Welcome to Pro

Hey Wendy, Be careful about using the potassium salt; it could be stressful to your mosses. Definitely, try a small area first to determine. I’ll be curious about your success.

My insect bites were spread across my body, not at perimeter or waist clusters. Mine weren’t chiggers or no-see-ums… and it has never happened before like this and I…[Read more]

No-see-ums was my first guess, but the bites are on our feet, legs, waist, and the bite centers ooze liquid which is consistent with chiggers. We’re going to cut the weeds and spray with a combo of potassium salts of fatty acids (Safer Brand Insect Soap) and Neem Oil (Bonide). We will spot test to make sure this combo is ok on our moss. I looked…[Read more]

Also, you might consider buying a copy of my book, The Magical World of Moss Gardening. I will really appreciate it if you purchase through my Web site: http://www.mountainmoss.com instead of getting it through a big book distributor or even a local bookstore because I only get 94 cents as a royalty per book when bought through Amazon or elsewhere.…[Read more]

Good Evening Slsudano,
It always makes me happy to hear when someone has finally traded in the concept of grass for the year-round green of a moss lawn. Through my business, Mountain Moss Enterprises, I do offer moss site consultations where I identify existing species, assess microclimate conditions and provide guidance on best planting methods…[Read more]

Do you think that maybe “no-see-ums” could be the culprits? Ceratopogonidae is a family of flies or biting midges, generally 1-3 mm in length. The family includes more than 5,000 species. The methods for prevention would be the same as for chiggers.

Thanks for your help, Mossin’ Annie. The bites you got that itched like crazy for 1 week — that describes our bites. Mine are scarring (I didn’t itch over them). The larva stage of the chigger mite is invisible to the naked eye. The larva can be yellow, orange, or any shade of red. The larva eat human skin; the nymphs and adults do not. My…[Read more]

Hey Grgbirchspam,
Mosses need moisture to thrive. Some species tolerate drying better than others — dramatically changing in appearance from wet to dry. For instance, Polytrichum is a species that where the leaves wrap around the stem when dry. I don’t think Polytrichum would be a good choice for kokedama-type balls hanging like a mobile in a…[Read more]

I do believe the photo accompanying the cited article illustrates a chigger on Entodon moss growing on the base of a tree.

Hey Wendy, I’ve found some chiggers in moss but usually they live on concrete or rock surfaces. Thankfully, they are big enough to see with the naked eye; so, I avoid sitting on places where they are visible. I don’t see how watering is affected by chiggers though. Set up a sprinkler system on a controller/timer so that you don’t have to stand in…[Read more]

Hey Kristie,
Thanks for your interest in adding mosses to your paver area in your pool surround. YES, Mountain Moss does sell LIVE moss species through our online Moss Shop and at our Mossery in Brevard, NC that are sun-tolerant — Ceratodon, Entodon, Atrichum angustatum, Bryoandersonia — to name a few “sun” moss species. Even though these moss…[Read more]

Hey Sammie,
Thanks for contacting Mountain Moss. Adding mosses to the joints between pavers will serve several purposes. First, the year-round green appeal of mosses is amazing, even in cold winter months. Second, mosses soften the hardscape by providing a sense of permanence and by establishing a connection to the natural surroundings. Third,…[Read more]

Hey Jessica,

You have raised an interesting topic. The Internet has lots of “bright” ideas that are fraught with misinformation and misleading content about MOSS! Beware of any info posted on the Web. I’ve found a reference about Ceratodon and Racomitrium being used on a green wall in Stuttgart, Germany, to reduce/eliminate urban air pollution.…[Read more]