The Monstera plant, known for its large foliage, often sprawls outward as it matures. This horizontal growth habit can make the plant messy and take up too much space. To encourage a neat, upright structure, staking the plant to a vertical support is necessary. This mimics the Monstera’s natural climbing behavior, managing the plant’s size and promoting healthier, larger leaves.
Understanding Monstera’s Natural Growth Habit
The Monstera is a hemiepiphyte, meaning it starts on the forest floor before seeking a vertical host. In its native tropical habitat, the Monstera relies on trees for support to climb toward the canopy and access brighter light. This climbing is achieved through specialized structures called aerial roots.
These woody, adventitious roots emerge from the plant’s nodes. The aerial roots serve two primary functions: anchorage and absorption. They cling to the host tree’s bark to stabilize the plant and absorb moisture and nutrients from the air. Providing an artificial vertical support allows the Monstera to continue this instinctive climbing behavior indoors.
Selecting the Appropriate Support Structure
Choosing the right support material is the first step in successful vertical training. The most common and beneficial option is the moss pole, typically wrapped in sphagnum moss or coco coir. The fibrous, moisture-retentive surface of a moss pole is an ideal medium for the Monstera’s aerial roots to penetrate and attach, closely replicating the conditions of a host tree.
Alternatively, a wooden plank or stake offers a durable, less moisture-dependent support option. While aerial roots may not embed into a smooth wooden surface, the plank provides the necessary vertical structure to secure the plant’s main stem. For plants that have grown wide or have multiple stems, a trellis provides a lattice framework for broader training. Any support should be at least 12 to 18 inches taller than the plant’s current highest growth point to accommodate future upward expansion.
Step-by-Step Guide to Staking and Securing
Before beginning, thoroughly soak a moss pole in water to ensure it is fully saturated, which encourages aerial root attachment. The support structure must be inserted deep into the potting medium near the main stem. It is best to do this during a repotting to minimize the risk of damaging the root ball. If not repotting, use caution and twist the pole gently as you push it down to the bottom of the pot for maximum stability.
The next step involves orienting the plant correctly against the support. Monstera plants have a distinct “front” where the leaves unfurl and a “back” where the aerial roots emerge from the nodes. The back side of the plant must be positioned directly against the pole so the aerial roots naturally grow toward the support. If the plant is leaning, gently manipulate the main stem to align it with the pole, but avoid forcing older, woody sections that could snap.
Secure the main stem and the nodes to the pole using soft, non-abrasive materials. The ties should be looped loosely around the stem and the pole to prevent constriction as the stem thickens. Focus on securing the thickest, most established parts of the plant and any nodes already producing aerial roots to immediately direct their growth onto the support.
Long-Term Maintenance for Vertical Training
Once the Monstera is secured, ongoing maintenance is necessary to reinforce the vertical growth habit. To encourage the aerial roots to fully embed into a moss pole, the pole should be kept consistently moist by regularly misting or pouring water directly down it. This moisture mimics the wet bark of a rainforest tree and cues the roots to seek out the pole as a source of hydration.
As the Monstera grows, existing ties need to be checked periodically. If the stem starts to swell or the tie appears tight, it must be loosened or moved to prevent damage to the plant tissue. When the plant outgrows the support, an extension pole can be added by slotting a new section onto the top of the existing one. During future repotting, the stake should remain embedded in the root ball and be transferred carefully to the larger pot to avoid tearing the attached aerial roots.