How to Make and Care for a Kokedama Moss Ball
- Francis DeFabo
- Apr 8
- 1 min read
Here in Western Pennsylvania, the first warm spring days make me eager to get into the garden—but the soil is still cold and soggy. Kokedama moss balls are the perfect early spring project. They are a fun way to play with plants without getting ankle-deep in mud.
Lynn wanted a selection of small hanging plants to accent her garden sanctuary in the shop, and these fit the bill beautifully!
Ideal plants for kokedama are slow-growing plants with small root systems like ferns, ivy, pothos, and baby’s tears.
How to Make a Kokedama:
1. Prepare the Soil
Mix 7 parts bonsai soil or clay with 3 parts peat moss. Add water slowly until it holds together.
2. Prepare the Plant Ball
Remove from pot, gently shake off soil, and wrap roots in damp sphagnum moss followed by a layer of your soil mixture. Secure with cotton twine.
3. Add Moss
Wrap with moss and secure with twine. You can buy sheet moss from a floral supplier. I harvested mine from the woods at the edge of our yard.
4. Enjoy your Kokedama
Hang, place in a dish, or on a pottery pedestal in partial shade. Bathrooms and kitchens are ideal locations due to their humidity. Water your kokedama by soaking it when the ball feels light. Feed monthly with water-soluble indoor plant fertilizer.
The Kokedama balls are even cuter in person! I found the perfect spot in my home to bring a little spring inside.