How to Grow and Care for Irish Moss

Unlike true moss, Irish moss doesn’t do well in full shade or in wet conditions.

It prefers a sunny or partially shady position and doesn’t like intense heat.

Light

Irish moss grows best in full sun or partial shade.

Irish moss prefers good quality soil that is rich and fertile.

It can be tricky to get the watering levels right with Irish moss.

If you go too far in either direction, brown patches can develop.

In general, you should aim for soil that is consistently moist but never waterlogged.

Irish moss is fully hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 8.

You should opt for a balanced 5-5-5 NPK fertilizer or even a slightly lower nitrogen formula.

Otherwise, Irish moss will perform best if left to grow freely.

Fill the container with potting mix and keep the plant well-watered at all times.

Potted Irish moss will need repotting about every three years, or when it outgrows its container.

Irish moss is cold-hardy to USDA zone 4 and can survive the winter without protection.

It can, however,be attractive to slugs.

Likewise, you may find that moles wander beneath the moss and lift it as they bore underground.

Be sure to pat the moss back down against the soil to prevent it from dying.

When in bloom, both types have little white flowers.

The Irish moss variety is solitary, whereas those found on Scotch moss appear in clusters.

Though this plant can be grown indoors, it tends to serve as more of a landscaping feature.

Irish and Scotch Moss,Sagina subulataandArenaria verna.

University of Wisconsin Horticulture Extension.