DIY KokeDama Ball

Kokedama is a centuries-old Japanese form of garden art that is closely tied to the practice of bonsai. This Japanese term can be translated like this: “Koke” means moss, and “dama” means ball. Kokedama involves using a moss ball as the supporting and the focal point for a tree, shrub, or plant. In other words, it consists of wrapping the plant’s roots in a ball of soil which you then cover with moss. The moss ball is either fixed to a platform, like a dish or a bowl, or suspended in the air with a string.

Kokedama has been inspired by an old tradition that involved the exhibition of the exposed root ball of the bonsai specimen on a plate aiming to highlight the complexity and beauty of the root system. Yet, over time, moss would accumulate on the roots, which further enhanced the display.

To make a 4 inch ball:

1. To avoid a mess, lay out newspaper for easy cleanup.
2. Measure 2 1/2 cups bonsai potting soil in a bowl.
3. Slowly add water to the potting soil until it just holds together when pressed firmly; more water can be added later if necessary.
4. Press the soil mixture into a ball, firmly packing so it stays together. Add more water if you need to. If you toss it into the air a few times, it should hold together.
5. Remove the plant from its pot and gently shake off as much soil as possible, the roots should be clean of dirt.
6. Gently, split the ball in half and lay the plant’s roots in the center.
7. Then pack the ball of soil around the plant. Pack it tightly to reform the ball.
8. Dampen the sphagnum moss in warm water to make it pliable so you can wrap it around the soil ball.
9. Lay the moss green side down, set the soil ball in the center and gather the moss up around the soil and up to the plant. Keep packing it tightly and squeezing it together.
10. Secure the moss with jute or thread or fishing line. Begin by holding the ball in one hand and with the other hand start wrapping the ball leaving a long tail at the bottom to use to tie off when done wrapping. Wrap in all directions. If you want to hang your kokedama, start wrapping the ball at the top, still leaving a long tail, and tying the ends to hang. If you don’t want to hang your Kokedama, you can place it in a shallow dish for display.

And that’s it!

Soak entire moss ball under water (not the plant) for 15-20 minutes depending on if your kokedama is large or small. Gently squeeze out excess water and place back on plate or hang. You will know when it’s time to water when the plant becomes almost weightless. It could be once a week, once every other week or once a month. Unfortunatley it depends on how much sun it gets a day, humidity, and how large the moss ball is.