"Kokedama is a plant that has decided to wear its soil like a coat. Your job is to help it do that.
"KaiRenner26th of April 2026
What Kokedama Is
Kokedama (translated: moss ball) is a Japanese bonsai offshoot in which a plant is grown in a ball of specialized soil wrapped in living or preserved sheet moss and secured with string or twine. The root ball hangs in air or sits on a surface and is watered by submerging the entire ball. The aesthetic is wabi-sabi — natural, asymmetrical, humble. Almost any plant with modest root requirements can become a kokedama: ferns, pothos, small ficus, herbs.
Akadama+ Peat + Sand
Every7 to 14 Days
Mix the Kokedama Soil
Combine akadama, peat, and coarse sand and moisten until moldable.
Mix the Kokedama Soil
Combine 7 parts akadama clay soil (available from bonsai suppliers), 2 parts peat moss or fine compost, and 1 part coarse horticultural sand. Mix thoroughly. Add water gradually while mixing until the soil holds its shape when squeezed without falling apart or releasing water — the consistency of stiff clay.
Remove the Plant from Its Pot and Shape the Ball
Shake excess soil from roots and press kokedama soil around them.
Remove the Plant from Its Pot and Shape the Ball
Gently remove the plant from its pot and shake off as much potting soil as possible without disturbing the roots. Press a handful of the moistened kokedama soil around the root mass, working it in with your fingers to enclose all roots. Continue adding soil and shaping it into a sphere — typically 3 to 5 inches in diameter depending on the plant.
Wrap with Sheet Moss and Tie with Twine
Cover the soil ball with damp sheet moss and wrap firmly with string.
What You Need
Akadama clay bonsai soil
Peat moss or fine compost
Coarse horticultural sand
Sheet moss (sphagnum or dried craft moss, soaked)
Hemp twine or dark cotton string
Plant with modest root requirements
Underwater Watering Is the Technique Do not water kokedama from above — it wets the moss surface but may not penetrate the akadama ball. Submerge the entire ball in a bowl of room-temperature water for 10 minutes until bubbles stop. Lift, allow to drip, and hang or display. In dry conditions, water every 7 days. In humid conditions, every 14.
"The moss stays green as long as the soil stays damp. That is the only feedback you need.
"KaiRenner26th of April 2026