Just what exactly is moss gardening? Where does it fit in organic gardening? Perhaps you have never heard of the term before, but in essence, it is a type of organic gardening to help grow green in our backyards. While the idea of moss does not sound very appealing to the home grower, you might be surprised to find that it has a lot of good benefits for doing so, whether it is for the environment or your personal time commitment. In this article, we offer you a few reasons on why you should make moss gardening happen in your everyday life. Without further ado, let’s get to them!
1. No risk of pollution.
When you use materials found naturally in the environment to grow and cultivate your organic garden, you reduce the chances of harmful chemicals and other potentially dangerous substances from leaching into the soil. Pollution is a real threat, especially in this day and age of different, synthetic fertilizers and crops. By growing moss instead, you reduce the possibility of pollution, since it does not require mowing, unlike grass. Even further, certain types of mosses (especially the Sphagnum moss) actually clean out polluted air, thus contributing to a fresher atmosphere.
2. Conserves water.
Compared to other plants that heavily rely on being watered regularly, mosses do not need too much water to survive. In fact, a light sprinkling from time to time is just enough to keep this special plant growing and healthy. Especially nowadays with the issue of droughts in arid areas of the United States and other parts of the world, it is essential to conserve water for the sake of our wellbeing. With that said, mosses are the ultimate type of plant that helps us save our water for other important uses (e.g. drinking, baths, etc.).
3. Controls natural environmental erosion.
Although we can do all we can to protect the environment from disasters, there will be moments when we just cannot do so. From cliff erosions caused by waves to grass drying out from the hot sun, these are aspects of the natural world that take place outside of our control. However, growing moss can help to combat part of these natural processes; for instance, it keeps soil from washing away and has even helped regulate storm water flowing into drainage ditches. It has even been planted on rooftops not only to grow, but also to insulate and filter air pollutants from the environment. With that said, this green, fuzzy plant is versatile in many ways!
Mosses are also known for aiding in the process of carbon sequestration, or in other words, the process of extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and containing it. Since carbon dioxide is one of the most important chemical compounds for our supply of oxygen, it is necessary to capture it to help us go about with our lives, of tending to and nurturing the environment around us. Hence, moss does an excellent job of soaking up carbon dioxide from the natural world (even more so than rainforests!), thereby helping those who live on planet Earth remain green and healthy!
