I've had this monstera for about four years now and have never been quite able to get him to climb up a moss pole or a 3D printed version I made and filled with bark and moss. I water about once or twice a week depending on how hot it gets and how dry his soil is. I rotate him to try and get him to spiral around the pole but to no avail. Any pointers?
by Cheetolorde
12 Comments
Use a soft twist tie and train it.
I think people tie them to moss poles?
It looks like you’ve got plenty of extra “stem,” (others will know the words better); yours is not straight, but you can still tie it now. (Like with the green tape which is stretchy and wide so it doesn’t damage the plant?)
It might straighten out a bit, but all future growth might be effectively trained?
I have it tied with soft twine on the main stem, but the stubborn guy grew out horizontal. Should I try tying that big off shoot? Or chop it at the closest node and start more or less from scratch?
I get the struggle, kinda😅I have a smaller monstera who constantly insists on having one castaway stem that will reach to god knows where except along her pole, even with trimming
Monstera is not interested at all in the dry moss pole
I have 3 pretty big monsteras. They are going to go where ever the hell they want. Some want to climb. Some want to crawl. I use jute rope to try and get mine to go vertical up a cedar pole and I’ve tried repotting them and turning them on their side so the stem is going up. Nope. Just damn stubborn.
Thanks for the advice, guys. I know a lot of what I’m asking is a quick Google search away (which I’ve done) but I just wanted to talk to some folks who have been taking care of their own Monsteras for a while. You’ve all been very helpful.
Just here to say I love all your plants.
Amazing jungle!!! I think gently tying up the leaves is the way to go— don’t pull hard, just enough to train them upward; after a few-ish weeks, you’ll notice that the stems can now be pulled up a little bit more, so gently pull and tie them a little more upward (continue this until they’re trained more vertically and can hold themselves on their own). This is what I did to the Monstera that I got from someone who seemed to have neglected it and let it go completely sideways haha. More experienced people might have some better advice, but that has been working for me!! Then, once I started training the pre-existing leaves to grow upward, the new leaves that sprouted grew upward all on their own! I’ve attached photos showing you the day that I got her vs right now! I have a new Moss pole I want to use (right now I have Coco coir and I’ve read moss is way better) and need to re-tie her up (especially bottom leaves), but she keeps popping out new leaves and I don’t want to disturb her just yet (:
https://preview.redd.it/w84pdf0frfmf1.jpeg?width=1206&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=57326a70203fe62e77d919abc3f4c889f6282e2d
Secure the main (center) vine to pole with floral tape or something that won’t harm plant. As it grows you can start. Wrapping around pole. Keep getting a pole large enough
The photo shows a purchased option but you can use any strong bendable wire.
https://preview.redd.it/hrexmgwpxfmf1.jpeg?width=1453&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58a02d3c4700d239545d7d3041048485939d49d6
I planted one in the boot of a palm tree and it continues to grow away from the tree but still locks all it’s roots too the tree. They do what they want in the end lol