MILMP! (Man, I Love Moss Poles)

I recently took a trip to Puerto Rico in June 2023, and while I was there, I found a Golden Pothos with leaves bigger than my head! It blew my mind that their leaves could get this big out in nature. I got so envious and knew that I needed to do whatever it takes to get those enormous leaves on my houseplants in my apartment back in Durham, North Carolina. 

For many of these years, I thought growing large plants would be impossible indoors. However, these past couple of years I’ve learned that growing plants with luscious leaves like those seen in nature can be easy to get. Cue in the moss poles! For those readers that are not sure what moss poles are, simply put, they’re cylindrical hollow poles that are able to be filled with moss or other substrates like orchid bark or coco chips. The main point is that the pole acts like a tree substitute and provides plenty of space for aerial roots to grow into. Although they’ve been around for a long time, moss poles have recently been re-discovered by many plant enthusiasts for their ability to mimic how plants grow out in the wild. 

Back to my trip, nearly every street corner had some mini-jungle with plants and trees of all sizes. While walking around the city's mini-jungles, I couldn't help but notice that almost all of these gorgeous plants had one significant advantage that separated them from the rest: they were latching themselves onto anything they could. Whether a wall, tree or, strangely enough, a dumpster, these plants do what they've done for thousands of years – root! Thankfully, they've managed to work with us so that we can use this wonderful evolutionary happenstance to our advantage to grow plants indoors, capable of making anyone who sees them speechless at their size and beauty. 

All this to say, as soon as I got back home, I immediately hopped on YouTube and typed, "How to build a moss pole." Like many people, my partner and I live in an apartment and can't afford the luxury of having a tree in our space. As eye-catching as the Architectural Digest covers of a tree growing in an apartment are, I can guarantee that they are more trouble than they are worth, speaking from experience unfortunately. Once again, that's where moss poles come in, and as someone who finds DIY projects a nightmare, I can tell you from personal experience that these poles are incredibly easy to make. 

The first one I created was just over three months ago and although the benefits may be seen after some time, they are well worth the wait(add photo of painted lady for reference). I've had this Painted Lady Philodendron for around five months, and when I first got it, she wasn't doing well. The person I bought it from on Facebook Marketplace mentioned that the painted lady was in a window that doesn't get much sunlight. When inspecting it, I could tell I had my work cut out. The more mature leaves were clearly dying, and the top leaves didn't have the coveted variegation they're known for(show pic). I saw this as a perfect opportunity to put moss poles to the test. Now, she's thriving in the corner of our bathroom window! What fascinated me the most was that the aerial roots started creeping into the moss pole by the second month! 

That being said, moss poles are excellent replacements for recreating the plant's natural habitat, but they require moderate maintenance to reap their full benefits. It all depends on your substrate; sphagnum moss needs watering three to four times a week, while leca and orchid bark only require watering one to two times a week. If you have the time and energy to create these wonderful moss poles, I highly suggest it, as your plants will thank you. 

If you liked reading this blog post, let me know what you think in the comments. Please stay tuned for more to come from me and Adam in the near future. As always, happy planting!