DIY Moss Pole Guide

DIY Moss Pole Guide

I killed my first Monstera deliciosa because I didn’t give it anything to climb. Well, maybe “killed” is dramatic, but it got so heavy and floppy that it snapped its own stem when I tried to move it. That’s when I learned that some plants actually need support to grow the way they would in nature.

You’ve probably seen those fancy moss poles at the garden center for $20 or more. I’m going to show you how to make one yourself for maybe $5, and it’ll work just as well. I’ve made at least six of these now for my own collection, and honestly, the hardest part is finding sphagnum moss that isn’t absolutely disgusting to touch when it’s wet.

Why use Sphagnum moss?

When I first started looking into support options for my climbing plants, I wondered why people bothered with moss at all. Why not just use a wooden stake or a bamboo pole? It turns out there’s actual science behind this choice.

In tropical rainforests, plants like Monsteras and Philodendrons climb up tree trunks. Their aerial roots don’t just grab onto the bark for support. They actually penetrate into the moss and organic matter growing on those trees to pull out water and nutrients. Research from the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension shows that when these plants can anchor their aerial roots into a moist medium, they produce larger, more mature leaves with better fenestration. That means more of those cool splits and holes we all want.

Sphagnum moss holds water like a sponge. I mean, it can absorb 16 to 26 times its dry weight in water, according to studies on peat moss cultivation. When you wrap it around a pole and keep it moist, you’re basically recreating that tree trunk environment. Your plant’s aerial roots will actually grow into the moss, and the plant will pull moisture from it between waterings.

I’ve tested this myself with two Monstera adansonii plants. One got a moss pole, the other got a plain bamboo stake. The one on the moss pole started putting out leaves that were noticeably bigger after about two months. The other one just kind of grew sideways and looked sad.

The other thing about sphagnum moss is that it’s slightly acidic, which most aroids prefer. Plus, it doesn’t break down as fast as coconut coir or other alternatives. I’ve had the same moss pole on my Pothos for almost two years now, and it’s still holding up fine.

Staking your plant

Here’s what you need to actually build one of these things. Get a sturdy stick or pole (I use 3/4 inch PVC pipe because it’s cheap and doesn’t rot), sphagnum moss (the long-fiber kind, not the shredded stuff), fishing line or twine, and scissors. Some people use chicken wire or hardware cloth to wrap around the pole first, but I skip that step because I’m lazy and it works fine without it.

Start by soaking your sphagnum moss in water for about 10 minutes. It comes dried and compressed, so it needs to rehydrate. While that’s happening, figure out how tall you want your pole. I usually go for 2 to 3 feet to start, knowing I can extend it later. Cut your PVC or stake to size.

Now comes the messy part. Take handfuls of the wet moss and start wrapping it around your pole. You want a layer about 1 to 1.5 inches thick all the way around. It’s going to feel squishy and weird. I wear gloves because wet moss creeps me out, but you do you.

Once you’ve got moss covering a section of the pole, take your fishing line and start wrapping it around in a spiral to hold everything in place. Keep the wraps about an inch apart as you work your way up. Pull it tight enough that the moss stays put but not so tight that you squeeze all the water out. This is where most people mess up on their first try. I definitely wrapped mine way too tight the first time and ended up with a sad, compressed pole that looked like a wet pipe cleaner.

When you get to the top, tie off your line securely. You should have a pole that looks rough and organic, not smooth and perfect. That texture is good. It gives the aerial roots something to grip.

Now you need to actually put this thing in your pot. I push mine down into the soil until it hits the bottom of the pot, usually 3 to 4 inches deep. If your pot is shallow or the plant is big, you might need to stabilize it differently. I’ve used rocks pushed up against the base before, or even tied the pole to a heavier object outside the pot temporarily until the plant grew into it.

Take your plant’s stems and gently position them against the pole. If the plant is young, you can use soft plant ties or even cut-up pieces of old t-shirts to loosely attach the stem to the pole. Don’t tie it tight. You’re just guiding it in the right direction. The aerial roots will do the real attachment work over time.

According to research from Iowa State University Extension, you should position the stem so the aerial root nodes face the pole. This encourages faster attachment. I learned this after doing it backwards on three plants, so learn from my mistakes.

Above: A close up look at the symptoms.

Keeping the pole moist

This is the part everyone asks me about because it seems high-maintenance. It’s not, really, but you do have to remember to do it.

I mist my moss poles every two to three days with a spray bottle. Some people do it daily, but I’ve found that’s overkill unless you live somewhere incredibly dry. The moss should feel damp to the touch, not dripping wet and not bone dry. Somewhere in between.

If you forget (and I forget a lot), don’t panic. The plant will be fine. It’s still getting water from its roots in the soil. The moss pole is a bonus, not a requirement for survival. But you will notice the difference in growth if you keep up with it versus if you let it dry out for weeks at a time.

I’ve also experimented with bottom-watering the pole. You know those self-watering planters with a reservoir at the bottom? I basically created that by putting a small dish under the pot and letting the bottom of the moss pole sit in about half an inch of water. The moss wicks it up through capillary action. This works great if you travel a lot, but it can also lead to the bottom of your pole getting a little funky if you’re not careful about changing the water.

One thing I wish someone had told me earlier is that you need to rotate your plant occasionally. I had a Philodendron brasil that only grew aerial roots on one side because I never turned it. Now it looks lopsided and weird. Rotate it 90 degrees every few weeks so all sides get a chance to face the light and attach to the pole.

Extending the pole

Your plant will eventually outgrow the pole. This is a good problem to have. I usually notice my plant needs an extension when new growth is happening at the very top of the pole and there’s no more moss for the aerial roots to grab onto.

The easiest way I’ve found to extend a pole is to make a second pole segment the exact same diameter as the first. Then I use a wooden dowel or a thinner piece of PVC that fits inside both poles as a connector. Stick the dowel into the top of your existing pole (you might need to remove some moss to access the opening), then slide the new pole segment down onto the other end of the dowel. Wrap the joint area with fresh moss and fishing line to make it all continuous.

I did this with my Monstera last spring and you honestly can’t tell where the old pole ends and the new one begins. The plant doesn’t care at all.

If you used a solid wooden stake instead of hollow PVC, you can still extend upward. Make your new segment, then use heavy-duty zip ties or even screws to attach the two poles side by side where they overlap. Cover the whole joint with moss. It’s not as clean looking, but it works.

Some people just start over with a taller pole when the time comes. They carefully remove the old one and put in a new, taller one. I think this is more work than necessary and risks damaging those precious aerial roots that have already attached, but I know folks who swear by it.

Above: The tools you need to fix this.

Alternatives to moss poles

Look, moss poles aren’t for everyone. Maybe you don’t want to deal with misting. Maybe you think they’re ugly. Maybe your cat eats moss (mine does). There are other options.

Coco coir poles are probably the most common alternative. They’re made from coconut fiber wrapped around a pole, and you can buy them pre-made pretty cheaply. They work similarly to moss poles in that they hold moisture and give roots something to grip. The downside is they break down faster. I had one that started falling apart after about a year and had to be replaced. Still, if you want something lower-maintenance, coco coir is solid. You still need to keep it moist, but it’s a bit more forgiving than sphagnum moss.

Then there are the wooden planks or boards. I’ve seen people attach their climbing plants to pieces of cedar or driftwood. This looks really cool and natural, almost like mounting an orchid. The plant’s aerial roots will grip onto the rough wood surface. You don’t need to keep wood moist the same way, which is nice. The downside is you need to mount the board somewhere, either to the wall or to a stake in the pot, and it takes up more visual space.

Trellis systems work too. I use a simple bamboo trellis for my Pothos that I honestly just don’t care about as much. The plant climbs it fine. It doesn’t get the same leaf maturation benefits as it would with a moss pole, but it stays off my furniture and that’s good enough for me.

There’s also the controversial method of just letting your plant climb up a wall or piece of furniture using those adhesive plant clips. I do this with my Philodendron micans in the bathroom where humidity is high anyway. It’s going absolutely wild climbing up the wall next to the mirror. No pole needed. But this only works if you’re okay with potentially damaging your wall paint when you eventually need to move the plant.

I even know someone who uses a rain stick (you know, those percussion instruments) as a moss pole. It’s hollow, decorative, and already has texture. She wrapped moss around it and her Monstera loves it.

The best support is the one you’ll actually maintain. If misting a moss pole every few days sounds annoying, get a coco pole or use a trellis. If you want maximum leaf growth and don’t mind a little extra work, build a moss pole. There’s no wrong answer here as long as your plant has something to climb that keeps it from flopping over and snapping like my first Monstera did.

I’m still learning new tricks with these poles. Last month I tried adding a slow-release fertilizer stick tucked into the moss to see if the aerial roots would pull nutrients from it. Too early to tell if it’s making a difference, but I’ll probably write an update in a few months if I remember.

The point is, give your climbing plants something to climb. They’ll thank you with bigger leaves and generally looking like they know what they’re doing instead of sprawling across your bookshelf like a drunk college student.

References

University of Florida IFAS Extension. “Monstera deliciosa: Swiss Cheese Plant.” Environmental Horticulture Department.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “Supporting Houseplants.” Horticulture and Home Pest News.

Clymo, R.S. and Hayward, P.M. “The Ecology of Sphagnum.” Advances in Bryology, Vol. 2, 1982.