These must-know tips will help you care for a monstera like a pro.
They’ve become an iconic tropical houseplant with foliage ranging from emerald to forest green.
These vining plants are originally native to rainforests in Central America.
Credit:Torriphoto / Getty Images
For the majority of growers, monsteras are houseplants.
Outdoors, monsteras can reach up to 50 feet high with leaves spanning two feet long.
When grown indoors, their size is much smaller due to container size, variety, and available light.
Here’s how to care for your monstera houseplant.
Regardless of skill level, any plant lover can grow this enticing plant in their home.
Light
These nativetropical plantsneed lots of light.
Aim to give your monstera around 5-8 hours of indirect but bright light.
Aim to give variegated monsteras 5-12 hours of light a day.
Place your monstera in front a north- or south-facing window to get the most natural indirect sunlight.
Soil and Water
Plan onwatering every 1-2 weeks.
Fully saturate the soil with water and double-check it drains from the pot.
Let the soil dry between waterings to avoid root rot.
Use a soil mix that drains well.
Temperature and Humidity
Like most houseplants, monsteras prefer a range between 65-85F.
Dont let your homes temperature dip below 60F.
The cold shock will cause your monstera to stop growing.
Typically, your homes normal humidity will work.
If your home tends to err on the dry side, think about investing in a humidifier.
To best cater to the plants needs,attempt to mist your monsteraonce a week.
This will help mimic the tropical environment it prefers.
Fertilizer
For this quick-growing plant, fertilizer is a must.
Aim to fertilize your monstera once a month during the growing season (spring and summer).
For easy software, use a 20-20-20liquid all purpose fertilizer.
How to Prune a Monstera
Monsteras are fast growers, gaining 1-2 feet a year.
With all that growth, its important toremember to prune the plant.
double-check to cut back any yellowing leaves or dying stems to promote the overall health of the plant.
Thebest pot size for your plantcan vary based on the size and speed of growth.
see to it to gradually increase the pot size.
If theres too much additional soil, your monstera will be more susceptible to root rot.
When potting your plant, add a moss pole or wooden post to help stabilize the plant.
Use string or wire to hold the vines on the supports.
This also benefits the aerial roots when they begin climbing.
How to Propagate a Monstera
it’s super easy to propagate monsteras!
The easiest method is totake a stem cutting.
Start by choosing a healthy stem with a few leaves.
Then place the cutting into a glass of water and wait for a root system to grow.
This should take 2-3 weeks.
Remember to change the water every 3-5 days.
Otherwise, the cutting could start to rot.
The best time to implement this method is when you’re repotting your plant.
This gives you a full view of the root system.
Then repot both plants.
Additionally, you cantry air layering your plant.
You’ll need plastic wrap, twine or twist tie, and sphagnum moss.
Cut a square of plastic wrap large enough to hold a clump of moss around a section of stem.
Then, soak the moss and squeeze out excess water.
snag the stem and node you want to propagate and place the moss around the area.
Wrap the plastic square around the moss and tie shut.
When roots form in the sphagnum moss, cut the stem below the roots and repot.
Pests and Problems
Typically, a monstera is an easy-to-maintainplant thats usually pest free.
The most common issues are yellowing leaves or curling leaves, which are related to watering.
The leaves will curl from a lack of proper water and will yellow when overwatered.
Part of having a monstera is getting those gorgeous splits in the broad leaves.
If your monstera lacks these splits, its most likely because your plant hasnt matured enough.
The leaves will split when the plant is 2-3 years old.
Additionally, it grows faster than the non-variegatedMonstera Deliciosa.
Mature leaves are smaller than other types of monsteras.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both plants come from the arum family.
This means thelook and grow similarly.
While they are in the same family, the leaves of each plant differ.
Monsteras have fenestrated foliage (leave with holes) and philodendrons do not.
If you take good care of your monstera, it can live up to 40 years.
This is why it’s considered a heirloom plant.
