DIY Forever: Moss Garden

Last week we continued our series of craft events with a focus on upcycling what would otherwise be trash into something new and wonderful.  We turned empty tin cans into beautiful desktop moss gardens!  A super simple and dirt cheap craft that resulted in something nothing short of adorable!  Click "read more" to see some pictures we took during the event and find out how you can make a desktop moss garden for yourself!


This really is such a simple craft, but just look at how beautiful it all turns out!  There is almost no way of messing it up and each and every creation looks somewhat like a fairy garden you can put on your desktop.  It is just enchanting.  Best of all, moss is super easy to care for and maintain . . . so your creation will be beautiful for a long time.  Check out the slideshow below for some pictures taken during the event and directions for making your own garden!


Materials needed:

• empty tin can(s) - we used tuna cans, but any relatively shallow tin will work great!
• a bunch of pebbles of small through large sizes
• activated carbon (often used in aquarium filters)
• potting soil
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• clothespins
• decorative items you may want to add to your garden
• moss, of course!  You want soil based moss for this, not mosses that grow on rocks or wood.

Things to keep in mind:

1.  You can get your moss from plant nurseries (both online and brick and mortar) or you can gather it from the ground yourself!  If you do chose the later option, please be conscientious of where and how you harvest.  Don't take it from someone else's garden (at least not without their permission) and don't completely decimate a colony of moss . . . leave enough to allow it to grow back again.

2.  You can buy most of the items needed at your preferred dollar store, but for the rocks/pebbles and the activated charcoal, you may find better deals at your local pet store in the aquarium department.

3.  You want rather acidic soil for the substrate.  Most potting soils should fit this description, especially those that contain sphagnum moss.

4.  This should be common sense, but bears repeating: When hot gluing your pebbles, BE CAREFUL!  No one likes hot glue gun burns!

5.  Taking care of your moss:  Mosses are shade loving plants, so keep it out of direct light.  Spritz it lightly every couple of days with water.  If it grows to high for your tastes, carefully trim with sharp scissors.

That's it!  How to make a beautiful moss garden from tuna cans out of the recycle bin! If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments.  If you make your own, post a pic for us!