Moss Test

Okay, since the aphid problem is under control now, I decided to move in to the next stage of testing.  I've been growing some fern like moss for the final display, but I wanted to mess around with the stuff and see how well it would survive.

So, first step was to go harvest some more of the moss to avoid killing what I've been tending all this time, and mix up some mud.

I didn't think to grab the camera while I was mudding up the surface of the soil, but I think you can figure out "put a thin later of mud on the top of the soil and gently press the moss into it".  I did think to grab the camera after I muddied up the skull itself though.  Idea here was to get the fine mud all over the skull, push some moss into it in strategic places, and then wash it off by simply pouring rain water over the top of it.

Now, do I know if this is all going to live (the moss, that is)?  Nope, I honestly don't.  However this moss grows wild out in my back yard at the treeline, so I figure it should be pretty hardy.  The main issue is going to be that moss likes being damp, and the pepper doesn't.

So, I'm going to use this as a chance to test how much drying out the moss can take before it shrivels up, and if a hearty misting will perk it back up without keeping the soil damp for the pepper.

It also serves as a great excuse to see how the finished thing will look, and that bottom picture there looks pretty damned awesome, if I do say so myself!