Ways to decorate with a Kokedama, (Moss Ball)
Kokedama is a centuries old form of Japanese garden art that has been gaining great popularity in the western world for its beauty.
Kokedama means Moss Ball in Japanese, (Koke=Moss; Dama=Ball). It is also known as “Poor Man Bonsai”, or ” String Garden”.
As the word describes it, Kokedama, is a ball of soil covered in moss, inside which ornamental plants grow. You can read more on how to build your very own Kokedama step by step here below.
I knew nothing about Kokedama until two months ago when I started doing research for my blog on 10 Plants Wall Decor Ideas for Your Home. I was fascinated by it right away and when I found out my local Plant Design Shop was hosting a Kokedama Workshop, I signed up right away!
Building a Kokedama was not easy for me; or at least, not the first time. It does require patience and dedication. The result is sure worth it though. I love my Kokedama and I have been experimenting with different settings throughout the house; whether I am hanging it or displaying it on a tray. I find Kokedama a beautiful, living home decor object that easily enhance every space is placed in. If you are following me on social media, you may have seen some of my settings for it.
There are many ways to display Kokedama in your home, whether you build one or buy one; here are some ideas!
kokedama on a surface
These are all examples of my Kokedama sitting on a surface in our home. The majority of Kokedama are built to be hung. However, it’s not that uncommon to see Kokedama sitting on a surface. (It is more practical to have the Kokedama sitting on a surface rather than hanging).
The first picture shows the Kokedama as part of a side table composition with pieces of art, some picture frames and other plants. The earthy material of the Kokedama blends well with the wood table top.
The second image depicts the Kokedama in a glass container generally used for sealed terrariums. While I like the idea of a sealed Kokedama to experiment with an independent water cycle, I am not sure the plant I have used for this Kokedama would be successful in a sealed environment.
The last picture shows my Kokedama soaking up the sun with other plants, not only completely different in species, but also planted in very different types of pots.
hanging kokedama
Photo Credit: Top Buzz
The first picture shows my Kokedama hanging from our stair’s post. It looks good there as the contrast with the white is nice, however, you should avoid this location if this is a high traffic area in your home.
The second picture shows a Kokedama made with a more dramatic plant; a Staghorn Fern. The sky is the limit when it comes to Kokedama. In theory, you can make a Kokedama with any plant, however, in practicality and traditionally, only certain plants are recommended. You need to consider the size and the weight of the plant as well as the size and weight of the dirt ball dry and wet when you plan a hanging Kokedama. You need to make sure you have the proper supporting structure in place!
The third picture shows a group of hanging Kokedama. I am sure this is a show or a public display of some sort, but consider hanging a group of two or three Kokedama in a room for a Wow! effect. This type of installation can be a substitute for artwork on your walls if you desire. The only warning I have is the watering process. If you choose the hanging Kokedama route, make sure you let your Kokedama drain properly before you hang it either on a wall or from a ceiling!
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10 steps to build your kokedama
1. gather your material
Since building a Kokedama is no easy task and a very dirty job, you need to make sure you have all the materials and supplies you need to assemble this beautiful moss ball before you start!
You will need:
- a plastic bucket to collect peat moss, bonsai soil, water and mix it into a ball;
- peat moss,
- Japanese bonsai soil,
- a plastic cup,
- a spool of thread,
- a thick twine string,
- moss and
- whatever plant you want to make your Kokedama with. The best plants to make Kokedama require part to full shade, like ferns and ivies.
2. prepare your plant
Take your plant out of its pot and shake the dirt out of it so that you are only left with the roots and enough dirt to keep the roots together.
3. PREPARE YOUR DIRT BALL
Scoop a cup of peat moss and dump it into your bucket.
Scoop a cup of Japanese bonsai soil and dump it into the bucket.
Mix them up with your hands.
Add 2/3 cups of water to the soil mix and mix it with your hand into a ball. Your ball should be dry enough to not leak water through your fingers when you work it and wet enough to have all the dirt sticking together. If you need, add more water. If your mix is too wet, add equal amount of peat moss and Japanese bonsai soil.
Photo Credit: Missouri Botanical Garden
Photo Credit: Missouri Botanical Garden
4. BREAK THE BALL IN HALF
If you follow the instructions above and have obtained the proper dirt ball consistency, you’ll be able to successfully break the ball into two equal parts.
Put one half down.
5. DIG OUT A SMALL AMOUNT OF DIRT FROM ONE HALF BALL
With one half ball in your hand, dig out a small hole to make room for your plant’s roots.
6. PLACE PLANT'S ROOTS INSIDE THE DUG OUT HALF BALL
Place your plant’s roots inside the cavity you dug out of the half ball, making sure the rest of your plant is sticking out at the right height.
7. CLOSE THE BALL AND SHAPE
Take the other half of the ball to close it and shape it, making sure there is no opening left around the ball.
Photo Credit: Missouri Botanical Garden
8. WRAP THE DIRT BALL WITH THREAD
Once you have your dirt ball perfectly shaped, start wrapping it with your thread. Go around the ball making sure the thread is keeping the dirt together.
9. COVER THE DIRT BALL WITH MOSS
Take a sheet of moss and start wrapping your ball with it.
Slowly and gently press the moss to the ball. The moisture in the dirt will allow the the moss to stick to the ball.
Add as many pieces of moss you need to cover the entire ball.
Once you’ve covered the entire ball with moss, grab your twine!
10. WRAP THE MOSS BALL with thick twine string
Take your twine and go around the middle of your ball once and secure it with a tight knot.
Proceed wrapping the twine around the ball tightly as the twine will let loose as it gets wet and over time.
Once you’ve gone around your ball several times in different angles, you can cut your twine and make another tight knot in a spot where the twine is crossing.
If you want your Kokedama to just sit on a surface, you are done.
If you want your Kokedama to be hung, you need to attach your hanging piece of twine to your Kokedama by tying a knot at another twine intersection at plus or minus 2/3 of the ball height. Tye another knot on the opposite side of your Kokedama ball and you are ready to hang your new creation!
taking care of your kokedama
The best way to water your Kokedama is to submerge it into water for an hour at a time.
So, if you have a hanging Kokedama, you will have to take it down and submerge it into water.
The watering frequency depends on where you live and the type of plant you have used for your Kokedama.
You will need to follow the care instructions of the plant you have used. However, you need to keep in mind that this plant is not sitting in a plastic pot. It may be hanging in a very dry area, which will require more watering than the recommended dose for the same plant.
It is also important you remember you are watering your moss. Moss typically grows in partly to completely shady areas so the plants you use for your Kokedama should be consistent with that…For this reason, the ideal plants are ferns and ivies, although I have seen all sort of plants, even miniature trees turned into Kokedama!!
I hope you enjoyed this blog!
I would love to hear from you and answer your questions!!
Cheers,
Cecilia
Hey Plant Loving Woman!
Are you a middle age mom?
Do you constantly feel overwhelmed and anxious?
Do you believe in the healing power of nature?
To reveal your #1 Personal Houseplant that best
helps you reduce your anxiety.
Beautiful…may I know how you create the pattern of the kokedama of the Staghorn fern? It looks different from the usual ones. Thanks
Hi! I agree with you! It looks beautiful and that’s why I took the picture from Design Mag. I created a link to the page where I found that Kokedama picture. I encourage you to click on it and see if you can find any further info with them. I believe Staghorn Ferns are perfect candidates for Kokedama as they are epiphytes and tend to love being hung either from a piece of wood with minimal amount of soil or a medium like Kokedama. I hope this helps…
I love it! Thanks! I think this is the clearest instruction on how to create kokedama and I have to say it’s the first time I finally got, when I already stopped looking – couldn’t find that tiny but the most important part on how to water it exactly! THANKS AGAIN! I really appreciate I found your notes and pics on kokedama!
HI! Thanks a lot for your positive feedback!
As far as watering goes, it rally depends on the type of plant you place into your moss ball and the top of climate you live in. I water my Pothos Kokedama once a week by submerging the entire Ball into a bowl of water for an hour! I just leave the the top 1″ of the ball out of water so that the surface soil at the top of the Kokedama doesn’t trickle out!
Good Luck!