I’m always looking for new ways to show off my favorite houseplants, and was truly blown away when I saw gorgeous plants growing in fluffy balls of moss placed on beautiful antique dishes. It’s called, Kokedama. It’s an easy and affordable garden technique that you can create at home!

I visited Giselle Segovia, the owner of Valentina Verde Botanica in Wading River, NY to see how to create Kokedama for your plants and show you which plants do best grown like this. Check out the events page for her store if you’d like to attend one of her hands on workshops. You can also purchase unusual houseplants from Valentina Verde in store or have them shipped right to your home.

Kokedama is a Japanese term that translates to “moss ball,” and is a garden trend developed in Japan as a simpler offshoot to Bonsai culture. The technique has been around for more than 400 years to display plants without a traditional container to highlight their natural form.

Today, Kokedama has become popular worldwide as a modern houseplant display that blends gardening with art.

How Create Kokedama?

Tools you need:

Instead of potting your houseplant in a new container, you will be creating a container with moss! Lay down your sheet moss flat and put the houseplant in the middle. Take the plant out of the container, but do not disturb the soil it was growing in. Fold the moss around the soil and add wet sphagnum moss around the sheet moss. Use the fishing line to tie it all together into a ball shape. Make sure the ball will lie upright.

Kokedama isn’t just beautiful, it beneficial too for plants that are prone to overwatering. Because the plant grows in a compact ball of soil wrapped in moss, the watering process is different from a standard pot. Instead of pouring water into soil, you just soak the moss ball in water whenever it becomes light or dry. This makes it easier to avoid constantly watering plants that don’t need it.

Kokedama is also stylish! Instead of hiding plants inside containers, the moss ball itself becomes the focal point. You can display the moss ball in any bowl or dish you like such as ceramic bowls, vintage trays, or even unused antique dishes.

If you want to try making one, start with small size houseplants that adapt well to indoor conditions, such as: Pothos, Ferns, Philodendrons, anthurium, and bromeliads.

Follow AlexCalamiaTV on Instagram or Facebook to share your success or plant questions and also follow Valentina Verde Botanica on Facebook or Instagram for the latest happenings at the plant shop!