The star moss is a plant that can be planted both in tubs and in the garden. We'll show you what you need to consider.
Sternmoos is a small, uncomplicated cushion perennial, which looks good in the rock garden, but can also be used for planting graves or as a lawn replacement. The plants are easy to care for and hardy. Sternmoos is native to Central Europe and is therefore well adapted to our climate. If you take into account the site conditions and soil requirements of the plant, you will be able to watch the pretty rock garden plant grow and thrive. You can now read about what should be considered when planting star moss.
Plant Description
Even if the star moss forms a pretty moss lawn, from a botanical point of view it is actually a carnation plant. The star-shaped small flowers and moss-like appearance gave Sagina subulata its name. As a representative of the fattening herbs, the star moss is characterized by herbaceous growth. The leaves are only slightly upright. The growth height hardly exceeds four centimeters, but dense carpets of grass are created and the plant quickly grows in width.
| Star Moss (Sagina subulata) | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | carpet-like, creeping, partly rooted |
| Growth: | 3 - 5 cm |
| Growth: | 20 - 25 cm |
| Flowering: | June - August |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Floor: | fresh, well-drained, normal garden soil |
Blossoms
The small white flower heads appear in late spring. The light cup flowers contrast nicely with the light green foliage. The flowers are on the short stalks and appear extremely numerous even in a shady location. The flowering period extends into late summer.
Usage
The uncomplicated star moss can be used in many ways in the garden. Smaller cushions enhance the rock garden. In the immediate vicinity of hornwort, low bluebells or chamomile, a pretty and colorful picture is created. AlsoDry stone walls can be planted with star moss. The plant also thrives between paving slabs and can be used to green roofs.
» Tip: Star moss is also suitable as a lawn substitute.
It often happens that the lawn does not grow densely in shady areas or even has visible gaps. Sowing lawns is often difficult, even on impassable slopes. Sternmoos offers a welcome substitute here. You can even save yourself mowing the lawn later. Star moss does not grow higher than a maximum of five centimeters.
» Tip: Star moss is also decorative and easy to care for when planting under flower boxes and planters.
Find a suitable location
The hobby gardener is flexible when choosing a location. The carnation plant is one of the few plants that thrives in the shade without any problems. In a sunny location, frequent watering is necessary. Especially in hot summers, there is a high risk that the cushion perennial will dry up. Two hours of sunshine a day are considered optimal for the heat-loving plant. The Sternmoos does not like a too dry or too cold location. Furthermore, the plant does not feel well in competition with lush growing weeds such as white clover, cinquefoil or plantain and grows rather puny.
→ in a nutshell:
- very adaptable to different locations
- two hours of sunshine a day are enough
- high liquid requirement in full sun
- reduced growth in too dry locations
- existing weeds hinder the growth of the plant
Select ideal substrate
The plants are a little more demanding when it comes to choosing a location. The soil should be well drained to minimize the risk of waterlogging. Heavy clay soils should be enriched with sand. The roots quickly begin to rot if the substrate seems too dense. The soil should be moist, but not too wet. The pH value should be in the neutral to slightly acidic environment.
Planting Instructions
1. Select location
2. Prepare soil
3. Dig planting hole
4. Keep planting distances
5. Insert plant
6. Close planting hole7. Press the soil well
8. Water the plant
After choosing the right location, prepare the soil for planting. The substrate should be loosened up and free of roots, stones and weedsrelease.
» Tip: The star moss does not tolerate weeds in the immediate vicinity.
Heavy soils are easy to loosen up and make more permeable with sand. If you want to create larger cushions, you have to pay attention to the appropriate planting distance. To ensure that a dense moss lawn results in the foreseeable future, the planting distance should not exceed 15 centimetres. When planting in the rock garden, you should also pay attention to a unique position. A planting distance of 20 to 30 centimeters is indicated here. Because the cushion perennial grows quite quickly in width. After planting, the star moss should be watered well.
Plant star moss in the bucket
Planting in tubs is a good idea for designing plant pots or planting under tall stems cultivated in plant tubs. Planting in buckets increases the maintenance effort. Plants often only have little substrate available there. Therefore, the star moss can only absorb a minimum amount of water and nutrients via the roots. If the small cushions are to grow luxuriantly and form many flowers, they should be watered and fertilized regularly. If the planting bowl is set up in the sun, it may be necessary to water the star moss in the morning and evening in summer. If this is not done, the plant may dry up completely almost overnight.
The special features of pot planting in keywords:
- Low fluids and nutrients
- frequent watering necessary
- fertilize regularly during the growth phase
- Protection necessary during wintering
Overview of information on planting star moss
| Activity | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Find location | • The plant thrives in any location. • Partial shade with a few hours of sunshine is ideal. • The plant does not need more than two hours of sun a day. • If the location is too sunny and there is insufficient watering, the plant will quickly dry up. |
| Prepare substrate | • As the star moss does not tolerate waterlogging, a permeable soil is particularly important. • The plant grows rather poorly in heavy loamy soil. • The nutrient requirement is rather moderate.• Compost provides valuable natural fertilizer. |
| Plant star moss | • Weeds should be removed generously before planting. • About twelve young plants can be planted per square meter. • There should be at least ten centimeters between the individual plantsLeave planting distance. |
Transplant star moss
If the star moss is to be transplanted, spring and autumn are the ideal times. The roots grow rather poorly. This has an adverse effect on transplanting in hot weather or when there is a risk of frost. If transplanted in summer, there is a high risk that the delicate roots will dry up. When transplanting in late autumn, it can happen that the plants no longer grow sufficiently and thus lose the ability to overwinter undamaged.
A warm but cloudy day should be selected for transplanting. The plants should be carefully lifted out of the ground and cut out over a large area so that the roots are not damaged. After planting out, the star moss should be planted quickly in its new location.
» Tip: Transplanting offers a good opportunity to check the condition of the roots and to divide the plants if necessary.