Japanese art of string gardening coming to the North
K
okedama is the Japanese art form of creating string gardens, which is tied into bonsai. It has been around for centuries, but it has become quite popular again, and is finding its way into homes, spas, offices and of course the garden centres.
It is a unique and natural way to display plants, as there is no pot.
Kokedama literally is a moss ball with a plant growing out of the ball. ‘Koke’ means moss and ‘dama’ means ball. The roots of a small houseplant are wrapped in a special soil combination which forms a ball around the roots, and then the outside of the ball is wrapped in moss, and secured with string or twine that is wrapped around the ball to keep everything intact.
A string or twine loop can then be added to the ball so that it can be hung, or you can choose to place the moss ball on a pebble dish, or put it into a clear vessel where it can be admired.
If you want the look of kokedama but not all the work in creating it, there are premade kokedama balls available. The balls are not wrapped in twine or string, so you can choose to do that if you want to acces- sorize it. The balls come with a chain, so it can be hung, but the chain does not have to be used if the ball is being placed or in something.
The pre-made kokedama balls are made with long-lasting preserved moss and all you have to do is add the plant. Choose smaller sized plants. Ferns, ivies, bromeliads, succulents etc., work well, and you can also plant up flowering plants. Remove the plant from its container and plant it into the kokedama ball.
Depending on the size of the root ball, you may have to remove excess soil, to get the plant to fit into the sphere. After it has been planted give it a good drink of water, using room temperature water.
Where you place your kokedama, depends on the light requirements of the plant that is planted in it. Kokedama will dry out more quickly as there is nothing to hold the water, so you may want to choose plants that do not require full sun as the sun will dry them out more quickly. A north, east or west facing window works well. Also do not place the kokedama near a radiator or heat vent that can dry out quickly. When the soil feels dry or the kokedama feels light, it is time to water. The easiest way to water a kokedama is by bringing it to the sink and holding it over the sink to allow the excess water to drain out before placing it back to its place. Kokedama’s also benefit from being misted.
Maintenance includes removing brown leaves, and fertilizing during the spring and summer months using an all purpose, water soluble fertilizer at half the recommended concentration. When the roots of the plant start to come out of the kokedama they can be either left, trimmed, or the entire ball is planted into a pot.
If you are looking for something different, come check out the kokedama’s that are already planted up or pick up a pre-made kokadama and houseplant to create your own.