DIY: “Kokedama”

Spring is here! While I don’t have a green thumb, I love having plants and flowers around the house. Kokedama, literally meaning “moss ball,” is a type of bonsai – traditionally a little garden that fits in a shallow flower pot.

I found these instructions by Netherlands-based designer and all-around super-creative Aura Scaringi via Design*Sponge to be simple, relatively easy to maintain and stylish way to add greenery inside or outside!

*I haven’t done my own yet but when I do, I plan to repost some updates!

Materials
– a tiny plant; moss can’t stand direct sunlight, so choose a shadow-loving plant.
– a 7:3 ratio of peat soil and akedama, or bonsai soil
– dry sphagnum moss (you can buy a whole bag at most plant shops)
– scissors
– cotton thread
– nice packing string like twine, hemp or sisal.
– gloves. Yes, it WILL get messy.
– a jar of water
– moss, which you can either buy in a large box or pick yourself in the woods

Instructions
1. Remove as much soil as possible from your tiny plant so that its roots are exposed. Be very thorough but gentle!

2. Mix your peat and akedama soil together. You know the consistency is right when you are able to make a small ball from the earth without it breaking apart.

3. Now that your soil is mixed, start shaping it into a small, orange-sized ball. Use a little bit of water if needed. Think clay or pizza dough.

4. Make sure each ball has enough room to accommodate the roots of your plant.

5. Take a bunch of dry sphagnum moss and wrap it carefully around the roots, making a circular and compact shape. Then tie the cotton string around it several times. This will eventually dissolve.

6. Make a small hole in your soil ball, and gently press the plant inside it. Be careful to “close” the shape back to a sphere

7. Now it’s time for the fun part: take small sheets of moss (any kind of moss) and press them firmly into the soil. Don’t leave any open spaces. Wrap the twine string around the ball as if you are packing a present, and leave the sides as long as needed.

8. Choose a nice, shady place, install a hook and hang your wonderful planet of moss.

9. YOU’RE DONE!

{Editor’s Note: To maintain, water the kokedama with a mist spray bottle once a day. Try to do this early in the morning, to mimic the ‘dew’ effect. }

[via Design*Sponge]