How can I grow moss?

[WFTisgoingoninmyhead]

I have exposed some roots of a rose bush in the hope of encouraging moss to grow on the roots, it doesn’t seem to be happening as yet, is there a way I can encourage it to grow, it is in the shade.
Also is roundup ok to use on weeds but not kill the moss, as I also want to keep the moss in my cobble stone patio. I am manually pulling out weeds at the moment but wondered if roundup would help to keep them at bay. I don’t have loads but there are enough to be an eyesore.

You can make moss with yoghurt I think you just add some moss to the yoghurt. Mix it up, then spread it on the surface you want the moss to grow,

I'm not sure about roundup but it's targeted so if you only spray it on the weeds, they need to be in full leaf, then I'd assume rhe moss will survive. Yiu get a gel one you rub on.

Sorry, I've just re read, why do you wish moss on the roots of your rose bush?

Bluntness100

Just an experiment really, I am trying to create a Japanese garden and they seem to have a lot of moss. I like the look of it.

Well I'm not sure pulling up the roots of your rose bush will help it grow if I'm honest, really the roots should be in the ground. Try some rose bush fertiliser.

As for rhe moss, rhe yoghurt trick seemingly works.

Bit like this.

Thanks I will try that.

In order to make moss with yogurt, you need moss in it otherwise it will just grow mould.

I can't make out why you are doing this? Roses are heavy feeders, what you are talking about is established trees where the soil has worn away and the moss takes up residence.

That's not a rose bush though is it? Hopefully someone more knowing than me will come along, but I'm struggling to believe that pulling your rose bush roots up can be healthy for it

I mossified some planters with the old moss/yoghurt mid trick. It worked!

Agree that pulling up your rose roots sounds questionable though. Could you mossify some stones or similar and place strategically?

It may not work, as I said it is just an experiment. I have only exposed some roots not pulled them up. I will give it a go. I am very new yo gardening and I am very experimental, Some things have worked for me some haven’t. I will see how my moss growing goes! Thanks both of you.

Come to my garden- it's everywhere! In the lawn in my borders on my walls.

I hate it.

TowandaForever
Haha, just shows that one man’s meat is another man’s poison!!

I think the difference is those roots in that image grow above the ground op, it's a shallow rooted tree, I've some like that, you can see the roots poking out of the grass,

But yiu shouldn't be exposing roots purposefully. I think experimental shouldn't really lead to killing things.

The yoghurt trick will work for the moss but I wouldn't touch Roundup with a bargepole. WHO declared it "probably carcinogenic to humans" several years ago.

Find some moss elsewhere in the garden, either chop it to bits or give it a quick whizz in a blender, mix with a little compost and scatter where you want the moss to grow. Alternatively, just gather some and lay it down where you want it. Then keep moist and it will spread. There's all sorts of different types btw and some will grow better in certain conditions than others, so you might need to keep trying.

Be warned though, that moss can harbour pests, and then blackbirds and the like will pull it up looking for bugs.

I've seen moss being sold in my local Scotsdales plant centre

Thanks for all this info, I wil avoid the roundup then.