How to Grow and Care for Monstera Deliciosa

Monstera deliciosa, also known as the split-leaf philodendron or Swiss cheese plant, is a tropical plant often kept as a houseplant. This easy-to-grow climbing evergreen provides a dramatic focal point due to its size and unique shape. Monstera deliciosa has glossy, heart-shaped split leaves and is relatively easy to care for. It is a fast grower, about 1 to 2 feet a year, and takes about three years to reach full-grown maturity.

Monstera deliciosa grows best in humid and warm environments, requiring dappled or partial light, acidic or neutral, well-drained peat-based soil, and temperatures between 65°F and 85°F. This beautiful plant is toxic to humans and pets.

Monstera Deliciosa Care

Here are the main care requirements for growing a monstera deliciosa:

• Requires warmth and humidity; can plant outdoors in USDA zones 10 through 12.
• Prefers partial sun or dappled light.
• Needs acidic or neutral, peat-based, well-draining soil.
• Use a pot with ample drainage holes and water regularly.
• Give balanced fertilizer three to four times per year.
  

How Much Sunlight Do Monstera Plants Need?

As a houseplant, monsteras need bright, indirect sunlight, and prefer not to be in the direct sunlight for too long, especially in summer. Direct sunlight can burn the leaves.

If you don't think your monstera is getting enough light, you can install a grow light to encourage better growth.

If you are keeping your monstera outside, place it in full shade or partial shade, as this mimics its natural environment in woodlands and forests.

What Type of Potting Soil Is Best for Monsteras?

Monsteras like evenly moist, well-draining potting soils when grown as a houseplant. The best soil for monsteras will also have amendments, like perlite and shredded bark, which help with the plant's drainage and aeration.

You can achieve this by mixing together three parts indoor houseplant soil, two parts shredded bark, and one part perlite.

Grown in its native environment, monstera deliciosa likes lightly sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with acid or neutral pH.

How Should I Water a Monstera Deliciosa?

You should water a monstera whenever the top few inches of soil are dry, which you can test with your finger.

If your monstera needs water, be sure to water it slowly and deeply until water runs out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.

Avoid keeping your plant's soil moist all the time, as this can cause root rot. Instead, let it dry out between waterings. You can tell your monstera needs water if the leaves look droopy or are starting to curl.

Monstera has different watering needs in summer and winter. In summer, when it's actively growing, water it once a week. In the dormant season, winter, you can switch to a once every two or three week schedule.

What Temperature and Humidity Do Monsteras Need?

Monstera deliciosa prefers temperatures between 65°F and 85°F. It can tolerate temperatures down to 50°F and up to 90°F but will stop growing at these extremes. It prefers high humidity, about 60%. To increase humidity indoors, add a humidifier.

Do I Need to Fertilize a Monstera Deliciosa?

Monstera deliciosas need to be fertilized every few weeks during the growing season. To fertilize a monstera deliciosa, choose a balanced liquid fertilizer with a 1-1-1 ratio or a 3-1-2 ratio. Dissolve the fertilizer in water and give it to the plant in place of a usual watering.

How to Get Monstera Leaves to Split

Adding a grow light is one of the best ways to get monstera leaves to split into fenestrations. Give your monstera plenty of light, water when the top inch or so of soil is dry, and fertilize regularly to support its growth.

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Types of Monstera Plants

Native to rainforests of Central America, there are nearly 50 species in theMonstera genus, with several species, cultivars, and variegated varieties. Variegated foliage and plants with exaggerated fenestrations (holes and splits) are pricier to buy since they're harder to propagate and grow slower than others. Here are a few of the most common, closely-related Monstera plants:

• Monstera albo (Monstera deliciosa 'Albo Borsigiana') is a rare (and expensive) variegated Monstera deliciosa subspecies with white, speckled coloring.
• Monstera obliqua is one of the rarest and most pricey of the Monstera plants, with large, delicate holes and splits.
• Monstera acacoyaguensis has mature leaves that don't split—instead, they perforate.
• Monstera dubia is also known as "shingle plant" and is a vining plant with medium green leaves with grey-green accents.
• Monstera adansonii, also called Swiss cheese plant, has larger leaves than M. acuminata, withlarger holes and lighter green coloration.
  
• Monstera deliciosa 'Peru' has dark green tear-drop shaped ovate leaves with an attractive puckered texture.
• Monstera deliciosa 'Thai Constellation' is a rare cultivar that is similar is size and shape to the Swiss cheese plant but features large creamy white patches and speckles.

Tips for Buying in-Store

• Always check for pests. Look at the underside of the leaves and the stems for visible insects or eggs, and disturb the soil to ensure no fungus gnats appear.
• Check for new growth. A healthy, happy plant should either have a shiny new, bright green leaf, or have new growth starting to appear on the stem.
• Make sure the plant isn't root-bound. Check the pot to ensure it doesn't have roots coming out of the bottom,
• Read the plant label. Make sure you understand the care requirements and have an ideal place for the plant in your home.

Pruning

Aerial roots may seem weird but they are a normal feature of the plant that grows as it seeks moisture and something to grow up. Try providing it with a moss pole. The only pruning the plant needs would be to keep the size under control. You can propagate any cuttings to make a new plant for yourself or to give to a friend.

Propagating Monstera Deliciosa

Monstera deliciosa can be easily propagated by stem cuttings from pruning. However, the most popular method of propagating Monstera deliciosa is air layering. Here are the steps for both methods:

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Propagation With Stem Cuttings

1. Using a clean, sharp pruning shear, cut off a stem that includes a node (a little bump where the roots will emerge), an aerial root, and at least two leaves.
2. Put the cutting in a glass of water. Change the water every three to five days, and if possible, use filtered water or rainwater over tap water.
3. You will see a clump of roots growing in a couple of months. At that point, you can put your new plant in a pot with fresh soil and keep it moist as it establishes itself in its new home.
   

Propagation With Air Layering

The mother plant may not look attractive for a while, but getting a healthy new plant is worth it. Air layering is a preferred low-risk method because you're not cutting the mother plant until the baby is ready to be put in a pot with new roots. You'll need floral or sphagnum moss, a plastic bag or wrap, and twist ties for this method.

1. Find a stem with a couple of nodes (where the roots will grow). Or, find a leaf growing out of a stem with a short aerial root below it.
2. Cut a small notch about 1/3 of the stem's width below that root.
3. Wrap a 1-inch layer of sphagnum moss around where the leaf joins the stem.
4. Spray the moss with water to increase moisture, and wrap it in plastic. Use twist ties to secure it (it may look a little messy, which is okay).
5. Ensure the moss can remain moist until the roots develop.
6. When roots develop in a few months, you can cut (with a clean, sharp tool) the stem below the roots and establish the young plant, with its roots, in a fresh pot of soil.

Potting and Repotting Monstera Deliciosa

The monstera deliciosa will likely outgrow its pot every two years or so. Transplant into a pot a few inches wider and deeper to accommodate growth. This plant prefers well-draining porous pots, such as terra-cotta or ceramic, because they like airflow and drainage; however, any material pot with drainage holes will do. Pot the plant using these simple steps:

1. Fill the bottom third of a pot with peaty potting soil.
2. Establish a stake gently for the stem to climb on.
3. Set the roots into the container. Fill with soil around the roots.
4. Firmly surround the stake with soil and use plant ties to attach the stem to the stake.

Picking a Monstera Pot Size

A good rule of them for choosing a pot for a monstera deliciosa is to pick one whose diameter is similar to the largest leaf. If the largest leaf is 8 inches wide, choose a pot that's 8 inches in diameter. Check out our favorite indoor planters for your next pick.

Common Pests

Wiping dust or debris off leaves with a damp sponge or paper towel will keep the plant clean and deter pests. However, common pests that may invade the plant include sap-sucking mealybugs, aphids (plant lice), tiny cigar-shaped thrips, scale insects, and spider mites. If any are found on the foliage, spray the plant with a direct water stream. Leaves can also be washed with insecticidal soap.

Common Pests and Diseases

There a few minor insect pests that may appear on your monstera, including spider mites, mealybugs, and fungus gnats. For spider mites, clean the leaves with a soft cloth with neem oil, which repels these pests. For mealybugs, use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol and apply the tip to each bug, then remove by wiping away as you go. The best way to deal with fungus gnats flies is with sticky traps.

The other problems that occur most frequently with monstera are root rot, which is caused by overwatering or poor drainage, or fungal diseases such as powdery mildew or leaf spot. Improving air circulation around the plant can help to prevent powdery mildew and leaf spot. Humidity can also cause powdery mildew, so if you notice this happening, trim off the affected leaves, then move the plant to a drier spot or try lowering the humidity levels in the room to see if this helps improve things.

Common Problems of Monstera Deliciosa

Though it's a somewhat easy-going houseplant, Monstera deliciosa can cause a few headaches. Figure out the cause of your sickly plant and how it can bounce back. Review these common symptoms of failing health.

Browning Leaf Tips

If the tips of the leaves are turning brown, that usually means the soil could be dry, or you need to consistently water the plant on a schedule to keep it moist. Remove the affected leaves.

If there's a yellow halo around the brown spots or tips, that means your plant has contracted a fungus. Remove the affected leaves and let the plant dry out before watering. The fungus likely got there because of overwatering or keeping the plant in overly wet soil for too long.

Yellow Leaves or Light Brown Spots

Yellowing leaves are an indication of dry soil. The oldest leaves on the plant will turn yellow first. Remove the affected leaves. If you notice dry, crispy spots on the leaves, check the soil; if it's bone dry, give it a good watering.

Wilting, Curling, or Drooping Leaves

If you see wilting leaves, it's likely a watering issue. The plant is either overwatered or underwatered. It's underwatered if the first few inches of surface soil are dry. Also, curling is a sign of low humidity; place the plant near a humidifier and move it away from air conditioning or heat vents.

Try taking the plant out of the pot to evaluate the roots. If it's overwatered, the plant could be suffering from root rot. Clean the roots, prune off mushy parts, and repot in new soil.

Black Spots on Leaves

This is not an unsightly problem, but may indicate either a deeper issue. if the spots have a dry texture, or a powdery finish, it could indicate a fungal disease. if the black spots seem moist or slimy, this may be a sign of a bacterial problem.

Remove the affected leaves and sterilize your tools afterwards so as not to spread the fungus or bacteria. Both of these issues can be worsened by too little air circulation and too much humidity. Neem oil is a good preventive, so clean remaining leaves with it to help prevent additional fungal or bacterial growth.

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• Is Monstera deliciosa easy to care for?

  As a houseplant, monstera deliciosa is easy to grow and maintain. Outdoors, however, you need to live in the right warm and humid environment for it to thrive.

• Why do the leaves on some Monstera deliciosa plants split more than on others?

  Fenestrated leaves require a lot of energy to split. The more light the plant receives, the more it will split. Less light produces smaller, less showy leaves.

• Where is the best place to put a Monstera deliciosa?

  Monstera deliciosa prefers bright, indirect light, so give it a spot a few feet away from a southern-, western-, or eastern-facing window. It can tolerate some shade, but too much shade will make it leggy.

• What is the difference between Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii?

  Both monstera plants are known as Swiss cheese plants, but what differs is the size of their leaves.Monstera deliciosa'sleaves are significantly larger than the petite leaves ofMonstera adansonii.

• Why is a monstera deliciosa plant expensive?

  A monstera deliciosa plant could be expensive because of the cost involved in raising a plant of its size, the rarity of the variety, or how mature the plant is. A larger plant requires more resources to care for and transport. It takes time to get the leaves to split; a monstera's leaves usually don't split until its two or three years old.

• Is monstera deliciosa toxic to touch?

  No, monstera deliciosa is not toxic to touch. Its sap, however, is toxic to pets and people, so avoid eating it or touching your eyes after you've come in contact with it.

From: thespruce