One of the benefits of growing Monstera deliciosa inside for fans is its capacity to develop into a substantial cornerstone for a jungle-themed home. However, that expansion also creates some issues because a Monstera can quickly outgrow its allotted space. Large Monsteras typically grow outward, unlike other common houseplants with an upward, tree-like growth pattern (such the fiddle-leaf fig or rubber plant). Because of this, many people prefer their Monstera deliciosa to climb rather than trail.
How can I encourage Monstera deliciosa to climb? You can encourage your Monstera deliciosa to grow upright by providing a support system, such as a moss pole, coco coir pole, or trellis. This teaches the plant to follow its innate tendency to climb, which may result in a healthier plant with more leaves.
The good news is that Monsteras are designed for ascent. You can get this plant off the ground and out of the way if the correct circumstances and some encouragement are there. I’ll go through some specifics regarding how and why Monsteras are frequently observed climbing on moss poles throughout this article and provide you with advice on teaching this plant to climb.
How are poles climbed by Monstera?
Sphagnum moss can be used to create a moss pole by being wrapped around a bamboo stick or PVC pipe. To hold the material in place, twirl a string around. The thickest stem of your Monstera Deliciosa should be tied to the pole many places along the stem using a soft plant tie. To encourage vertical development, prune the stems that are developing more horizontally. The plant will eventually grow vertically as its aerial roots cling to the moss pole over time.
How can a Monstera be taught to scale a wall?
Your Monstera should be allowed to climb since it is not only natural for them but also looks fantastic! The majority of Monstera enthusiasts prefer to offer some sort of support for the plants, like a totem pole or pole covered in moss.
Monstera plants develop tendrils covered in aerial roots to aid in climbing. Monsteras’ aerial roots provide a variety of functions in addition to absorbing moisture and nutrients from the atmosphere. In the rainforest, they also cling to the rough surfaces of big trees to aid the Monstera vine’s ascent to the canopy—exactly what a moss pole may accomplish for your indoor plant.
Not all Monstera climb, though. In hanging pots or baskets, some kinds, such as Monstera adansonii, produce a stunning display. Additionally, they can be stacked on top of bookcases, filing cabinets, or even the refrigerator’s top and left to hang over the sides.
It is ultimately a matter of personal opinion whether you let your Monstera climb or decide to let the cascading vines fall freely.
To add some variation, teach some of your Monstera plants to climb while allowing others to trail from pots or baskets to display their eye-catching foliage. Or, to create a Monstera climbing wall, group many Monstera plants together and build a trellis (or latticework) against the wall.
Why won’t my Monstera get up?
The Monstera prefers persistently moist soil. Make sure your plant is not being overwatered or overgrown. Water according to a regular schedule when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry.
You can see weak, drooping, and perhaps even turning dark leaves if you unintentionally let the soil on your Monstera plant dry out completely. A thorough soak is necessary if the soil is very dry over the entire container.
How to soak-water your Monstera is as follows:
- Without the saucer, put your plant in the sink or bathtub. Pour roughly 3 to 4 cups of water into your basin. Check to see if the water is warm.
- Give your plant at least 45 minutes to absorb water through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot.
- After giving your plant a soak, feel the soil’s top to see if the water has gotten to the top 2-3 inches.
- If the soil on your Monstera doesn’t feel completely saturated, water it a little from the top to hasten soaking.
- Drain the sink or tub once the soil of your plant is evenly moist, and then leave it to rest while it completely drains. Put the plant back in its proper place on the saucer.
As a tropical plant, your Monstera will flourish in more humid conditions. By regularly spraying the leaves of your plant, using a pebble tray, or placing a humidifier close by, you can raise the humidity level in the area around it.
How can I straighten out my Monstera plant?
Monsteras are climbing plants, therefore unlike most plants, they have not developed to support their own weight with their stems. They develop massive, enormous leaves to absorb as much sunlight as they can in the dense rainforest.
The Monstera needs longer, stronger stems to maintain itself, but this requires energy. As a result, it leverages the strength of other plants to lift itself up by grabbing onto neighboring surfaces with its aerial roots.
These wiggling protrusions from the plant’s stems, which can reach lengths of three feet, are called roots. They will cling themselves to any adjacent surface that is sturdy enough to hold the plant and latch onto it to keep it standing.
Because of its growth strategy, your Monstera requires support. There won’t be any trees nearby to climb, but it needs something to support itself, so consider what kind of support you can offer. Typically, folks will use a moss stick or a stake.
However, there are a variety of support systems you can provide, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s examine a few possibilities.
Option One) A Garden Stake
The easiest and most affordable solution is frequently a plain garden stake. Simply insert a sturdy stake into the ground, then allow your Monstera to use it to climb.
To help the plant to grow straight, place it close to the center of the pot. The plant will begin to grow in that direction if a stake is only placed at one edge because that is where it is getting support. It becomes out of equilibrium as a result, which causes the issues mentioned above.
If your Monstera is already overgrown, adding stakes is a smart option because it makes it simple to gently nudge the stems back toward the middle of the pot, and you can add more than one stake if necessary. They are also portable, so you can move them about to support the plant wherever it needs it and add or remove stakes as necessary.
Stakes are more more versatile than the more intricate support systems, but they aren’t the most attractive choice. You might want to think about other options if they are ruining your Monstera’s appearance.
Option Two) A Trellis
A trellis might be a nice alternative for people who have small plants that are just starting to need support. These are quite secure and will guarantee that your plant maintains its training in one place.
Pick a trellis that can support your Monstera. Keep in mind that these plants can reach heights of up to 10 feet indoors (or even higher), which is a tremendous amount of weight for one trellis to hold.
The plant will be supported by a trellis that has numerous poles because these are typically more stronger. Additionally, they provide the plant with multiple locations to adhere to rather than just one or two, allowing it to spread out and develop thickly.
However, due to the inflexible shape, training your Monstera onto a trellis would be quite challenging if it is already half-grown or fully-grown. A trellis is rigid and cannot be rearranged to accommodate the contour of your plant. Only young Monstera plants can benefit from these.
Option Three) A Moss Stick
Moss sticks may be slightly more expensive than other options because they have been specifically created to support Monstera plants and other climbing plants. They do, however, have a number of important advantages.
Although the material of the poles varies, they are all covered in sphagnum moss to give the Monstera a surface that is comparable to one it would find in the wild.
The Monstera can root in the damp, organic material because most trees have moss and lichen growing on their bark, which may help to keep your plant happy. The moss has a lot of texture, which makes it easier for your plant to grasp and keeps it from falling.
The plant will also receive water and micronutrients from the moss, which it will take through its aerial roots. Your plant’s health is improved as a result.
The aesthetic is the next significant benefit. The sticks seem very much in keeping with the natural sense of the plant because they are covered in moss, and they will fit in well. The moss pole extends the natural beauty, whereas a trellis or pegs can ruin it.
Any moss stick you purchase must be sturdy enough to hold up your Monstera as it grows. For your plant to have several support points, think about adding more than one.
Some claim that utilizing moss sticks encourages better leaf growth and keeps Monstera healthy.
Option Four) A Coco Coir Pole
This is made to assist climbing plants, much like the moss stick. It provides support to keep your Monstera upright while also storing moisture and nutrients that the plant can use as food.
Try a coco coir pole if you don’t like the way a moss stick looks; they both have the same function and will keep your plant happy and healthy. You are free to combine the two if you’d like!
Does Monstera require a moss pole?
Although Monsteras can flourish without a moss pole, including one more closely resembles their natural habitat. As epiphytes, monsteras rely on the support of tree trunks to flourish. They cling by inserting their aerial roots into the structure’s framework. You may create a more natural growing environment for your Monstera indoors with the aid of a moss pole. By clicking the image or link, you can check the price on Amazon.
How is a Monstera trellised?
Trellises come in a wide range of sizes, forms, and materials and are popular choices for both indoor and outdoor climbing plants. There are trellises made of metal, wood, and even plastic. They come in various designs, including the conventional fan shape and even triangles that resemble a three-legged stool without the seat. You can create your own as well!
However, you can train an older plant and teach an old monstera new tricks! It’s ideal to put these when the plant is young and then train your monstera to climb it! Just a bit more effort is required.
Simply connect the vines and stems to the poles with soft string or even twist ties to train your monstera to climb the trellis. You should employ enough bonds to prevent your monstera from relying too heavily on any one point. This will stop the ties from slicing into the stems and vines of your plant.
Repotting with supports
Use of indoor plant supports with monstera plants has one major drawback: they might be a little tricky to repot, especially if your plant and supports are substantial.
Option 1 is not recommended if your plant is climbing the support on its own and is not fastened to the trellis or moss pole using ties. While the plant is still tied to the trellis, you’ll need to repot it, but fortunately, this isn’t too difficult if you have someone to assist you.
We wrote a piece with advice on how to repot a plant that is climbing a moss pole. Click here to see that!
You may easily untie the ties, remove the support, and repot the plant without it if your plant isn’t climbing the trellis or pole on its own and you can do so without damaging any aerial roots. To attach your monstera to your pole or trellis, you will need to replant the support and do so after that.
Although we don’t like this approach, it is a possibility if you don’t have access to assistance or if your plant isn’t yet capable of climbing on its own.
Nourish Your Monstera
Repotting your monstera every year or two and providing it with supports can help it develop tall, voluminous leaves. But no amount of supports or repotting will help if you aren’t feeding your plant properly!
Because it’s difficult to locate specialized monstera fertilizer that’s simple to apply, I designed Monstera Plant Food to assist my monsteras grow those enormous, gorgeous, fenestrated leaves we all love. You don’t need to keep track of a fertilizing schedule because Monstera Plant Food is specifically created for all varieties of monstera plants and is gentle enough to use with each watering. (This indicates that your plant will receive fertilizer!)
How may sagging Monstera be avoided?
Your monstera’s leaves may be drooping because of a lack of humidity if the soil isn’t overly dry. Swiss cheese plants can suffer in houses with dry air because they like moderate humidity settings. This can be particularly harmful during the winter when we frequently keep the heat on for several hours each day. The leaves may appear a little floppy and droopy if the air is dry. You can boost the humidity for your monstera in a number of ways:
Misting the leaves
Misting your Monstera with a spray bottle a few times a week is one of the easiest ways to increase humidity for it and stop drooping stems. These amber glass bottles from Amazon are fantastic.
Pebble tray
Over a tray of pebbles, spread your Monstera and cover it with fresh water. The water in the tray will evaporate during the day, providing your plant above just what it needs.
Give your Monstera a shower
You can always take a brief shower on your monstera to immediately increase the humidity and remove any lingering dust. Simply put them in the shower and give them a mild water wash to remove the leaves and thoroughly soak the soil.
Move your Monstera to the bathroom
You can move your monstera plant inside your bathroom to raise the humidity if it has good lighting. Your bathroom is probably one of the most humid rooms in your house because of the flowing water from your showers. Without having to do anything on a regular basis, this can help avoid drooping leaves.
Buy a humidifier
They’re small, reasonably priced, and they make it so much simpler to maintain a constant humidity level. The majority of them let you set a timer so they operate on a set schedule, and some even have a built-in monitor so they turn on and off automatically to maintain the humidity where you want it.
Would you like to learn more about increasing humidity for your monstera and other indoor plants? We have a thorough guide on this.