Nan’s Report: Heather Anderson’s smile is widest when her hands are dirty. And boy, did her hands get dirty when she and Marion Happ showed me how they make Kokedama, Japanese string balls, also called Japanese moss balls. I’d seen done before but their demonstration at Saint Madeleine Sophie’s Center in El Cajon, California was one of the most creative and enthusiastic versions ever.
Kokedama is an old Japanese art form that’s a take-off of Bonsai. It’s essentially a small plant, set in a ball of clayey soil, all wrapped up in sphagnum moss. Hang them from a trellis or set them in a dish. Water by soaking or spritzing on occasion and you are set.
Kokedama make great gifts and are surprisingly easy to assemble. Heather and Marion made two Kokedama for me – one using a small palm and the other using an African violet. Here are the basic steps, using an African violet.
Kokedama supplies: twine, a basin of water, sphagnum moss (dampened), scissors, clayey soil, a pot dish (the kind that goes under a potted plant), small plants (2″ potted plants work well), gloves if you like.
Soil gets sifted to remove lumps
The soil has to be wet enough to stick together in a ball
Heather creates a ball with the wet soil
Poke a planting hole in the center of the ball
Wash soil off the roots, then slowly and gently twist the plant so the roots ease their way into the planting hole.
Firm the soil around the plant’s roots
Spread out a sheet of dampened sphagnum moss, then set the ball into it.
The African violet is firmly in the ball of soil
Gently wrap the ball in sphagnum
Continue wrapping the ball in sphagnum until there is no soil visible.
Measure twine to wrap around the ball and secure the sphagnum in place
Use the twine to wrap around the ball and hold the sphagnum in place
After securing the sphagnum around the ball with twine, measure another length of twine to make a hanger.
Marion ties a loop in the end of some twine to create a hanger for the Kokedama. The loop goes under the ball.
- Heather wraps twine around the Kokedama to secure it for hanging
Heather uses a scissors to trim excess twine and tidy up the sphagnum moss
Heather Anderson and Marion Happ show their finished Kokedama
