Text and photos: Chloé Comte
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There are several ways to organize and decorate your interior with plants, but do you know the kokedama technique?
Kokedama in Japanese literally means “ball”, dama; of “moss”, koke.
The technique of these moss spheres consists of growing a plant in a substrate in the form of a verdant sphere that is then presented placed in a dish, on a slate, on a piece of wood, or in a glass vase.
If you too want to try making your own kokedama, I invite you to discover the complete video tutorial!
Materials:
– Potting soil for indoor plants
– Sphagnum moss
– Green moss
– Small slow-growing plant with a shallow root system
– Containers
– Green floral wire (florist's wire)
– Wire cutters
– Water
– Dish, vase, etc.
Steps:
1- Remove the plant from its pot and remove the soil around the roots.
2- Prepare the kokedama substrate by mixing the potting soil with a bit of sphagnum moss.
3- Moisten and mix the potting soil until it forms a sticky paste that allows you to form a ball by compressing the substrate well between your hands.
4- Once the ball is formed and compact; divide it into 2 equal parts.
5- Place the plant in the center of one half of the ball and close the ball around the plant's root system, ensuring all roots are safely enclosed in the substrate ball. Add soil if necessary.
6- Completely cover the soil ball with moss and secure everything with green floral wire by wrapping it several times all around, in all directions, until achieving a homogeneous and solid sphere.
7- Place the kokedama on a dish or in a glass vase.
Tips and tricks:
– Attention! The larger the plant, the larger the substrate ball must be, and the level of difficulty increases.
– For this tutorial, I chose to make a kokedama with a small Ficus microcarpa, because its appearance reminds me of bonsai.
– Since Ficus microcarpa is toxic to animals, I placed my creation in a large glass vase, away from my cats.
– Choose an easy-to-care-for plant to start with. If it's a plant that forgives watering mistakes, it will be easier for you to adjust.
Care and maintenance:
– To know when to water your kokedama, simply touch the moss. If it feels dry, water it.
– To properly water your kokedama, soak it in room temperature water for a good 5 minutes, then let it drain to remove excess water and prevent the roots from rotting.
– If you place your kokedama on a dish, I encourage you to check often if your plant needs water. Indeed, it may need to be watered more often than your potted plants.
– In terms of frequency, watering should be done on average once a week from October to April and twice a week from May to September.
– If like me you choose a Ficus; you can spray water on the foliage (the Ficus absorbs water through its leaves).
– Depending on the plant used, a kokedama has a lifespan ranging from 4 to 9 months. Once the roots become too cramped, you will need to think about replanting it or creating a larger kokedama!
Tips and advice
