Why are moss poles good for your plants?

Why does your plant need a moss pole?

Indoor gardeners use moss poles to try to mimic the conditions climbing plants naturally thrive in. Each plant will require certain conditions in terms of light, humidity and moisture, substrate, and general environment in order to reach its full potential for growth. These conditions can quite often be difficult to mimic in the artificial environment provided by our homes.

This is where moss poles come in: they help create an environment that is similar to the one the plants would have in the wild. Jungle floors, vining trees, filtered light, coarse bark, all these elements have an influence on the life cycle of plants in the wild, and we aim to bring those elements we can control into our indoor gardens.

Vertical support

Vertical support through a moss pole like ours provides a structure to climb, supporting the weight of the plant as it grows upwards.

Many exotic and tropical plants have evolved to climb up towards the light, or to escape conditions that may be too moist and swampy, and these plants can be classed as climbing plants. They will often feature aerial roots which aid the plant in connecting and "climbing" on the surrounding vegetation in their goal to leave the floor.

Aerial roots

The aerial roots need moisture and nourishment to grow.

By giving the aerial roots a substrate to grow into, and providing them with regular watering and even feeding, you will be encouraging growth of these roots.

For any plant to mature it requires a expansive root system; encouraging growth in the aerial roots will speed up this expansion, and thus the maturity of the plant. This will lead to bigger and glossier leaves, and more stable fenestrations.

The mere presence of a moist substrate (such as Sphagnum moss) in proximity to your plants aerial grippers will encourage the plant to push on out towards this tempting meal.

Humidity

Moss poles create a humid and moist environment for your plant to thrive in.

Humidity is one of the jungle environmental conditions that we are trying to replicate, and part of the role of the moss pole is to act as a local humidifier. A well hydrated moss pole has plenty of water that will slowly evaporate, releasing that moisture into the surrounding environment. Humidity plays a huge part in healthy glossy leaves and happy plants.

So make sure you keep your moss pole hydrated! We prefer using Sphagnum moss as the substrate filling our moss poles as it will hold the most water, weight for weight. While you can also use coco coir poles, or even a wooden plank, you'll find you need to hydrate MUCH more often as the water retention of these materials is far lower.

Micronutrients

A moss pole can help distribute micronutrients, ensuring your plant gets access to nourishment along the entire length of the vines.

A mature and developed plant can measure several feet tall, and that distance from the new growth point down to the roots (source of most of the nutrients) is a path that grows ever longer. By providing a substrate that grows along with your vines, you ensure that your plant can absorb nutrients and put them to work much closer to where the growth is happening.

Sphagnum moss as an organic material contains high levels of micronutrients, along with antibacterial properties, both of which ensure your plant has the best of the best to draw from for its growth.

Bigger leaves 

Humidity, aerial roots, micronutrients, mimicking a more natural environment - these moss pole benefits will push your plant into developing bigger and healthier leaves.

Modular design encourages growth

Our moss poles have been designed to be modular, meaning that they will grow with your plants. While it is possible to DIY your own moss poles, we've leveraged several engineering techniques to take the work out of extending your moss pole.

Lengthy testing has gone into the development and design, our moss poles have unique connection methods that allow them to be endlessly extended as your plant grows.

Aesthetics

We may be biased, but we think a well designed moss pole is a thing of beauty! It can help you bring out your own personality in your indoor jungle, and it can help your plants look better.