Stuck in someone else's frames? break free!
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
  |
|||
|
TRANSPLANTING MOSSES Mosses are among the first plants that ever were. The first mosses were formed by a mixture of algae and "fungus threads", which do some of the things that roots do. A moss called "lichen" (pronounced "like-en") can grow in places that are too cold for other plants. Lichen can even grow on rocks! It needs just a little bit of soil which the wind may have blown into a crack in a rock. When it rains, and the rock is wet, blue-green algae sometimes forms. Then, blown by wind, or brushed off from an animal's fur, some spores fall into the algae. Together, they form lichen. Some lichen is pale green; some is a rusty red. There are many colors of lichen. Sometimes mosses grow on roof-tops in places where the weather is warm and it rains often. Some people think you can tell which way is north because moss grows on the north sides of trees. The truth is, that isn't moss; it's blue algae. The algae forms on the sides of trees that are away from the wind and the sun. That is sometimes north, and sometimes not. The mosses that we usually know about are the regular green mosses that grow in soil, in places that are moist and shady. You can find mosses in the woods where it is shady, and near streams. Mosses, ferns, do not have seeds; they have spores. If the wind, or an animal brings moss spores to a place where moss can grow, the spores form threads, which are called "hyphae" (pronounced "high-fay"), and look rather like spider's webs. The hyphae are like roots, and it gives the developing moss the food it needs, and keeps it from blowing away in the wind. The moss begins to grow, the hyphae works into the soil (or the crack in a tree or a rock), and as it grows, the hyphae forms "rhizoids," which are what fully-grown mosses have instead of roots. The rhizoids carry water and food to the mosses, just like tree roots feed the trees. Like trees do, mosses also use the rainwater and minerals that fall on the outside of their leaves. If you want to grow some moss in another place, if you are very careful, you can lift the moss and take it somewhere else. You will need a small scoop so you can dig up some of the soil under the moss. If you just rip it up like a rug, you will tear off all the rhizoids and hyphae, and the moss will die. Reach carefully under the moss, about one inch deep into the soil, and lift gently. Have some wet newspaper or paper towels to set the moss on after you've lifted it. Take it right away to the new place to transplant it. If it will be a little while before you can take the moss to the new garden, wrap it carefully in the wet paper, and don't let it get in the sunlight. Remember, the new place has to be shady and moist, and not in the bright sunlight. Don't disturb it while it is getting started. Any plant that is transplanted (that is, moved from one place to another) must put down new roots and get settled in to the new garden spot. TRANSPLANTING MOSSES Mosses are among the first plants that ever were. The first mosses were formed by a mixture of algae and "fungus threads", which do some of the things that roots do. A moss called "lichen" (pronounced "like-en") can grow in places that are too cold for other plants. Lichen can even grow on rocks! It needs just a little bit of soil which the wind may have blown into a crack in a rock. When it rains, and the rock is wet, blue-green algae sometimes forms. Then, blown by wind, or brushed off from an animal's fur, some spores fall into the algae. Together, they form lichen. Some lichen is pale green; some is a rusty red. There are many colors of lichen. Sometimes mosses grow on roof-tops in places where the weather is warm and it rains often. Some people think you can tell which way is north because moss grows on the north sides of trees. The truth is, that isn't moss; it's blue algae. The algae forms on the sides of trees that are away from the wind and the sun. That is sometimes north, and sometimes not. The mosses that we usually know about are the regular green mosses that grow in soil, in places that are moist and shady. You can find mosses in the woods where it is shady, and near streams. Mosses, ferns, do not have seeds; they have spores. If the wind, or an animal brings moss spores to a place where moss can grow, the spores form threads, which are called "hyphae" (pronounced "high-fay"), and look rather like spider's webs. The hyphae are like roots, and it gives the developing moss the food it needs, and keeps it from blowing away in the wind. The moss begins to grow, the hyphae works into the soil (or the crack in a tree or a rock), and as it grows, the hyphae forms "rhizoids," which are what fully-grown mosses have instead of roots. The rhizoids carry water and food to the mosses, just like tree roots feed the trees. Like trees do, mosses also use the rainwater and minerals that fall on the outside of their leaves. If you want to grow some moss in another place, if you are very careful, you can lift the moss and take it somewhere else. You will need a small scoop so you can dig up some of the soil under the moss. If you just rip it up like a rug, you will tear off all the rhizoids and hyphae, and the moss will die. Reach carefully under the moss, about one inch deep into the soil, and lift gently. Have some wet newspaper or paper towels to set the moss on after you've lifted it. Take it right away to the new place to transplant it. If it will be a little while before you can take the moss to the new garden, wrap it carefully in the wet paper, and don't let it get in the sunlight. Remember, the new place has to be shady and moist, and not in the bright sunlight. Don't disturb it while it is getting started. Any plant that is transplanted (that is, moved from one place to another) must put down new roots and get settled in to the new garden spot.  Any problems with this page? Send URL to
webmaster. Thank you!
We publish two newsletters a couple of times a month. To subscribe, send a blank email to the appropriate email address. Topica will send you a message asking if you really intended to subscribe - just click reply - that's it! Free Recipe Collection Newsletter: Jewish Recipe Collection Newsletter:
Tired of Geek Speak when
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
