Why you should support your Monstera NOW!
We all need a shoulder to lean on now and then. Certain houseplants, like monstera deliciosa and monstera adasonii need support too. Here we'll discuss several considerations to keep in mind when adding support to your houseplants like the plant's native habitat and growth habits, what material your support should be made of, and lastly some tips for how to add the support to your potted plant. Let's jump in!
Understanding monstera's native growth habits
Originally from humid tropical forests, wild monstera plants can be found throughout central and south America, as well as Asia, Australia and even the western Mediterranean. When seeds fall to the ground from established plants, seedlings "crawl" on the ground until they meet a nearby tree on which to attach This curious movement is phenomenon called negative phototropism. Phototropism is the growth of an organism in response to a light stimulus and is most often observed in plants, but can also occur in other organisms such as fungi. Some vines exhibit negative phototropism which allows them to grow towards dark, solid objects and climb them. The new monstera plant then anchors against its new support and grows upward to reach just the right mixture canopy light dimmed by the surrounding foliage.
Monstera adansonii in the wild. Photo: David Stang, Tropical Plants Database
Helping our indoor plants grow like they would in nature
Just like how wild monstera seedlings grow towards the dark until they find a tree trunk, then creep up the tree towards the light, we need to provide a tree-trunk-like support for our indoor monstera deliciosa, monstera adasonii (and other vining plants).
"Just like how wild monstera seedlings grow towards the dark until they find a tree trunk, then creep up the tree towards the light, we need to provide a tree-trunk-like support for our indoor monstera."
Finding the best support
Depending on how large your plant is, there are several options to use for a support. Whatever you choose is more of a style choice, as long as your support meets these criteria:
Support criteria #1: Provides sturdy support
Make sure the material your support pole is made out of is hard and strong enough to support your growing plant. Think of not only supporting it now, but also after all of the happy new growth you plant will provide after you've made it happy with support to grow up! It should be long enough to be anchored deep in the soil. It should be strong enough to not bend under the weight of your mighty monstera. Large diameter wood dowels and bamboo are great choices for support materials.
Support criteria #2: Will withstand moist conditions
Your support needs to look pretty as it holds up your monstera above ground, but a portion of it will also be buried deep in the pot under the dark, moist soil. Make sure your support is made from material that will withstand those conditions and not rot which could cause future root problems for your monstera. Plastic or other rot-free materials are what you want to choose for your support totem, especially if you are supporting a plant who prefers constantly moist soil.
Support criteria #3: Has a grabby texture
Remember, we are trying to mimic a tree trunk that our monstera would find in its natural habitat, so think of a tree trunk's texture when choosing your support. The best supports are rough, fibrous and easy to grab on to. Wrapping a dowel with rope or moss for example is a great way to add the desired texture to your monstera support totem. Natural materials are always best as well. They look better and will compliment your plant.
LATEBLOOM offers many great choices for totem poles and trellises
We've done the work for you and rounded up some excellent choices to support your growing monsteras and other vining plants. Browse the trellises and support poles offered by Latebloom Plants here:
Find more expert tutorials online
There are lots of great tutorials out there on what materials to use for your support pole and how to tie your plant to the support. Remember, a wild seedling would be able to find the tree and grow up gradually over time, but since we are starting with a mature plant, we will need to give it some help by tying the branches to the support at first.
Some keywords to search for include:
- monstera deliciosa
- monstera adansonii
- plant totem pole
- plant trellis
- monstera support
Look how happy this monstera is with added support!
In conclusion, here are 3 bonus tips on supporting your monstera in its quest for the best sunlight:
BONUS TIP #1: Make sure your support stick is long enough to allow for future growth. Your plant is going to grow UP so make sure your support totem is tall enough to plan ahead.
Monstera deliciosa with a rope-wrapped pole for support.
BONUS TIP #2: When tying, keep strings long so you can readjust as the plant grows and the branches get longer and the leaves get bigger.
Rope is used to tie on the monstera branches. Keep the ties long for adjustment later.
BONUS TIP #3: Give your monstera a few days to turn and face the sun and adjust to its new support. Then readjust as necessary. Don't be surprised if you see lots of new growth. That's your plant's way of saying...
THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!
Monstera high-five!
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