Many house plants, in particular philodendrons and Monsetras, need some kind of support system to grow up on. For in the wild, Monsteras and other philodendrons grow “up” the trunk of larger systems like trees! To keep your house plant at it’s healthiest, you’ll want to stake up your monstera or other climbing philodendrons (like the philodendron Micans) with a support system similar to one that you would find in the wild.
Of course, it’s hard to give your house plant a GIANT 10-year old tree to climb up! Fortunately, it’s easy to DIY something similar–a moss pole–for your philodendron and monstera to climb up instead. Keep reading for the full moss pole DIY tutorial. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is!
What You Need To Make A DIY Moss Pole
You’ll need four things to make your own DIY moss pole, and fortunately, you probably already have most of them! In case you don’t all of the items on this list can be found with ease at your local hardware store.
- A thick, wooden dowel at least 2 feet taller than your TALLEST leaf–you want your plant to have PLENTY of room to grow.
- Sphagnum Moss (You can usually get HUGE bags of them for under $10 at your local nursery!)
- Twine or fishing line (Whatever you want to use to tie and secure the moss to the wooden dowel!)
- A spray bottle full of water
How To Make A DIY Moss Pole
The first step in making a moss pole DIY is soaking your sphagnum moss with your spray bottle. You’ll want the moss to be SOAKING wet, so don’t hold back. Alternatively, if your hand gets tired from all of the spraying, you can soak your moss in a bowl of water for a few minutes–it’s totally up to you!
Next, you’ll want to tie your twine or string in a tight knot at the top of your dowel. Make sure it’s completely secure, as this is what will keep the rest of your moss pole intact. I find it easiest to do this with one CONTINUOUS string of twine, so make sure you secure a string that is at LEAST double the size of your dowel in length–that way you can wrap it securely with little to no problem.
Next, wring out any excess water from your moss and begin packing it tightly to the wooden dowel, securing it by wrapping the pieces with twine as you go. Pack the moss so that you have at least 1.5-2 inches of moss packed around each section of the dowel. Repeat the process until the dowel is completely covered, save for four inches or so at the bottom–leave this as is because it will go directly in the soil!
After you have covered your dowel in moss, tie the remainder of the string off and stake the pole directly in the soil of your monstera plant. You’ll want to place the moss pole so that your leaves naturally grow into it.
Additionally, to make your plant look a little less droopy, you can tie your leaves to the moss pole to prop any “heavy” monstera leaves. You’ll love how it looks!
