In its homeland in Central America, the Monstera climbs up the trunks of huge jungle trees. Even as a houseplant, it needs a climbing aid that it can hold on to with its aerial roots and grow straight up. The coconut stick is the most popular choice for this.
How to attach a monstera to the coconut stick?
To attach the monstera to a coconut stick, you should use flexible and soft materials such as Velcro or elastic bands. Insert the coconut stick deep into the planting substrate and loosely attach the Monstera trunk to the stick.
Why is the coconut stick the best?
Coconut sticks arestable, soft and made of natural fibers. The aerial roots can grow easily with the rod. Coconut sticks can be purchased cheaply at any hardware store. In contrast, plant sticks with a smooth surface, such as bamboo sticks, are not well suited as they cannot support the aerial roots.
How long should the coconut stick be?
The coconut stick should always beat least as long as the Monstera so that it can be easily attached to it. It's worth planning ahead and choosing a slightly longer rod. If the plant later overhangs the rod and has to be replaced by a longer one, that means a lot of stress for the window leaf. Since it can look unfavorable, especially with young plants, if the stick protrudes very far above the plant, we recommend that we use coconut sticks that can be put together so that the stick can grow up together with the plant.
How deep do you put the coconut stick in the pot?
The coconut stick should be insertedas deep as possible into the plant substrate so that it is as stable as possible and can provide maximum support even for a large, heavy plant. It is best to place the rod in the middle of the pot when repotting. This reduces the risk that the roots of the Monstera will be damaged during insertion.
How do you attach the Monstera to a coconut stick?
The trunk of the Monstera should be loosely attached to the plant stick usingbinding material. The binding material should not cut in, which is why flexible and soft materials such as Velcro, rubberized or elastic bands are recommended. Cords or wire, on the other hand, are less suitable.
Tip
Alternative to coconut stick
Instead of a coconut stick, other materials can also serve as a climbing aid for the Monstera. Moss sticks, for example, are well suited because aerial roots can hold onto them even better and gain additional nutrients from the stick. Trellises can also be easily built yourself using just a few materials.
