Latin Name: Monstera Deliciosa

Common Name: Split Leaf Philodendron, Swiss Cheese Plant

Family: Araceae

Genus: Monstera

Native To: Central America in tropical climates

Growth Habits in Nature: Tree climbing

General Care

Soil & Watering

Monsteras like a well-draining, chunkier soil. This prevents the roots from sitting in water, which can lead to root rot. Monsteras prefer a drier soil and don’t need to be watered until the top few inches of the soil are dry. If you notice the water sitting at the top of the plant, take a chopstick, or something similar, and poke the soil to loosen it. (see compaction)

Signs of a plant that needs to be watered, other than checking the soil, are wilting, dull leaves. 

If you are not sure, it is best not to water as Monsteras don’t mind their soil on the drier side. 

Light

Monsteras, although somewhat tolerant of low light, need bright, indirect light to grow. They prefer to be near an east facing window (getting lots of morning light). Indirect lighting means that the leaves of the plant can “see” the light from the window, but is not directly up against the glass, where the light is too strong and can burn the leaves. The light is diffused but still reaching the plant. 

If you have a west or south facing window, Monsteras will grow better further from the window or behind a sheer curtain. North facing windows do not see as much light. Monsteras will be tolerant of this light, but may become “leggy” (lots of space on the stem between leaves (nodes), and may not get as many fenestrations (holes/cutouts in the leaf) and grow slower with smaller leaves. If you want to have a large, bushy Monstera, you can supplement the light using a grow light. 

The more light the plant gets - the more often you’ll need to water!

Support

In nature, Monsteras naturally climb trees. They grab onto trees using aerial roots that grow from the nodes of the plant. The best way to keep your plants healthy is to mimic their natural environment, so, using a stake or trellis to support your Monstera lets the plan focus on growth rather than support. A sign that your plant is in need of more support is the growth of aerial roots. These are woody looking growths that originally start as small bumps and expand outwards from the nodes (little knuckles on the plant stem where the leaves grow from.)

Aerial Roots - we love em

Fertilizing

When your Monstera has grown several new leaves lately and is in its growing season (spring through fall), this is the best time to fertilize your monstera. Sprouting new growth uses a lot of nutrients and can deplete the reserves of the plant. Fertilizing with an organic or very diluted chemical fertilizer (only once a year if it is a chemical fertilizer), replenishes these nutrients. Always read the instructions on your fertilizer, it is also important not to overdo it. 

Common Problems

Yellowing Leaves

If the older leaves towards the bottom of the plant have started to yellow, don’t panic! This is a sign that the food reserves of your plant are becoming depleted and are shedding older leaves in order to provide nutrients for growing new ones. To stop this, you’ll need to replenish the nutrients by fertilizing your plant with a light, organic fertilizer. You can find fertilizers that sit on top of the soil or ones that you add to water, just be mindful of the instructions. Chemical fertilizers like Miracle Gro plant food can be used, but dilute it even more than the instructions direct because these can burn the roots. 

Compaction

Water sitting at the top of the soil or being deflected to the sides of the pot is a sign of soil compaction. Compacted soil is too tightly packed, or hydrophobic, meaning that it is easier for water to flow down the sides of the pot, rather than penetrate the soil to reach the roots of your plant. When this occurs, the soil may look like it is hydrated, when in reality the centre of the soil, where the roots are, are dry. Compacted soil can be loosened by poking the soil, as deep as possible, throughout the surface of the plant with a chopstick (or something similar)

Brown Edges

If your leaves are getting brown and crispy around the edges, this is most often a watering issue. The edges of the leaf are the last place to get nutrients and a lack of water causes these edges to dehydrate and leave the area browned and crisped. This can also be combatted with increasing humidity to prolong soil saturation.

Discolouration of leaves

If the leaves are getting lighter splotchy areas, this is likely a sunburn and the plant should be moved further from the window or behind a shear curtain. If the entire leaf starts to go light green or almost see-through, this may be that the plant is lacking nitrogen and cannot photosynthesize properly. Treating the plant with a nitrogen rich fertilizer, preferably an organic one to not stress the plant, is the best solution for this.

When should I repot?

Monsteras do not mind being in a crowded pot but once you see roots (not aerial roots) sticking out of the soil or drainage holes, it could be time to check the roots for a repot. 

If you can squeeze the pot, this can help to release the plant from the pot. If you have a hard pot you can poke around the outside of the pot. Once loosened, grab the plant from the base of the stem and the plant should release from the pot with the entire root ball and soil, especially if the roots are crowded. If there is resistance you can give the plant a gentle twist to release, or reach into the pot, as long as you are careful not to damage the mature roots. This is easiest to do when the soil has been recently watered. If you can see a lot of roots crowding the outside of the pot, more than 50% of the surface area, it is time for a repot. Otherwise, your plant is fine in its current pot, or else it may stress the plant.

If you need to repot, give the root ball a few gentle squeezes to loosen the roots and soil, again careful not to damage the roots. If the roots are very crowded and sticking together, leave the plant in water for a few minutes and then poke between the roots to separate them gently. If you lose some of the thinner roots, don’t fret, just be careful and try not to damage the thicker main roots. A gentle root prune can often trigger growth as a response, as long as the core roots remain intact. Once you have most of the roots separated, take a look at your roots and choose a pot that leaves about an inch or less of space around the roots. Any larger and your plant will become stressed and deplete its nutrients.