I have this lovely moss wall and I've noticed some white spots growing and spreading and I'm unclear about wether it's good or bad. I'm assuming bad because it's looking like it's becoming bald and white at the sites. Any help to identify it/how to treat it would be appreciated!

Is it hard and crusty? Looks like lichen to me

Lichens grow too slowly to notice them spreading. Are you sure that you just started see them now and they couldn't have been there a couple months (or more) ago? Sally has a good point: did you touch the white?
Is it
- powdery?
- stiff or crusty?
- soft?
- does it come off?
- does it rinse off?

Lichens will be pliable, but firm when they are moist, and stiff and crusty when they are dry. it looks like they are attached to the rock face and not the moss. If they are attached to a hard surface, I think it's lichens. If they are attached to mosses, then it is not.

Just my two cents worth but I agree, lichens.

It is hard too see for the most part since the images are a little blurred at the critical juncture but I am pretty sure I see some leafy, spreading, lily pad like growth to this previously unknown stuff. It seems to be of a bright gray green color for the most part and I think Leftwood has it pegged as growing directly on the rock wall.

What is the wall made of and how long has it been covered in moss? Was this a natural moss wall or did you build it? Can you post a photo of the whole thing?

That moss looks EXTREMELY dehydrated.
Maybe the moss got SO dry it peeled off and fell onto the ground.

I think that's a very plausible explanation, Virginia.

Leftwood said:I think that's a very plausible explanation, Virginia.

Virginia is their location.

Oops!

Leftwood said:Lichens grow too slowly to notice them spreading. Are you sure that you just started see them now and they couldn't have been there a couple months (or more) ago? Sally has a good point: did you touch the white?
Is it
- powdery?
- stiff or crusty?
- soft?
- does it come off?
- does it rinse off?

Lichens will be pliable, but firm when they are moist, and stiff and crusty when they are dry. it looks like they are attached to the rock face and not the moss. If they are attached to a hard surface, I think it's lichens. If they are attached to mosses, then it is not.

Firstly this was my first post and I am so happy by the amount of responses! I've been trying to find a good forum for all my questions about my gardening adventures and looks like I found the right group!

To answer the questions:

I've lived here for 6 yrs and ive been working on making this wall happen for the whole time. (The landlord had spent their childhood having to remove it lol)
It feels crusty/almost powdery in some spots.
I've always seen these white spots but it just looks like it's getting bigger and bigger and as I said the bald spots are a concern.
Also some spots the white looks like it's taking over the moss so that's a concern. Some areas are turning brown no matter what I do to fertilize and keep watered. I also live in a particularly foggy area so I'm sure the salty air has a bit to do with my browning problem.
Any tips you all have with the dying bits would be greatly appreciated.
Here are some more photos

Arielle said:


Firstly this was my first post and I am so happy by the amount of responses! I've been trying to find a good forum for all my questions about my gardening adventures and looks like I found the right group!

To answer the questions:

I've lived here for 6 yrs and ive been working on making this wall happen for the whole time. (The landlord had spent their childhood having to remove it lol)
It feels crusty/almost powdery in some spots.
I've always seen these white spots but it just looks like it's getting bigger and bigger and as I said the bald spots are a concern.
Also some spots the white looks like it's taking over the moss so that's a concern. Some areas are turning brown no matter what I do to fertilize and keep watered. I also live in a particularly foggy area so I'm sure the salty air has a bit to do with my browning problem.
Any tips you all have with the dying bits would be greatly appreciated.
Here are some more photos

Arielle said:

Wait! Back up... You are fertilizing? You may be killing it with love. The moss needs to stay damp so if its been dry in S.F. this summer, yes, water. What side of the hill are you on?

The last photo says a lot. Is it a masonry wall? Concrete? It looks like leaching salts - keep watering and wash it away. But don't fertilize, you are speeding up the salt buildup.

Love your garden!

I agree, it looks not like lichen but more like minerals crystallizing..

DaisyI said:Wait! Back up... You are fertilizing? You may be killing it with love. The moss needs to stay damp so if its been dry in S.F. this summer, yes, water. What side of the hill are you on?

The last photo says a lot. Is it a masonry wall? Concrete? It looks like leaching salts - keep watering and wash it away. But don't fertilize, you are speeding up the salt buildup.

Love your garden!

Daisy is exactly right. And you do have a wonderful garden!

DaisyI said:Wait! Back up... You are fertilizing? You may be killing it with love. The moss needs to stay damp so if its been dry in S.F. this summer, yes, water. What side of the hill are you on?

The last photo says a lot. Is it a masonry wall? Concrete? It looks like leaching salts - keep watering and wash it away. But don't fertilize, you are speeding up the salt buildup.

Love your garden!

Thank you! This is just the downstairs patio I will be sure to ask a lot more questions about the actual upstairs backyard garden as they come up. I'm not entirely sure of the mixture of the concrete part, some parts have broken off and that's where the moss seems to grow the most and it seems some parts (that are in tact) completely repel the growth no matter what I do. Also I have some bits that are just brown and so unhappy and I don't even know what to do for it. This is another side to it, see pics of what I mean below.
I fertilize with my go to maxsea which is kelp and more it's 14-16-14, about every 2 weeks… too much?

I also am attempting to grow moss outside of the wall in a container and then glueing it on… anyone ever tried that? How best does one grow moss? This is my 4th try and I'm using orchid moss as a base and then putting little pieces on top and keeping it fairly wet - again fertilized.

Arielle said:

Also I'm in the Richmond district. And here's a photo of my current moss growing experiment the black container (and the old one is just dirt blueish silver)

Ok, one more time... DON'T FERTILIZE! You are killing your moss. All it needs is water. The plant in photo 16 is Liverwort.

You should have lots of moisture in the air but maybe not enough? Has it been foggy this summer?

This is photo 16: