Project: Explore/Experiment "living top dressing" Part I

Euphorbia

 I use gravel..plain old everyday gravel as "top dressing" for my plants..in addition to being visually amenable, it also provides the benefits of 'mulch", in that it helps to mitigate temperature (cools in summer; warms in winter) & helps to retain moisture loss due to evaporation. 

It also keeps fresh potting soil from floating when watered & splashing-up on your plants.

Wood chips can also be used as a mulch or top dressing..pine bark, in particular, is often used in northern climes to provide some level of insulation against colder weather & protection from snow; bark or chips that are high in tannin content are sometimes used for plants that prefer ericaceous or acid-loving soil mix.

I have also used decorative rock as top dressing, mostly for miniatures/succulents (as pictured), white, black & mixed which is fine for small plants, but is too expensive for everyday use in growing pots.

So, what is wrong with rock or gravel? It seems entirely appropriate in a semi-arid environment such as so. California, where we are. 

And, the answer is "nothing" is wrong with rock/gravel, but there are plants & presentations that can benefit from a "softer look", to say nothing of color..most types of moss are green & green is an excellent background for certain plants & specimens, such as in terrariums, forest settings & some individual plants.

So, what kind of moss should I use, where/how do I find it & what does it cost? Those 3 questions are what this article is all about.

What kind? The commonest recommendation that I found was for sphagnum moss, readily available as a dried product that must be reconstituted, which I found to be a pain-in-the-ass. Soaking, squeezing, too wet, not soaked long enough & when I put it on the plant, it looks like a bunch of straw someone might use to protect their veg patch against a late spring frost.

The latest sphagnum iteration I've run across is "preserved sphagnum", which to me looks like "Astroturf" (if anybody out there is old enough to know the reference)..much like using artificial turf on your front yard.

Someone told me, "just scrape some off of a tree".. I live in USDA 10..our trees don't have moss..this is a semi-arid environment. So, it might make sense to see what the local nursery's sell and the closest to what I'm looking for was Irish Moss. 

(to be continued)

"Stoner" Gets Potted

Jan 19, 2026

I've been itching to use that headline all day... this morning, I re-potted the Italian Stone Pine, in a training pot, after finishing de-needling of the trunk & partial de-needling of the major branches, stopping well back of the growing tips, which (I think) will become candles as the tree grows.     Click Here to see Update                                                                                                                                                    

Updates

 Jan 18, 2026

Creeping Fig: Update

Blue Star Juniper:Update

Fremont Cottonwood:Update 

Cape Honeysuckle:Update

Welcome Leyland Cypress (Cupressus × leylandii)

Leyland Cypress, often referred to simply as leylandii, is a fast-growing coniferous evergreen tree, that can grow 3 - 5 ft./yr.  It is a cross between the Monterey Cypress & Nootka Cypress; usually sterile, it is most often reproduced from cuttings, according to the literature.

Leylandii are one of those trees sold around the holidays as "living Christmas trees" and as such have a bad reputation. However, they are commonly marked-down 50% or more, making them attractive to hobbyists, such as myself, which is exactly why I acquired this little tree.

Acquired: Jan 2026; major Home & Garden center; Cost:$6.50

Unpruned

 

These trees will tolerate full-sun to partial shade, given well-drained   soil & proper watering. They like damp conditions, but not "wet   feet", which can lead to problems with root rot.

 I had not intended to prune the leylandii this hard, but as the trunk &   branches appeared out from under the shubbery, it was hard to stop.   So, I went ahead & potted him in a training pot; I did some minor   pruning to the roots (this cultivar known for shallow roots) &   removed the tap-root.

  (As with all of our trees, you can follow his growth & development     over time by accessing his dedicated page from menu on RH side     of the page.)

  

Pruned & Potted