Checkered Moss Mat Structural Soil Mix

Checkered Moss Mat Structural Soil Mix Dicranum Scoparium - Broom Moss Hypnum imponens – Brocade Moss Simulated Soil Mix Assessment

10”x 20” x 3” Plan ng Tray Cover

1” Plas c Garden Stakes

Moss Layer 5” Squares, Alterna ng: (4) Broom Moss (4) Brocade Moss

10”x 20” x 1” Structural Po ng Mix

10”x 20” Fine Mesh Screen Insert

10”x 20” x 3” Square Plan ng Tray with Mesh Bo om

Frank Miranda BIOLGY-X 493.2 Soils and Plant Nutri on UCLA Extension Hor culture Cer ficate Professor: Gretchen Renshaw Winter 2021

Crop plant: Checkered moss mat created with 5” squares of Dicranum Scoparium - Broom Moss and Hypnum imponens – Brocade Moss

Loca on of growing grounds: Urban Warehouse in NJ with semi-shaded, Indirect light from clerestory windows of a sawtooth roof. Rela ve humidity of growing space will be maintained at approx 70%.

Size of container – (1) 10in x 20in x 2in mesh soil tray + (1) 10in x 20in Standard soil tray

Soil Mix: 10in x 20in x 1in = 200 Cubic inches of volume for soil layer per tray 80% Stone Par cle (Structure) - 160 Cubic inches 50% Semi-coarse Perlite, Approx. .25in size 50% Drainage rock, Approx. .5in size 20% Soil + Organic Ma er – 40 Cubic inches 94% Silty Clay Loam – 37.6 Cubic inches 55% Silt 35% Clay 15% Sand 6% Sphagnum moss – 2.4 cubic inches Nutrient Addi ves 2% Soil sulfur (see OSU sulfur applica on rate based on soil pH) 2-4% Dolomi c Lime to be used only to balance soil pH. (Final amount determined following soil pH test of Ini al soil mix)

How did you come up with your mix?

Both Mosses thrive in moist, yet well-draining, and acidic environments. Their rhizoids adhere well in a compact growing medium. In some species, “normal” amounts of nutrients in soil are said to burn the moss. Nutrients are typically delivered to the moss via the air rather than the soil. The acidity of the soil aids in limi ng the availability of these nutrients.

The selec on of ingredients used is to create a modified and scaled down version of a structural soil that will do well under compression. The goal is to support the weight of a large human while maintaining aggregate void to allow for field capacity to be maintained and avoid a squeezed sponge effect.

Following the recommenda ons from the Cornell Structural Soil guide, an 80:20 ra o of stone to soil should be achieved, with approximately 40% void ra o in the aggregate of the stone component. Of the soil mix, 20% minimum should be clay and 5-6% of the mix organic ma er. The recommenda on to add a hydrogel to aid in binding will be ignored due to the scale of the mix.

The Structural medium will be a 50/50 mix of semi- coarse perlite and .5in drainage gravel. The perlite will aid in water reten on while providing some structural benefit with the drainage gravel providing the main structural support “la ce”. Perlite is included as a structural component in the mix due to an approximate compressive strength of 100 lb/sq .

The soil par cles will have a structure of Silty Clay Loam with a ra o of 55% silt, 35% Clay 15% sand. 6% of the mix will be Sphagnum peat moss for water reten on and to decrease soil pH. Approx. 2% Sulfur will be added to maintain an acidic pH of 5.0 following a soil pH test to determine true applica on using table from OSU agricultural Extension. Very li le Lime, approximately 2-4%, will be added to bring the soil pH up to 5.0 if needed following a soil test upon assembling the mix and with guidance from applica on table provided by OSU agricultural extension.

Nutrients will be delivered through foliar spray.

What kind of ongoing fer liza on program will you need?

Fer liza on will be delivered by means of a foliar spray. Mis ng a 4:1 mix of water to compost tea will be done to keep the moss moist and fer lized as nutrients are primarily absorbed through leaves. Addi onally, a lac c acid mist that is 7:1 water to bu ermilk will be used every two -three months following moss establishment and a soil test to ensure a con nually acidic environment.

What kind growing plan will you need?

Two separate species of moss will need to be cul vated before they are cut into 5” square pads and combined in a checkerboard pa ern. Moss can be cul vated asexually within 4 months following an approximate 6 week cul va on period at which point moss is established in protonema form to then begin shoot growth. Crop is ready for harvest when the moss grows to approx. 2in of growth.

Moss slurry spread evenly on structural soil

Brocade Moss

Moss shoot growth reaches approx. 2” in height

Broom Moss

Moss species combined in alterna ng 5” square pa ern

Asexual cul va on ensures an even growth across the “moss Carpet”. This is achieved by taking a seed specimen and blending it with a mixture of 4 parts water to 1 part bu ermilk to create a spreadable paste. The paste is then spread along the compacted soil mix, covered and le to cul vate and grow in moist, semi- shaded condi ons.

The moss is misted as needed with a compost tea solu on for fer liza on and the soil mix is watered by soaking the mesh tray in a shallow pool of water un l field capacity is reached every 3 to 5 days. Soil runoff is controlled by incorpora on of a mesh screen at base of tray and any soil runoff will be reincorporated into the compost tea bubbler.

Once harvested, the moss mat will be assembled in the mesh tray, Secured to the soil using 1.5in long plas c garden stakes, and then lowered into a sealed tray for sale. Watering will be done by slightly filling outer 10in x 20in tray with water to soak through mesh tray.

Are these ingredients available in your area (even if it’s a fantasy loca on)?

All ingredients available through wholesale garden center or home depot.

References: h p://www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/pdfs/CU-Structural%20Soil%20-%20A%20Comprehensive%20Guide.pdf h ps://bantam.earth/vivarium-moss/ h ps://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/Lowering_Soil_pH_with_Sulfur.pdf h ps://thefield.asla.org/2014/02/19/structural-soil-part-2/ h ps://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/ques on/perlite-compressive-strength h ps://bantam.earth/sheet-moss-hypnum-cupresiforme/ h ps://bryophytes.science.oregonstate.edu/page32.htm h ps://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/agf-507