain, making it much more apparent.
Moss after transplanting can take up to 4-6 weeks just to establish itself to the ground before attempting to spread through asexual reproduction. Most of the problems you will have with your moss are within this time frame. In this article, we will go through and list common problems you may face and shed light on the situation.
Watering
Watering moss would be the most obvious factor you need to consider when growing moss, for good reason too. Water is responsible for mosses growth, asexual and sexual reproduction and while most can survive a prolonged drought, they will remain dormant until water is reintroduced. For freshly transplanted moss, regular watering is essential for establishment as your moss will be detached from the substrate until rhizoid formation is created, anchoring itself to the substrate. Keep in mind that planted moss at its early stage will be “floating” and will not be attached to the new substrate for a few weeks.
Take note of the original location of your species of moss and cater to this as much as you can to avoid complications, for example;
Sphagnum Moss is a bog moss, it enjoys being constantly wet, to the point of even possible sitting water
Delicate Fern Moss thrives on constant moisture and expands rapidly, perfect for near water features.
Silverly Leaf Moss is commonly found on roof tops and enjoys saturation with dry periods.
Mood Moss may be harmed and potentially die when experiencing “mud foot”, a condition due to extreme dampness.
A very common issue among moss cultivators is the quality of water, especially regarding the trace elements of contaminants found in tap water. When watering moss, always try to source rain water as it is the most natural form of water. Distilled water is also an option, although this may be more costly.
When having indoor moss, avoid over saturating the soil to avoid fungus and mould the same as you would house plants. It may be tempting to always leave your moss sitting in water as certain mosses will curl up when dry, but with some mosses, it may be better to allow a short dry period as it would have in the wild.
Mould & Fungus
Due to the fact that mould thrives in the same environment as moss, we have to minimize risk wherever possible, especially when farming indoors.
It may seem like a chore to wash your moss before planting, but it can reduce moulding by a large amount. When we wash moss, we aim to remove as much debris and natural materials as possible as the first sign of extreme moisture will begin the breaking down process of these trapped materials. When washing your moss, you can also directly plant into your farms as they plant best when wet.
When spotting mould or fungus among your moss, due to the sensitivity of moss, you may be powerless to deal with the situation via applying treatment. Instead of using even the most eco friendly solutions, opt for a more natural approach like lessening the wet periods, introducing ventilation or increasing sunlight. if you are growing in an enclosed container, springtails or another mould/fungus eating bug can help you.
Mould doesn’t particularly like the sun, if you farm outside, this may be a problem you wont encounter often and is very easy to handle. Indoor farms may struggle heavily with mould and will need to be dealt with swiftly as it can spread and destroy an entire tray if left untreated. When leaving your moss for long periods of time, especially a recently created tray, there is no harm in allowing your moss to dry over the period, this will only cause the moss to go dormant and any physical changes will only be temporary until water is reintroduced.
Lighting
Lighting will drastically affect your moss, different lighting has the ability to change a moss from an opaque bright green to emerald green and semi-transparent. This could be due to Chlorophyll changes to adapt to the current environment (the pigment required for photosynthesis).
Moss is thought to be a plant that enjoys the dark, when in reality, even the shadiest of locations can still produce more light than you may be able to produce on your own artificially without buying globes for the purpose of growing plants.
Again, like water, we aim to replicate the climate of the moss’ origin, take note of the trees around and take note of the colour of the moss. Generally speaking from experience, emerald green mosses are better in low light situations and may burn in direct sunlight and bright green mosses can handle bright locations, with small amounts of shade.
The more light a moss can intake without damage, the faster reproduction will occur and increase your chances of having a successful farm.
Lack of patience
Farming moss is not a hobby or business model that you would pick up if you were impatient, there are many issues you will face but in the end, damaged moss given the time to heal will come back just as strong when given the right environment.
The only thing that nature ever asks from you is your time and patience. When something goes wrong, there is no blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you learn, and you show that you understand, you can care, and the situation will change.
