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Learn how to make an easy plant mount with supplies from Dollar Tree! Using low-cost supplies is a great way to get creative and experiment with DIYs without breaking the bank.
Be sure to check out the video tutorial in this post for the full details!
What Plants Can I Mount?
Any plant that can grow in sphagnum moss can be mounted! Epiphytes—plants that grow on tree trunks and branches—will love to be mounted as they’re used to growing in a loose medium up in the air.
However, any plant that can grow in a sphagnum moss-type medium is a good candidate to be mounted. This would be many types of tropical plants such as pothos, philodendron, monstera, etc.
While they’re not epiphytes, these plants are also used to growing in funky environments, like latching onto and growing up tree trunks.
Plant Mount Supplies
You can find these items at the Dollar Tree. (As a side note, I also get a lot of plant project supplies from secondhand stores—another low-cost solution.)
- Mount – Any piece of wood will do—I found the piece I used in the crafts section of Dollar Tree
- Twine or string
- Fishing line/Monofilament line
- Super glue (optional to help secure the knots, but not necessary)
In addition to these, you’ll need the plant you’re going to be mounting and sphagnum moss. If you can find sphagnum moss at your local dollar store…I’M JEALOUS.
UPDATE: I now sell plant mounting kits with vintage baskets (example in the photo below). It’s an easy way to create a beautiful piece of living art. Check out the kits in my shop!
How to Mount a Plant
Step 1
Get a few handfuls of sphagnum moss. It’s easier to work with when it’s damp, so mist it thoroughly or soak it. If you soak it, be sure to totally ring it out so it’s not dripping wet.
Step 2
Put an initial pile of moss on the mount—no need to cover the entire mount, just use enough to lay the rootball of your plant on top of.
Step 3
Remove your plant from its pot. You can get rid of some excess soil but don’t disturb the roots too much. Lay the plant on the mount with the rootball resting on the pile of spagnum moss.
Step 4
Now use more moss to cover the front and sides of the rootball. I secured this initial layer with twine, which I felt would make a good backup reinforcement to the fishing line (which comes in the next step).
Secure the moss and plant to the mount by going around the back, across the front, up from the bottom, etc. with twine.
Step 5
Continue to build up more moss around the rootball as needed. This part is up to you—you can mold it into more of a circle shape if you want, add more moss if there are any sparse areas, take some away, etc.
I secured this outer layer of moss with fishing line, which is for the most part “invisible” as opposed to using twine around the outside. Go around the rootball/moss/mount as many times as you need until it all feels secure.
This is when I used some super glue to reinforce my knots, but if you don’t have glue you can just make sure your knots are tight and secure.
Step 6
That’s it! Find a place to hang your new mounted plant. I ended up taking mine off the wall once or twice to reshape the moss a bit more once I saw how it would look hanging up.
How Do I Care for a Mounted Plant?
Mounted plants look confusing and complicated, but they’re really not! This is just an alternative way to “pot” a plant, so give them the same conditions they would normally want.
- Light – The crocodile fern I used likes a moderate amount of light, so I picked a space on a wall that receives that light level.
- If you don’t have a wall space with an appropriate light level, just make sure your plant is getting the light it needs every few days by moving it to a light source for a day or so.
- Water – Water your mounted plant by soaking the moss/rootball in water or taking it to the sink or shower and running water over the rootball. Just as if you were using a watering can, you want to make sure those thirsty roots get nice and soaked. Then let it drip dry and hang it back up!
- Mounted plants usually dry out faster than potted plants, so you’ll have to check a little more often to see if your plant is thirsty.
- Tropical plants can benefit from some misting, but this is NOT a substitute for watering. Misting isn’t enough to fully saturate the rootball and reach the thirsty roots.
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