Fire Fern Moss Ball Idea

Materials: leftover moss fragments, akadama soil, a large amount of red clay, plus a mesh net.

Plants: Plagiomnium cuspidatum moss and fire fern.

This moss ball is mainly composed of red clay.

I mixed all the materials listed above together and packed them into a fine mesh net. After tying off the inner net, I made a hole to plant the fire fern, then covered the outside with live Plagiomnium cuspidatum moss.

The tutorial video will be uploaded later.

Now let me explain why I do it this way. Aren’t ready-made moss balls sold online? Why not just use those?

Because over time, moss will be absorbed and gradually decompose, especially when it is kept moist for long periods.

The most obvious result is that after one or two months, you will find your moss ball becoming softer, shrinking, and collapsing.

If you are only using it short term, or if you keep it relatively dry, that is fine. But if you want the moss ball to last a long time and have a longer usable life—for example, I have one moss ball that has been planted for seven or eight years and is still in good condition—then you need to change the material.

As for my mix, there is no strict ratio. Clay simply makes up the majority. When you water it right after it is made, red-colored water will even seep out from the bottom.

For storage, it should be placed in a shallow dish without drainage holes. I later switched to a large stainless-steel bowl.

You can water it directly and let the bottom sit in water. As long as there is water, the clay will not dry out. It can be placed on an indoor table. If you are having a trip and leaving it to someone else to look after, it can also be placed outdoors—just remember, the bottom still needs to have water.

As for moss selection, moss balls are usually made with hypnum moss. Here, however, I chose Plagiomnium cuspidatum moss.

Like Hypnum moss, it grows in sheets, but it is more tolerant of waterlogging and also more drought-resistant. To put it simply: if both are soaked in water, Hypnum moss may die, while Plagiomnium cuspidatum moss can still survive. This particular ball is kept indoors, without using a humidifier or anything like that. The Hypnum moss turned yellow, but this one stayed green and even continued to sprout.

Finally, plant selection. Personally, I think most tropical plants work well. Red clay soil is practically the native soil for tropical plants. I chose fire fern because its branches are slender and grow upward. Tall, soft branches are very suitable for shaping. Once it grows a bit more, using bonsai aluminum wire to create gentle curves will look very beautiful.