|Written by Dena Bolton|
Intro:Â Climbing plants need something on which to climb. In addition, climbing plants that send out aerial roots, such as philodendrons and monsteras, really thrive if they have a support that provides their aerial roots with constant moisture. A moss pole, therefore, is the ideal support; and you can easily make one yourself.
Step 1.Â You need to first make a cylinder out of chicken wire. Use the tube from a roll of gift-wrap as your model. Cut the chicken wire so that it is two inches larger than the diameter of the tube and about 3-feet tall. (You can make it taller with a larger diameter for larger plants.)
Step 2:Â Wire the ends of the chicken wire together to form a cylinder.
Step 3:Â Cut two pieces of bamboo. You want them to be long enough to fit tightly in the bottom of your pot.
Step 4:Â Weave the bamboo through the chicken wire so that they crisscross in the center of your cylinder.
Step 5:Â Tie the bamboo pieces together where they crisscross and also where they touch the chicken wire on the sides of your cylinder. (You can use twist ties or whatever you have available.)
Step 6:Â After your bamboo pieces are secure, wedge the cylinder of chicken wire into your pot.
Step 7:Â Fill the pot about two-thirds full with potting soil.
Step 8:Â Start filling the cylinder the rest of the way with sphagnum moss. Use a stick to pack the moss down as you go until the cylinder is full.
Step 9:Â Pot your plant as usual.
â€˘If you are planting a vine like a pothos or heart-shaped philodendron, you will probably want to arrange 3-4 small plants around the moss pole.
â€˘Once you have potted your plant (or plants), you need to attach the growth to the moss pole. Bend a thin piece of wire into the shape of a hairpin and use that to secure the plant to the pole. Depending upon the size of your plant, you will probably have to secure it in several places.
â€˘Water the moss pole and the soil well.
â€˘Spray the moss pole daily - even if you do not water your plant daily.
â€˘The moss needs to be kept moist at all times.