Indoor ferns are often used to create kokedama which can either be set on a table for display or advert from the ceiling . But why not move the project outside and create a floating forest ? fern are common plant planted beneath trees , and raising them up into hanging planters and kokedama moss balls make an unexpected and intriguing garden presentation .

Kokedama is the Nipponese art of wrap plant roots in soil and moss . “ Kokedama ” translate to “ moss formal ” and it is a modern blending of traditional Japanese bonsai and kusamono planting techniques . You may have hear the word thrown around and used in different ways , which can be confusing because “ kokedama ” is used as both a noun and a verb and is both singular and plural form , as in “ I made one kokedama ” or “ I made too many kokedama to count ” ( which you just might after you see how much playfulness it is ! ) .

I have a beautiful big magnolia Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that offers the ideal place for a floating forest . A floating forest can be created by hanging a aggregation of plants from the tree branch to decorate below the canopy . As you’re able to ideate , under the canopy there ’s quite a fleck of tad so it ’s important to opt plant that tolerate and thrive in the shade . fern are a wonderful choice . And there are so many beautiful varieties that often go overlooked .

fern kokedama floating forest

Monrovia has a large selection of gorgeous decorative ferns that can suit this type of undertaking . Here are my favorites :

Gorgeous Small-Space Ferns to Try in a Floating Garden:

Fern Kokedama

I suggest getting a booster to aid when you ’re working with a large root ball like a fern because you ’re going to need more than just your own two hands . I roped a friend into help me when she hail over for a garden duty tour and it turned out beautifully !

Materials

Make it!

Note : be aristocratical with the fern leaves when making kokedama . It ’s a very hand - on DIY and fern leaves can snap easily .

Start by soaking the preserved sheet moss in a bowling ball of quick weewee . I like to utilize preserve sheet moss because it book its green color the longer than Sphagnum moss ( which is n’t green ) or field goal moss ( which is green for a very inadequate time ) .

gear up the fern by move out it from its mess and shaking off much of the soil from the roots . you could also pawn the root in pee to relax the soil .

kokedama hanging in my garden

force the water out of the moss .

Lay out the moss fleeceable - side down in a circle 3 - 4 times turgid than your dirt testis will be .

Mix Bonsai stain and Peat moss in a 1:1 ratio in a pail . Add water to moisten the mix enough so that it hold together when you form a ball with your hands . Create a land ball with your hands that will be the last sizing of the etymon ball . Gently fall apart the ball in half and straighten out it around the roots of the fern .

fern kokedama

Set the root ball in the centre of the moss circle and uprise and shape the moss around the land .

This is where a acquaintance ’s extra hands occur in handy ! employ clean fishing line to wrap the moss and keep back the bollock together . You could instead use jute garden twine if you would like to see the twine over the moss .

And this is another reason that it is helpful to have a friend add up over to help . I was about to hang the fern by tying jute twine to the sportfishing line but my brilliant sidekick came up with a better idea !

soaking moss

make a hanger by tie three duration of jute twine in a knot and setting the moss ball on the knot , with the three string coming up and over the lump . Tie them together at the top and hang the ball from a tree diagram .

I make a second kokedama with aTassel Fernand set it in a vintage testis collecting basket to hang . I love how this one turned out as well .

Outdoor Kokedama Care

Ferns care to stay moist , so regular tearing is the key to longevity . Water kokedama in a sports stadium or bucketful of rainwater for 10 second , then hang it back in place to drain and raise . I wish to keep a bucket out in the garden at all times , so I can just pop the ball into the bucket when I ’m out enjoy the garden . Just be certain to set a timekeeper so you do n’t get distracted and forget to take it out . I ’m very easily distracted in the garden so the timekeeper magic help me hugely !

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forming a ball with wet moss

fern for kokedama

preparing moss

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shaping moss around the root ball

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wrap twine to hold the moss ball together

kokedama hanging from a tree

kokedama in egg basket

kokedama hanging outdoors

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Create an Urban Floating Forest with Ferns and Kokedama