Pothos Moss Pole

Pothos moss pole image

I’m a houseplant fanatic, and growing Pothos is my craze. They’re so easy to propagate and keep alive. Clip clip, a new vine! That’s how I ended up with dozens of grown Pothos—all from cutting off one plant in my laundry room. 

Yupe! You may know it as the devil’s ivy, money plant, or ‘Epipremnum aureum,’ its botanical name. But what many do not know is that Pothos are vining plants that can grow prettier, lusher, and healthier, particularly when they grow upwards.

If you still grow your Pothos in hanging pots, this post is for you. But before we jump into how to attach Pothos to the moss pole for dramatic results, let’s first understand what pothos and moss pole are.

What’s a Moss Pole?

A moss pole comes in many labels—climbing pole, wooden stake, bamboo stakes, moss totem, plant support, moss stick, etc. but regardless of what you call it, it’s as it sounds—a pole that supports moss or any other plant that grows upward. 

To help you understand moss poles better, picture a pole with moss all around it. The foliage or moss will allow your Pothos to climb and grow vertically around it. Ideally, moss poles are the artificial canopies that grow in the jungle home use to grow up. 

So, why is moss pole the trend in today’s plant market? First, they create amazing aesthetics and provide plants with micronutrients, water, and support.  

Moreover, pothos plants are epiphytes, that is, plants that cling to others (normally a tree). Therefore, a moss pole becomes an excellent option to help your moss to become climbing vining plants.

What’s a Pothos

Pothos is an evergreen plant featuring waxy, thick, and heart-shaped leaves with a tinge of yellow. 

This houseplant is often grown in hanging pots. When supported, the plants can grow to great heights as climbing plants.  

Buying Vs. DIY Pothos Moss Pole

You’ve got two options: buy a moss pole or create one. A commercially-made pothos moss pole will help your plant to grow into a lovely climbing vine. 

If you choose the DIY option, you can scroll back to our instructions in this article to create your moss pole. With creativity and self-belief, you’ll realize that the DIY moss pole project is easy and worthwhile.

DIY Pothos Moss Pole image

Where to buy a Moss pole for Pothos?

Pothos moss poles are in demand, and many online platforms are swarming with the cuttings. However, you can purchase them from your local plant center, Home Depot, or order them online based on your desired features and available options. 

If you prefer to buy pothos moss poles online, purchase pre-made climbing or coco coir poles on Amazon. The price is quite reasonable.  

Besides, if you don’t have any supplies handy or don’t want the coco coir liner leftovers, you can buy the small pole. It’s cheaper and pre-made.

Also, these are modular, and the sections can be pieced together to make them taller or shorter. Pretty neat!

Moss totems are affordable, and their prices range from $10-$30, and the price depends on your preferred size and quantity.

A climbing pole comes with support, generally a PCV pipe or wooden slab bounded by a strong bamboo wrapped in coir fiber or a sphagnum peat moss. 

See: Moss pole for Philodendron

Why Make a DIY Pothos Moss Pole?

My love for growing Pothos was inspired by a photo of a moss pole on sale at Home Depot for $220. Like, what? Pothos, in my opinion, should be cheap plants. 

So, why make a DIY pothos moss pole? Well, there are several reasons why you should. First, in the absence of native habitat for your Pothos, a moss pole will stimulate the plant by offering an anchor to which your plant will adhere—as it would on a tree outdoors or in the wild. This is the best way to give your climbing plants a natural habitat.  

Water And Nutrients

A moss pole provides moisture and micronutrients via the coir fiber or sphagnum moss for pothos vines that grow aerial roots.

While these rather artificial growing mediums can’t replace the experience of moss growing on a tree in the wild, they are more effective than a pot or container.

Vertical Appeal

Without a doubt, a pothos moss pole will give your indoor plant a fancy vertical look. Having your plant grow upwards adds to your aesthetics and minimizes the space used. You’ll also have the flexibility to shape it in the best way possible. 

I love how a moss pole enhances the size variations of my lovely upright houseplants in any room. It helps my indoor vine plants stand out elegantly. Pothos moss pole will certainly add a visual skyline to your plant pets.

Mature Leaves

Here’s a bonus reason you should consider making a DIY pothos moss pole. It ensures mature foliage by enabling your plant to feel the pole’s support, thereby producing larger leaves as it grows upwards.

In addition, the pole is ideal for heavier plants as it provides an anchor, makes the plants grow sturdier, and creates a good environment to make them flourish. 

How to Make a DIY Pothos Moss Pole

Making a DIY pothos pole can be a SUPER easy project. 

Supplies needed:

  • Large pot or container– 24″ or more in diameter
  • Plastic PVC pipe – I prefer the 3″ diameter in 5′ length
  • Sharpie or related marker
  • Scissors
  • Sheet moss or a roll of the coco liner 
  • Small pebbles (just in case you need drainage in your pot)
  • Glue gun + hot glue 
  • Potting soil
  • Staple gun
  • Pothos plant
  • String or fishing line

Steps to Making a Pothos Pole

Step 1 – Mark Your Pipe

First, get your growing pot. Place the PVC pipe inside the pot and use the sharpie to mark where your “moss” should reach in the soil. For me, the pipe went about 1 inch under the soil from the pot’s lip. The remaining part of the soil is then covered in sheet moss or coco coir liner. 

Step 2 – Cut The Coco Liner or Sheet Moss

After making the mark, remove the pipe and place it onto the roll of sheet moss or coco liner. Mark the size that will be required to cover the pole. Then, using the scissors, cut it out sparingly. The cut can be surprisingly easy. 

Step 3 – Attach The Liner To The Pole

I usually use a combination of hot glue and staples to stick the liner to the PVC pipe. First I staple and then use hot glue to tighten any gaps. 

I do the stapling at intervals of 4 inches. Be sure to apply some oomph into the process for the staples to penetrate the plastic and not just the sheet moss.

Try a long edge of the coco liner before wrapping it tight. Then, make the second long edge, ensuring it overlaps the two. 

Repeat the process with hot glue and staples to fasten it. 

Lastly, glue the top into the pipe’s hole and stick it in place. 

Step 4 – Put The Pole Inside The Plant Pot

When you’re done with step 3, insert the PVC pipe vertically into the pot with the bare portion of the exposed PVC pipe down into the pot. 

Step 5 – Add Soil

Next, add potting mix or pebbles (which enhance drainage) to the pot. Then, use your hand to make the soil around the pole compact enough to hold it firmly. 

When the pole is secured, plant your Pothos in the soil. I like using the longer strands that are easy to use and gently wrap around the PVC pipe. 

You can also use the strings to tie the strands to the pipe—being as gentle as possible. This helps to hold the Pothos in place until aerial roots develop and become sturdy enough to attach to the moss. 

If the strands grow up to the tip of the pole, trim them off or wind them back on the pipe.

Step 6 – Add Pothos Plants

Do not hesitate to plant more Pothos in or around your pot. I eventually had 6 lovely plants growing in my two small pots. Always use Pothos with longer strands; the outcome will surprise you. Finally, cover the roots using topsoil.

Step 7 – Train The Plants

First, cover the pole with strands. Then, gently tie the garden twine strands to hold the plant in place until the aerial root system grows into the moss and can naturally hold it in place. 

If the strands grow pothos to the tip of the pipe, trim and use the cuttings to propagate. Alternatively, wind them back downwards. 

Remember to splash some clean water into the pot each week to keep the plant humid, happy, and alive!

Here are other pothos moss pole alternatives you can consider for your projects.

How to Train a Pothos to be on a Moss Pole?

Naturally, all Pothos—whether silver Pothos, Neo Pothos, Emeral Pothos, Golden Pothos, or Marble Queen Pothos, are both vining houseplants and trailing plants that look beautiful and grow healthier on vertical support.

Training a pothos to be a moss pole is quite simple; all you need is a moss pole right inside a pot. Then attach the plant to the pole and give your pothos time to do the rest. 

The following process will help your Pothos grow upwards as tall, lush, and larger plants in no time.

1. Soak The Moss Pole 

Moisture plays an essential part in the growth of moss. Soaking your moss pole will make it wet and great for your Pothos as it will mimic the moist trees in the wild. Most people skip this step, thinking having a coco liner is all needed. However, having adequate moisture in there also adds space and dimension to your moss pole, helping your pothos to grow easily.

2. Install The Moss Pole In Your Pot: 

This step involves inserting the moss pole into the pot. If you’re starting with smaller pothos plants, poke a couple of supports into the dirt, being careful not to injure the delicate roots of the plants. 

If you’re going for the large pothos plants, I’ll be honest with you—the process can be tedious and cumbersome and takes time. So pay close attention when inserting the moss pole. 

Sometimes, it is difficult to get free space to insert your moss pole. Have no worries. Repot the plant and place it in a way that allows the pole to fit properly into the pot without causing damage to the plant and its roots. 

3. Correctly Tie Your Pothos To Your Moss Pole 

Image how to tie pothos on moss

Once the moss pole is successfully inserted in the pot, help your climbing plant attach to it so it can grow upwards. The pothos’ aerial roots come in handy as they help the plant to cling to the pole.

But before then, provide a support system to get it started. You can use a moss pole, floral pins, garden twines, or Velcro strips to attach the Pothos to the pole.

Choose the longest vine and wrap it around the pole while using a twin to support it. Repeat the procedure with the next longest vine until all Pothos have covered the moss pole.

If some of the vines are too short for use, allow them to dangle out of the pothos pot; with time, they will find their way upwards.    

4. Keep it, Damp!

You can keep the moss pole and the Pothos moist by spraying them with water every few days. The water will keep the moss pole moist, encouraging the rootlets to form and successfully attach to the pole. 

5. Monitor Your Pothos

Pothos plant grows fast, and I recommend keeping a close eye on the plant. Be sure to monitor and adjust accordingly as it climbs the moss pole.

Any new growth should be supported by being tied to the moss pole. Adjust existing ties whenever necessary as the Pothos grow bigger to the point when the plant can attach to the moss pole without needing extra support. 

Benefits of a Pothos Pole

Easy Propagation

Propagating Pothos is the easiest task in growing indoor houseplants. First, you take your cutting, remove the lower leaves and submerge it in clean water. Once the cutting is moist enough, transfer the pothos plant to your potting soil. 

Grows Without Sunlight 

Yes, just like that! Pothos don’t need sunshine to grow. The plant is tolerant and thrives in cool temperatures with low-lighting and drought-like environments.

Since these plants grow slowly with lesser variation, so they only perish slowly. Even when you live in a region that doesn’t record much sunlight, your pothos plant won’t disappoint. 

Easy Maintenance

Pothos are common, and planting them can be easy. However, sourcing the plant from a nursery is cheaper and more convenient.

Alternatively, you can get a cutting from your neighbor’s vine and propagate it in your pot since it’s easier for a pothos plant to grow from cuttings. 

Being a low-maintenance plant, Pothos do well in different environments, including damp and dry ground, drought-like and shaded areas, and poor substrate. 

Despite this, always place your houseplant in a bright room without direct light, and only water the soil when it’s dry to the touch. Low lighting helps promote variations in the plant.

Higher Humidity indoors

Since the spread of viruses is inhibited in moist air, keeping your indoors humid will protect you from influenza and the common cold. Humidity also helps your skin stay moisturized.

Conversely, dry air increases dust, allergic reactions, and airborne contaminants. Humid air is good for you, and having a pothos houseplant will only increase these benefits.

Extremely Attractive

Pothos plants are pretty and add coziness and nature’s tranquility to your space. This plant is distinctive since it can grow as a climbing or trailing houseplant, based on your preferences. And unlike most houseplants, Pothos doesn’t lose its sheen when there’s no sunlight. 

Keeps the Air Oxygenated

The pothos plant specializes in purifying your indoor air. How? The houseplant effectively removes VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and pollutants from the air.

According to research on clean air by NASA, houseplants like Pothos help remove airborne contaminants like xylene, benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide.  

Moss Pole Vs. Trellis

Moss Pole Vs. Trellis Image

You can also use a trellis to grow your Pothos upwards. It’s only that the aerial roots of a pothos need something to grow “into,” and that’s where moss becomes handy. 

Like a moss pole, a trellis is beautiful in and of itself, giving your houseplant the desired shape and look.

You might be wondering why you can’t then use a trellis to support your climbing plants. Well, you sure can. 

That said, plants like Pothos, monstera plants, and Philodendrons thrive on moss poles because their aerial roots adhere to them like on mossy trees in the jungle.

Moss poles also help a sprawling plant to stay focused on vertical growth. 

Read also: Pothos Root Rot Symptoms and Solution

Conclusion

Now that you have all the information you need about pothos moss poles: how to attach Pothos to moss poles, I hope you’ll consider buying or creating moss poles and give your Pothos the best life yet—as they grow upwards and indoors. 

I hope they’ll flourish through the seasons, and you’ll return and thank me for this post.

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