It doesn't matter where you are growing....on the porch, in the pool cage, in the house, or in a greenhouse like me....if you have a plant that wants or needs to climb to reach its full potential, totem construction is a basic skill you want to learn.

I grow a lot of climbing plants, mainly aroids, but also Hoyas, vines and other things that have a vining habit. They just don't make totems big enough for the long term growth of a lot of plants anymore. Those little bitty 2 ft totems won't cut it for me. So I learned how to make really big ones that suit my personal needs, and can be adapted to work anywhere, even in a house.

The first thing you need are the proper supplies. I use 3-4 inch diameter PVC pipe a lot. I like the kind with the holes already drilled, but the solid pipe works well too. This is a 10 ft long 4" diameter pipe

The next thing you need is covering, something that will allow the plant's roots to grip the totem and hold on. Some people like to use burlap for this purpose. I like to use coir fiber mat. I buy it by the roll, 36 ft x 3 ft, its a lot more economical that way and easier to work with. It can easily be cut to size with ordinary scissors. It is also easy to repair/replace portions that start to deteriorate. I usually underlay the mat with a layer of landscape fabric.





Then you need something to hold it on. I like to use 14gauge aluminum wire, and zip ties






First I cover the pole with landscape fabric


Then I cut to fit the coir mat and put it over the first layer in stages


until the entire length is wrapped. If you want additional wrapping, this is the time to use your indestructible cording or monofilament line to do diamond wrapping. Don;t use jute twine...it will rot very very quickly.



This is where you can get creative. If you are going to have a kind of freestanding totem, you can only cover it to where you leave maybe the last 3 feet bare, and bury that in a large planter, fill in with soil, then ballast the pipe with sand or river rock. Then plant your plants in the planter and attach them to the totem.
If you are not going to have to be totally freestanding, but have it against a wall under a skylight or out in the pool cage, you can attach the top to something to anchor it.

I usually either put mine directly against the wall in the greenhouse, or make them freestanding and anchor the tops to the steel struts and crossbars in the attic.

This totem, I anchored on the ground against the trunks of 2 dead Pemba Palms. I was already using these as totems for climbers, but, eventually they will deteriorate. So I lashed the artificial totem to these, and also anchored it to the roof struts so that it is stable. For this purpose, I use a PVC 'T' piece that I make of old pipes I have laying around.


I place the totem where it will stay and getting up on the ladder, place the long end of the T into the top of the hollow pipe, and then secure the T piece to the ceiling struts with 14 ga wire


Its secure at top and bottom, it cannot fall down.

Now its ready to go!



One totem this size can accommodate several different plants. This one will be hosting an Anthurium decipiens, which is small now at about 3 feet tall but will eventually have leaves as big as a person is tall


a Painted Lady Philodendron



A Philodendron mayoi



And a Philodendron squamiferum



But this would also make a great totem for an Epipremnum pinnate like Jade and Pearls, Marble Queen, Neon, NJoy, etc to let it climb, get big leaves and eventually split

Gina, what a great step by step tutorial! I haven't made a totem in quite a few years but I used to buy the smaller rolls of coir for that purpose too.

Years ago, I wrapped a couple of cedar branches with coir, securing it with green flocked floral wire and "planted" them in with Philodendrons so they'd have something to climb. The idea of using PVC is wonderful because it will never disintegrate!

Where do you find the PVC with the holes already drilled? That sure saves a lot of time and work!

Lin they are the PVC at Home Depot and Lowes that are designed to be used in drainage applications, like French Drains and Septic leach fields. They work well because you can use the holes to secure wire through.

at this time, I have no intention of growing on a totem, despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed the tutorial and views of greenhouse

How would you build one using burlap. I am most interested and ready to build I'm planting pothos

Maybe coat it with something that would make the burlap grab? I have never used burlap.

What's the benefit of the landscape fabric? I just made some out of PVC and burlap and figured that PVC would not be susceptible to anything that fabric would prevent...should I be worried?

For the burlap, I drilled through holes through the PVC and then put zip ties through the holes. Similar to wire, the ends of the ties leave something sticking out that the burlap can hold while you wrap. Once I finished wrapping, I tied with twine similar to a coco coir pole I bought and used as a model. Overall, the burlap was very easy and substantially cheaper than buying pre-made.

Wow- your plants and greenhouse look lovely - and great tutorial- I planned to make some moss totems for my Monstera and pothos as well. But the coir makes more sense.

Wow, that's great! I rarely get past using a tomato cage.