A gentle, damp cloth or a fast shower with lukewarm water can be used to clean your monstera’s leaves, especially the oldest ones on the plant, to eliminate any dust accumulation.
Only two fertilizer applications will be required for your monstera throughout the entire year: one in early spring and one in late summer.
Your monstera plant will eventually develop aerial roots from its stem. These aerial roots are there to support the plant; do not cut them off. If any aerial roots are too short to support a climbing plant, train them back into the soil to absorb more nutrients when they are long enough.
Could you remove air roots?
The top 5 suggestions for dealing with these roots are as follows:
- I frequently find them to be attractive, depending on the plant and the size of the roots. You can let them flourish if you share that sentiment. You are not need to spray them, although you are welcome to.
- They can also be planted in soil to continue serving their purpose.
- absorb nutrients and moisture
- Some feel them to be ugly. Feel free to cut them off if you’re one of them. The plant won’t be harmed by you. Cutting aerial roots won’t hurt your plant in any way, just like pruning earth roots won’t (and actually encourages root branching). Cut as near to the main stem as you can if you want to completely eliminate them. Although I don’t typically sanitize my pruning shears, doing so is the best practice because it lowers the likelihood that the incision will become infected. Rub alcohol or hydrogen peroxide are both suitable for sterilizing. Even though the aerial roots are extending too far, you might still like the way they look. If so, trim them and shorten them to fit your needs and the available area. Once more, you won’t do any harm to the plant. They will keep growing, so don’t be concerned.
- Root pruning has some exceptions, including orchids. Don’t cut the roots of orchids. Because they are epiphytes, orchids in the wild cling to trees with their aerial roots. Despite the fact that some of the orchid roots in our houses are buried in bark or sphagnum moss and others are floating in the air, all orchid roots are aerial in nature. Cutting an orchid’s aerial roots would result in the loss of roots that the plant needs to collect moisture and nutrients. Orchids frequently lack the length and density of roots that non-epiphytic plants do, and each healthy root will help the plant absorb moisture and grow stronger. Another justification for leaving orchid roots alone is because it’s thought that they can photosynthesize.
- Some people conceal aerial roots in another pot or place them in a vase with water. Although I personally don’t think this is a good idea because a new vase or pot takes up more room, you can certainly do it. The new vase or pot should allow the roots to absorb water. However, putting the roots in the same pot as the plant will produce the same results.
What are Monstera aerial roots?
Even indoors, Monstera deliciosa plants eventually have very long aerial roots. What do they do, exactly? Understanding how they fit into nature is crucial.
Simply put, aerial roots are plant roots that develop above the soil’s surface.
In the wild, Monstera deliciosa plants grow higher and more aerially to reach stronger light and to cling to tree trunks for support.
Outdoor aerial roots can cling to walls, trees, and other constructions. Watch the one below as it scales a wall.
Here is another illustration of a Monstera in the Cleveland Botanical Gardens climbing a tree.
What do you do with aerial roots on Monstera?
The thick, brown, cord-like aerial roots on my own plant grew so much that they piled up in a huge heap on the living room floor. My plant got difficult to rotate, so I just cut the roots back until they were no longer in contact with the ground.
Your plant won’t be harmed by this. Just keep in mind that more aerial roots will inevitably erupt, necessitating further trimming.
I don’t totally remove the aerial roots since I like the way they look. However, doing so won’t hurt your plant in any way.
Some may give them direction so they can begin to grow in the dirt in their pot. Although there is no danger in doing this—I myself don’t—doing so frequently enough can make it more difficult to repot your plant in the future.
People have also questioned whether they ought to put their Monstera aerial roots in tiny containers of water.
Although it is possible, it is not absolutely necessary. You don’t need to bother about watering or even misting your aerial roots if you use excellent watering techniques.
Can you propagate monstera aerial roots?
You cannot develop a new Monstera plant from merely an aerial root; I’m not sure where the idea comes from.
Starting with a cutting with a node will allow you to grow a new plant (where the leaf meets the vine). View the image below.
On my own Monstera deliciosa plant, you can see the developing “eye” where the arrow is in the photo above.
Simply cut the vine where the two red lines are, on either side of the node, and plant it either directly into moist potting soil or in water to root.
How can I train Monstera roots into a moss pole?
Although you don’t have to train your Monstera on a moss pole, you may just fasten your vine to the pole.
The aerial root that is growing into the moss is visible above where I tied the vine with a green twisty tie in the image below.
It will be simpler for the aerial roots to develop into the moss if you water your moss post.
Pick your timing
The optimum time to divide or propagate your monstera is in the early spring because that is when it grows. They’ll have a better chance of overcoming root stress and resuming growth.
Water before you split
Before splitting the root ball, it should be well-hydrated. Give the roots a good soak a week before you carry out the deed so that water begins to flow out of the bottom of the pot. (Your pot has effective drainage, correct?)
Make the split
Carefully tip the pot on its side and slip the plant out when you’re ready to split your monstera. To avoid breaking anything, you might need assistance holding the plant or pot.
Use a garden shovel to gently encourage the plant out if it won’t come up on its own. Do not pull the plant out of the pot under any circumstances! There is no way you want to break any stems or leaves since they won’t grow back.
Once the monstera has been removed from the pot, divide the root ball into two or more plants using a sharp, clean knife. To ensure that each new plant has lots of roots and stems, look for natural sections and divisions in the existing plant.
This is something you kind of have to eyeball and look for any locations where the plant has already divided up. This will guarantee that the plant will rapidly begin growing after the split has healed.
Plant the new monsteras
It’s time to move the individual plants into their new pots after you’ve divided your monstera into two or more plants.
Perhaps you need containers that are smaller than the one the large plant was in. Select containers with sufficient drainage that are 2-4 inches wider than the new plants’ roots. Plant in a soil with peat, such as our specialty monstera soil, that drains well.
When the plants are in their new pots, give them some water, and position them somewhere with bright, indirect light.
To promote recuperation and new development, you can begin fertilizing the plants around a month after you separate them!
When repotting Monstera, should the roots be disturbed?
You need to divide or repot your Monstera into two or more smaller plants in order to free it from its root-bound condition. Either way, this will make sure that your plant’s roots have enough room to spread out and grow.
It is best to act sooner rather than later if you find that your Swiss Cheese plant is root-bound, similar to when your Monstera suddenly starts to droop. Your plant might return to growing and producing strong leaves and new stems as soon as you allow it more area to expand.
How do you repot a root bound Monstera plant?
It is straightforward and just needs to follow a few easy procedures to repot a Monstera plant that has become root-bound:
- Take the plant out of the pot, then delicately unwrap some of the roots to prevent further round, constrictive growth.
- Making careful to add enough soil, fill the bottom of the new pot so that when the Monster is placed inside, the top of the root ball will be a few inches below the top of the new pot.
- With one hand, carefully hold the plant while you begin to fill in the area surrounding the roots with fresh dirt. Be careful not to remove all the air pockets as you tap the earth down to support the plant.
- Making sure not to bury the plant too deeply in the pot, fill the pot with dirt up to the top of the root ball of the plant and stop.
- If you want to encourage your Monstera to climb as it grows in its new pot, water the plant and add a support post for it or a trellis.
And considering how much better suited for its continued growth this will likely be, moving your Monstera from its small pot into something bigger that’s going to be the best pot for your Monstera is really all that’s required. As previously said, splitting or repotting your Monstera will work to free up the roots, with both procedures essentially needing the same amount of effort.
Your plant will grow significantly over the next few months since its roots will like having more room to spread out and flourish. Repotting or splitting your formerly root-bound Monstera also provides the plant the chance to get new soil, which will give it the chance to develop and thrive by giving it more nutrients.
Due to this, it is advised that you:
- When handling your Monstera plant, wear gloves.
- After you’ve replanted or pruned your Monstera, thoroughly wash your hands. Before you eat or use the restroom, you should thoroughly wash off any sap that has gotten on your skin, even through work gloves.
- To prevent accidently putting sap in your eyes or lips while working, avoid touching your face.
How do you split a root bound Monstera?
To solve the problem, you can divide a bigger root-bound Monstera into multiple smaller plants by doing the following easy steps:
- The day before splitting, water the Monstera plant well to assist loosen the soil and make sure the roots are not unduly strained. This will prevent you from starting to stress it more by cutting it.
- Use the same procedures as for the other methods to remove your plant from the pot.
- Look for natural branches and offshoots by cutting through the roots and the stems’ junction point with a clean knife or pair of clippers.
- Remember that it is better to have two healthy plants than three stressed plants, so make sure that each new plant you cut off has enough roots and leaves to flourish.
- Take your new pots, fill them with potting soil, and if you’d like, add a slow-release fertilizer for your Monstera.
- Filling in the fresh soil and gently tamping it down will anchor the roots and support the plant in the new container. Support the plant so the top of the roots are a few inches below the lip of the pot.
- Fill the pot to the brim with dirt, covering the topmost roots with a thin layer so they are not exposed but taking care not to bury them too deeply.
- Make sure the plant can stand up on its own, tap the pot gently on your work surface, and then properly water the plant.
- As you would usually, take care of it, keeping in mind that as it gets used to the new growth conditions, some of the leaves may turn yellow and fall off.
Within a few weeks, fresh growth will become apparent. Also keep in mind that your Monstera (now two! ), which might be in shock from the splitting and transplanting, will require more care and attention than normal during this period. This is very normal, and your plants should recover over time.
Should the aerial roots of Monstera be cut?
Your Monstera naturally has aerial roots. No need to chop them off, please. As long as you use a clean, sharp blade and cut them back if they are blocking the path, it is acceptable.
The main plant of your Monstera won’t suffer if the aerial roots are cut off. These roots are designed to ascend, not to absorb nourishment.
For additional information on what to do with the aerial roots of your Monstera, keep reading!
Should I soak the aerial roots of Monstera in water?
I’ve seen several sources advise you to put a bowl of water in the planter for your Monster deliciosa and trail its aerial roots in there. According to the theory, this is because aerial roots may actually absorb moisture. However, submerging them in water nonstop won’t likely accomplish much more than cause them to deteriorate and perhaps put your plant in risk.
However, you can frequently spray the aerial roots of your Monstera. Again, there is no scientific evidence that this makes a significant difference, but it won’t hurt. In addition, since these tropical plants prefer their surroundings to be moist, make sure the air humidity is not too low.
Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any additional queries regarding Monstera aerial roots or if you would want to discuss your own interactions with these magnificent tropical houseplants.