The word Kokedama simply means ‘moss ball’.
Kokedama is a form of
Japanese garden art that includes shaping moss and soil
around the roots of a
plant. It is a muddy process of touching the wet soil and plants
and molding
it into a tight round ball around the roots –
most of the time it is not very
easy as the ball keeps breaking up,
so a good deal of patience is required.
Kokedamas are easy to make yourself.
I have attempted making
Kokedamas with various plants and
each one is a joyful experience as it is a
unique piece of art.
The balls are never the same size or shape, but that shouldn’t
be a concern
as I’m sure each one of us will handle the making differently.
Snake plant or
‘mother-in-law’s tongue’ plant, as it is sometimes referred to,
is a great
choice to start with as it is hardy and upright –
making it much more easy to
handle compared to a plant with delicate foliage.
I completed this Kokedama
about a year ago with hessian holding the soil and plant
roots in place. It has
been outdoors and has been weathered through all of the seasons.
A part of the
roots protruded through the hessian, looked healthy for a while,
and then gave
up. However, looking closely at the base of the plant
you will see that a new
shoot is trying to grow.
The variety of plants in
this picture features some with moss,
a couple with outer roping and a variety
of shaped bases.
Kokedamas require enough
sunlight to allow the roots to bind.
They are low-maintenance plants and need
to be watered once a week
by soaking them in a basin for about 15 minutes.
Add
a couple of drops of liquid fertilizer to the water once a month.
One great aspect of
making Kokadamas to decorate your home and garden
is that minimal material is
used, all of which is biodegradable and reduces waste.
Please share your experiences and ideas about Kokedamas in the comments section.
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