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Marimo moss balls are a trend that is sweeping the plant industry. Marimo is a Japanese word that translates to “seaweed ball”. These plants have been increasing in popularity due to its easy, low maintenance care, and the fun of adding a new type of indoor plant to your collection!
For those new to plants, or those looking to add a unique and fun new pet to their apartment, we love the idea of adding a marimo moss ball to your collection!
Lets talk about where you can buy a Marimo moss ball.
You can buy these moss balls from a number of places. You can find them on Etsy, places like The Sill, Amazon, or other online plant e-com sites. We personally think Etsy is a good option for purchasing a moss ball.
This Etsy seller is one of the most popular vendors for Marimo Moss balls online.
You can also purchase marimo moss balls from your local pet store. Often chains like Petco have marimo moss balls. The advantage of buying in person allows you to pick the healthiest looking moss ball of the bunch!
Important note – There is some controversy about purchasing moss balls online, so before you purchase one check out the company that is selling it to ensure they’re providing high quality plants.
You’ll likely notice websites will caution against buying Marimo moss balls online, as they believe that its possible to get a fake moss ball or one that is unhealthy. While it is important to do your research, we have not experienced this with the Etsy provider linked above. They also have many positive reviews to support this!
First, lets take a look at some basics for caring for your Marimo moss ball.
Marimo moss balls can live in a wide variety of tanks and containers. They don’t need a lot of space, but do have to be submerged in water. If you have fish tank they can be kept in the same tank as the fish – in fact, moss balls help keep an aquarium clean!
However, if you don’t have fish already, fear not. These plants will thrive in small jars or terrariums as well. The main thing they need is water, and after that they can essentially take care of themselves.
Creating your moss ball’s home is one of the most fun parts of getting your new pet. We love the idea of a fun jar for your moss ball to add to your décor. This jar is super fun and would work for a couple moss balls at a time.
And don’t worry – moss balls will be totally fine in an enclosed jar. With or without a lid – moss balls will thrive just the same.
Marimo moss balls thrive in indirect low or medium light. If placed in direct sunlight, they risk getting burned from the suns rays. The best option is to place your new pet in a room that is indirectly lit, and never exposed to direct sunlight coming through a window.
Temperature is also a factor here. With your moss ball most likely being kept in a clear glass container the suns rays are likely to warm the water up which can also be harmful to your new pet. To be safe its best to keep your moss ball out of direct sunlight.
Nope! In keeping with their low-maintenance persona, these pets don’t need any additional food. Just like normal plants they use photosynthesis to produce all the nutrients they need. They’re happy to exist in water and create their own nutrients without any additional help from you.
Marimo moss balls grow very slowly. In fact, when you purchase your moss ball you’re likely getting one that is already a few years old. They can grow up to 5mm per year, but often grow less. However they live for a very long time, so if you purchase one that is already aged you can get a larger than average moss ball.
When keeping a moss ball in a aquarium or jar, your moss ball is not likely to exceed 10 inches in diameter no matter how old it is, and most will be much smaller than that.
Yes! We recommend changing the water every 1-2 weeks. Tap water is fine, no need to go over the top with anything fancy. If you’re using a tank with fish in it keep to your normal routine for water.
While changing the water, we recommend giving your moss ball a massage!
To do this, simply remove it from the water, gently squeeze the excess water off, and then roll back and forth between your palms while running under fresh water (again tap water here is fine). Don’t press too firmly, the goal is to keep your moss ball in a round shape while doing this without exerting too much pressure.
With proper care, moss balls can live up to 200 years! Often when you buy a moss ball you’re buying one that is already 10-15 years old. These plants are one of the most unique and interesting plants. They make great housewarming gifts too. In fact, in Japan they’re seen as a sign of good luck!
Do you have a moss ball? Tell us your top tips in the comments below!
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Sprouts are one of the easiest items to grow and have a super short harvest timeline, making them excellent for beginners! They’re packed full of nutrients too and can be used in a variety of ways, such as salad toppings, sandwich ingredients, etc.
Keep reading for our beginner friendly step by step guide on how to grow your sprouts in a jar.
In this article we’re largely covering a DIY method. By this, we mean we’re going over how to grow sprouts with items you likely already have in your kitchen.
If, by chance you do not have these items or you want a quick, simple set up to purchase, you can purchase a sprout growing kit instead.
These kits are fairly affordable and usually under $30. We love this one from Amazon if you’re looking for a one stop shop for setting up your sprout growing system.
Start by placing your sprout seeds in your jar. We recommend putting 1-2 tablespoons of sprout seeds to start, but you can always adjust according to your needs once you know how many sprouts you want.
After you’ve placed the seeds in the jar, cover with 2 inches of warm water. Let sit overnight.
The next day, you’ll place either the cheesecloth or fine mesh screen over top of your jar. Secure either with rubber band, or if you’re using a jar with a canning lid, screw the top of your lid onto the jar without the middle section to secure.
Alternatively, you can also purchase sprouting jar lids to avoid the hassle of the DIY method.
From here, dump out old water, add new water to the jar and swish around to ensure all seeds are rinsed. Drain water out of jar.
From here, you’ll repeat this process until sprouts begin to grow. Depending on the variety you chose, this process could take 3-7 days. We recommend rinsing and draining 2-4 times per day to ensure sprouts are fresh.
Sprouts are best harvested right as they turn green. To store, we recommend keeping them in a covered container with a paper towel to absorb the excess moisture. Sprouts are best eaten within the week after they’re ready.
How do you use sprouts in your meals? We’d love to know! Let us know in the comments below!
Looking for more ways to grow your own food? Microgreens are another great option to quickly grow food at home. Check out our recent post on how to grow and harvest microgreens at home for more info!
There’s a wide variety of uses for sprouts and ways to incorporate them into your diet. Sprouts are full of vitamins and nutrients, similar to vegetables but in an even more condensed form than a lot of vegetable varieties.
Some easy ways to use your sprouts include using them as sandwich toppings, garnishes on soups, salad toppings, etc. You could also always eat them plain, which is one of our personal favorites! You can also add them to smoothies for some added nutrition.
If you’re just starting out sprouting, you may not be sure what mix is best.
There are many varieties to pick from and the range of options might be slightly overwhelming.
Each person will have their own personal taste, so we recommend trying a sampler pack before purchasing a large quantity of sprouts of any one specific type. This will give you the chance to try a bunch of flavors and figure out what you like best.
This seed mix pack from the Sprout House is one of our favorites, and what we’d recommend to newbies to get started.
Growing sprouts in a jar is fairly simple and straight forward. The main caution for first time growers is to be sure to continuously rinse the seeds and ensure you do so thoroughly. This is to prevent your sprouts from molding, which would make them inedible. Other than that your sprouts should be fairly resilient. They can grow with varying levels of light, so feel free to keep them wherever is convenient for you.
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