How To Make Kokedama

Looking for a new way to display your plants? Well perhaps you should consider the art of Kokedama. It’s a beautiful and effective way to display your plants without the need of a pot and works just as well on edible plants as it does on ornamentals. We even used it to display beans, aubergines and a young beef and onion tree within our RHS Chelsea Flower Show exhibit.

What is Kokedama?

What is Kokedama? Kokedama, is a unique form of Japanese garden art derived from the bonsai discipline, and translates to “moss ball” in English. This visually striking plant display involves wrapping the root system of a plant in a ball of soil, which is then covered in moss in order to create a potless plant. Kokedama can be displayed in various ways, such as suspended from the ceiling or placed on decorative bowls or trays. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner looking for a creative project, making Kokedama is a rewarding and meditative activity. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create your own beautiful moss ball.

What You Will Need:

A small plant
Peat Free Bonsai soil
Dried seaweed plant food
Sphagnum moss (to wrap around the soil ball)
String, thread or fishing line
Scissors
Water
Natural clay, (not air drying)

How To:

Remove excess soil from the root ball but leave enough compost for roots to be contained in. If you need to add more soil to the root ball, use bonsai compost, this holds more water than regular compost. You can also mix in a tablespoon of dried seaweed to gradually help feed the plant for a long term Kokedama.
Mix 2 parts natural clay with 1 third bonsai compost and kneed together until it is combined well. This helps to make the clay more permeable so you can still water the plant. It is important to use natural clay, designed for kiln firing and not the air drying clay that is often sold in crafting shops. Air drying clay contains chemicals that will harm the plan and once dry will not allow water to permeate to the roots of the plant.
Wrap the root ball in a thin layer of natural clay and form into a sphere. This can be messy but is a lot of fun.
Cover the clay ball in moss. Check your roof or lawn for a sustainable source of moss, commercial sphagnum moss comes from peat bogs and its harvest is harmful to these delicate ecosystems. However there is abundant natural moss to be found in gardens and parks and generally people are only too happy to have it removed.
Use string, thread or fishing wire to wrap carefully around the ball and hold the moss in place. The first few turns are the trickiest while you hold the moss in place at the same time but it soon becomes easier. When you are confident that you have gone around the ball enough times to hold all the moss in place, tie the 2 ends securely together and trim the excess.
If you wish to suspend your Kokedama, tie a sturdy piece of cord or twine around the ball and hang. Hanging Kokedama gardens are traditionally called ‘String Gardens’
Water the plant weekly or as necessary, by placing the moss ball in a bowl of water for at least an hour, allowing the clay to rehydrate fully. You can also add a liquid plant feed to the water in the bowl as necessary to help you little plant thrive. Remember some plants are hungrier and thirstier than others so there is no one size fits all approach here.

Kokedama are a beautiful addition to any home or garden, inside or out and are a lot of fun to make. If you want to have a go at creating your own potless plants, check out our video showing how we make the Kokedama featured in our RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival display.