Home Garden

How to Make a Mossy Rock

Large stones, stumps or logs dressed up with a green suit of moss make a great focal point in a shady garden. Moss thrives in damp, cool shade, but it can take a while to establish itself naturally. Luckily, you can step in and speed up the process by painting a slurry of moss onto the surface that you want to cover. Here is how.

Things You'll Need

  • Moss
  • Buttermilk
  • Potter's Clay
  • Blender
  • Paintbrush
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find two handfuls of soft moss. Look for it growing in shady patches of lawn, on tree trunks and in woodland areas. Remove as much soil as possible from the underside of the moss, as well as any pebbles, sticks or other debris.

    • 2

      Place the moss, two cups of buttermilk and 3 oz. of potter's clay into a blender jar. Put the lid on the blender jar and blend the mixture until it is thick and soupy.

    • 3

      Spray the surface of your rock or piece of wood with water. Then, using a paintbrush, coat the entire surface with the moss mixture.

    • 4

      Check on the moss daily and spray it lightly with a fine mist of water to keep the moss mixture moist. A mossy texture should appear within 2 to 3 weeks.