When you repot your Monstera, adding a moss pole is the optimum time to do it. This enables you to insert the pole deeply into the pot without causing any root damage.
Selecting your moss pole
Choose a moss pole that is long enough for your plant from the variety of lengths available. The optimal length should provide some room for growth and be equal to the sum of the pot’s height and the stem’s height above the pot. If your plant outgrows the initial pole, you can add a new piece on top because certain moss poles are extendable.
Next, choose your preferred pot type from the pot guide. The container should have just enough width to accommodate the pole and your Monstera’s root system. Choose one that has at least 1/2 inch (1 inch; 12.5 cm) of space around the roots to the pot’s edge on each side.
You can remove your Monstera, add a moss pole, and repot it into the same pot if it was recently replanted and there is still plenty of room in the pot.
Keep a few things in mind as you decide where the pole should go in the pot. To make it easier to knot, try first to position it close to the stem of your Monstera. Second, place it near the back of the pot where the foliage will largely conceal it.
How to repot a Monstera with a moss pole
It’s time to repot once you’ve decided on the position and orientation of the plant and pole! Hold the pole firmly in place in the pot’s preferred placement, all the way to the bottom. Pour the soil mixture around the pole, then add it one to two inches (2.55 cm) deep. Make sure your plant is centered before adding it. After that, add soil mixture to almost completely fill the remaining empty area in the pot.
Avoid compacting the earth to keep the pole in place if you see that it is wobbling somewhat. Watering your newly potted Monstera will assist in settling the soil and securing the pole. As roots envelop the pole, it will likewise get stronger over time.
How to add a moss pole to Monstera without repotting
Although planting a moss pole with your Monstera is usually more stable, adding a support without repotting can still be successful.
Pick a method for adding a support pole to a Monstera that is already potted that will cause the least amount of harm to the roots. This can be a skinny bamboo stick pole, a skinny pole or trellis with a skinny pointed stake at the bottom, or a skinny moss pole.
Place the support softly where you anticipate the presence of the fewest roots. Don’t push through resistance since it might be roots; instead, back off. Attempt again in a different location if the support is not deep enough. You might be better off repotting your Monstera anyway if it is too rootbound to put a support somewhere!
Need a moss pole for Monsteras?
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.
A moss pole can a Monstera climb?
Monsteras thrive when cultivated indoors on a moss pole since they are epiphytes with a climbing growth habit. In comparison to monsteras grown as indoor houseplants without a moss pole, monsteras grown on a moss pole develop larger leaves with more fenestrations. Although moss poles are useful for monsteras grown indoors, they can also thrive without them. The decision to include a moss pole in your monstera’s growing environment is ultimately yours.
If you decide not to add a moss pole to your monstera, be aware that because these plants are made to climb vertically, they may find it difficult to support themselves as they age and get higher. By pruning new growth and propagating it, you can control the size of your monstera. Alternatively, you might support its expanding stem with a moss pole.
Which pole works the best with Monstera?
A moss pole is one of the most widely used methods for staking Monsteras, but it’s not the only option. Utilizing a moss pole or a coco coir pole has certain advantages because of their natural texture, which makes them simple for aerial roots to grasp. However, getting a Monstera to grow upright has also been accomplished with success using different kinds of plant support.
The decision largely depends on the type of appearance you value. The stakes will probably be somewhat visible even in a big and lush plant. Since they are covered in organic material, moss poles and coco coir poles appear more natural. Trellises can be obtained in a variety of colors and materials to best complement your interior decor because they are typically composed of wood or metal. If you don’t mind the way it looks, some individuals may also suspend Monstera stems from above using a rope. This is fantastic for vertical growth.
Make sure your trellis, moss pole, or other supports are strong enough to support the growth of your Monstera both now and in the future. A simple moss pole is probably not going to be a long-term option if, for instance, you want your Monstera to grow to the ceiling. Similarly, bamboo stakes are widely accessible and reasonably priced, although the thinner ones won’t support a really heavy Monstera.
Is a moss pole or trellis better for Monstera?
Those of you who have a Monstera deliciosa at home may have picked up on a few things since bringing it in. One, aren’t those leaves gorgeous? Two, it’s actually expanding quite swiftly. Third, M. deliciosa doesn’t comprehend the need of having sound personal limits. Give this adorable giant of a houseplant a moss totem to grasp onto if you find yourself outgrowing your home. Here, we’ll walk you through the installation process and show you how to control some of your monster’s adorable excitement.
M. deliciosa uses its powerful aerial roots to cling to and take moisture from the rough bark of large rainforest trees in its natural habitat. It is a natural wanderer. A moss totem is an upright pole that is completely covered in sphagnum moss and is staked into the plant’s pot. Its natural surface provides something for a monstera’s roots to grip onto and take moisture from, acting as a stand-in for a tree. A moss totem allows M. deliciosa to act more like it would in the wild while yet supporting those heavy stems and leaves better than a traditional plant stake or wire trellis.
With just a few basic tools, you can train a monstera to a moss pole:
- Your terra cotta monstera
- a ready-made moss totem
- Soft plant ties, yarn, or cotton string are good options for gentle ties.
- A new container that is 1-2 wider than the old one, together with high-quality potting soil for houseplants, if repotting is required.
We like Mosser Lee’s Totem PoleTM Extendable Plant Supports for moss totems. These realistic-looking, tube-shaped supports come in three lengths plus an additional 12 extensions for when your monstera inevitably becomes even bigger. They are packed with moisture-absorbing, long-fiber sphagnum moss.
Getting Started
Start by putting the moss totem in a shallow water container and letting it soak until it is completely soaked.
Before adding the totem, it’s a good idea to check your plant to see whether it has to be repotted while the moss is soaking. You can install the moss totem without repotting your M. deliciosa if the pot is large enough and the roots aren’t too crowded. However, if your plant needs a new pot anyhow, now is a fantastic time to start working on its new totem.
If your monstera has to be repotted, start by removing it from its current container and looking at the roots. If the roots are tightly packed, you may need to loosen them up a bit. As you normally would, repotter the plant into a new pot with fresh soil; however, instead of placing it exactly in the center, move it slightly toward the front of the pot. With the majority of the foliage facing outward, the moss totem can fit behind the plant in this manner.
Installing the Totem
When the plant and container are prepared, deeply embed the strong metal supports at the bottom of the moistened moss pole. Keep the pole upright and tuck it behind the plant just a bit. The totem can then be stabilized by lightly pressing the earth at the base.
Attaching the Plant to the Pole
It’s time to acquaint your plant with its new totem now. Some of your monstera’s stems may be longer and more strong than others, as you may have noticed. Several huge leaves are supported by these thicker stalks, and they may also be beginning to sprout some knobby aerial roots. The stems could potentially start to spread out from the pot like a vine as they develop horizontally. The more slender leaf stalks and their leaves will be allowed to fill in around the bottom once you attach these stems to the totem.
Bring the stem up against the moistened moss and fasten it gently yet securely with a piece of soft plant tie, twine, or cotton string to help it adhere to the totem. If the stem is long, bind it to the totem by tying it to it several times. Repeat this process with any other substantial stems, then take a step back to ensure the plant’s general form is to your liking. Your M. deliciosa will eventually use its aerial roots to cling to the moss and proceed to climb higher on its new support.
Care Tips
With one extra step, caring for a monster on a totem is just like caring for one without. Misting the moss on occasion is a smart idea to keep your monstera interested in its new support. The roots will continue to spread into the moss if the plant detects moisture there.
For routine maintenance, make sure the container drains effectively, let the top inch or two of soil a little amount of soil dry out between waterings, and set your plant where it receives lots of bright, indirect light. Additionally, take sure to turn your wandering plant every so often to keep things balanced if it tends to lean one way or the other while looking for the best source of light.
Some Plants Just Need a Little Guidance
Not just monsteras are helped by a little patient correction in the home. A moss totem is also helpful with other monster species, such as M. adansonii, as well as some philodendrons, like “Prince of Orange” and “Pink Princess.” Ask if you need help caring for any of your “wandering plant pals.” We are always happy to assist.
How is a Monstera supported?
Right now, Monstera Deliciosa is a stylish and well-liked houseplant, and it’s simple to understand why. The room’s broad, glossy, dark-green leaves have a tropical feel to it, and under the correct circumstances, they develop swiftly. In fact, this plant’s potential for growing too large for some homes is one of its only drawbacks. When a Monstera grows large, it often tips over or leans to one side.
How can a Monstera Deliciosa be kept from leaning over? Staking a Monstera Deliciosa with a support like a moss pole, trellis, or garden stakes is the best way to keep it growing upright. These natural climbers can be trained to climb these poles by being connected to them, and they will be supported as they do so.
Although a Monstera won’t be harmed by not growing upright, most people like them to be as straight and tall as possible for aesthetic and spatial reasons. To help you keep your Monstera looking the way you want it to, I’ll go into further depth below why why this occurs in the first place.
How is a Monstera mounted?
Since cheese plants are epiphytes, they are vertically growing plants that rely on the support of surrounding plants. Therefore, growing cheese plants on a moss pole is a great imitation of how they naturally grow. For cheese plants, moss poles provide both the environment it requires to lift its heavy stem upright and an attractive aesthetic.
A sturdy stake that is a little bit taller than the plant is required. Cut a piece of fine mesh wire just big enough to wrap around the stake using wire snips. The wire mesh hoop around the wooden post is securely fastened with wood staples. Use sopped sphagnum moss to complete this cheese plant support. The moss should be pushed into the mesh to fill in the area around the stake.
Without the stake, you may easily create a Monstera moss pole by just filling a mesh tube with the moss and securing the edges, although I believe the stake increases the solidity. Philodendron stems can grow to be quite big and hefty.
How is Monstera supported on a trellis?
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!)