What to Do When Your Plant Outgrows The Moss Pole

Sep 05, 2023

Table of Contents

1. Extending the moss pole

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

2. Cutting the plant and moss pole

3. Train the plant to start growing down instead of up

Climbing plants thrive when they are growing on moss poles and can grow to dizzying heights that are only limited by the height of the ceiling. However, in no time at all, the plant will get to the top of the moss pole. So what happens next? What can you do when your plant outgrows the moss pole?

There are basically three options if you want to keep your plants growing indoors:

Extending the moss pole
Cut or chop the plant and moss pole
Train the plant to start growing down instead of up

In this post, we will explore each of these options in detail.

1. Extending the moss pole

Extending the pole ensures that your plant keeps growing uninterrupted and those leaves will keep getting bigger and bigger. If the old moss pole is a simple round moss pole the following are needed for the extension:

A moss pole that is slightly wider than the old moss pole (one you probably made earlier)
Cable ties
Metal rod/stake to provide stability (1.5m to 2m high depending on the height of your ceiling)

The moss pole is extended using the following steps:

Step 1

Insert the metal rod into the plant pot, behind the current moss pole. If there is already a shorter metal rod in the pot you can remove it or keep it in place.

Step 2

Attach the new longer metal rod to the old moss pole with cable ties. Longer cable ties work best for this. It can be a bit fiddly to use the shorter, smaller cable ties.

Step 3

Attach the new moss pole to the metal rod using cable ties. Attach the old moss pole to the new one using cable ties around the circumference of the moss poles where they meet.

The plant will now have more room to grow and the leaves will get bigger as it climbs. It helps to have the plant housed in a heavy ceramic pot to ensure it does not topple over.

This video demonstrates how a simple moss pole extension can be done following the steps described above.

2. Cutting the plant and moss pole

If your plant has hit the ceiling and you can not extend the moss pole any further, you may have no choice but to cut or chop your plant and moss pole. You will then effectively have 2plants, the top part of the plant (The Tip) and the bottom part. The following items are needed to cut the plant and moss pole:

Sterilized blade
A plant pot with potting mix or LECA

Step 1

Ensure that the moss pole is moist before the process begins. Use the sterilized blade to cut the plant at the pre-identified spot.

Step 2

Detach the top moss pole that was added as an extension from the bottom moss pole. The top part of the plant can now be lifted and detached from the bottom part. Some aerial roots may be growing into the bottom moss pole. Tease these out gently.

Step 3

The Tip part of the plant can be planted into soil or LECA. The tip moss pole is full of the lovely aerial roots that developed as the plant was growing.

These aerial roots will support and keep the plant alive. Ensure you keep the moss pole moist as the root system held within the moss pole will keep the plant alive and grow into the soil or LECA.

Step 4

The moss pole of the bottom part of the plant can be extended. The cut stem will develop a new growth point and continue to grow. The bottom part of the plant also makes for a lovely gift to a lucky individual!

A step-by-step guide illustrating how a plant and moss pole can be chopped is presented in the video below:

3. Train the plant to start growing down instead of up

When a plant reaches the top of a moss pole, the vines can be trained to grow down. This is assuming that the stems are not too thick. The Philodendron Heartleaf is a great plant to do this to as the vines are quite thin even though the plant is quite mature. The following items are needed to train the plant to grow down.

Velcro plant tie and/or
Greening pins

Use both or either of the above to fix the vines to the moss pole and direct them down. Ensure the plant is pinned to the moss pole as it continues to grow.

When the plant hits the bottom of the pole, that is, close to the pot it can be directed back up the moss pole or pinned into the soil to give an even more lush plant. This eventually gives the moss pole a lovely bushy look and in some cases, the moss pole is not even visible and all that is seen is lovely green!

What option is best?

If you want your leaves to get bigger and more mature then extending the pole will. Whatever method you decide to use, one thing is for sure, your plant will continue to grow. Plants are resilient. New growth points will appear and the plant will thrive.

Ready to take your plant care skills to the next level? Subscribe to the Leca Queen YouTube channel and explore the art of nurturing plants using Leca clay balls.

Happy planting!

The LECA Queen

Nora

Author

My aim is to make growing indoor plants easier by showing people how to use LECA clay balls. Using LECA makes taking care of plants more fun, and helps the plants grow better and healthier