Pothos isn’t just your average houseplant – it’s actually a really good climber. Most people will let their pothos dangle down or along their shelves or hang it from a pot it’s got a real flair for climbing up if you give it the chance.
You can train your pothos to climb as a way to save space or make a statement. But even if you want red to it can be tough to come up with ideas for your pothos to climb.
This guide will give you some creative and practical ideas to help you get your pothos to grow and climb in fun ways.
Understanding Pothos Growth Habits
When they grow in the wild pothos would be climbing. They have aerial roots that helped them to grow up trees and absorb more light.
But even if you’re growing one indoors it can still be trained to climb. This will make them grow better and look great.
Benefits of Encouraging Pothos to Climb
- Larger Leaves: Climbing pothos often end up with growing bigger leaves.
- Space Optimization: When they grow vertically it saves space and you have some lovely greenery for everyone to see.
- Enhanced Aesthetics: A climbing pothos can become a piece of art in your home.
Choosing the Right Support for Your Pothos
Picking the right structure to train your pothos to climb is important. Get it wrong and your plant will struggle.
The following are some of the best options and why they work.
Moss Poles
Moss poles hold on to moisture and do a good job of copying how a pothos would naturally grow. They actually encourage the aerial roots to attached to themselves and as mentioned earlier they can help with getting bigger leaves.
Bamboo Trellis
These are tough but also lightweight. Because of their size you can customize them quite easily. Bamboo trellis are great for helping to guide the vines of pothos in a certain direction.
Wall Mounted Wire Grids
Good for making your pothos into wall art. The grids let you train your pothos to grow in different patterns.
Circular Hoop Trellis
Hoop trellis is great for small spaces. It guides the plant in a circle pattern and makes it look fuller as it grows. A unique and interesting look.
DIY Ladder Trellis
Made from materials like wood or metal, ladder trellises give a rustic sort of charm and are great for supporting multiple vines at the same time.
Making your Own Trellis
It can be fun to create your own trellis. Make it a project and you’ll have something you really treasure. These DIY ideas might inspire you to build your own.
1. Circular Trellis
You can repurpose an old wire cage or cages to make a circular trellis. These trellis lets your pothos climb in a spiral that looks interesting and different to most other climbing structures.
2. Bamboo Trellis
You can make simple trellis that works really well from bamboo sticks. Put them in a crisscross pattern and watch them guide your pothos vines to grow up.
3. Wall Mounted Trellis
Put hooks or nails in your wall in whatever pattern you’re like and connect them up with wire. You can then train your pothos to grow along that wall.
4. Ladder Trellis
A small wooden ladder also works as a trellis. Put it in your pot and let the pothos climb its rungs.
Training Your Pothos to Climb
Once you’ve made your own or picked a support you then have to train your pothos to climb it.
1. Positioning
Put your support close to the bottom of your pothos so the vines can easily reach it.
2. Guiding the Vines
You have to physically wrap the vines around your support and then secure them to it with tape or ties. Don’t tie them on too tightly though. You might damage the stems if you do so.
3. Pruning
Pruning regularly makes your pothos grow bushier and stops it from becoming leggy. So trim back any vines that look overgrown and it will stay in the shape you want.
4. Lighting
Make sure your pothos is getting the right amount of light. Bright, indirect light will make it grow well. But don’t put it in direct light as it can burn the leaves.
5. Watering and Humidity
Water the plant consistently but let the top surface of the soil dry out between each watering. Pothos also like the humidity to be higher so mist it or use a humidifier/humidity tray.
Creative Display Ideas for Climbing Pothos
You can make your climbing pothos part of your home decor. These are a few ideas that look good.
1. Living Wall Art
As mentioned earlier, you can train your pothos to grow up or along your wall with a mounted trellis. It looks fantastic in any room and will be something people notice instantly.
2. Window Accents
Put a trellis near a window and guide the vines around the frame of it. It adds some shade to what could be a bright window but also makes for an elegant framing of the view.
3. Corner Climbers
If one of the corners in your room is bare then put a tall moss pole or bamboo trellis in it. Your pothos will climb and it make that area feel softer and more interesting.
4. Bookshelf Greens
You can train your pothos to climb along the edges of a bookshelf. Use small hooks or ties and guide it along the edges or up the sides.
This make your bookshelves more interesting but also works as a way of displaying your plant.
5. Indoor Archways
If you have an archway in your home then use some small hooks or wire grid to create a frame your pothos can grow around. It makes for a cool looking frame and a garden type of atmosphere in your home.
Comparing Trellis Materials: A Quick Guide
| Material | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Moss Pole | Natural look, holds on to moisture for the roots | Can be expensive and bulky |
| Bamboo | Lightweight, eco friendly | May need cleaning more often |
| Metal Trellis | Tough and modern | Can be heavy or expensive |
| Plastic Grids | Cheap and easy to customize | Don’t look as good |
| Wooden Ladders | Sturdy and rustic looking | Prone to getting damaged by moisture indoors |
Common Challenges When Training Pothos and How to Fix Them
1. Vines Won’t Attach to the Trellis
Solution: Use soft ties or garden tape to fix the vines. Eventually they will naturally stick to the trellis if you do it this way.
2. Leaves Are Turning Yellow
Cause: Overwatering or poor drainage.
Solution: The pot needs to have a lot of drainage holes. And then only water when the top of the soil is dry.
3. Slow Growth
Cause: Not enough light or nutrients.
Solution: Put your pothos in bright, indirect light and feed it some houseplant fertilizer every month in the summer and spring as it grows.
4. Vines Growing Outward Instead of Climbing
Solution: Regularly guide the vines towards the support and fix them to it with ties so it grows up that support.
Uncommon Ideas to Elevate Your Pothos Climbing Game
These are a few unconventional ideas for your climbing pothos.
1. Hanging Rope Ladders
Install a hanging rope ladder from the ceiling and let your pothos climb up it. This creates a bohemian, floating plant display.
2. Ceiling Grids
Fix a lightweight wire grid to your ceiling and train your pothos to climb it. You end up with a cover of Green throughout your living room or kitchen.
3. Chandelier Frame
If you have an old chandelier (big if, I know!), then get rid of it’s wiring and use it as a structure for your pothos to climb.
4. Macramé Meets Trellis
Mix some macramé hangers with climbing supports. The mix gives your pothos something to climb and adds some style to your home.
5. Outdoor Patio Posts
If you have any outdoor space then try guiding your pothos up patio posts or pergolas. It looks great and also gives you some privacy too.
Final Thoughts
You can get really creative when raining your pothos to climb. There are so many choices to bring something extra to your home.
And don’t forget that keeping your pothos healthy will make it happier and more likely to climb. So pay attention to its light, water and nutrient needs and your pothos will be happy to keep climbing and climbing.