Source_A green room
As you know, some plants need support to grow and develop new roots. You can find some in stores, but sometimes they are not the most recommended. What if we taught you how to make foam stakes?
They are not difficult and you can be sure that they will indeed be nutritious for your plants. Additionally, you can make variations to improve the quality of life of your plants. Shall we start?
Why use foam stakes
Source_Amazon
As you know, foam stakes are made of foam. And this helps the plants develop new roots with which they are attached to this support and can continue to grow. Actually, sometimes the plants do not grow because they do not have this guardianwhich causes the plant to stagnate and, over time, can weaken or deteriorate the plant since it has not produced new leaves.
Another reason you should use moss stakes is that many plants, especially epiphytic climbers, need to develop aerial roots and these require environmental conditions that you may not be able to provide by yourself. yourself (for example, constant humidity). For that, these stakes can be a very useful way for the plant to get what it needs.
There is a big difference between using a tutor or not. We will make it easy for you. Think of a pot. When it is drooping, the branches are long and it has leaves, but not too large, rather they are kept at a small or medium size.
On the other hand, when a tutor is placed, it is normal for the leaves to be much larger and stronger; moreover its growth will be greater.
Which Plants Need Moss Stakes
Source_The plant store
The truth is, giving you a list of plants that need moss stakes would take a long time. But overall, many tropical plants would be very comfortable with a moss stake, especially if it is cool and you can water it and it stays moist all the time, because that way you will get that environmental humidity that the plant needs.
Some of the most common that would need it would be: monstera deliciosa, minima or adansonii, philorendron, potho…
How to make moss stakes
Fountain_Gardening plants and flowers
Now yes, prepare the elements you are going to need because we will teach you step by step how to make moss stakes for your plants. We have already warned you that it is not difficult at all, but you will have to devote some time to it.
The benefits of making your own foam stakes are numerous. For starters, you’ll have a self-made tutor in which you’ll know for sure what it takes. In addition, the moss will be fresher, quite the opposite of those found cheap in the store and which are not easy for the plants to “fix” and root.
Prepare the items
When making foam pegs, you need to consider the following:
- Sphagnum. It is the most recommended, especially because it is able to retain a lot of water and therefore help plants with humidity (especially so that the aerial roots develop better).
- A stick. Wooden if possible, but if you have bamboo it’s much better. Of course, any stick you have is not worth it, you need one of medium or thicker thickness, especially if the plant is tall.
- Sisal yarn or natural rope. This will help you attach the foam to the stick. This is characterized by being thin but very resistant.
- Bowl.
- Water.
- Scissors.
- Gloves.
With all this you will have everything to start making tutors. Now you might want to create some alternatives to this tutor. And it is that many also choose to make moss tutors by also throwing soil (soil such as humus, peat, soil rich in fertilizers, compost…). When it’s done like this, the wooden stick is fine, but you also need a wire mesh to seal it in and thus be able to introduce the earth and the moss so that nothing escapes.
First step: water mousse
When you buy sphagnum moss, it is normal for it to be dehydrated. The first step to follow is to hydrate it.
For that, you have to take a canfill it with water and put the foam inside. This will make it grow, so don’t take a small container, but a bigger one.
You will have to wait about 20 minutes for it to fully hydrate.
Second step: prepare the stick
Then, and while the foam is hydrating, you can pick up the stick and check it’s okay (no signs of disease or pests). Once done, take the thread and tie it at the top of the stick. This can be done with a knot or, if you have some silicone handy, you can use it to secure the rope at the top so it won’t slip in any way..
Make sure you have a surface that the stick will fit well on and that you are protecting it (maybe a tablecloth or something similar) because when you start working with the foam it will get wet.)
Step Three: Assemble the Foam Stakes
You already have the stick ready. And you have the foam. So now all we have to do is get to work.
To do this, take a little foam with your hand and strain it a little so that it comes out of the water. You have to take enough to be able to wrap it around the stick since the objective is to fill the stick with foam and secure it with the wire.
At first it will be complicated, but as you practice the process will be much easier and faster.
You should do this the full length of the stick except the last 20-30 centimeters, which are left empty as this is the way to settle it into the pot or the plant’s soil so that it doesn’t move.
It is true that the layer of foam that you will put will not be very widebut rather narrow. But that doesn’t mean you can’t put more and more layers of moss down the length of the stick to make it thicker (and more importantly so the plant has more room to attach to it).
And ready! This is how foam pegs are made. Do you dare to try now?