Why I Use Moss Poles (And Why You Might Want To)
I avoided moss poles for a long time. They looked fussy, messy, and like too much effort for not enough payoff. But once I learned how to actually use them—and why they matter—everything changed.
🌿 Climbing plants don’t want to trail—they want to grow up.
Plants like Monstera, Philodendron, and Epipremnum are natural climbers. When you give them something vertical to grow on, they:
Grow bigger leaves
Mature faster (hello, fenestrations!)
Develop stronger roots
Stop sprawling all over your shelf
🧠 Bonus: Poles can reduce setbacks.
When a plant grows into a moss pole, it can root along the pole itself. That means you’re not just supporting the plant—you’re building its future root system. It’s like giving your plant a second pot to grow into without disturbing it.
And don’t forget the propagation benefits! When it’s time to chop and prop, you’ve already got rooted sections ready to go. Less stress, faster turnaround, stronger cuttings. You’re literally growing your next plant while your current one keeps thriving.
💧 How I Keep My Poles Moist
I don’t mist. I don’t pour. I use a water bottle with holes poked in the lid—yep, seriously.
Here’s how it works:
I fill a water bottle with water + nutrients, screw the lid back on (with small holes poked in), and flip it upside down into the top of the moss pole. The bottle rests on the moss, and surface tension lets it slowly drip out—so you’re watering the pole without touching the soil below.
And when I squeeze the pole and it sounds crunchy? That means the moss is drying out and it’s time for another bottle.
(pro-tip: prefill several bottles so you always have one ready to go!)
This trick keeps roots happy, growth steady, and fungus gnats out of the picture.
🌱 Not Every Plant Needs One
Not every plant wants to climb—and trying to force it will just frustrate you and the plant. If yours is on this list, give it a different kind of support (or none at all):
ZZ Plant – Upright, tuberous, and independent. Not a climber.
Snake Plant (Sansevieria) – Stiff and self-supporting.
Pilea Peperomioides – Cute, coin-shaped leaves on a single stalk. No climbing instincts.
Peperomia – Most are trailing or bushy, not climbers.
Succulents & Cacti – No roots for climbing, and they hate the extra moisture.
Alocasia – Corm-based, clumping growth habit. No aerial roots in sight.
Begonia – Needs airflow and light roots. Don’t press them into moss—they’ll protest.
Hoya – Yes, they vine—but they don’t root into moss. They’ll happily trail or wrap, but they’re not “pole climbers” in the mossy sense.
Ready to try one? I’ve got clear-backed moss poles, supplies, and soil to match—all designed to work together. You can see all links to everything I use on my supply shelf here.
