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How to Stake a Monstera? — Growgardener Guide

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Monstera deliciosa, they call it.

Not only that, but this fantastic plant from the genus named “Monstera” also has another delicious name — the Swiss Cheese plant.

This — incorrectly called — Split-leaf philodendron has turned many hearts into fanatics. So, no matter what you call it, it will always be loved for its breathtaking porous foliage.

Well… today’s article will look at the best ways to stake Monsteras.

You are probably here speculating, “How to stake a Monstera plant?”

Ideally, you will know how to stake a Monstera by the end of today’s journey. On top of that, you’ll also know how to select the right kind of pole and the right time to stake your precious Monsteras.

So, without bothering any further, let’s jump straight into it.

Mini Monstera Rhaphidophora tetrasperma Houseplant on a Moss Pole. How to stake a monstera
How to Stake a Monstera? — Mini Monstera (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma) Houseplant on a Coco Coir Pole via Dan Jones.

How to Stake a Monstera?

Well, a brief overview of the elaborated answer to “How to stake a Monstera?” would be:

First, you’ll find a proper stake according to your own need; then, you’ll prepare the plant and the pot for staking, stick the pole into the pot, and tie it firmly to the plant. And that’s it.

Most of you already know why this fancy green guy needs support to stay upright and not make a mess. But for those who don’t, let me briefly elaborate.

The Genus Monstera

Monstera is a small genus of tropical and terrestrial plants — from the Aroid family, Araceae native to Central and South America.

The genus includes epiphytic and Hemi-epiphytic plants of the family. The most common one that most plant parents own is the Monstera deliciosa.

If you don’t know about the climbing and vining characteristics of epiphytes and Hemi-epiphytes: These plants have unique types of roots known as adventitious roots, also called aerial roots. These roots help plants climb up trees in their natural habitats.

In addition to anchoring the plant, aerial roots also absorb water and nutrients. This character helps Monsteras to grow up to their maximum potential.

Therefore, staking a Monstera placed inside a room would provide excellent support to the plant. And you will be able to see its broad, dark green leaves with deeply-perforated fenestrations.

With that said, let’s head towards the process of staking a Monstera.

Benefits of Staking a Plant

Let’s first look at “Why to stake a Monstera?” instead of “How to stake a Monstera?”

Generally, staking a plant means providing support to the plant by tying it to a sturdy pole. Most indoor plant owners use stakes covered up/filled with sphagnum moss to replicate the natural tree surface.

In natural habitats, staking — plants anchoring themselves to surrounding plants and trees — protects the plants from unfavorable effects of the wind and heavy rainfall.

While indoors, staking drives the plants to grow upwards and paces up the growth of these gorgeous epiphytes. Staking prevents the bending and breaking of stems, a typical aspect of oversized epiphytic plants.

Related Article: How to Train Monstera to Climb in 12 Easy Steps?

When plants like Monsteras mature, they need a sturdy stake to climb on; otherwise, the stems and leaves would start drooping. Drooping leaves in Monsteras could mean that your plant needs a decent stake to stand along.

With staking, you are imitating a natural habitat for your plant that would indeed urge it to grow the same as in the wild.

Big leaf of a wild Monstera plant. How to stake a monstera
How to Stake a Monstera? — Huge Leaf of a Wild Monstera via Vlad Kutepov.

Therefore, it is always a better idea to prevent a massive muddle.

How to Stake a Monstera? — The Steps

While looking for how to stake a Monstera, you’ll know you won’t need to go the extra mile. Once you know the essential tools and techniques, staking Monsteras is just a piece of cake.

Follow these basic steps, and you are good to go.

Step #1: Find a Suitable Stake for Your Monstera

While finding a suitable stake for your Monsteras, you need to keep two things in mind: the first one is the type of the stake and the second one is the length or size of the stake.

There are many different types of stakes that you can find to support your plant. Some of the most commonly used stakes are:

  • Simple wooden stakes.
  • Bamboo stakes.
  • Steel garden stakes.
  • Coco coir stakes.
  • Moss poles.

You can go with any of them depending upon your own needs.

Let me help you here.

Simple Wooden Stakes

These stakes, as you can guess, are made up of wood. 😅

Jokes aside, wooden stakes are the most simple ones and are mainly used for garden plants instead of the potted ones.

Wooden stakes. How to stake a monstera
How to Stake a Monstera? — Wooden Stakes via Amazon.

You might have seen gardeners using wooden stakes to grow tomato plants. These types of wooden stakes are generally lightweight and are typically used for growing crops during a single season.

  • They are better to use in garden beds as they prevent the release of any unwanted chemicals — if used in a raw form.
  • However, being cheap and lightweight, they last only a single season or two — depending on the care and quality. These also tend to bend in harsh sunlight if thin.

Bamboo Stakes

In my opinion, bamboo stakes are the most versatile types to stake your plants. You can use them to stake Monsteras in various ways.

Bamboo stakes. - How to stake a Monstera?
How to Stake a Monstera? — Bamboo Stakes via Amazon.

Bamboo stakes are the most widely used stakes and are often regarded as the most eco-friendly type of stakes.

  • They are way more long-lasting than simple wooden stakes and are primarily used to support indoor houseplants.
  • They are also an excellent choice for commercial gardening.

Before buying bamboo for your Monsteras, find the highest quality bamboo stakes to prevent bending, cracking, mold, etc.

How To Stake Your Monstera Deliciosa – YouTube

Steel Garden Stakes

Another way of staking Monstera is using steel garden stakes or metal bars. People mostly use thin metal rebars or slender steel stakes to make a trellis or a cage to stake various plants, including the Monstera deliciosa.

Steel stakes for plants. - How to stake a Monstera?
How to Stake a Monstera? — Steel Stakes via Walmart.
  • Different types and qualities of metal stakes are available for sale. The best ones are strengthened and galvanized to survive for several seasons.
  • They are relatively easier to install than other wooden stakes and are less inclined to bend.
  • However, they are a little more costly than other garden stakes.

Moss Poles and Coco Coir Poles

Moss Poles (also known as self-watering poles) and poles made up of coco coir are the most valuable and the most famous types of plant stakes.

Especially, plant parents with Monsteras are often looking for these poles. Because with Monsteras, the aerial roots love to cling to the porous surfaces of the sphagnum moss and the coco coir.

Most of you might think that both are somewhat similar, but that’s not quite right.

Both the moss poles and the poles made up of coir are pretty different in nature. On the one hand, moss poles are super absorbent of water, while on the other hand, coco coir retains less moisture.

However, both are hydrophilic.

DIY Moss Pole & Coco Coir Pole | Self-Watering – YouTube

Coco coir

Most people will agree that sphagnum moss indeed retains a lot of water, but they believe that coco coir is “waterproof.” But according to my research, coco coir is non-hydrophobic.

However, it is possible to biologically graft the lignin component present in the coir to develop antibacterial and hydrophobic properties.

The thing is that: we use coir sheets (also known as coir liners) for making coco coir poles. These sheets are actually made up of coir fiber and are somewhat hydrophobic in nature, meaning they don’t retain much water.

That’s why many people have that “waterproof” misconception about coco coir.

Coco coir sheets or liners. How to stake a monstera 1
How to Stake a Monstera? — Coco Coir Sheets via Amazon.

Moss Poles

Moss poles are the go-to poles for most plant enthusiasts. Almost every plant owner uses moss poles for staking Monsteras.

Both moss poles and the stakes made up of coco coir are hardy and very long-lasting.

However, you’ll need to be careful while watering moss poles. As moss poles tend to absorb and retain a lot of water, they can become a favorable medium for algae and other microbial growth.

Now that you can decide the type of stake for staking your Monstera let’s talk about the size of the stake.

There are different opinions on this one, but I would recommend going with a stake as big as you feel needed for the plant’s new growth.

Here, you can measure the height of your plant, including the pot, and add 12, 13, or 14 inches to make your stake fitting for the plant.

Monstera staked on a moss pole. How to stake a monstera
How to Stake a Monstera? — Moss Pole for Staking Monsteras via Amazon.

Step #2: Sticking the Stake into the Pot

Once you have made or selected your stake of choice, it’s time to prepare the pot containing your Monstera for staking.

Basically, there are two ways to place the stake into the pot:

  • In the first method — that I recommend — you’ll have to take the plant out of the pot and then re-pot it along with the stake.
  • And in the second one, you’ll need to make a hole in the potting mix to place the stake inside. You can use a suitable garden tool for that purpose.

Make sure to place the stake beside the main stem lined up with the pot’s boundary.

Moreover, if you go for the first method, lodge the stake firmly to prevent the pot from toppling over — as happens with many small ones.

And in the second method, make sure to fill up the gaps around the pole perfectly with your potting mix.

Related Article: How to Make the Best Potting Mix for Indoor Plants According to the Nature of Your Plants Themselves.

Step #3: Tying the Plant with the Pole

After placing the pole into the pot, it’s time to adjust the plant. And by adjusting, I mean a few things.

  • If your Monstera is still a tiny baby, it would be easier to tie it up to the pole.
  • However, if it is grown into a mature plant, try to tie along the length of the stem, leaving 4-6 inches of space consecutively. If your Monstera has aerial roots, you can try to mend them into the poles.

In fact, the aerial roots in mature Monstera plants love to cling to the stakes, and with time they will start to anchor the poles to absorb extra moisture and nutrients.

Always use soft materials to tie your plants with the pole. You don’t even need fancy plant ties. You can also use any soft fabric or old piece of your tee-shirt.

Tie wrap around a moss pole. How to stake a monstera
How to Stake a Monstera? — Coco Coir Pole for Staking Monsteras via Amazon.

Also, don’t tie your plant too hard as it leads to constricted growth and can damage the plant.

With all that said, we are done with how to stake a Monstera. Now let’s see when to stake a Monstera.

When to Stake a Monstera?

Monsteras generally show some signs that they need that natural terrestrial vibe to thrive further and to display the magic of their gigantic dark foliage.

Using a stake filled with sphagnum moss or coco coir generally mimics that natural habitat for the Monsteras to climb on and reach their maximum level.

But what are those signs, and how would you know your Monstera needs staking?

Aerial Roots

As I have mentioned numerous times before, the aerial roots.

Yes, these types of adventitious roots are diversified in various epiphytes and help them climb onto nearby trees and plants in search of food, water, and sunlight.

If your Monstera is mature enough that it needs staking and has started to grow aerial roots, and you still don’t stake it, the roots will eventually find their way into the pot to provide extra moisture and nutrients.

But if you stake it, it urges the plant to stay upright, and it also uses the aerial roots to provide the plant with the required moisture.

Monstera Spreading Horizontally

Some people will only think about staking their Monstera when it starts making a mess. It is pretty apparent to provide your plant with a good stake when it starts growing parallel to the ground.

Drooping of Leaves

Monsteras leaves start to droop when they get heavy. It seems obvious, but that’s not likely the case with upright plants with sturdy stems.

As the stems in the Monstera deliciosa are so “delicate,” they tend to bend down when the plant gets mature.

So, if you find droopy leaves in an overall healthy Monstera, it needs a good stake.

And for staking your Monstera, see how to stake a Monstera above.


Conclusion

On that note, let us conclude the talk here.

I hope that today’s article helped you with what you needed and that you got a satisfying answer to “How to stake a Monstera?”

If you enjoyed today’s talk, consider sharing this article with other plant enthusiasts.

Happy Planting!

Regards,
Mahad H.