DIY Garden: Hanging Kokedama Plant

DIY Garden: Hanging Kokedama Plant

Are you guys familiar with the awesome Japanese gardening

 technique known as kokedama? These hanging string gardens

 have been catching my eye more and more lately, so I knew it 

was time to make my own.

I met up with Tim Mountz, Nursery Manager – A.K. Horticultural Ninja – 

at Terrain, to find out how it’s done. Turns out it’s super easy to make these 
guys – and so much fun! I have a feeling it may be raining kokedama
gardens in my apartment by the end of the week.
What you need:

Plant of your choiceWe used a succulent because they require very
 little maintenance – and they look gorgeous! I love the little yellow flowers on this one.

Sheet mossSheet moss comes in lots of different
shapes and sizes. Just make sure you have enough to
completely cover the soil beneath your plant. Soak the moss in water and drain before using.

StringWe used white string, but you could use any kind as long
as it’s strong enough to hold up the entire plant. I would love
 this with a brown twine for an earthy feel, or a bright yellow to match the flowers!

What you do:

Step 1: Remove your plant from its container (or from your garden)
 leaving enough soil to completely cover its roots. Use your thumbs to
pat down the soil, forming a sphere. Add more soil if you wish – this will
create a better growing area for the roots.

Step 2: Place your ball of soil directly in the center of the sheet moss,
with moss-side facing down. Wrap the base of your plant completely,
pressing thumbs down gently to make sure it stays together.

Step 3: Grab the end of your string and wrap away! You can wrap your string
 in any pattern or design you like – or with none in mind at all! It’s cool to see
 the different string patterns that emerge when you’re not even trying. Just
be sure that the moss is adequately covered – the string is what helps keep
the ball shape, and it will support the plant once it’s hanging.

Step 4: When you’re finished wrapping the string around your moss,
 tie a strong knot. You may want to double or triple knot it, just to be sure
 it holds.

Step 5: Hang and enjoy! You can truly have a kokedama hanging
garden anywhere you like, as long as it’s in an ideal living environment
 for the plant you choose. This plant will make a huge statement on its own,
 and an even bigger one in a cluster with others! You can experiment with
different string lengths, sphere sizes, and types of plant to create the
kokedama garden of your dreams.

Watering your plant:

Step 1: dunk the base (moss end) into a bucket of water and watch for
 bubbles. When you no longer see bubbles, your plant is fully watered.

Step 2: Remove the base from the bucket  and give it a little squeeze
to remove excess water. If your plant hangs indoors, you may want to
hang in outside in the sun or over a sink directly after watering, until your
plant has completely finished draining.

Some plants will stay hydrated for up to a week – it all depends on the type
and size of the plant. When your plant is ready to be watered, it will feel very
 light in weight, so always check its weight before watering!

Taken from the Free People blog! I thought it was so cool and just had to
 share! :)