So you have some indoor plants, but you need to know how to use supporting stakes properly? You’re in the right place! I’ve been gardening for years, and I can help you figure out the best ways to support your little plant babies.
When you grow indoor plants, they will eventually outgrow their container. In other words, your plant needs something to climb or trail. What should you do? Whether it’s a peace lily, spider plant, ivy, or something else, the solution is the same. To support your indoor plant, stake it.
You just need the right materials and follow a few simple steps. By staking indoor plants with stakes and strings, you can enjoy them for longer than if you let them grow freely—and keep them from drooping into a sad mess that blocks light for other plants in the same room. Read on to learn more about staking indoor plants.
What You’ll Need
The first step to staking indoor plants is to gather the supplies. You’ll need: – A container or pot. Make sure there is enough room for you to tie your plant to the stake.
- A stake obviously! You can find a wide variety of stakes online and at garden stores. You can even make your own…it’s basically just a stick, or strong enough wire.
- Something to tie the plant to the stake. Raffia, twine, or yarn are all good options! Butchers twine is my go-to.
- A pencil or pen. To mark where you want the stake! Super simple.
- Scissors and/or clippers. To trim the stem of your indoor plant – this is actually more important than many even realize.
- A small pot or saucer. To catch any water that drips off the plant when watering…this is easily missed.
How to Stake Indoor Plants
Once you have all of your supplies gathered, it’s time to stake your indoor plant. Follow these steps to stake indoor plants. – Choose a plant that needs staking. Some indoor plants need to be tied to stakes, while others do not.
Check the tag on your plant. If it says “needs support,” it’s a good candidate.
- Mark where you want your stake. If you are using a pre-made stake, make sure to place it about an inch away from the bottom of the plant.
- Put a small amount of dirt in your saucer. This will catch any dripping water from watering your plant.
- Water your plant and let the water drip until it runs clear.
- Tie a piece of string or yarn around the stem of your plant about an inch above the soil line.
- Place the stake in the soil at the mark you made and tie the string to the stake.
- Tuck the ends of the string into the soil. This will prevent them from getting caught or tangled around your plant as it grows.
- Water regularly and trim any vines as they grow to keep them from getting too tangled and to encourage them to grow toward the stake.
When to Stake Indoor Plants
Some indoor plants naturally grow vines and can be staked. Others will not grow long vines and do not need to be staked.
Plants that need staking include:
- vines (e.g., grapes, jasmine)
- climbing plants (e.g., petunias, morning glory)
- tall or leggy plants (e.g., caladium, poinsettia, aspidistra).
Plants that do not need staking
- low-growing plants (e.g., spider plants, English ivy, peace lilies, money plants)
- shrubs (e.g., African violets, philodendrons)
- short-growing plants (e.g., begonias, impatiens, orchids).
How to Stake a Hanging Plant
Hanging plants are an excellent choice if you have limited space or a small indoor garden. These plants often have vines that will drape down and look lovely when allowed to trail. If you want to bring them to eye level, however, you’ll need to stake them. Here’s how to stake a hanging plant.
- Choose a plant that naturally has vines that will trail down. Good choices include grapes and philodendrons.
- Mark where you want to place your stake. You want the vine of your indoor plant to trail down about a foot.
- Put a small amount of dirt in your saucer. This will catch any dripping water from watering your plant.
- Water your plant and let the water drip until it runs clear.
- Tie a piece of string or yarn around the stem of your plant about an inch above the soil line. – Place the stake in the soil at the mark you made and tie the string to the stake.
- Tuck the ends of the string into the soil. This will prevent them from getting caught or tangled around your plant as it grows.
- Water regularly and trim any vines as they grow to keep them from getting too tangled and to encourage them to grow toward the stake.
Steps to Stake a Trailing Plant
There are a few different ways you can go about staking a trailing indoor plant. Here are a few examples.
- If you have a vine, you can tie it to a stake. Just make sure to use a piece of string or yarn that is long enough to allow the vine to trail down. If you don’t have a vine, you can “loop” the stem of your plant around the stake. Make sure to leave a loop so the stem doesn’t get pulled too tight.
- You can also tie a piece of string or yarn around your plant’s stem about an inch above the soil line. Then, tie the other end of the string to the stake.
- Another option is to place a small pot or saucer upside down under the stem of your plant. Then, tie the stem of your plant to the pot or saucer. This allows the stem to grow down and into the soil, while keeping the plant upright.
When you grow indoor plants, they will eventually outgrow their container. In other words, your plant needs something to climb or trail. What should you do? Whether it’s a peace lily, spider plant, ivy, or something else, the solution is the same. To support your indoor plant, stake it.
You just need the right materials and follow a few simple steps. By staking indoor plants with stakes and strings, you can enjoy them for longer than if you let them grow freely—and keep them from drooping into a sad mess that blocks light for other plants in the same room.
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