If you are wondering how to grow Irish moss, you have come to the right place! Many gardeners, myself included, admire this lovely ground cover plant.
Luckily, it is easy to grow Irish moss. Once established, it virtually takes care of itself!
How To Grow Irish Moss: Selecting Healthy Plants
Many higher end nurseries sell Irish moss in their ground cover sections. At these nurseries, you may have luck asking an attendant for tips on the best ways to grow Irish moss, from where to plant it and how to care for it.
At the nursery, look for Irish moss that is a vibrant and bright green color. The foliage of the plant should seem dense, as well.
Additionally, look for plants that are growing in larger pots. These plants will likely be more established than Irish moss growing in smaller pots.
How To Grow Irish Moss: Growing Location
If you choose to grow Irish moss, you should make sure to plant it in a sunny location. At the very least, you should grow Irish moss in partial shade. This plant will not do as well, however, in full shade.
To grow Irish moss that is as healthy and lush as possible, make sure to plant it in well drained soil. Irish moss should never be planted in a rain garden or on the bottom of a hill, as these areas tend to accumulate water.
If you grow Irish moss in such a wet location, the moisture will damage the plants, possibly causing them to develop unwanted diseases.
How To Grow Irish Moss: Planting
To grow Irish moss properly from the beginning, you should plant it using the proper techniques. For each plant, dig a hole the same depth as the pot the plant came in.
You can add a bit of fertilizer to the hole at this time, to give your Irish moss a head start on growing. A good quality fish emulsion works well for these plants.
Space each Irish moss plant no less than six-inches apart. If you try to grow Irish moss plants closer together than this, they will become overcrowded and will compete too heavily with each other for valuable nutrients.
Spread a small amount of mulch over the soil around the base of your Irish moss. The mulch will help you grow your Irish moss more easily, as it will help essential moisture to stay in the soil, rather than evaporating.
How To Grow Irish Moss: Fertilizing
After digging a hole for your Irish moss plant, you may decide to spread a small amount of organic fertilizer into the hole, before you place the plant inside. A general, organic fertilizer such as fish emulsion will work well to help your Irish moss become established.
When you grow Irish moss, consider using an organic fertilizer once per month during the growing season. This isn’t necessary, but organic fertilizer won’t hurt, and can only help your Irish moss to grow more brilliantly.
Organic fertilizers are more appropriate for Irish moss than are chemical fertilizers, which may burn the delicate leaves of the plants.
How To Grow Irish Moss: Watering
When you grow Irish moss, you should never let it dry out. While this plant does need well drained soil, it needs a considerable amount of moisture in order to grow well.
Water your Irish moss immediately after planting it, and then once per week after that for the first year it grows. This is necessary in order to ensure the health of the immature plants
After one year, it will not require as much watering, but still will need to be kept from drying out. Feel the soil that the Irish moss is growing in, and water it as soon as it feels dry to the touch.
As a rule of thumb, if it hasn’t rained for a week, it’s time to water your Irish moss.
How To Grow Irish Moss: Growing Habits
If you choose to grow Irish moss as a ground cover, you will not be sorry! Irish moss makes an ideal ground cover, as it is low-growing (about six-inches) tall and forms tight, mounded clumps on the ground.
Other ground covers tend to appear leggy over time, but not Irish moss! It will continue to grow in tight, green mounds year after year.
You can also grow Irish moss for the flowers the plant produces. Each spring, Irish moss blooms with tiny, white flowers that look gorgeous next to the bright green of the plant’s foliage.
You can also grow Irish moss in between patio stones or stepping stones. These plants fill in the spaces beautifully, covering up the otherwise muddy spots that often plague the areas in between garden stepping stones.
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