Bryozoan - a lawn plant to complement the garden

Bryozoan subulate, planting and care in the open field

Bryozoan subulate in the design of the garden photo

In addition to an alternative to the lawn, styloid bryozoan is used in other directions. Curtains of this perennial plant are planted on alpine hills, rockeries, rocky gardens, used to create volumetric sculptures.

Bryozoan subulate in landscape composition photo

Irish moss in landscape design photo

A ground cover plant bryozoan is planted around bulbous meadows - daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, crocuses, irises, etc. Just leave some distance so that bryozoan shoots don't kill these early flowering crops.

Bryozoan is often used in landscape design, it gives laconicism to the garden. Lawns planted with bryozoan are convenient because they do not need mowing.

Since outwardly bryozoan resembles moss, it is used as an alternative. It is unpretentious, can withstand walking on its own and does not break due to its soft stems.

Often, designers and gardeners use bryozoan not only for decorative purposes, but also as a cover for lawns on which children run barefoot, and sometimes not only children. However, bryozoan is not a lawn grass and can keep the footprint of a boot for several days. Therefore, children can run, and even barefoot on it, but not every day, and adults are better only occasionally.

A pleasant addition to all the advantages of the bryozoan is the absence of the need to weed the lawn. Bryozoan prevents them from growing. If some of the weeds managed to break through, then it can be quickly removed, or you can leave it, the bryozoan will sooner or later destroy it itself.

Subulate bryozoan belongs to the clove family. In appearance, it is very similar to moss, but in fact it is a kind of transitional species between moss and grass.

Bryozoan forms pillows up to 8 cm high.
The leaves are very small, needle-like.

It is important to note that in the sun it has a dense structure, and in the shade it will be looser.

Its resistance to trampling is used by landscape designers. For example, to decorate the space between tiles, stone or wood on garden paths.

Bryozoan blooms throughout summer, and all summer long my site is enveloped in her pleasant honey scent. Bryozoan is a versatile companion for both deciduous and coniferous plants. Looks good on alpine slides. Stones are ideal neighbors for her. I put my bryozoan in a rockery.

The plant is also grown as a lawn grass. He will have a clear advantage - there is no need to mow such a lawn!

ADVICE

Walk on soft moss!

The bryozoan has one peculiarity: to form a thick carpet, you need to walk on it. If this is not done, then the plant will grow in uneven mounds.

The plant has many varieties. Varieties grow in my garden:

Moss Lime (with yellow leaves),
Green Moss (with emerald foliage).

Bryozoan looks good near fir, thuja, boxwood and juniper - the composition can be made multi-tiered. Due to its resemblance to moss, the plant is often used to create a Japanese-style garden, but you can also plant it on its own. A green meadow with several stones located on it is often created from bryozoans.

Herbal cocktail

If you just put a plate of a plant on the bottom of the aquarium, it will dry out. And you will not get a beautiful landscape. Therefore, we will make a cocktail. No, not for drinking. For lubricating surfaces. To prepare it, you only need a blender. Here are some recipes:

100 g moss, 2 tbsp. l. sour cream, 200 ml of pure water.
200 g of the plant, 400 ml of any beer, 1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar.
1 tbsp. moss, 2 aspirin tablets, 2 tbsp. plain water.
200 g of a plant, 200 ml of kefir, 300 ml of water, 1 tsp. Sahara.

We take ingredients from any recipe. Well, those that will be at hand. Amicably and cheerfully put in a bowl or jug. Then briskly grind with a blender. I warn you right away: the smells of cocktails using dairy products are disgusting. Well, nothing. Beauty always requires ...

Conditions for planting mosses in the garden

Despite the unpretentious nature, mosses (bryophytes) do not take root in all areas. Moisture and shade are important for their growth, while the scorching sun can dry them out. Nevertheless, you should not push them into permanent twilight, where the sun's rays do not reach; otherwise, the shade of the cover will be faded. The most suitable places for planting moss are the northern or northeastern side of the backyard, under trees with not very dense foliage, as well as wetlands.

Another condition for the growth of bryophytes is oxidized soil (pH5 / pH6). If such land is not suitable for higher plants, then for the simplest it is an ideal option. Almost all types of mosses can be planted on such soils, including cuckoo flax, wavy trichium, gray leucoborium, etc.

The variety of color and structure of the cover allows you to create truly magical plant panels in the garden. Shade-loving plants and flowers will be an excellent addition to bryophytes: lingonberries, strawberries, violets, ferns, and lichens.

Irish moss planting

Landing preparation

Before sowing or planting bryozoan saplings, we select and prepare a place for a lawn that meets the following criteria:

It should be well lit by the sun: only a slight shadow is permissible.
It should have light, well-drained soil: if it is heavy, dilute it with sand and compost.

Having chosen a suitable site, we clear it of extraneous grasses, loosen the soil ten centimeters deep and level the place.

How to plant a bryozoan

Before planting a subulate bryozoan or Irish moss and providing it with proper care, you must choose a planting method: seed or seedlings.

Getting Irish moss from seedlings

By planting bryozoans with seedlings, you can create excellent lawns in a short time. In the late autumn or spring, we plant medium-sized sods, previously cut from the finished lawn, on a loosened, watered and slightly trampled site. We avoid November plantings: the material will not have time to take root and will die. We water the plantings occasionally: frequent watering will rot the plants.

If the area for planting is large, and you do not have enough seedlings, we plant them in a checkerboard pattern. Empty "cells" after 2 months will be overgrown with young shoots, as Irish moss multiplies very quickly.

From seed

Planting bryozoans with seeds involves growing seedlings:

Choosing the right seeds.
At the beginning of April, we put fertile moist soil into seedling containers.
We sow achenes, sprinkle them with earth a little, sprinkle with snow (it will provide hardening and moistening of the seeds) and cover with polyethylene.
After the appearance of needle-like sprouts, remove the film.
When the seedlings turn into bunches of several needles, we make a pick of the seedlings.

We plant ready-made seedlings in the prepared area in early May every five to ten centimeters. The seedlings will grow quickly and turn the planting site into a luxurious carpet. In the future, the lawn will expand on its own - by scattering achenes.

How to plant a bryozoan

Methods of planting and breeding bryozoans

The subulate bryozoan can be planted both with seeds and with pieces of turf cut from Irish moss plantations specially grown in nurseries. Getting a lawn in the second way is much easier and, most importantly, faster.

This is how the standard packing of the styloid bryozoan (Irish moss) seeds looks like. The bag shows the main characteristics of this unpretentious ground cover perennial

Growing technology from seeds

Seeds of bryozoan subulate are sold in standard packaging. Each bag contains only 0.01 grams of seeds. Despite the low weight, there are a lot of seeds, since they are very tiny. Bryozoan seeds are sown in late March or early April in boxes on prepared and well-moistened soil. The seedling boxes are covered with foil, which is not opened until germination.

With shallow sowing, it is not required to cover the seeds with earth, otherwise they will not germinate. Some amateur gardeners cover the seeds scattered on the ground with snow, which melts, not only provides soil moisture, but also deepens the seeds a sufficient distance for the best germination.

Features of seedling care

Having planted the seedlings of the styloid bryozoan in a permanent place, it is necessary to organize its watering daily. It takes about two weeks to root seedlings.

During this period, it is important to provide young plants with sufficient water. To reduce the evaporation of moisture from the site, as well as protect young plants from sunburn, a modern white non-woven material, called spunbond, allows

This light cover is used to cover the seedlings. The growth of bryozoans can be accelerated with the help of complex mineral fertilizers, which are applied to the soil immediately before planting, and then several more times during the season.

This perennial is winter-hardy, however, in winters with little snow, it is recommended to cover the lawn with spruce branches. This will prevent it from freezing.

Bryozoan propagation by sods

It is possible to create such a lawn, spending a minimum of time for this, using small sods cut with a knife from an already overgrown grass carpet. To do this, cut out sods are laid on the prepared soil (loosened, freed from weeds, well spilled with water), trampling them with their feet.

If there are a lot of blanks, then you can lay them immediately close to each other, without leaving "bald spots". If there is not too much planting material, then we lay it out on the surface of the future lawn at a short distance from each other (it can even be staggered). Free spaces will overgrow over time. In just a couple of months, not a trace of them will remain. The places where pieces of bryozoan were cut are covered with earth. These donor sites will soon also be covered with Irish moss. Time will pass and there will be no trace of interference in the affairs of the lawn.

Decoration of a garden plot in the form of a checkerboard, where individual squares are planted with Irish moss

It is best to propagate bryozoan subulate in a vegetative way in spring or early autumn. It is not recommended to postpone the transplanting of sod to a later period of autumn, as there may not be enough time for the rooting of plants.

Bryozoan subulate: planting and care

Bryozoan subulate, growing in 2 years, and covering large areas with a continuous carpet, allows you to maintain moisture at an optimal level in open sunny gardens.

Requirements for soil and planting material

Requires well-drained neutral or slightly acidic soils. Moisten the soil before planting. The most favorable soil is naturally moistened by atmospheric precipitation.

Optimal Substrate:

coarse sand - 2/3;
leaf land or peat - 1/3.

A 1: 1 mixture of heavy loam and peat is also suitable for growing. Clay can be added to sandy loam soil, making it in a layer up to 10 cm superficially, without digging.

In flower shops you can buy bryozoan seeds with white or yellow flowers, as well as ready-made seedlings.

Growing a bryozoan subulate from seeds

In March, seeds are scattered into low trays with nutritious soil from a mixture of sod and leafy soil. The surface layer is passed through a sieve. Before sowing, the soil is moistened and slightly compacted and leveled with a smooth plank set on the edge. Sprinkling with earth is not required. The trays are covered with plastic wrap and placed in a warm place with t 25º C. After germination, the seedlings are dived into larger containers. They are planted in a permanent place at the beginning of May, observing the distance between seedlings of 5-10 cm. Bryozoan reproduces well in the future by self-seeding - seeds fall from ripe bolls into the ground and germinate. The seeds can also be planted directly into the ground.

Despite the fact that bryozoan is considered an unpretentious plant, it requires careful observance of all agricultural practices during reproduction and cultivation.

Basic rules of care

Regular watering is required. Do not allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Loves partial shade, but tolerates sunlit areas well.

For normal growth, top dressing is carried out:

ammonium sulfate, especially necessary in the first year of life, is applied in early spring and in the first half of July - 45 g / m²;
superphosphate, which promotes growth and resistance to drought, is fed three times - in spring, summer and autumn 16 g / m²;
potassium, thanks to which the shoots grow well, and the plant develops resistance to frost, is applied three times at 10 g / m².

The bryozoan carpet does not tolerate strong trampling, therefore the boulders scattered over the lawn perform not only a decorative function. You can lean on them while weeding.

Disease prevention

Bryozoans can die with excessive moisture or freeze out in a snowless winter.

Non-communicable diseases are caused by adverse environmental conditions:

With a sharp drop in temperature in the fall, bryozoan does not have time to adapt to the cold and freezes out. Phosphorus fertilizers applied before frost help to withstand frost.
Damping off occurs when snow falls on moist and still warm soil. The plant does not fall asleep, but continues to develop in conditions of a lack of light and nutrients. More often occurs with excess nitrogen nutrition, in wet clay areas.

With excessive acidity of the soil, excessive application of phosphorus, frequent irrigation, the plant suffers from a lack of iron, which manifests itself in the form of chlorosis - a pale yellow color. If such changes occur, complex fertilizers are applied.

Bryozoans can be harmed by aphids, which are eliminated with the help of insecticides.

Care

Since the plant is famous for its unpretentiousness, caring for the styloid bryozoan does not require specific knowledge, skills and abilities. He assumes common truths for every gardener.

Watering:

immediately after landing - every day for a month;
then - 2 times a week;
watering type - bottom;
time - exclusively in the evening (in the morning and in the afternoon there is a high risk of getting burns);
do not dry out.

Top dressing:

moderate;
use special formulations of a complex type;
spraying with solutions or dry ash treatment - throughout the season.

Top dressing options:

for the growth of newly planted seedlings: ammonium sulfate (early spring, early July) - 45 g / m²;
for active growth and increasing drought resistance: superphosphate (spring, summer and autumn - 1 time each) - 16 g / m²;
to enhance winter hardiness: potassium (spring, summer and autumn - 1 time) - 10 g / m².

Preparing for winter:

the zone of winter hardiness of the styloid bryozoan - 4-10 (frost resistance is high enough);
if little snow is expected in winter, it is better to insure yourself and cover the plants with dry foliage, straw, spruce branches, special material or sawdust.

Treatment and prevention of diseases:

root rot affects the styloid bryozoan due to high humidity - you need to drain the soil, remove the muted parts of the plant, do not water;
aphid attacks in warm weather, if there is an anthill nearby or cabbage grows - for treatment, use sprinkling with ice water, spraying with insecticides (Karbofos, Confidor, Decis) or folk remedies (solutions with wormwood, laundry soap, tansy, garlic);
chlorosis (iron deficiency) develops due to increased acidity of the soil, an excess of phosphorus, frequent irrigation - it is eliminated by appropriate feeding.

Additional recommendations:

Do not trim.
Do not decorate.
Loosen regularly to increase breathability.
Limit walking on the styloid bryozoan lawn, as this leads to crushing, and recovery will take a long time.
To stop the growth process, sprinkle the root zone with gravel in a thin layer.
Weeding is most often not required, since the dense cover of the bryozoan does not allow the weeds to germinate. If they do appear, they should be removed.

1 First acquaintance

The name "bryozoan", in Latin - "Sagina", the plant received for its similarity to moss, although it has nothing to do with bryophytes. Sagina refers to clove herbs. Her closest relatives are gypsophila, soapwort, smolens, and the carnation itself. But the second name of the bryozoan, "Irish Moss", is not accidental. Outwardly, mosses and saginas are very similar, and the principle of development is the same for them.

This interesting ground cover came to us from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, where bryozoan grows in natural conditions. The principle of organic design in the garden allowed dense green rugs to occupy their niche on alpine slides and rockeries, providing the decorative perennial with the environment that is natural for it - stony and sandy soils.

The class of bryozoans is quite numerous, but only the styloid - Sagina subulata (lat.) Has become widespread in garden design. In addition to the fact that the evergreen plant is decorative all year round, it blooms almost all summer, from July to the end of September, with small pretty stars.

In addition to natural forms, breeders have developed a special variety, the main attraction of which is given by light leaves of a green-yellow hue - "Aurea".

Bryozoan diseases and pests

Excess moisture in the soil leads to the occurrence of fungal diseases, which can only be cured with the help of fungicides.

It is important to observe the watering regime in order to prevent cases of infection of the vegetative parts with a similar infection.

Shoots often freeze out due to unexpected frosts or cold snaps. Top dressing with superphosphate fertilizers greatly strengthens the root system and increases the plant's resistance to cold. Thanks to timely feeding, the bryozoan will need to spend less effort to adapt and take root in open ground conditions.

Growing Irish moss in wet, dense loams that are high in nitrogen can cause unplanned stem and leaf growth. This variant of development is especially dangerous in winter, when under the snow cover the shoots of bryozoans begin to quickly weed out. Acidic soils with a high phosphorus content put the plant at risk of chlorosis.Symptoms of the disease are a change from the green color of the leaves to light yellow. Spraying the bushes with an iron solution helps to stop the spread of the disease.

Among insects, green aphids can pose a threat. To destroy it, insecticidal preparations are used.

Caring for bryozoans in the garden

How to care for a bryozoan

In order for your Irish moss lawn to look attractive, you will have to take care of it: water it, feed it, and on the eve of winter, if severe frosts are expected with little snow, cover the lawn with spruce branches. If the winter is frosty, but snowy, the bryozoan will not need shelter. The plant does not need a haircut.

Watering and feeding bryozoans

The main care for bryozoans is regular watering. The first two weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground, watering the lawn should be daily, but as soon as the seedlings begin to grow stronger, watering is reduced: even in a prolonged drought, bryozoans are watered no more than 2-3 times a week. The sprinkling method is most suitable for moistening the lawn from the bryozoan.

And keep in mind that Irish moss growing in an open area can only be watered in the evening, otherwise the sun will burn the greens.

In the photo: Blooming bryozoan

For normal growth and development, the bryozoan needs to be fed. Necessary especially on first year of life ammonium sulfate plants should be applied in an amount of 45 g / m² twice a season: in early spring and early summer. Three times a year - in early spring, summer and autumn - the soil on the site is fertilized with superphosphate at the rate of 16 g / m². Stimulating the rapid growth of shoots and the development of resistance to cold with potassium, the plot is also fertilized three times per season at the rate of 10 g / m².

Bryozoan pests and diseases

From excessive moisture, the bryozoan can be struck by fungal infections, which can be eliminated with the help of fungicidal preparations. However, first of all, it is necessary to revise the irrigation regime, otherwise a relapse of the disease is possible.

The bryozoan also has problems that are not related to infections: with a sudden strong cold snap, it can freeze, but if you fed the plant with phosphates in time and in sufficient quantities, this will help the bryozoan to quickly adapt to temperature changes and not die.

Growing bryozoans in moist clay soil, oversaturated with nitrogen fertilizers, can lead to the plant not falling asleep and will continue to develop even under snow if it falls on still warm soil. As a result, the bryozoan can vanish.

In soil with high acidity and excess phosphorus, especially with excessive soil moisture, the plant may suffer from chlorosis: the leaves and stems of the bryozoan become pale yellow. You can cope with the problem by spraying the bryozoan with iron chelate.

Of the pests, bryozoans can be attacked by green aphids, which are destroyed with an insecticide solution.

Varieties of bryozoan subulate

Despite the fact that the differences between them are minimal, it is in them that an important feature of a particular plant lies. Some endure winter better, others grow faster, and still others are champions in height.

Aurea

color - yellow-green;
is as similar to moss as possible;
flowering - from July to September;
high growth rate;
prefers sun and loam;
ideal for decorating a Japanese garden, mixborders and paths.

Supreme

color - juicy green;
forms such a dense cover that even the most powerful weeds cannot break through it;
height - up to 15 cm;
tolerates trampling well;
highly decorative variety: snow-white flowers look great on a carpet of lush greenery.

Surprise

color - deep green;
shoots - highly branching;
abundant foliage;
ideal for decorating Japanese gardens and alpine slides.

Senior

color - normal green;
the most winter-hardy variety;
a distinctive feature is the compact shape of the bush;
flowers are one of the largest;
flowering - from May to September;
most often used in container plantings.

Star velvet

color - bright green;
flowering - abundant, from July to September;
height - 8 cm;
clear spherical shape;
used mainly in the design of alpine slides.

Green Moss

color - emerald green;
height - no more than 5 cm (undersized);
flowering - from June to August;
tolerates partial shade well;
one of the most winter-hardy varieties;
when planting, drainage is required;
increased immunity to fungal infections;
tolerates trampling well;
used in the design of containers and trunks, in rockeries and Japanese gardens.

Lime moss

According to its characteristics and growing conditions, it practically does not differ from the above-described Green Moss, except for the shade of the grass. It's lime, not emerald.

Use in landscape design

Bryozoan is an irreplaceable plant in the country, in the garden. The lawn formed with its help will be uniform, beautiful

It is very important not to allow an overabundance of vegetation, because laconic compositions look much more spectacular than lush chaotic thickets

Bryozoan is good for decorating slopes, stone compositions, as a decoration for paths.

Weed grass cannot grow with Irish moss, but flowers in flower beds get along perfectly with a plant.

This representative of flora is perfect for playgrounds, recreation areas, design of benches.

In addition, bryozoan is an excellent background for flower beds, coniferous plantings. Suitable for the decoration of Japanese gardens, rockeries.

For the cultivation of bryozoans, see below.

Varietal variety

There are quite a few varieties of subulate bryozoan. The most common are Aurea, Green Moss, Lime Moss, Supreme. Let's consider their features in more detail.

The "Supreme" variety is characterized by the following features:

it is used to form a green soil cover;
creates a dense carpet;
retains water well in the soil;
weed does not break through the cover;
height ranges from 10 to 15 cm;
the variety accepts trampling well, the pillow becomes denser and looks more neat;
highly decorative plant due to the juicy color of greenery and an abundant scattering of small snow-white flowers.

The Aurea variety has such features as:

evergreen perennial that grows well;
forms dense, beautiful pillows;
differs in spectacular foliage with a yellow-gold tint;
very similar to moss in leaf structure;
flowering of a single type and a diameter of 0.5 cm;
blooms in mid-summer, this period ends in September;
grows better on loam, prefers well-lit places;
looks ideal in Japanese gardens, when decorating garden paths, as an alternative to the lawn.

The Green Moss variety has the following features:

the color of the grass is emerald green;
blooms in early summer, the period ends in late August;
grows well in partial shade;
undersized, maximum height - 5 cm;
flowering snow-white, smallish, abundant;
inflorescence diameter 0.5 mm;
tolerates winter well;
requires drainage during planting;
creeping grass, similar to moss;
good immunity to disease;
foliage is small;
looks great in the design of trunks, containers, rockeries, Japanese gardens.

The Lime Moss variety has such features as:

small lime-colored leaves;
blooms in June, fades in August;
grows well in partial shade;
height up to 5 cm, undersized plant;
flowering snow-white, smallish, up to 0.5 cm in diameter;
creeping shape, reminiscent of a pillow;
the cover is like moss;
good immunity;
looks perfect in container compositions, rockeries, decorating near-trunk zones, Japanese gardens;
grows well in partial shade;
requires soil drainage.

Growing bryozoans

You can grow grass through planting seeds or vegetatively. Let's take a closer look at each of these options.

Seed planting

Having a large percentage of similarity, the seeds of the styloid bryozoan germinate quickly. Seeds can be harvested from adult specimens growing in the garden, or purchased from a specialty store. After ripening, the seeds also self-sow well, which does not require additional hassle with planting.

For seedlings, seeds are sown in a container in mid-March. Seed material is evenly sown into a container with moistened soil, covered with foil. The seeds do not need to be covered with soil. They are so small that a layer of soil covered from above can slow down their germination. The first shoots will appear within seven days. Seedlings of the styloid bryozoan develop rapidly. When it gets stronger and grows up a little, it is transplanted into separate containers. It is transplanted to the flowerbed in mid-May, when the weather is warm, the soil warms up enough. After transplanting, you need to carefully care for the grass. It is watered daily so that the young shoots are saturated with nutrients and quickly take root. It is also good to add a little means to strengthen and grow the rhizome during watering.

In this video you can find out how to plant bryozoan seeds

Irish Moss: Outdoor Planting in Autumn

In late summer, early autumn, when the flowers of the plant have faded, adult bushes can be propagated. For this, the division of the mother bush is carried out. The root system of the plant is superficial and very small, branched. To separate it, you need to carefully dig out the bush, divide it into several parts. On the roots, you need to try to leave a maximum of the land in which the plant grew before. Carefully transfer the formed individual bushes, plant in the selected area. When planting in autumn, the crop needs winter protection. You can cover the planting with a special cloth, fallen leaves or straw, which will prevent the roots from freezing in severe frost.

What types are there?

In total, there are more than 50 species of bryozoan, common on almost all continents. On the territory of Russia, 12 species of this plant are most common, among which three of them deserve special attention:

bryozoan, the shoots of which are densely covered with small needle-shaped leaves of light green color. This variety grows slowly, while forming quite dense thickets. Bryozoan bryozoan blooms in early summer;
lying. The homeland of this variety is Eurasia. It is distinguished by small leaves and nondescript flowers. It grows equally well, both in the light and in the shade. This species is considered a weather resistant weed;
subulate. The homeland of this variety is Western Europe. A perennial plant with dense, evergreen bryophyte pillows. The subulate bryozoan blooms in July-September.

In the photo, bryozoan subulate