Thanks to enchanting star moss, dreary gaps in the rock garden, on the dry stone wall or in the pot are a thing of the past. With delicate, needle-like leaves, the plant forms dense, green carpets over which tiny star blossoms dance. The following answers to frequently asked questions convey all the aspects that are important for professional cultivation.
How do I care for star moss in the garden?
Star moss is ideal for rock gardens, dry stone walls or pots. It prefers partially shaded locations with fresh, moist, well-drained soil. Planting takes place in autumn at a distance of 20-25 cm. Star moss requires regular watering, no fertilizer in the bed and is frost-resistant down to -34 degrees Celsius.
Planting star moss correctly
Autumn is the ideal time to do creative garden design with star moss. In a sunny to partially shaded location, prepare the fresh, loose soil so that it is free of weeds, roots and stones. Then create small pits at a distance of 20-25 cm. During this work, soak the potted young plants in water until no more air bubbles appear. It continues in this sequence:
- Unpot the star moss and plant it in the middle, no deeper than before in the growing pot
- Enrich the excavation with a little compost and horn shavings and distribute it around the plant
- Watering and mulching with leaves, grass clippings or bark mulch
The process is similar in the pot or balcony box. In addition, we recommend creating a 2 cm high drainage made of inorganic materials above the water drain in the bottom of the vessel to prevent waterlogging.
Care tips
In order to encourage the graceful star blossoms to dance over the filigree leaf cushions, the gardening choreography is designed like this:
- Do not let star moss dry out at any time of the year
- Fertilizing is not necessary in the bed
- Fertilize liquidly in the planter every 30 days from April to August
- Cutting is possible at any time for optical reasons
- Sweep away all leaves in autumn
Thanks to its frost-resistant constitution, the plant gets through the winter he althy without any special precautions. If star moss thrives in a bucket or balcony box, cover the container with foil or jute and place it on cold-insulating wood or Styrofoam.read more
Which location is suitable?
The frugal plant does not place any significant demands on light and temperature conditions. As long as the soil is not bone dry, star moss thrives in sunny locations without any problems. Fattening herbs achieve their optimum in a partially shaded location with humus-rich, fresh, moist and well-drained soil.read more
The correct planting distance
Since star moss exceeds its growth height of 3-5 cm by five times in terms of growth width, the measurement of the planting distance is based on this requirement. Place the young mastheads 20-25 cm apart to create a compact cushion. In the pot and balcony box, reduce this value by 5-10 cm.
What soil does the plant need?
The robust plant expresses its frugality not least by thriving in almost any soil. As long as there is no desert-like drought or lethal waterlogging, star moss happily spreads its dense carpet of flowers. For a plant in a pot, this means that commercial potting soil with a low peat content is sufficient as a substrate.
Cutting star moss correctly
Star moss does not require maintenance pruning. It may be desirable to cut the plant to shape solely for visual reasons. For example, if the ground cover grows into the garden path or crowds neighboring perennials in the planter, it can be cut back at any time. The same applies if the shoots turn dry due to a lack of light. If the green carpet looks more like an out-of-shape mop of hair, run the secateurs over the clump and cut off anything that's bothersome.
Watering star moss
Star moss is not a fan of desert-like drought. Therefore, water the plant regularly in the bed and pot if the natural rainfall is not sufficient. Since moisture evaporates from the evergreen foliage even during the winter, water your mast herbs on mild days when there is a clear frost.
Fertilize star moss properly
When it comes to nutrient supply, the undemanding frugality of star moss becomes apparent. If the plant thrives in a bed, rock garden, roof garden or gravesite, no fertilization is necessary. Only in the limited substrate volume of the pot or balcony box are the nutrient reserves used up within 4-6 weeks after planting. In the period from April to August, monthly administration of liquid fertilizer (€6.00 on Amazon) makes sense. Then stop adding fertilizer so that the plant can prepare for the coming winter.
Wintering
Star moss is frost-resistant down to -34 degrees Celsius, so you don't have to worry about measures for overwintering in the bed. It is important to note that fallen leaves are consistently removed in autumn to prevent rot from forming underneath. Only for a plant in a pot or balcony box do you need to take a few simple precautions to ensure that the root ball does not freeze. Before the first frost, place the container on wood or Styrofoam and cover it with jute, fleece or foil.
Propagate star moss
Once the practical and decorative advantages of star moss are known, the desire for more specimens results. The easiest way to propagate is by division. To do this, dig up the plant in spring or autumn, divide the root ball into two or more segments and place them in the ground at the new location. If a larger number of fattening herbs is desired, sowing seeds can be considered. How to do it right:
- The best time for sowing behind glass is March and April
- Fill a seed tray with sowing soil to scatter the seeds on it
- Sift thinly with sand or vermiculite, press down and moisten with a fine shower gel
- Put on a transparent plastic hood and place it in a partially shaded, warm window seat
If the tiny cotyledons break through the seed coat, the hood has done its job. Continue to keep the substrate slightly moist. The seedlings are pricked out when they have at least 2 pairs of leaves. By July/August, vital young plants have developed and are planted out in the bed.
Star moss doesn't bloom
The pretty starry flowers are the icing on the cake for the ground cover. If the plant refuses this delicate carpet of flowers, there is usually a location problem. You will look in vain for the flowers in both bone-dry soil and waterlogging. If everything is fine in this regard, the plant is usually a seedling-propagated specimen. Sown fattening herbs will only bloom for the first time in the second year at the earliest.
Beautiful varieties
- Aurea: The gold star moss impresses with light green, gold-yellow foliage and white star blossoms
- Irish moss: The white flowering plant with dark green foliage spreads the charm of simple naturalness
- Scotish moss: This variety impresses with needle-like leaves in bright light green and delicate starry flowers
