Moss skull-and-crossbones by Ladybird at the Instructables.

I came across a step-by-step guide to creating moss graffiti at the Instructables that is different than the other two methods I’ve seen before: painting a moss slurry onto a hard surface (which I’ve tried, unsuccessfully), and removing living chunks of moss and placing them in the desired pattern. Rather, it’s kind of a combination of the two.

Basically, Ladybird recommends using the moss slurry mixture to start your graffiti on a layer compost in a seed tray. You then keep it well misted until established, then transfer to its final display space. Makes sense, and probably give your graffiti a fighting chance.

I lead my first workshop yesterday! It was a Moss Graffiti Workshop for my guerilla gardening group.

Following a brief slideshow and discussion about moss, graffiti, and moss graffiti, we made a yummy moss ’starter’ (see the recipe after the jump). I had planned on brainstorming potential tags and artwork ideas, but everyone was raring to go and apply the frothy green mixture, so we just fanned out in small groups and pretended we were hooligans.

The moss starter goes on pretty much clear; in the top photo, Tim is simply embellishing someone else’s handiwork.

Highly recommended project – I can’t wait to see how all our designs turn out!

To make a quick moss starter, you’ll need:

One or two clumps (about a small handful) of moss
2 cups of buttermilk
2 cups of water (or beer)
1/2 tsp. sugar

a blender
container with lid
paintbrush

How to:

1. Crumble the moss into the blender – try to remove any pebbles or insects you find.

2. Add the sugar, buttermilk, water or beer, and blend at the lowest speed until it has the consistency of a milkshake (add more water if necessary).

3. Paint the mixture onto rocks, logs, pots or statuary, or simply pour it on the ground wherever you’d like your moss to grow.

OR: Create some living graffiti. Paint your chosen design on any shaded, damp vertical or horizontal surface. Porous, moisture-retentive surfaces work best (brick, wood, coarse concrete).

The moss starter method works best if it is kept moist until well-established. A twice-weekly misting with a spray bottle is ideal.

So I really don’t understand the effort expended to rid lawns of moss. My father-in-law, upon seeing my sad excuse for a lawn for the first time, said, “you need some moss killer.” Horrified, I replied, “But I love the moss! I’m trying to get rid of the grass!”

Anyway, I came across a novel use for moss and thought I’d share: moss graffiti. It’d be a great use for all that moss starter medium you’ve been brewing up. You haven’t? Oh. Well, you might want to try it if you’ve got a bare-looking log or rock in nice shady, damp area in your garden, or if you want to make your terracotta pots look aged, or if you’d like to start a moss garden. Here’s my recipe:

Quick Moss Starter

• Take a clump (a small handful) of healthy moss from your yard (or ask a neighbour for some if you don’t have any) and crumble it into a blender.
• Add 2 cups of buttermilk and 2 cups of water
• Blend at the lowest speed until it is completely mixed and the consistency of a thin milk shake (add water if necessary)
• Paint the mixture onto rocks, logs, pots or statuary, or simply pour it on the ground wherever you’d like your moss to grow

So, the idea of moss graffiti is that you apply this moss milkshake to your chosen canvas and create a design or object out of moss (as in the photo above). Imagine the possibilities! I’m picturing moss wallpaper a la William Morris (outdoors, of course!)

Via Make.