Monstera deliciosa’s iconic, split leaves are so pretty that they have been featured frequently on everything from throw pillows to wallpaper. Monstera sure is a stunning plant! Some of the reasons for its popularity is the fact that it is easy to grow, can get huge and live for many years, and it looks great with many different interior styles. It’s safe to say that the popularity for Monsteras isn’t going away anytime soon. Here is how to care for these beauties.
Where To Place It
The Monstera prefers a place with shade, but it can handle a bit of light. Ideally you should place your Monstera in a room with a lot of indirect light but not in direct sunlight, this will damage its leaves. Too little light in turn results in leaves with few perforations. The best temperature for Monstera is 28-34°C, but it can grow perfectly and live in temperatures down to 18°C.
How To Water
Water your Monstera at least once a week so that the soil is well saturated; moist but not soggy. A Monstera does not grow so well when it has wet feet. The soil does not have to dry up completely between waterings. If you put your finger in the soil and the soil is dry 2-5 cm deep, then it is the ideal time to add water. The plant needs less water in the winter. It may then dry out to a depth of 7-12 cm. The speed at which a Monstera grows strongly depends on the water supply. Take extra care of your Monstera by spraying it with water twice a week in the morning. This resembles the rain it gets on its leaves in the rain forest.
Fertilisation
Feed your plant every second week during the spring and summer, and monthly during the fall and winter. Use half a teaspoon of liquid food. A standard plant food with 20% nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium each is perfect. Repot your Monstera every 1-2 years at the end of the winter. Plant it in a pot that is 5 cm larger than the previous one. First, fill a third of the new pot with new soil, then put the Monstera with its root ball on it. Continue filling around with soil. Finally, add earth to the top if necessary. Push the aerial roots into the new earth. Monstera is a climbing plant so it needs something to climb on. Start to give your Monstera support once the plant starts growing to the sides rather than up.
Pruning And Propagating
Many people do not like the air roots that their Monstera has and decide to cut them off. This is not a bad thing to do because loose air roots that don’t get to a water/food source have no function. However, if you want to give your plant a boost, you can lead the air roots to the pot instead of cutting them off. That way your upper leaves have an extra channel for food and water. You can easily propagate a Monstera, just find a leaf growing out of a stem with a short aerial root below it. Cut below that root, about 3-4 cm. Put the leaf in water, change weekly until roots develops and then pot your new plant in soil. Congrats, you have made a new baby Monstera!
For even more Monstera deliciosa inspiration, please check out our video below:
Image credits: Nittonarton & Unsplash
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