I like to share all that is good, easy & crafty in this world, so today I have 2 easy ways to preserve any moss. I've been preserving moss this way moss to keep its soft texture for about 18 years now.
If you've done any crafting or floral arranging you probably know about Reindeer moss. It's a soft, fluffy moss used as filler in planters and flower arrangements. It's usually dyed a lime green colour which is eye catching, but not completely natural. Like my hair.
Preserved reindeer moss is also very expensive. Like my hair.
In 2014 I tested 2 methods to preserve moss. Here's how they are doing after a decade.
Table of Contents
Method 1
This is how I've been doing it for 18 years. This method will leave your reindeer moss as soft and pliable as the day you picked it for decades. It also works with button moss.
Materials
- Glycerin
- Methyl Hydrate (or Denatured Alcohol)
Where do you get this weird stuff?
- Glycerin is available on the shelf in drugstores
- Methyl Hydrate (or Denatured Alcohol) is available in hardware stores
Instructions
- Step 1: Pick the twigs and leaves out of your moss and send the party goers home.
- Step 2: Mix together 2 parts Glycerin with one part Methyl Hydrate.
- Step 3: Place your moss in the bowl and leave it for 10 minutes or so to absorb the mixture. If only half of the moss is being covered just flip it after 5 minutes.
- Step 4: After the 10 minutes are up, remove the moss, squeeze out the excess mixture and then transfer the moss to another container to drain. Once it's drained, place on a paper towel for more drainage.
Repeat this process keeping new moss in the mixture and draining the already soaked moss.
Hint: The moss may feel like it's going a little bit crunchy at first. That's just the methyl hydrate removing the moisture from the moss. Don't worry. It'll turn soft again. Don't fiddle with it and crunch it up. Just leave it.
Curing: Leave your moss on towels (paper or otherwise) to dry for the next couple of days. Once you can feel it's soft and pliable but not wet, put it in bags or plastic containers until you want to use it. It will stay soft and pliable forever now.
Conclusion: Moss preserved this way has stayed perfectly soft for over a decade as long as it's kept in an airtight container in between use.
Method 2
For this method of preserving moss you need Glycerin, hot water and optionally food colouring.
Materials
- Glycerin
- Water
- Fabric dye
One part glycerin, 2 parts HOT water.*
*If you want to dye your moss green add ¼ cup of fabric dye then add more to get the level of saturation you want.
- Step 3: Mix together the Glycerin and hot water. The point of using hot water is it will help the moss more easily absorb the glycerin.
- Step 4: Put a batch of moss into the mixture and leave it for an hour (or until the mixture has completely cooled).
Hint: To repeat this process with another batch of moss you have to reheat your water and glycerin solution. I dumped mine into an old Tupperware container and just heated it up in the microwave. You could also reheat it over the stove.
You may need to weigh the moss down to make sure it's completely covered by the hot water/glycerin solution.
Store the moss in an airtight container or plastic bag between uses.
Conclusion: Moss preserved this way was more prone to drying out if it was left in the open air but it's still a great way to preserve if you're in a pinch and don't have access to Methyl Hydrate.
I'd like to end today with a poem.
Moss is soft
Moss is green
Moss is where the wormies scream
when you on them step
by accident
by karen
copyright 2014
I'm not sure how much screaming they actually do when you step on them considering they don't make a sound when you accidentally cut them in half with a shovel, but poems are meant to evoke emotions more than truth.
Like political campaign ads.
Oh my gosh, you are a hoot! I was only looking for ways to preserve moss but I was quite entertained!
Thanks Jennifer. That's my goal; to make learning things as entertaining as possible. If you haven't yet, subscribe here. I still have many things to teach and entertain you with. ~ karen
My tongue fell off.
Was wondering if when you use the glycerin and hydr does the color stay the same the pretty green or if I want it natural can I just use the dirt and it won’t die.
I recently tried the glycerin and hot water mixture to dye some moss and the smell was so bad it was making me literally gag. I was wondering if the methyl hydrate and glycerin mixture produces the same awful smell? I've had my dyed moss sitting in my shed for several days now hoping the smell would dissipate but so far I've had no luck. It still smells terrible. Any advice or guidance you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Amanda! The smell will go away but the moss does always have a tiny bit of that weird smell. I don't know what it is, it's the smell of the moss, not the glycerine and water (obviously because those things don't have an odour). I've noticed it as well, but it doesn't bother me that much. Especially if I'm not intentionally smelling it to see how awful it is, lol. Just leave it in your shed for now and keep checking on the smell. It will get better. ~ karen!
I recently tried the glycerin and hot water mixture to dye some moss. It smelled so bad it was making me gag. The moss has been sitting in my shed and I've been patiently waiting to see if the smell dissipates. So far I've had no luck with that. I was wondering if the methyl hydrate mixture smells that way too? Or how you would combat the awful smell? Any help or guidance you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Can the glycerine, methyl hydrate, water mixture be used over and over again? Seems the hot water will no longer be hot so solution needs to be disposed of after each use. Also, is there a way to safely dispose of the mixture besides hauling it to a hazardous waste facility? Thanks!
HI Michelle. I use mine over and over again. I had one mixture go mouldy once, but other than that it's been fine. ~ karen!
Jeeze! What have I done wrong? Tried glycerin and water yesterday and my moss smells so bad that I don't want it in the house! Have you made that mistake? If so, what did I do wrong and how can I avoid doing that again?
Can this be used to plant live succulents in that need watered?
Hi Patti. I don't grow a lot of succulents so I couldn't say. What I usually say in cases like this is - give it a shot. If it works, great, if not, then at least you know. :) ~ karen!
Now stir it with your tongue had me cracking up. Thank you so much. Perfect information!
Can you use this technique on wood mushrooms?
Can you dye the moss say with fabric dyes? How long does the colors hold?
Hi Joe! You *can* use fabric dye but the colours often come out unnatural or don't absorb evenly. Using a flower dye that works through absorption is the best way to colour it. ~ karen!
Ohmyword did this ever make me laugh out loud!!!!! Thanks so much!!!! I am a chemist and what got me was the line, ‘Stir with your tongue’ ha ha ha!
This is a great post. Ingenious. And I never connect on these things. :-)
The green moss growing here in Connecticut will regenerate if it becomes dried out and faded. Simply place it (dirt-covered, dried-out root side down) onto moist soil and the roots will soak up the rain or moisture and it will turn green and start to grow again! Pretty weird, huh?
Has anyone saved the glycerin and denatured alcohol solution for future use?
Hi Ginny. I've done that and it works. It's fine. ~ karen!
I would like to ask if you need to dry the moss first or you can preserve the live moss. And the second question is can I use Isopropyl alcohol instead of Denaturated alcohol?
Thank you :)
Ok so its 2021 and I've jist tead your post which is brilliant. Thanks. I was wondering though if you managed yo see a doctor to sort out your issues with your nether regions....i mean you had alot of meds in that photo!! 😂 great post. Thanks for sharing
Now that it has been more than a few years, would you say the moss held up over time with the hot water mix?
Yes it's still a success Cas, but I will say that some of mine dried out, but anything I kept in an airtight bin while not in use is still perfect. ~ karen!
Hi Karen,
I preserved some in equal parts glycerine and room temp water (and left it for 24-48 hours as per other instructions I read) and now and realizing I may have nkt done it the best way. I am about to sell some art containing it; do you think I could put the wrongly preserved moss into the proper glycerine and hot water solution or into a DN alcohol and glycerine solution or do you think I should go find new moss and start over? Thanks for the info! -C
Hi Karen,
Loved how simple to makes this seems. I was looking for this for a while :)
Just one practical question... Because indeed the intention is to keep as a decorative piece for years to come, considering it will be exposed to dust, for example, how do you clean it? I guess vacuuming would work but perhaps it would also damage the delicate foliage.
Any tips?
Thank you very much :)
Hi Suz! I've actually never even thought of cleaning it, lol. I don't keep mine out year round, just when I want it for certain floral or other arrangements. When I'm done it goes back into an airtight box. If I *were* to clean it, I'm not sure what I'd do. I'd probably rinse it under water. Just take a small bit to test it first. ~ karen!
Haha! Great, thank you! My idea was to create a mural with the moss. So with that in mind, I think I will consider fixing the moss on a surface that can be wet if needed, in case a need to mist it even now and then to remove the dust :)
Thank you for your quick reply! Keep up the great blog!
I was going to use for a wall piece myself. How has yours held up? I would think maybe saturate with a spray bottle of water and lightly dab with paper towel??
So excited to try this out! Buying preserved moss is so expensive.
One question....if I use this moss as a base around mounted live plants, when I water them will the glycerine and methyl hydrate leech from the moss into the live plants and harm it? Or is it once the moss is dry it should be fine?
Thank you for your time!
Hello,
I see this post is from a few years ago, but alas, your post keeps popping up as one of the only means for searching out the use of methyl hydrate and glycerin.
Wondering if this method has worked for other foliage such as ferns and leaves? Wondering if this method helps to maintain colour more than just glycerin and water. I am obsessed with finding out more information on these techniques and its not easy to find! Hoping some like-minds can help answer some questions.
Hi! I was wondering if you had tips for preserving other greenery, like ferns? Could you use the same process??