Moss Pole Master – How to Make Your Own Moss Poles

When I first got into houseplants and growing my indoor jungle, I mainly had small plants. They were always cheaper and I figured that they would do what plants do – eventually grow and get bigger. So I never really thought about what would happen as my plants got taller and needed some extra support until I got my Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma. What started out as a fairly short plant soon started growing at a rapid rate and needed some extra help, which made me learn about moss poles.

Moss poles are a great option for plants to attach their aerial roots to as they grow and climb up. It helps mimic how a lot of vining plants attach to trees in their natural habitats. Bamboo stakes can also be useful to help add some support to plants as they are forming mature stems/trunks, but that isn’t what this post is about.

My Monstera Deliciosa was getting pretty tall and had a hard time staying upright, so I decided to give it some support and made it a moss pole! I also discovered during this repot that there were actually 4 smaller plants in this single pot, so I was able to separate them, giving the largest one more room in the pot.

I had seen online from someone on Instagram (I wish I remembered who it was) about making your own moss poles. It wasn’t something I had really thought about before, which made me feel silly because it was so simple. I was constantly trying to find a moss pole that was the right width and height for my plants without being too large.

I posted a video on my Instagram account of my process for making my moss pole, but here is a guide to do it yourself!

Supplies:

• Sphagnum moss (I got some from one of my local nurseries)
• Hardware net
• Velcro meant for plants
• Twist ties or zip ties (I preferred the zip ties for the main connections, but did like using the twist ties to try and taper off the bottom; I already had the zip ties that I think I got from Target)
• Scissors
• A bucket with water in it

Steps:

1. Soak your moss in some water to help it expand and moisten
2. While that is soaking, cut your net to whatever size you want. I trimmed down the height so it was a bit shorter and only cut about 6-8″ wide for the width.
3. Wring out excess water from your moss and fill the center of your net with it.
4. Using twist ties or zip ties, roll the net into a cylinder and secure it closed. I secured the pole every few inches or so to make sure it was a strong “seal”.
5. As you close up the moss pole, you can add or remove moss until it is able to snuggly fill the column.
6. You can either fill the entire pole with moss or leave the bottom few inches or so empty, depending on how you want to plant it – keeping it empty can help you stake it into the soil, while filling it will help you secure it by surrounding it with potting mix.
7. You can also use a stake (ex: bamboo) to create a pointed end for your moss pole that can help stick it into the soil.
8. Add your moss pole to your pot and secure your plant to it with the velcro.
9. Voila! You made your own moss pole!

One of the best things about making your own moss pole is that there is so much customization to it, so you are able to make the best moss pole for your set up and your plants. I even made a second smaller one for my Monstera Adansonii. It has been trailing a lot, but I wanted to see if I could support some of the shorter growth while I figure out what I want to do with it long term.

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Have you ever made your own moss pole? Are there some other crafting things you do with your plants? Feel free to reach out – either here or on Instagram – to let me know!