Wabi-Kusa - What is it and how to make one + Tutorial

Do you want to ride a Wabi-Kusa? In this article we explain what it is and how it is done.

DEFINITION

The Wabi-Kusa: They are containers with substrate (traditionally ball-shaped) that serve as support for aquatic plants in their emerged state. They just need a bright place or a small light source, spray water daily, occasionally a little fertilizer and some pruning when growth is excessive.

Today the Wabi-Kusa are very popular, they are considered an object of aesthetic and independent design to beautify a living space. Let nature develops freely And as such it produces amazing results. They can be accompanied with rocks and wood, although it is not necessary.

This type of compositions allows you maintain aquatic plants very cheaply and get a piece of nature without taking up much space.

TERMINOLOGY

Wabi-Kusa does not have a direct translation, it is an all-encompassing term for the Japanese aesthetic school of thought that the imperfection, incompleteness, and irregularities of a thing are the qualities that make it beautiful. Wabikusa derives from the Japanese concept Wabisabi which is the acceptance and appreciation of the natural state of things. wabi: It means simplicity, freshness or tranquility. knew: It is beauty or the serenity that appears over time, when the life of the object, the transitory and the imperfect play an essential role.

In modern Japan, the meaning of Wabi-Sabi often tends to mean "wisdom in natural simplicity." In art books, it is generally defined as "imperfect beauty." Combined with the word Kusa which means "grass" in Japanese you will begin to understand what it means Wabi kusa.

PLANTS FOR WABI-KUSA

The vast majority of aquarium plants can be kept out of the water with a high degree of humidity, out of the water the way growth in its emerged state It is considerably different from the submerged in color and structure of the leaf. Also say that they are easier to maintain and care for.

The best plant species for a Wabi-Kusa They are mainly stem plants (Rotalas, Ludwigias, Hygrophilas, etc.), but upholstery is also often used (Cuba, Monte Carlo, Elocharis, etc.). In this context, mosses are considered useful plants that function as a basic structure and store moisture. Strictly aquatic and delicate plants like Vallisneria, Blyxa or Ceratophyllum are not suitable for a Wabi-Kusa.

For ride a Wabi-Kusa, we recommend using plants aquatic that are already in their emerged form (like most potted aquarium plants you can find in store). You can choose for example to use the cuttings of submerged plants from your aquarium, plant them in a Wabi-Kusa and let them change to their emerged form, although it is not the easiest option and it does not always end up working. If you want to use plants from your aquarium, you have to make a transition until they get used to growing out of the water, this is achieved by completely covering the Wabi-Kusa once planted with a transparent plastic film and uncovering it little by little during the week In week.

Wabi-Kusa emerged aquarium plants — Wabi-Kusa image by Sergio Maestre CEO Premium Buces

HUMIDITY

The amount of moisture is vital to keep a Wabi-Kusa, especially in the initial phase, where the plants still need to acclimatize. The rule here is: Less is more! Too much humidity often causes plants to disintegrate. Waterlogging of the substrate should also be avoided. Too high a water level in combination with sufficient light incidence can lead to algae growth in the lower regions.

LIGHTING

As far as lighting is concerned, it only takes one light, which can work with a timer. It is recommended to program the light time between 8 and 12 hours. It is possible to maintain without any type of lamp, if the location receives a good amount of natural light or if it is placed near the light of an aquarium.

MAINTENANCE OF WABI-KUSA

Having completely shifted to his emerged growth, the Wabi-Kusa will not need too much care. Depending on its location, it should be sprayed periodically (once or twice a day) with water spray. The water that evaporates from the vase or container is filled and the dead plant material is removed.

El fertilizer It should only be added to the sprinkler water from time to time, leaving a resting time between fertilizer and fertilizer, it is necessary if the plants do not grow as expected or if some type of deficiency is observed in the leaves.

WABI-KUSA TUTORIAL

In the next section you will see a tutorial on how to assemble a Wabi-Kusa step by step:

MATERIALS

Un glass vase or container to use as a support.
Thread nylon and scissors.
Substratum.
Rubber gloves to protect your hands from dirt.
An extra bowl.
Tweezers for planting.
Moss and aquatic plants.

STEP 1

For this tutorial we are going to use the substrate Modeling Soil 1 liter.

We pour the substrate into a bowl in which it will be easy to shape. The substrate is in principle dry, loose with a lot of peat.

Following the manufacturer's recommendations, we began to add 200ml water to the substrate. After pouring each 200ml dose of water, the medium is mixed. Adequate humidity is achieved at which the substrate turns into paste and forms well after pouring approximately 600ml of water for 1L of substrate.

For this composition we will make a Traditional Wabi-Kusa in the form of a ball. Put on the gloves and knead the substrate until you get a consistent dough. The consistency of the “dough” should be slightly soft but not so wet that it crumbles.

STEP 2

The substrate is very flexible and easy to plant on it, while retaining its shape. We can use tweezers for plants to help us in this process. Then the plants are placed, for this we make a hole with the tweezers and insert the stem. We recommend wrapping it in moss and turning it several times with a fine nylon thread for extra support. There are basically two reasons for this: The dirt ball becomes more stable and the mosses store moisture. The usual species in aquarium hobby can be used as mosses.

STEP 3

The ball is placed in a small saucer or vase to conserve moisture. We pour a little water (below the level of the saucer) at the bottom, about 2cm, but taking care that the ball is not submerged in it. If you have tied it with fishing line and moss it can submerge a little. The vase or container should be covered with cling film for the first four weeks. If a considerable number of submerged aquatic plants were used, this period should be even longer, until the plants have transformed into their emerged form. Periodic ventilation every so often prevents mold formation. After this transition period, you can gradually remove the film to allow plants to get used to the drier outdoor air.

STEP 4