Who doesn’t love when plants climb upwards? One of my favorite climbing plants is the pothos, and this is the plant we will be training today. We dive into why you should let a pothos climb, how to stake a pothos plant, and some tips to make a pothos climb higher. Let’s get started…
How to Train Pothos to Climb?
The exact steps depend on the current size and age of your pothos plant. You won’t be able to make a pothos climb by itself, so you will need to use a support system to guide its growth around the desired object.
- If propagating a new plant, start with a plant that has lots of cuttings
- Make sure your plant has access to enough light – medium to indirect light is the best for optimum growth
- These plants require a lot of nutrients to thieve, so make sure to fertilize it with a fertilizer
- Prune the vines to promote growth and a leggy look
- Don’t overwater your pothos, as these plants hate being overwatered. Always use pots with adequate drainage
- Stake your pothos to a moss pole or bamboo stick. It is best to use string to tie the vines, rather than using metal staples like some nurseries do
For staking, I recommend waiting until your plant needs to be put into a bigger pot. You can then place the pole into the perfect position, wrap the pothos vine around the pole, and then fill the pot with soil. Doing it this way reduces the chance of damaging your pothos plant.
The pothos will naturally grow upwards and towards the light, so place it somewhere that receives light from above. Pulling at your plant to make it grow upright will only lead to snapped vines.
Equipment for Staking Pothos Plants
You only need two bits of equipment to stake a pothos plant, which is a pole and something to attach the plant and pole together.
My favorite type of stake is a moss pole, which can be found at Amazon and all good garden centres. There are lots of great tutorials on how to make moss poles.
You could also use a bamboo cane for staking pothos plants. I like using bamboo on large plants that don’t require the structural integrity of a moss pole. You could even use a combination of bamboo and moss pole by tying the vines to the bamboo, and then staking the bamboo to the moss pole.
I like using brown string to tie my pothos vines to the pole. However, it’s important not to tie the string too tight, as this will damage a growing pothos. Many gardeners use plant ties, which are remarkably convenient. In fact, all you need to do is wrap the ties around the plant, and then twist the two ends together. One of the best materials for delicate plants is plant Velcro, which has a wider surface to prevent strangulation.
What are the Benefits of Letting Pothos Climb?
Pothos plants naturally grow upwards. In fact, they climb trees to get closer to the sun. Doing this allows the plant to gain all of the nutrients and sun exposure they need to thrive.
Pothos plants are flexible, which allows them to climb trees without risk of snapping. The plants are naturally delicate, so the thin vines need to wrap around strong structures to create a strong foundation.
Pothos plants can’t reach their full potential if they’re not encouraged to grow towards the sun, as this would never happen in the wild. Letting your plant trail can also cause leggy growth with small leaves. If this sounds like your plant, then please read our latest article on making pothos plants fuller.
Can You Use Trellis to Stake Pothos?
Yes, you can stake a pothos plant to a trellis. This will allow you to have a whole pothos wall in your home – super cool!
You don’t need to tie a pothos plant to a trellis. You can simply place the vines through some of the gaps, and then allow the pothos to do its thing by clinging and climbing.
You can even buy indoor plant trellises for your pothos plant. They aren’t all boring designs either, as many individuals on Etsy are selling all kinds of shapes and sizes.
Can You Let Pothos Climb Your Furniture?
Yes. In fact, it’ll be hard to even stop your pothos plant from climbing your furniture.
The aerial roots are there for this very purpose. They allow the plant to climb up almost any object you can think of. It uses your walls to get closer to the sun – a bit like us flying to somewhere hot for a vacation.
The pothos plant shouldn’t damage your furniture. It’s in their interest to keep the host alive and well. Furthermore, the vines of the pothos plant are delicate, so there’s no need to worry about damage.
Why You May Not Want Pothos To Climb
- The pothos may get too big for you to maintain
- It can be difficult to move it to another location – so it’s not always best to use the biggest pole you own
- Fast growth can mean repotting is required more frequently
- Pothos plants that are allowed to thrive will require more water and fertilizer to maintain health
