Three months ago I posted about the benefits of moss, both for the environment and for the homeowner. I started a mini-experiment to see how long it would take for moss to grow, since

1. I’m very impatient and

2. In Moss and Stone Garden’s blog they mention it could take months before the moss starts growing.

So, three months later, I can say I’m very pleasantly surprised by the amount of growth I’m seeing. Below you can see the before-after pictures I took from April and this month (July). You may notice in the first image that there’s sort of a green tone to the ground near the flower bed. That’s completely new moss growth.

Moss spores have created a new moss patch!

Moss planted in April (left) and moss growth through July (right)

Moss planted in April (left) and moss growth through July (right)

Moss planted in April (left) and moss growth through July (right)

The most impressive moss growth occurred from the moss I purchased from Lowes as ‘stepables’. When I first planted them (the bright green and dark green blobs) I thought I had been lied to since the blobs had roots, and moss doesn’t really have roots. But, the more I look at it grow, the more it looks like just a different variety of moss. They’re growing quickly, likely due to the high amount of shade and also because it’s been quite a wet summer, here in Raleigh.

–> Note: I just looked at the stepables web page and found out it really isn’t moss…it’s some kind of evergreen known as Irish moss and Scotch moss. Nonetheless, it spreads well and does what I want it to!

Moss planted in April (left) and moss growth through July (right)

Anyways, I’m glad to report that my moss is growing and it’s gradually beautifying my yard. Still a long while before it fully carpets the ground like I want it to, but it’s moving in the right direction!

Hope you give it a try!