Tuesday, July 23, 2013

A Quaint Cobblestone Path


Read Part One Of The Cobblestone Path here.

Part one left us with plastic covering the path.  It sat for a week curing under perfect conditions.  Moist and not too hot.

Ta Da.


I filled the cracks in with some topsoil.  It looked okay but I remembered my mom telling me about a mixture, using buttermilk and moss to encourage new moss to grow.  Of course I headed to Google to find the recipe and happened upon good old Martha Stewart!
Martha's recipe here!
She used beer in her recipe, and with hubbys beer making hobby, I have an endless supply.  You know what they say, "If life gives you beer, make moss"....or maybe it was something to do with lemons, but regardless, I had beer on hand.


These are little pellets that you add water to, soak and they swell up and retain moisture.  I am told you can buy them at the dollar store for filling vases.  I bought mine at a liquidation store a few years ago.



Honestly, I didn't get this from a cow!





In the shade, and with a daily dose of water, there sits quietly, the turtle growing moss.
  After reading the recipe again and discovering that I was away the day I read
 "Mist regularly for two to three months", (which I kindly highlighted for you all,)  my impatience kicked in.   I picked up a couple of scotch moss plants, divided them up and plunked them in!


A fern thrown into the mix.  Hopefully it will spread and create a border along the path!






Moss Milkshake
"The moss milkshake, or fragmentation method of planting, takes a bit more patience. To create a moss milkshake, mix together pre-shredded moss, gel powder, and buttermilk powder or beer with a few cups of room temperature, non-chlorinated water in a pail. Keep in mind that this mixture is not a perfect science, and you should play with the ingredient amounts. Let stand for five to 10 minutes, and then smear the mixture over soil. Mist regularly for two to three months or until the moss fragments begin growing together. Fragments of the moss may turn tan, but don't give up: keep the moss moist until new growth appears."




  I am hopeful that it will spread into the cracks and fill in my little cobblestone path this season, but I am sure it will take a few years, so now I must
hurry up and wait :(

Cheers :)

Linking up With