How to Create a Moss Pole for Your Indoor Plants

How To Create a Moss Pole for Your Indoor Plants

1. Soak the Sphagnum Moss

   Before creating the moss pole, the first step is to pre-soak the sphagnum moss, which will encourage your plant's aerial roots to reach toward the pole as it grows.

   Wearing your rubber gloves, submerge all of the sphagnum moss that you will be using into the large bowl of water and allow it to soak for 15 to 20 minutes. The sphagnum moss will expand as it absorbs the water, so you may need to add more water to the bowl if the moss absorbs it all before the 15 to 20 minutes are up.
   

2. Attach the Moss to the Support Pole

   Once the sphagnum moss has been pre-soaked, it is time to attach it to the pole, wooden dowel, or PVC pipe that will be used as the main support for the moss pole. This can get a bit messy, so don't be afraid to do this step outdoors!

   First, squeeze the excess water out of the moss as you remove it from the bowl. Using the string or fishing line, slowly secure layers of the sphagnum moss to the pole. It is usually easiest to do this with one long piece of string rather than smaller pieces. Leave the bottom 6-12 inches of the pole exposed as this part will be sitting in the soil.

   Use as much string as required to secure the moss in place. You will want to have enough moss on the pole that aerial roots can grow into it.
   

3. Secure Your Climbing Plant to the Moss Pole

   Once you have finished crafting your moss pole, it is time to add it to your plant's pot. Insert the base of the pole into the pot, careful not to disturb the existing roots. If your plant already has aerial roots, you will want to secure these existing roots to the pole. You can use more string or fishing wire to secure your plant to the moss.

How to Care for a Moss Pole

Moss poles require a bit of ongoing maintenance to ensure they are effective for your climbing plants. Keeping the moss consistently moist through misting or watering "down" the pole (i.e., pouring water at the top of the pole and letting gravity do the work) will encourage your plants to secure themselves to the moss to absorb the water.

Once your plant has secured itself to the pole, it is important that you don't separate the roots from the moss, as this can cause damage to the plant. This means that once the plant has outgrown the moss pole, you should add to the existing pole by extending it at the top rather than creating a brand new moss pole. Additionally, when you repot your plant you will need to bring the moss pole with it to the new pot, being careful not to damage any of the aerial roots.