I have read previous posts on this group about moss but they all seem
to be about removing it rather than encouraging it!

I have some low level (approx 600mm high) walls in may garden which
creats a look of too much brick work. It looks too new and
un-established.

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where to
start.

Any advice anyone?
Someone suggested live yoghurt?

Regards,

Rich

"Rich" wrote in message
om...
I have read previous posts on this group about moss but they all seem
to be about removing it rather than encouraging it!

I have some low level (approx 600mm high) walls in may garden which
creats a look of too much brick work. It looks too new and
un-established.

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where to
start.

Any advice anyone?
Someone suggested live yoghurt?

Regards,

Rich

I've heard of yogurt too... I know that liquid slurry has been successfully
used on gabions (wire baskets of stones) and on quarry faces, so how about
diluting some manure in a watering can and pouring it on? Or making it a bit
thicker and painting it on? Then you could work it into the pores of the
bricks...

Michael S

Rich wrote:

I have read previous posts on this group about moss but they all seem
to be about removing it rather than encouraging it!

I have some low level (approx 600mm high) walls in may garden which
creats a look of too much brick work. It looks too new and
un-established.

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where to
start.

Any advice anyone?
Someone suggested live yoghurt?


Moss will grow best on slightly acidic, damp walls.. Look at the places
it grows naturally and try and replicate them. Ie, North side of trees
in woods (cooler, less sun/heat) ditto for N facing walls.

We have a trough, made from an old stone sink that is coated in a peat
mix known as 'hypertufa' this is on the N side of the house but several
years on is starting to get mossy and that 'weathered' look.

Suggestion 1 would be to try and coat a wall in 'hypertufa' then coat it
with natural yoghurt (I believe this will start bacteria, provide a
little acidity, and nutrition, though I don;t know the scientific basis
fo this only that it does seem to work.)


2nd suggestion would be an earth/clay render, such as is used in mortar
in old houses. Mix up a mortar/render mix suitable for walls. Add in
enough local clay/soil to colour it a bit. Use this to render the wall.

This should a) reduce the amount of 'wall' thats visible as such. b)
help what is visible fit in with local surroundings.

Moss itself is a specialist area so might be worth further research on
the web..


Have fun
/
Jim

"Rich" wrote in message
om...
I have read previous posts on this group about moss but they all seem
to be about removing it rather than encouraging it!

I have some low level (approx 600mm high) walls in may garden which
creats a look of too much brick work. It looks too new and
un-established.

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where to
start.

Any advice anyone?
Someone suggested live yoghurt?

Regards,

Rich

AFAIK the yoghurt etc suggestions are for lichen, not moss. If you want
moss, you'll also have to keep it wet, then it will just turn up but I
suppose you could help it along by just putting some moss there to start.
But if if the environment isnt reasonably wet, nothing you put on is going
to help it grow. ....IMHO... :-)

--
Tumbleweed

Remove theobvious before replying (but no email reply necessary to
newsgroups)

The old way of getting moss etc to grow on new stonework was to paint with a
solution of Cow dung, failing that a slower way was mil or as said Yoghurt,
but if your walls are south facing then none will work to any degree.
When I built a bridge over our stream I left some joints open to the backing
soil and planted cliff break fern into them, all took but none have any
sunlight and are damp most of the time.
No fern will be able to root through cement to find soil.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

The message
from (Rich) contains these words:

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where to
start.

Scrape some live moss from a local stone, and run it through the
kitchen liquidiser to break it up. In a bucket mix a loose slurry of new
cow manure, water, yoghurt and the moss. Spread or smear this onto your
wall or stones with an old rag or sponge.

This also works well on concrete or terracotta pots or ornaments, if
you like that ancient mossy stone look. I've used it equally
successfully with lichen instead of the moss, to get lichens established
on repaired or rebuilt sections of drystane dyke and match it up to
older sections.

Janet

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from (Rich) contains these words:

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where
to
start.

Scrape some live moss from a local stone, and run it through the
kitchen liquidiser to break it up .......

ROFL. You might get away with that, Janet
but 'Her Indoors' up with that will not put!!!!!

--
ned

On Wed, 5 Nov 2003 21:37:50 -0000, "ned" wrote:


"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from (Rich) contains these words:

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where
to
start.

Scrape some live moss from a local stone, and run it through the
kitchen liquidiser to break it up .......

ROFL. You might get away with that, Janet
but 'Her Indoors' up with that will not put!!!!!

the whirring noise was Delia Smith turning in her grave.
--=20
Martin

Janet Baraclough wrote:

The message
from (Rich) contains these words:

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where to
start.

Scrape some live moss from a local stone, and run it through the
kitchen liquidiser to break it up. In a bucket mix a loose slurry of new
cow manure, water, yoghurt and the moss. Spread or smear this onto your
wall or stones with an old rag or sponge.

This also works well on concrete or terracotta pots or ornaments, if
you like that ancient mossy stone look. I've used it equally
successfully with lichen instead of the moss, to get lichens established
on repaired or rebuilt sections of drystane dyke and match it up to
older sections.

Thats an incredibly useful tip Janet..

Thanks...

/
Jim

"ned" wrote in message
...

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from (Rich) contains these words:

I would like to grow some moss on the walls but i don't know where
to
start.

Scrape some live moss from a local stone, and run it through the
kitchen liquidiser to break it up .......

ROFL. You might get away with that, Janet
but 'Her Indoors' up with that will not put!!!!!

But you are supposed to do that when she is out shopping or visiting
friends. Surely you know how to clean up after finishing the kiquidising?

{:-)

Franz

Thanks to all.
I will try the cow dung (Is horse dung as good?) but if that doesn't
work...
One of the walls is forming a raised flower bed. What sort of plant
could i use that could be planted in the bed and grown over the wall
to cover the face?

Regards,

Rich

"David Hill" wrote in message ...
The old way of getting moss etc to grow on new stonework was to paint with a
solution of Cow dung, failing that a slower way was mil or as said Yoghurt,
but if your walls are south facing then none will work to any degree.
When I built a bridge over our stream I left some joints open to the backing
soil and planted cliff break fern into them, all took but none have any
sunlight and are damp most of the time.
No fern will be able to root through cement to find soil.

Just go to your alpine section in a gardening centre and takea look there
are lots of creeping, spreading low level plants suitable for what you are
looking for. You could also choose ones that would be suitable for
southfacing (If your wall is) something that moss is unlikely to establish
on.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove theobvious before replying (but no email reply necessary to
newsgroups)


"Rich" wrote in message
om...
Thanks to all.
I will try the cow dung (Is horse dung as good?) but if that doesn't
work...
One of the walls is forming a raised flower bed. What sort of plant
could i use that could be planted in the bed and grown over the wall
to cover the face?

Regards,

Rich

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
The old way of getting moss etc to grow on new stonework was to paint
with a
solution of Cow dung, failing that a slower way was mil or as said
Yoghurt,
but if your walls are south facing then none will work to any degree.
When I built a bridge over our stream I left some joints open to the
backing
soil and planted cliff break fern into them, all took but none have any
sunlight and are damp most of the time.
No fern will be able to root through cement to find soil.

The message
from "ned" contains these words:


"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...

Scrape some live moss from a local stone, and run it through the
kitchen liquidiser to break it up .......

ROFL. You might get away with that, Janet
but 'Her Indoors' up with that will not put!!!!!

Discretion is the better part of valour.

Janet