DIY Moss Poles

Climbing indoor plants like philodendrons, pothos (Epipremnum aureum) and monsteras need a support structure to train upwards, like any other climber. A great option for these houseplants is DIY moss poles.

Moss poles make it easy for plants like these to attach their roots, as it provides a surface that mimics their natural habitat in tropical forests. Providing a medium that has extra micronutrients, the plants will benefit.

Moss is easy to keep damp to help keep the aerial roots, which are how the plants climb, watered. A moss pole is a source of humidity, for plants that require a lot of it.

How to use the pole

Let’s take a look at how to use a moss pole. The first step is to soak it in water, until it’s saturated. Place the pole in the centre of a pot, and add soil to secure it in place. Plant the plant around the pole. Wrap the vines around the pole and secure lightly with garden ties, Velcro or twine. Be careful when doing this, because some plants have stronger stems – while others are very delicate. Try and make each node on the stem close to the pole – this is where the roots will form.

Option 1

Option 1 requires a bit more time than option 2, however these poles will be with your plants for a while, so the effort is worth it.

What you need:
60 x 20cm piece of plastic-coated mesh fencing (for 1 moss pole).
There are different types of mesh fencing on the market, and they are usually available at your local hardware store by the metre. Get one with mesh squares of about 1cm. The plastic-coated mesh will hold its shape, but will not rust (you could also use chicken wire, but it will eventually rust.) Adjust the dimensions of mesh to what you can buy and how many moss poles you want to make.
Plastic-coated wire or garden twine Sphagnum moss.
Budding tape.

Steps:
• First, soak the moss in a bucket of water for a few minutes.
• Cut the mesh to size for one moss pole (60cm long x 20cm wide) and bend the mesh into a cylinder.
• Squeeze any water from the moss and fill the cylinder with it, making sure to pack it in tightly.
• Secure the cylinder by tying garden twine to one end and ‘sewing’ the ends together, finishing by tying the twine to the other end.
• To use your moss pole, fill a third of the pot with potting soil and place the moss pole on top of soil. Fill in soil to half of the pot and press down to secure pole. Fill in with soil mix and plant your plant at its side, filling in with soil to make it secure. Loosely tie the trailing vines onto the mesh with budding tape or garden twine.

READ MORE: DIY Elegant Pot Plant Stand

Option 2

If you have limited time, this quick and easy version is for you.

What you need:
19 – 25mm diameter dowel stick.
Plastic coated wire or garden twine.
Coir.
Budding tape.

Steps:
• Cut the dowel stick to the length you want the moss pole to be.
• Start at one end and pack the coir onto the pole. Tie it onto the pole with twine continuing along so that the coir is secure on the pole. Make sure to cover it well. Leave enough space at the end for the pole to be stuck into a pot. Snip off unruly bit to tidy the pole. Wet coir pole and stick into soil. Secure the vines as normal.

Caring and maintaining the moss pole and plant

• Pour water down the pole often to keep it hydrated, or use a spray bottle of water to spritz the pole. Most of the climbers you use
in this way will enjoy the extra humidity.
• Remove the twine securing the plant to the pole once the roots have attached themselves. Extend the growth by tying the plant further up the pole as it grows.
• If the plant gets to the top and you want to grow it further, attach a new pole to the current pole and continue training the plant upwards.
• When you need to repot the plant, make sure to move the plant as well as its pole to the new container.

READ MORE: Learn how to plant in glass containers!