Those of you living with a Monstera deliciosa have probably noticed a few things about this amazing plant since bringing it home. One, it’s gorgeous – those leaves, right? Two, it’s expanding – pretty quickly, actually. And three, M. deliciosa has no understanding of healthy personal boundaries. If you’ve found yourself losing space to this charming hulk of a houseplant, we have a solution – give it a moss totem to hold onto. Here, we walk you through the steps to create and install one – and start containing some of your monstera’s endearing enthusiasm.
Why a Moss Totem?
In its native habitat, M. deliciosa is a natural wanderer and uses its strong aerial roots to cling to and draw moisture from the rough bark of tall rainforest trees. A moss totem is an upright pole covered in sphagnum moss that stakes directly into the pot with the plant. Its natural surface gives a monstera’s roots something to grab onto and draw moisture from – much like a surrogate tree. So, while a classic plant stake or wire trellis does a great job of supporting those heavy stems and leaves, a moss totem lets M. deliciosa behave more like it would in the wild.
What You’ll Need
A moss totem is easy to create with just a few simple supplies:
- A sturdy plant stake or slender PVC pipe – one that’s long enough to reach the bottom of the pot and also extend at least a foot taller than the plant
- Long-strand sphagnum moss
- A marker
- Fishing line
- Gentle tie material such as soft plant ties, yarn, or cotton string
Getting Started
To start, place the sphagnum moss in a shallow container with water and let it soak until it’s thoroughly moistened.
While the moss is soaking, stand the stake or PVC pipe upright next to the pot the plant will be in and use the marker to mark where the soil level will be on the stake. Below this line, the stake or pole will be under the soil – above this line, it will be above the soil and covered with moss. Next, lay the stake or pipe down and tie one end of the fishing line onto it at the mark.
To begin creating the totem, grab a large handful of moistened sphagnum moss and squeeze out the excess water. Just above the mark, wrap the wet moss around the stake or pipe then wrap the fishing line around the moss a few times in a crisscross fashion to secure it. Use enough sphagnum moss to make a layer that’s two to three inches thick around the stake.
Then, grab another handful of sphagnum moss, squeeze out the extra water, and wrap it around the stake or pipe, just above the last handful. Continue adding moss and wrapping with fishing line until the stake is covered to the top. When the stake is covered and the moss is secure, tie off the fishing line tightly. Now you’re ready to introduce the moss totem to your plant.
Installing the Totem
If your M. deliciosa is already in a pot that’s big enough and the roots aren’t too dense, you can install the moss totem without repotting the plant. But, if your plant is ready to be repotted anyway, that’s a great time to get it started on its new totem too.
Begin by removing your monstera from its old pot and examining the roots – tease the roots a bit too if they’re tightly packed. Repot the plant into the new pot with fresh soil as you normally would, but instead of setting the plant exactly in the center, position it a little toward the front of the pot. This way, the moss totem has room to fit in behind the plant with most of the foliage facing outward.
Once the plant is in place, stick the moss-free end of the totem deep into the soil, nestling it slightly behind the plant. Then, press the soil slightly at the base to stabilize the totem.
Attaching the Plant to the Pole
Now to introduce your plant to its new totem. You may notice that a few of your monstera’s stems are longer and more robust than others. These thicker stems support several large leaves and might have a few knob-like aerial roots starting to show too. The stems may also grow in a horizontal direction and begin to wander outward from the pot like a vine. You’ll attach these stems to the totem, leaving the more slender leaf stalks and their leaves free to fill in around the bottom.
To encourage a stem to attach to the totem, bring the stem up against the moistened moss and secure it gently but firmly with a piece of soft plant tie, yarn, or cotton string. If the stem is long, tie it to the totem in a couple of places so it’s secure. Repeat this step with any of the other large stems, then step back to make sure the overall shape of the plant is how you like it. Over time, your M. deliciosa will attach itself to the moss using its aerial roots and continue growing upward on its new support.
Care Tips
Taking care of a monstera on a totem is exactly like caring for one without – but with one additional step. It’s a good idea to mist the moss occasionally to keep your monstera interested in its new support – if the plant finds moisture in the moss, the roots will continue to grow into it. As before, let the top inch or two of soil dry out a bit between waterings, make sure the container drains well, and place your plant where it gets a lot of bright, indirect light. And if your wandering friend leans one way or another as it searches for the best source of light, be sure to turn it occasionally to keep things even all around.
Some Plants Just Need a Little Guidance
Monstera isn’t the only houseplant that benefits from a little patient redirection. You’ll find a moss totem is also useful with other species of monstera – like M. adansonii – plus some philodendrons such as ‘Prince of Orange’ and ‘Pink Princess’ too. If you have questions about managing any of your “wandering” plant friends, just ask. We’re always glad to help.
