Friends at the dacha completed the house and decided to make a lawn on the site. And since they have small children, they wanted to plant such a soft plant, an average between grass and moss, so that they could run barefoot and lie in the sun.
They unanimously came to the conclusion that the best option is bryozoan or Irish moss, as this plant is also called. On my site, I also allocated a small area. It turns out that with the help of bryozoans, you can "age" garden paths and it turns out quite stylized.
I will gladly share the knowledge that I received, and planting and care is actually not that difficult, because this plant is quite unpretentious. I also attach photos and videos for more detailed information.
Description and characteristics of bryozoans
The bryozoan plant is an annual or perennial flowering creeping plant. The height of the stems can reach up to 20 cm. The stems are straight and recumbent, forming sods. The leaf blades are narrow, no more than 1.5 mm in size, grow together in the lower tier. The diameter of the snow-white flowers does not exceed 1 cm. The flowers are arranged singly and gather in small-flowered inflorescences that bloom on elongated pedicels. Over time, fruit pods appear from the inflorescences, filled with seed material in the form of buds.
Spread
The range of the species covers the Mediterranean, almost the entire territory of Europe, including the European part of Russia, Western Siberia, India, Tibet, North America. It is found as an invasive plant in other regions of the planet [2] [3].
The plant is found in various wet places - meadows, forest glades, along the banks of reservoirs, on shallows, coastal cliffs, roadsides and paths, in pastures, wastelands, in ditches. Often grows on lands used by humans for crop production: in fallow fields, in fields among crops, in vegetable gardens. Found in settlements [2] [6].
Carl Linnaeus, describing the plant in the first volume of his work Species plantarum
(1753), wrote about its distribution:
Habitat in Europae pascuis sterilibus uliginosis aridis
(“Grows in Europe on pasture barren humid wastelands”) [2] [4].
Growing bryozoans from seeds
Sowing seeds for seedlings
Seedlings of bryozoans are obtained by seed growing, and then transferred to open ground. The seeds are purchased from any gardening store or ordered from an online store. Sowing is carried out in March-April. Seeds are placed on the surface of a substrate moistened with water, which is mixed, taking leaf and sod soil in the same ratio. Crops are covered with polyethylene and stored in a lighted place. When the containers with crops are kept indoors at room temperature, seedlings are expected in 7 days. After the seedlings are strong enough, the film is removed.
Gradually, young green shoots turn into a plexus of bristles. This indicates the readiness of the seedlings to take a place in another more comfortable and spacious pot.
Seedling preparation
A subulate bryozoan can be grown by seed itself. The best time to plant seedlings is from March to April. For planting moss seeds, you need to pick up wide containers.
The planting mix should consist of garden soil, humus and sand in a ratio of 1 / ½.Fill shallow containers ¾ of the height with this mixture. Then spray the soil with a sprayer and sow the seeds.
The seeds of the bryozoan are very small, for the convenience of planting, you can use a syringe. Moss seeds are sown on the surface of the soil, without burying... After that, be sure to cover the containers with foil or glass.
Planting bryozoans in open ground
Planting bryozoans in open ground is best done when the spring warmth comes and the threat of frost return subsides. The best month for such events is the end of May. The soil should warm up better by this time. A sunny spot in the garden is chosen for planting, but Irish moss is able to thrive well in areas located in the shade of neighboring trees. Only in this case, group plantings will look rare or have less lush needles. Bryozoan grows mainly on loams or sands.
If the soil on the site is heavy, it is diluted with sand and loosened, simultaneously removing weeds and leveling the surface. When the bed is completely ready, you can start planting seedlings. The distance between individual specimens should be 5 to 10 cm, depending on the size of the seedling bush. The stage of planting activities is completed with abundant watering.
In regions where a warm southern climate prevails, it is allowed to plant seeds directly in the ground. The seeds are sent to the soil in late autumn. They are evenly scattered on the surface of the substrate so that future plantings do not look too thick. In the spring, melt water will saturate the soil and drag the seeds to a depth. The soil layer that forms on top of the seeds will be enough for them to germinate. Green shoots begin to form in April.
Soil preparation for subulate bryozoan
Bryozoan, especially obtained by dividing the bushes, develops a superficial root system with a depth of no more than 10-15 cm. Therefore, even if the soil on the site does not fit its requirements, it does not need to be replaced. It is enough to put a layer of good earth on top, without mixing it with the underlying ones.
Does not like bryozoan too light loam and pure high-moor peat, since these soil variations do not retain enough water. Strongly acidic and alkaline soils are not suitable for her. The optimum acidity range is 6-6.5 pH. Sod or compost soil, mixed in equal proportions with peat and sand, is ideal for a plant.
Caring for bryozoans in the garden
The lawn, which is based on Irish moss, requires some care and maintenance. Caring for a bryozoan is very simple. Plantings are regularly watered and fed. In areas with frosty and cold winters, the bushes are covered with spruce branches. If the wintering is expected to be snowy, the bryozoan will calmly survive even without additional shelter.
Watering and feeding
Bryozoan is demanding on the condition of the soil and needs constant watering. Immediately after planting, the seedlings are watered every day. When the seedlings begin to take root, the amount of water is reduced. During dry periods, the plant only needs to be watered a few times a week. Irish moss lawn is best moistened by sprinkling.
Important! Watering sessions are performed in the evening so as not to harm the leaves and not burn the succulent vegetation.
The growth and development of bryozoans is ensured thanks to competent feeding. In the first year, the bushes are fed with mineral fertilizers based on ammonium. The procedure is repeated first in spring, then in summer. Superphosphate fertilizers are applied three times a year. For each square meter of the area where the moss is spread, add 16 g of the substance. Plantings grow and harden faster if the soil is enriched with potash fertilizers in an amount of 10 g per 1 m2.
"Moss" in the Russian front garden.
To simplify the exposition, in the future, by the word "bryozoan" I will mean only one styloid bryozoan - the rest of the bryozoans, in terms of their decorative qualities, are not suitable for a candle.
Bryozoan has a unique ability to form unusually dense and durable cushion thickets. So strong that you can rest your palm on them when weeding without risking a dent. A common question: - Is it possible to walk on it? Answer: - Walking on a bryozoan carpet 2-3 times per season is permissible. But this is an extreme case, because by doing this you will harm her appearance, albeit temporary. The dents left on the bryozoan by an adult are similar to those left on the coastal sand. Although they are shallow, they completely disappear only after 3-4 weeks. Therefore, to care for a bryozoan carpet, it is advisable to put special stepping stones.
Not everyone who plants a bryozoan achieves that its covering looks like a velvet carpet. Experience shows that the bryozoan itself has nothing to do with it. If you ensure its comfortable living, then its decorative effect and longevity will be quite predictable and sufficient.
Bryozoan diseases and pests
Excess moisture in the soil leads to the occurrence of fungal diseases, which can only be cured with the help of fungicides. It is important to observe the watering regime in order to prevent cases of infection of the vegetative parts with a similar infection.
Shoots often freeze out due to unexpected frosts or cold snaps. Top dressing with superphosphate fertilizers greatly strengthens the root system and increases the plant's resistance to cold. Thanks to timely feeding, the bryozoan will need to spend less effort to adapt and take root in open ground conditions.
Growing Irish moss in wet, dense loams that are high in nitrogen can cause unplanned stem and leaf growth. This variant of development is especially dangerous in winter, when under the snow cover the shoots of bryozoans begin to quickly weed out. Acidic soils with a high phosphorus content put the plant at risk of chlorosis. Symptoms of the disease are a change from the green color of the leaves to light yellow. Spraying the bushes with an iron solution helps to stop the spread of the disease.
Among insects, green aphids may pose a threat. To destroy it, insecticidal preparations are used.
Bryozoan or lawn grass: which is better?
Of course, the choice will always remain with the gardener, but we will give several arguments in favor of bryozoan as a substitute for lawn grass in flower beds:
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- very high winter hardiness;
- low demand for care;
- no need even for a one-time haircut;
- the ability to quickly tighten damaged areas;
- pretty little white flowers that adorn the bryozoan from July to September bring it closer in style to the Moorish lawn.
In addition, there are varieties with more or less saturated color of the leaves, from which original compositions can be made, for example, imitation of a checkerboard or two-color ornaments.
Advice. Do not step on the bryozoan. Its stems break easily and remain crushed for a long time. If you plan to plant a wide area with bryozoans, put several stone islands in convenient places, which you will step on.
Types and varieties of bryozoans with photos
Bryozoan (Sagina saginoides)
This is the name of the mossy bryozoan, which is a ground cover with a poorly developed root system, which forms a thick green carpet. The shoots are pressed to the ground and covered with narrow, needle-like leaves painted in a pale green hue. The flowering period is in June, then small white flowers appear on the stems.
Bryozoan (Sagina procumbens)
In other sources, bryozoan biting is one of the most popular perennial species. The height of the shoots ranges from 2-10 cm. The stems branch and rise slightly above the ground. The leaves are sharp and narrow, like needles grow together near the base and gather in rosettes. Shoots originate from the leaf axils. Tiny bisexual flowers are located on long stalks.
Subulate bryozoan (Sagina subulata)
The plant retains its green color throughout the year. The appearance of this species of bryozoan resembles dense thickets of low-growing moss. Shoots are creeping and branched, leaf blades are arranged in opposite order. The diameter of the flowers is no more than 5 mm. As a cultivated gardener and lawn grass, gardeners began to grow bryozoans subulate as early as 1881.
How and where to plant Irish moss in spring
The subulate bryozoan reproduces in two ways: by seeds and by dividing the bush. Seeds are sown in seedling containers at the end of March, but they are not buried due to their too small size. The soil with seeds is covered with film or glass to maintain moisture. In the southern regions, they do without fiddling with seedlings, sowing seeds directly on a flower bed or rabatka.
Bryozoan seeds emerge in about a week, after another one and a half to two weeks, the seedlings can be dived into separate cups. In May, it's time for them to go to a permanent place, which can be either sunny or slightly shaded. The plants are planted at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other, as they will grow rapidly. In the first decade of life in the open air, bryozoan needs frequent, but moderate watering.
The next year after sowing, the bryozoan can already be propagated by dividing the sods. To do this, with a shovel bayonet, the bushes are cut into pieces about 10x10 cm in size, seated and gently watered. Already this year, the sod will have time to grow well. In the future, the plant easily multiplies by self-sowing: its capsule fruits burst and scatter seeds.
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Bryozoan in landscape design
Various types of bryozoans are equally successfully used in the arrangement of landscape design. With their help, they create a lawn area and decorate rockeries, alpine slides, make volumetric sculptures. The plant perfectly coexists with representatives of the bulbous family, for example, irises, daffodils, tulips or crocuses. Irish moss is planted along the curb, between stone slabs, or fill empty slopes with it.
Garden flowers Perennial flowers Annual and biennial flowers
Watering and humidity
The intensive growth of the bryozoan does not depend on additional moisture. She has enough moisture obtained with ordinary regular watering. For two weeks after planting in open soil, it is important to maintain proper daily moisture. In this way, the supply of necessary nutrients to the still immature root system is ensured.
Correct disembarkation
Growing bryozoans at home is not difficult, even beginners in gardening can cope with this task. But it is worth remembering the basic rule: when cultivating lawn moss, waterlogging of the soil is unacceptable. Watering even in prolonged drought should not be abundant.otherwise the roots will start to rot. Frequent, but moderate moisture is acceptable during the period of intensive growth to accelerate the process of growth of creeping stems.
A similar culture is distinguished by its high frost resistance. It is this factor that makes it possible to use bryozoan instead of lawn grass. The plant is planted with seeds and with the help of seedlings. By resorting to the second method, a dense and full-fledged lawn will be obtained in a short time.
What types are there?
In total, there are more than 50 species of bryozoan, common on almost all continents.On the territory of Russia, 12 species of this plant are most common, among which three of them deserve special attention:
- bryozoan, the shoots of which are densely covered with small needle-shaped leaves of light green color. This variety grows slowly, while forming quite dense thickets. Bryozoan bryozoan blooms in early summer;
- lying. The homeland of this variety is Eurasia. It is distinguished by small leaves and nondescript flowers. It grows equally well, both in the light and in the shade. This species is considered a weather resistant weed;
- subulate. The homeland of this variety is Western Europe. A perennial plant with dense, evergreen bryophyte pillows. The subulate bryozoan blooms in July-September.
In the photo, bryozoan subulate
Irish moss description
Bryozoan subulate belongs to perennial plants of the carnation family. A herbaceous carpet of bryozoans grows no more than 8 cm in height... It is called subulate because of the narrow, needle-like leaves growing on flexible stems. At the end of May, small white flowers with a diameter of 0.5 cm appear on the plant, from which a sweetish honey aroma emanates. Flowering continues until early October. Then small seed pods appear in place of the flowers.
The popularity of Irish moss is made possible by its many virtues, namely:
- high growth rate;
- the fact that a dense pad prevents weed growth;
- a carpet made of this grass is not afraid of physical impact (you can walk, sit, lie down);
- Irish moss does not need to be mowed due to its short stature;
- the plant practically does not require watering (with the exception of dry periods).
When green bushes bloom, the lawn takes on additional decorative effect. The plant is able to create its own microclimate inside the overgrown pillow and withstands adverse weather conditions well.
Possible growing problems
Difficulties in growing a plant are extremely rare. It is practically not susceptible to diseases and pests. The only thing that can place lush plantings of bryozoans on its site is waterlogging of the root system. With constant stay in a humid environment, fungal infections form on the root system, which lead to the death of the plant. This can be avoided by making a good drainage system before planting, and also observe moderation in watering.
It is extremely rare that aphids can attack the grass. If there is a sticky greenish bloom on the leaves and shoots of the grass, aphids have started up in it. To combat the pest, insecticides are used, which can be purchased at specialized stores.
An excerpt characterizing Bryozoan recumbent
- For the last time I tell you: turn all your attention to yourself, put chains on your feelings and look for bliss not in your passions, but in your heart. The source of bliss is not outside, but inside us ... Pierre already felt this refreshing source of bliss in himself, now filling his soul with joy and tenderness. Soon after that, it was not the former rhetorician who came to the dark temple for Pierre, but the guarantor Villarsky, whom he recognized by his voice. To new questions about the firmness of his intention, Pierre replied: "Yes, yes, I agree," and with a radiant childish smile, with an open, fat chest, unevenly and timidly striding with one barefoot and one shod foot, he naked chest with a sword. From the room he was led down the corridors, turning back and forth, and finally led to the door of the box. Villarski coughed, they answered him with Masonic knocks of hammers, the door opened in front of them. Someone's bass voice (Pierre's eyes were still blindfolded) asked him questions about who he was, where, when he was born? etc.Then he was again led somewhere, without unbinding his eyes, and as he walked, he was told allegories about the labors of his journey, about sacred friendship, about the eternal Builder of the world, about the courage with which he must endure labors and dangers. During this trip, Pierre noticed that he was called now seeking, now suffering, now demanding, and at the same time they knocked differently with hammers and swords. While being led to some subject, he noticed that there was confusion and confusion between his leaders. He heard how the surrounding people argued among themselves in a whisper, and how one insisted that he be led over some kind of carpet. After that, they took his right hand, put it on something, and with the left ordered him to put a compass to his left breast, and made him, repeating the words that the other read, read the oath of fidelity to the laws of the order. Then they put out the candles, lit alcohol, as Pierre heard from the smell, and said that he would see a small light. The bandage was removed from him, and Pierre, as in a dream, saw, in the weak light of the spirit fire, several people who, in the same aprons as the rhetorician, stood opposite him and held swords pointed at his chest. Between them stood a man in a white, bloody shirt. Seeing this, Pierre moved forward with his chest on the swords, wanting them to sink into him. But the swords pulled away from him and immediately put on the bandage again. “Now you saw a small light,” a voice told him. Then they lit the candles again, said that he needed to see the full light, and again they took off the bandage and more than ten voices suddenly said: sic transit gloria mundi. [this is how worldly fame passes.] Pierre gradually began to come to his senses and look around the room where he was and the people in it. Around a long table covered in black sat about twelve people, all wearing the same robes as those he had seen before. Pierre knew some of them from Petersburg society. An unfamiliar young man sat in the chair, wearing a special cross around his neck. On the right hand sat an Italian abbot whom Pierre had seen two years ago at Anna Pavlovna's. There was also a very important dignitary and a Swiss tutor who had previously lived with the Kuragins. Everyone was solemnly silent, listening to the words of the chairman, who was holding a hammer in his hand. A burning star was embedded in the wall; on one side of the table there was a small carpet with various images, on the other there was something like an altar with the Gospel and a skull. Around the table were 7 large, church-like, candlesticks. Two of the brothers brought Pierre to the altar, put his feet in a rectangular position and ordered him to lie down, saying that he was throwing himself to the gates of the temple. “He must get a shovel first,” one of the brothers said in a whisper. - BUT! fullness please, said another. Pierre, with confused, myopic eyes, disobeying, looked around him, and suddenly a doubt came over him. "Where I am? What am I doing? Are they not laughing at me? Wouldn't I be ashamed to remember this? " But this doubt lasted only one moment. Pierre looked back at the serious faces of the people around him, remembered everything that he had already gone through, and realized that it was impossible to stop halfway through the road. He was horrified at his doubt and, trying to evoke the old feeling of emotion, threw himself at the gates of the temple. And indeed a feeling of tenderness, even stronger than before, came over him. When he lay for some time, they told him to get up and put on him the same white leather apron as the others, gave him a shovel and three pairs of gloves, and then the great master turned to him. He told him to try not to stain the whiteness of this apron, representing strength and purity; then, about the unexplained shovel, he said that he should work with it to cleanse his heart from vices and condescendingly smooth over the heart of his neighbor with it.Then about the first men's gloves he said that he could not know their meaning, but he had to keep them, about the other men's gloves he said that he should wear them in meetings and finally about the third women's gloves he said: “Dear brother, and these women's gloves are for you the essence is defined. Give them to the woman you will read the most. By this, freely believe in the integrity of your heart, the one whom you choose for yourself to be a worthy stone. " And after a pause for a while, he added: "But observe, my dear brother, lest these unclean hands adorn the gloves." While the great master was pronouncing these last words, Pierre thought that the chairman was embarrassed. Pierre was even more embarrassed, blushed to tears, like children blush, began to look around uneasily, and there was an awkward silence. This silence was interrupted by one of the brothers, who, leading Pierre to the carpet, began to read from a notebook to him an explanation of all the figures depicted on it: the sun, the moon, the hammer. a plumb line, a shovel, a wild and cubic stone, a pillar, three windows, etc. Then Pierre was assigned his place, showed him the signs of the box, said the word of entry, and finally allowed him to sit down. The great master began to read the charter. The charter was very long, and Pierre, out of joy, excitement and shame, was unable to understand what he was reading. He listened attentively only to the last words of the charter, which he remembered. “In our churches, we do not know of other degrees,” read the “great master,” except those that are between virtue and vice. Beware of making any distinction that might violate equality. Fly to the help of your brother, whoever he is, instruct the erring one, lift up the falling one and never harbor anger or enmity against your brother. Be gentle and friendly. Arouse the fire of virtue in all hearts. Share happiness with your neighbor, and may the envy of this pure pleasure never disturb. Forgive your enemy, do not take revenge on him, except by doing good to him. Having fulfilled the highest law in this way, you will find traces of the ancient majesty you have lost. "
Propagation by seedlings
This breeding method makes it possible for a short time to equip a neat lawn on the site. For this purpose, small sods are used, previously cut from a carpet of Irish moss. Vegetative propagation is recommended in the autumn-spring period. But do not delay the landing by the beginning of winter. In extreme cold, the bryozoan does not have time to take root, and accordingly the lawn will turn out to be ugly. Seedlings are placed in the soil:
- pre-loosened;
- sufficiently moist;
- free from weeds.
If a large number of seedlings are laid at the same time, they can be placed in the immediate vicinity without maintaining distances. With a limited availability of planting material, it is allowed to scatter it in compliance with small gaps according to the principle of a checkerboard pattern. The remaining voids will be covered with green grass in 1-2 months.
Recommendations for breeding bryozoans
Both seed and vegetative propagation methods are recommended to get new Irish moss bushes.
Reproduction of bryozoans using seeds.
Seeds that are harvested in the fall can be immediately placed in the prepared soil in the garden. The best time would be to plant before winter or early spring. Seed material is gently spread over the surface of the moistened substrate.
Important!
Do not cover the bryozoan seeds with soil, otherwise they will not germinate.
After the seeds are sown, a snow cover is poured over them, which will serve not only as protection, but also as a means for obtaining moisture. Also, when the snow cap melts, the water will "pull" the seeds deeper into the soil and then a microclimate necessary for germination will be created. By April, when the snowdrifts begin to descend, the first seedlings can be seen in the beds, the shoots of which will gradually cover the entire area provided to them.
Reproduction of bryozoans using seedlings.
This method also involves the use of seed material and is the most time consuming process. It is usually used only in the early breeding stage. With the arrival of spring, it is necessary to take seedling boxes and fill them with a loose and nutritious substrate (for example, peat-sandy). The seeds are spread on moist soil and covered with transparent plastic wrap. The room in which the containers with crops will stand should be light and the temperature in it should be maintained within the range of 18-22 degrees. It is not recommended to remove the shelter before the seedlings appear. After 7 days, the first sprouts of Irish moss can be seen. Then the shelter can be removed and when the seedlings grow a little and get stronger, they dive into separate small pots. At such a time, bryozoan seedlings form small bundles of small sizes. Transplant takes place with the arrival of May.
When replanting, it is recommended to leave the distance between seedlings about 5–10 cm. Since over time the Irish moss will begin to self-sow, such a green carpet will be characterized by self-healing.
Bryozoan propagation by dividing the bush.
This method is the fastest and most effortless. In springtime, or only when autumn begins, it is necessary to separate a part of the "green carpet" with a sharp shovel. Since the root system of plants is mainly located close to the surface, there will be no greater problem when extracting the divisions. Often, flower growers simply cut the sod into smaller parts and immediately plant on a prepared place on the lawn. By the onset of autumn, all the soil will be covered with young shoots with foliage.
- See also recommendations for breeding soapworms
Benefits of Irish Moss Compared to Regular Lawn
Even beginner gardeners can grow a lawn from bryozoan styloid, and among landscape designers, it increasingly begins to figure in the creation of garden plantings.
- There is no need to mow such a lawn, since the shoots rise to a height of no more than 5-8 cm;
- On such a surface you can walk and run barefoot, in shoes, and have picnics on it. A "serious football game" can leave damage, but it will be healed by grass in a short time, even without human intervention. Shoots take root quickly, filling bald patches;
- The dense carpet leaves no chance for weeds. If single instances manage to break through, they are simply removed manually;
- The small surface area of the leaves minimizes moisture evaporation. Watering the lawn will be required only at the beginning of growth and during periods of severe prolonged drought.
It will become a real misfortune if the seeds are confused and instead of the styloid bryozoan, the recumbent bryozoan, which is a weed, is sown.
