If you have a climbing plant, you may have found yourself struggling to take it from surviving to thriving as it starts to lean over, vine or grow aerial roots.

If you can relate, your plant is probably telling you that it desperately needs a sturdy support structure that can also provide the moisture for it to flourish.

The answer: a moss pole.

Read on to find out what is a moss pole used for indoor plants, answer the question, “Do indoor plants need a moss pole to grow?” and learn how to train plants to climb a moss pole.

What is a moss pole?

A moss pole can be made of different materials, but the main structure is usually a vertical wire or plastic cylinder packed with moss.

But why a vertical structure, and what’s the point of it being packed with moss?

While climbing plants grow indoors in your home, their natural habitat would be outside, growing towards the light, often in a shady, humid environment.

To do this, these plants ‘climb’ up the structures they’re attached to (notice this the next time you see a monstera growing in the wild on an embankment, for example), and draw moisture and nutrients from moss-covered surrounding surfaces.

Moss poles mimic these growing conditions so your climbing plants can reach their potential as indoor plants in your home, not to mention become a feature plant.

Why indoor plants need support to grow

Because climbers like monstera, philodendron and pothos plants need a support structure in order to grow upwards, a moss pole is the ideal addition to their growing environment.

Without a support structure, these plants don’t have an easy surface to attach their roots to, or draw moisture from to grow healthy and strong.

Which plants benefit from moss poles?

Moss poles are ideal for vining and climbing plants such as monsteras, philodendrons, pothos, string of hearts, string of pearls, and flowering ivy.

Looking for more inspo to add low-light plants to your home? Browse these.

How to train your plant to climb

Your moss pole will live in close quarters with the plant that needs its support, and should be staked directly into the soil of the planter that your climbing plant grows in.

But before you add this neighbour to the pot, soak your moss pole thoroughly in water. The moss will do its magic, absorbing moisture that it will eventually pass on to the plant’s aerial roots.

Consider the positioning of the pot; you’d want to show off the leaves of the plant, so position the root closer to the front of the pot, with the moss pole behind it, acting as a support.

To train your plant to climb, use soft plant ties to guide and attach the stem of the plant to the moss pole. If the stem is long, tie it to the totem in a couple of places so it’s secure. Importantly, don’t force it – over time, your plant will attach itself to the moss using its aerial roots and continue growing upward on its new support.

Common moss pole mistakes to avoid

If you’re going to give your climbing plants a new supportive friend to grow alongside, make sure it’s one that not only supports structurally, but also nourishingly. Here are some moss pole mistakes to avoid:

• Using coco coir instead of moss It’s a misnomer that coco coir can be substituted for moss. Coco coir may look similar to moss and be easy to pack into a pole, but it doesn’t have the same moisture retention properties, meaning your plant won’t thrive in the same way as it would with moisture-retaining moss.
• Not using enough moss Your moss pole needs to be packed with moss in order to provide your climbing plant with an adequate surface to attach to.
• Your moss pole is in a dry environment Remember that your moss pole is designed to simulate the growing environment of climbing plants that would typically grow in the direction of light in the treetop canopy in a more humid jungle environment. Support this process by ensuring that your moss pole doesn’t easily dry out, sapping nutrition from your plants. Positioning the pot in an environment with indirect light is ideal.

How to maintain and water your moss pole

Use a spray or misting bottle to lightly spritz water onto your moss pole in the morning or evening, being sure to keep it moist and offering the best environment to your climber plants.

To maintain your moss pole, there are a few habits you can add to your weekly routine:

• To keep mould away and moss fresh, explore a 1:1 formula of water and hydrogen peroxide when spraying your moss pole.
• To improve airflow and prevent build-up trim moss regularly, as needed.

A moss pole is just one addition you can make to your indoor plant sanctuary to help it thrive. Here are some other top tips for indoor plant care.

Success with moss poles and more

If you’re looking to add a moss pole to your indoor plant collection, or need tips for giving your plants the right support, expert advice is always available at your nearest Stodels Garden Centre.