# mesh for mosses



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I've not been able to find any suitable metal mesh to try to make some moss pads.. but I can get plastic canvas. If you are not familiar with it, it is very inexpensive and is usually used for making stitched designs with yarn. You get it at places like Michaels. It comes in a couple of sizes. Usual size is 10 squares per inch, also comes in 7 squares per inch. Don't know what kind of plastic it is made from. Can be had sometimes in a few colours, usually in the 10 count size, but the usual shade is off white. The larger mesh is always off white. Do you think it would work for moss pads and riccia ?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Plastic canvas works fine, I have used it for both mosses and _R. fluitans_ before.


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

If you're looking for some stainless steel mesh, i just picked up some from 03pilot (Byron) a couple weeks ago. He still had a lot left and for cheap if you're interested.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Thanks jon021, but I have a fair lot of plastic canvas on hand already. I use it to crock my plant pots, and it just struck me it might work for moss, but I wasn't sure it would do, hence my question. 
Darkblade, thanks for the confirmation ! I wonder, did you use the finer 10 count or the coarser 7 count, or does it not matter ? I also don't know if I should just sort of wind pieces of moss through the holes, like yarn basically or use thread or hair netting to tie it on ? I'd like to get the loose bits of moss that are floating around looking messy attached to something. I was thread tying pieces on wee lumps of lava rock, but I ran out of rock.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Fishfur said:


> Darkblade, thanks for the confirmation ! I wonder, did you use the finer 10 count or the coarser 7 count, or does it not matter ? I also don't know if I should just sort of wind pieces of moss through the holes, like yarn basically or use thread or hair netting to tie it on ? I'd like to get the loose bits of moss that are floating around looking messy attached to something. I was thread tying pieces on wee lumps of lava rock, but I ran out of rock.


I am not aware there are two different kinds of plastic canvas 

I just used whatever I saw first. If I remember correctly, the size of the holes were about 3 mm in size.

I did not even bother winding the pieces of moss into the holes. I put the moss/_R fluitans_ between two pieces of mesh, tied them together with some cotton thread, and let it be. Both plants will eventually grow through the holes.

You could do the same thing with just one piece of mesh too, obviously. _R. fluitans_ likes to break up, so I found it easier to sandwich it, however.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Well then, I'll just measure mine and see which one is close to 3 mm. The sandwich idea sounds very practical.. fluitans sure does like to break up.. I've bits of it all over the place that have broken off from the patch I netted onto some driftwood, which does not appear to be growing very fast, but since my lighting is low, that's probably no big surprise.

Just fyi, plastic canvas is meant to mimic an even weave specialty fabric that's used for making decorative stitched pictures,using cross stitch or other decorative stitches. The fabric comes in several 'counts' and colours and is usually pure cotton. The plastic version I've only seen in two sizes - 10 squares per inch & 7 squares per inch. Usually referred to as 10 count, 7 count. It's cheap, easy to cut with scissors and sometimes the 10 count comes in dark green, red or blue. Green would probably look nicer than the off white shade. I'll have to check at Michaels, but all I have on hand is off white.

I hope it stays down and doesn't float.

Thanks for the info !


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

The one I used was probably 10 count then. However, there's nothing wrong with using 7 count either, I'm sure either will work fine.

As for the floating issue, another advantage of the sandwich method is that you can place thin sticks of slate into the sandwich to weigh down the mat. If you do this though, make sure you have enough weight to keep the _R. fluitans_ mat down; when I tried it the first time, the _Riccia_ mat pearled so vigorously that the entire mat just floated up to the surface. The oxygen bubbles then popped, and the mat would sink back to the bottom...repeat.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Good tip.. though so far, nothing is growing fast enough to pearl like that for me . Maybe once I get a bit more light and some DIY C02 I'll get to see pearling !


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Seems things have changed since I last purchased plastic canvas. It now comes in a bunch of colours, mostly the 7 count but also the 10. Black and a dark green among them and there are several other mesh counts now too, down to one that has 14 or even 18, I think, holes per inch. I got a sheet of black and one of green to try out.

Jon021, where is Byron located ? Might be good to get some metal mesh too, even if I don't use it for all the moss, it would help add weight.. the plastic stuff is even lighter than I remember it being.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Dollarama has a plastic mesh in the garden section that looks like it might be good for this. It is about 20" x 36".


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

Fishfur said:


> Seems things have changed since I last purchased plastic canvas. It now comes in a bunch of colours, mostly the 7 count but also the 10. Black and a dark green among them and there are several other mesh counts now too, down to one that has 14 or even 18, I think, holes per inch. I got a sheet of black and one of green to try out.


Got your camera yet? can you snap a photo of the mesh so I can get an idea of what I'm looking for if I pop into michaels? I've been meaning to get some mesh for my riccia for some time, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger floating at the surface.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Nope, no camera yet. Tiger Direct is making me soooo.. well, I can't say what they are making me on this forum. Now they say the camera is backordered, though they swore they had stock when I made the replacement order. I only did that because I'd already paid shipping and they were not going to charge me again. Now I wish I'd told them to stick their camera where the sun can't shine and just gone direct to Canon. So happens Staples had the same camera for thirty bucks less over the weekend, but it was only while quantities lasted, and by the time I noticed the ad they were sold out. Grrrrrrr !!

I will, never, ever, ever buy anything ever again from TD.. they are absolutely hopeless and the manager I spoke to was just plain rude. I may just write the CEO, but I will still never patronize them again.

As for popping into Michaels, it's hard to make a mistake. Ask them for plastic canvas and you will see it comes in about four sizes, from small sheets with extra tiny holes, to the largest 7 count sheets that have holes close to 1/8 inch.. actually, 1/7 inch. They're about a foot x 14 inches in size, I think. Haven't measured them. The ten count has holes approx. 1/10th of an inch.. Both sizes come in some assorted colours, including black and green, white and off white, and the smaller hole sizes mostly come just in white.


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Fishfur said:


> Nope, no camera yet. Tiger Direct is making me soooo.. well, I can't say what they are making me on this forum. Now they say the camera is backordered, though they swore they had stock when I made the replacement order. I only did that because I'd already paid shipping and they were not going to charge me again. Now I wish I'd told them to stick their camera where the sun can't shine and just gone direct to Canon. So happens Staples had the same camera for thirty bucks less over the weekend, but it was only while quantities lasted, and by the time I noticed the ad they were sold out. Grrrrrrr !!
> 
> I will, never, ever, ever buy anything ever again from TD.. they are absolutely hopeless and the manager I spoke to was just plain rude. I may just write the CEO, but I will still never patronize them again.
> 
> As for popping into Michaels, it's hard to make a mistake. Ask them for plastic canvas and you will see it comes in about four sizes, from small sheets with extra tiny holes, to the largest 7 count sheets that have holes close to 1/8 inch.. actually, 1/7 inch. They're about a foot x 14 inches in size, I think. Haven't measured them. The ten count has holes approx. 1/10th of an inch.. Both sizes come in some assorted colours, including black and green, white and off white, and the smaller hole sizes mostly come just in white.


I went into Michael @ Winston Churchill & 401 2 weeks ago & nobody knew what I was taking about! So Its called 'plastic canvas'. Ok, I try again.

Thanks for the info.


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## Egonsgirl (Feb 28, 2012)

Hey guys, This link isn't for Michaels', but I hope it helps.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/PLASTIC-CANV...HEET-MANY-COLORS-/250685012029?pt=LH_DefaultD

And works?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Egonsgirl said:


> Hey guys, This link isn't for Michaels', but I hope it helps.
> http://www.ebay.ca/itm/PLASTIC-CANV...HEET-MANY-COLORS-/250685012029?pt=LH_DefaultD
> 
> And works?


Yes, that should work just fine.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Michael's has their plastic canvas in or near the area where all the yarns, for knitting and such, are kept. Usually just lying on a shelf in loose sheets. I am amazed a staffer at Michaels would not know what plastic canvas is.. it's one of the basic staple crafter products and has been around for decades. Even if you didn't know the name of the product, it is such a standard item, that with a simple description, they ought to have been able to figure it out. If a floor employee doesn't know where it is, ask for a supervisor. They might not always have all the colours but I've yet to find a Michael's that didn't have the stuff on hand.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Btw, Tiger Direct is history ! New camera coming from Staples on Thursday, Canon's list price was higher for this one by $50, but between Staples introductory offer and a $25. coupon, I got the new one, with even more cool features, for ten bucks less than the one TD just could not cough up, and free shipping too. They told me when I cancelled the order that the camera is no longer available.. though they still had it listed as being back ordered. Unfreakin'believable. They have lost a customer for good.


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## arktixan (Mar 30, 2010)

Fishfur said:


> Michael's has their plastic canvas in or near the area where all the yarns, for knitting and such, are kept. Usually just lying on a shelf in loose sheets. I am amazed a staffer at Michaels would not know what plastic canvas is.. it's one of the basic staple crafter products and has been around for decades. Even if you didn't know the name of the product, it is such a standard item, that with a simple description, they ought to have been able to figure it out. If a floor employee doesn't know where it is, ask for a supervisor. They might not always have all the colours but I've yet to find a Michael's that didn't have the stuff on hand.


I know the feeling when I was looking for the mesh... I think I spent nearly 30min to an hr looking for the stuff....

I went to the Michaels at heartland to find it.

I asked probably 2-5 people about it... not one could help me!

I was lucky, I managed to find black as well .

I may attempted to do a mesh wall again, we'll see, I still have my mesh, and suction cups for when I tried it a couple years back.


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## Exile90 (Aug 28, 2011)

Dollarama has something they call 'garden mesh'. I think it's 2 bucks for a roll. Looks almost the same as the mesh from Michaels but bigger.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

If anybody is still looking for plastic canvas, I will be going by a Michaels tomorrow and if you wish I will gladly get as much of it as anyone wants.. and you can pay me later when we figure out how to get it to you. Let me know, I'll check before I leave tomorrow and I'll also check while I'm out there.. I'll take the laptop with me.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Garden mesh, if it's anything like what's sold elsewhere for gardens, would be too coarse for moss. You need something with a very small hole, and most garden meshes are a minimum of half to three quarter inch in size. I have a load of that stuff already from putting up a pigeon net.


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