Anyone try *live* moss in scenery?......


F

fast_ian

Member
Hi,

Somewhat unusually for my neck of the woods we've had a lot of rain and there's a ton of moss doing well in the yard right now.

I thought about doing the glycerin + dye thing but am tempted to try and put it in "live"! :eek:

I read about someone doing a live cacti install in little pots but am thinking moss could sit into, eg, a margarine tub lid - As long as it was misted with water every now & again I think it may have a chance.......

Good idea? Crazy? Worth the effort? Or am I being stupid even thinking about it? ;)

Cheers,
Ian
 
The only problem with live moss is, it needs a lot of moisture, which doesn't mix well with a layout. Seems like a good idea but better off not going that way (less maintenance the better). You can just dry them out and color as needed, they will get brittle but if you don't disturb them they're OK. The Glycerin was only to make them flex without crumbling.
 
Thanks for the comments - Appreciated.

For sure, I agree, water & hydrocal and/or electricity is not a good mix.

But, maybe make the moss removable for watering? Possibly a good dunk rather than a misting?

I dunno, but think I'm gonna put some into some shallow containers and leave it around the house [no layout for it right now anyway!] and see what happens......

Cheers,
Ian
 
I remember that article mentioning using live cacti for scenery. The reason they work well is because those tiny cacti really don't need much watering. Maybe an eye dropper's worth or something every now and then. I once mentioned on here considering using Chia for scenery but a few other posters pointed out that idea would be more hassle than it'd be worth.
 
One of the older Model RR tours from Allen Keller featured Harry Clarke's Layout in which he used a wide variety of natural materials like mosses, dried flowers from Seedams etc. It will take your breath away.
 
it would probably work if you had a big isolated area where the water dribbles off. the water has to go somewhere and you dont want it on your track, I often thought about putting in some bonsai trees in a layout.
 
I've been using Moss a friend gets me out of the Ocala Nat'l. Forest. I color it in water, let it sit for a few days in the color & water & then let it dry on newspapers. It last's a long time as long as you don't move it around much. I have transferred it from 1 layout to the other by spritzing it w/a fine mist of water about 2 hrs. before it was moved. The good thing about it the colors last & last. If they don't you can add a little color w/an airbrush or a fine mist of latex paint in a tiny spray bottle. I use a lot of the Deer Moss you can get in the Craft Stores & sometimes you can get it at the Dollar Tree's in their craft area. I put mine on w/Elmers glue full strength.
 
I'm just thinking about cleaning moss out of a locomotive drivetrain. :eek:

Also, moss likes cold and damp. Your train room hopefully isn't. I dunno how long it would survive.
 
The trouble with using live plants of any sort on a layout is that visually they don't scale that well. Also they do harbor unwanted things like insects. Back before 2000, the use of real plants on a layout seemed to have been discussed in the modeling mags about every 10 years or so, and the conclusion each time were all are the same. It's not worth the hassle.
 
Cjcrescent said:
The trouble with using live plants of any sort on a layout is that visually they don't scale that well.
....
It's not worth the hassle.
Click to expand...

+1

I actually pulled some up and left it outside in little trays. It's doing OK, and I think I could keep it alive, but you're right - It doesn't scale (I'll post some pix later) and the PITA level isn't going to be worth it.

Oh well - 'Twas just a thought.

Cheers,
Ian
 
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5719

I have gotten moss off of peoples roofs, in the woods on rocks and in yards and beside the road. Take it in and put it on the layout. Dont treat it water it or anything just use it. It darkens a bit when it dries. Glue it down with white glue.

All of the moss in that thread looks the way it did when I took the pictures and it has been vacuumed with the layout tons of time.

The second photo has moss used for the vines on the wall and the bushes in the background are made of moss.

The fourth and fifth pictures is all moss. Except for the obvious trees and the tan grass.

Tear it break it up play around with it and make it look right. Then go back and glue it down when you feel comfy.

And yes all those stone walls are individually hand glued one at a time.

HO is the scale.
 
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