How to make a Kokedama

Creating a garden on a verandah or balcony usually involves potted plants placed on the ground or stands. If you have limited space, you can elevate your plants through the art of kokedama.

These awesome moss-ball creations can carry a variety of plants, including succulents, orchids, ferns, spider plants and bromeliads. And for added colour, you can bind them with colourful twine. So let's get kokedama-ing!

Steps to creating your kokedama:

Step 1

To make up the growing mixture, combine equal parts peat moss and seed-raising mix in a tub. Add enough water so mixture holds shape when handling. Squeeze out excess water before use.

Step 2

Soak sphagnum moss in a separate tub filled with water. Squeeze out excess water before using, this just needs to be damp so it can be molded to the base.

Step 3

Cut 2 pieces of twine, each 80cm long or longer if need be.

Step 4

Open the stocking and place two handfuls of growing mixture inside. Remove the plant from its pot, tease the roots at the base to loosen up the soil and put in the stocking. 

Step 5

With the soil and plant now in the stocking massage the base to create a very rough shaped ball. Don’t worry if it doesn’t stay in form, it will do so when you start to add the moss.

Step 6

Tie the first string around the top of the stocking to secure the stocking. Don’t tie too tight, as it will restrict the plants growth.

Step 7

Start to line the stocking with sphagnum moss, about 2cm thick, pressing into the sides in batches and wrapping the string around to secure the moss. Don't wrap too tightly as this can ruin the shape of your ball. 

Step 8

Continue until the stocking is completely covered with sphagnum moss, massaging the ball to push it into shape. If there are any moss sections hanging off don’t worry as your second piece of string will be the decorative piece that you can wrap everything tighter. 

Step 9

Tie the end of your string to the decorative string and then start winding the string in a decorative pattern. Wind around the ball a number of times until it is evenly distributed around moss. Once you’ve used all the string tie off with a double knot at the base of plant and hide the knot by tucking it into the existing string. 

Step 10

There you have your kokedama! To water, simply dunk in a bucket of water for 5-10 minutes, allow to drip dry and hang where desired.

How to care for your Kokodama

Keep out of direct sunlight. 

• To water, either pour water in the top or dunk the whole ball into a bucket, let it soak for a couple of minutes and then hang it back in place.
• Depending on the type of plant you use, water about once a fortnight in winter months and once a week in summer. A good way to tell if your mossball needs watering is to feel the moss - if it's dry, water, but if's moist, leave watering for a few days. 
• In spring, use a diluted liquid fertiliser to give plants a boost, like Yates Thrive All Purpose Plant Food.