Top dressing creation question

Beginners
1

Hi all,

I just finished Ryan’s video on top dressing and I seem to be missing a step. I’m not sure when the green moss is added to the sphagnum moss. Ryan finishes dying the moss and drying it, but I am missing the step when he adds the green moss before placing it down on the bonsai. Is the green moss added before or after they dying.

Thanks,

David

1 Like
2

I am pretty sure it is added after drying. You want the green moss to be able to photosynthesize and grow. Dying it black would make that more difficult. At least that is the way I have done it when I bothered to dye the sphagnum. Currently I am mincing the damp sphagnum with a chef’s knife and a cutting board and then mixing it with the green moss that is minced as well. I normally pass it all through a 3 per inch screen after mincing.

3

That’s what I thought but wanted to make sure. The dying process seems like a pain, but many folks I know do it.

Thanks,

David

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4

Dying the sphagnum make it look better since it better matches the green moss. Ryan is trying to optimize the tree’s appearance, so it is worth it I am just trying to get moss to grow, and I face some fairly hot, dry days so my thought is that the lighter sphagnum may keep the top dressing a little color. However, maybe what I need is dark sphagnum in the spring, so it is warmer and light sphagnum once it starts to warm up. Lots of room for experiments.

5

I am experimenting with dyeing it by soaking it in a bucket with Foop bio char.

It does make it dark but not uniformly black, dye would be better.

I am also thinking it may add good bacteria..

One of the reasons I like it the natural tan is that is very easy to see when the top dressing is dry, I can even tell just by looking out the window..

Once dark it always looks wet so you have to touch it to determine the moisture content.

Just things to consider or play with.

1 Like
6

Thanks, Chris.

I’m still not sure when the green moss is added to the mix before dying the sphagnum or after.

Thanks.

David

7

After, you are only dyeing the spag if the tan color is offensive to you, I like it.

Each moss is shredding independently..
Dye if it floats your boat ( as a general rule I don’t dye mine )

Mix 50/50

Apply and mist in

Or I just toss it in a bucket of water, get it all soaking wet

And put it on wet

I do not have Ryan’s finesse

I also don’t have $10,000 trees.

I do think the moss helps

A word of caution, I developed moss that was 2” thick and had to be removed because it was interfering with the balance of water and O2

If you don’t need or want it to grow

Don’t add the green moss, it is all a choice.

Good spag is expensive, it is a PITA to shred but it does help develop fine surface roots.

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8

I have thought about buying a used Vitamix or blend tech blender.

Chopping a chunk off the block of spag and dry blending it because hand shredding is a serious meditation project and requires a mask, but honestly I have not tried it yet.

Good Luck

9

I use an old ice grinder, works like a charm on dried spag bricks/blocks, but doesn’t chop it up into fine pieces though. Good for separation and dry prep work on the spag.

10

I have used a food processor with both wet and dry sphagnum and it works, often giving lots of fines. However, I have decided that mincing wet moss with a Chef’s knife as I listed before works best.