Monsteras typically require 5 to 8 hours of bright indirect light every day to flourish. More light is required to bring out the stunning coloring of variegated species, such as the Thai Constellation Monstera deliciosa or Variegatta Monstera deliciosa.
Sign #1: Your monstera may need more light if the leaves won’t split.
You should start to notice some fenestration, or splitting, in your leaves if your monstera is older than three years.
After all, the majority of us have them because it’s one of their most recognizable traits.
But for your monstera to achieve this, it needs light. Your monstera would be happier with more light if its adult leaves lacked holes.
Sign #2: If the monstera soil takes forever to dry out it may need more light.
A modest amount of water is needed by monsteras, however they dislike having damp roots. When the top inch or two of soil feel dry to the touch, you should water. (Dig a finger into the ground. Give your plant a drink if the soil is dry to the second knuckle!
Your monstera uses water more effectively while it is in the sun, but when it is dark, the soil might stay wet for a lot longer than is good for the roots.
If you’re giving your plant additional light in addition to changing the amount of water you give it if you’re going more than 10 days between waterings since the soil still feels moist. For your monstera, we advise using this potting mix (speaking about soil).
Sign #3: Give your monstera more light if you see leaf discoloration.
There could be a few things going on if you see dark brown spots or yellowing on your monstera’s leaves.
First, your plant probably receives too much water from you. However, as we discovered in the previous paragraph, because insufficient light prevents the soil from drying out, light and overwatering problems frequently coexist.
If reducing the amount of water you give your monstera doesn’t solve the issue, you might perhaps want to move it nearer a window or choose a window with more light overall.
Sign #4: If your monstera is growing slowly it may need more light.
It is commonly known that monsteras, particularly monstera deliciosa, can develop into… monsters!
In instance, Monstera deliciosa can expand up to 10 feet indoors, and it doesn’t take very long to do so.
It’s possible that your monstera isn’t getting enough light to provide the energy necessary to support new development if you find that it hasn’t gotten bigger or produced new leaves for a few months (especially during the spring or summer).
Does Monstera tolerate shade?
Due to its exquisitely cut leaves, monstera is sometimes dubbed Swiss cheese plant or split-leaf philodendron. Because of its Caribbean vibe, it is a need. The vegetation is tropical, lush, and deep green. The leaf can get extremely huge and exotic-looking over time. There is also a rare, slower-growing white variegated variety. Although they typically don’t blossom inside, they do yield edible fruit with a fruit salad-like flavor when grown in their natural habitat.
It should come as no surprise that your Monstera prefers warm indoor temperatures between 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit since it is a tropical plant. They also seem right at home in a little humidity. You can frequently find a little humidity in the kitchen and bathroom, or you can simply spritz your plant sometimes. These plants naturally flourish on the forest floor’s dappled illumination. Put your Monstera in direct, filtered light that is bright or brighter to approximate that. Though they might not show as much cut leaf foliage, they can grow in very deep shade. It can be grown outside in a shaded area if you reside in zones 10 or 11.
It prefers moist soil, but not one that is persistently soggy or excessively wet. Ensure that the pot has effective drainage. When the top inch of the soil seems dry, water once a week. Ensure that any extra water drains. It’s a good idea to feed the plants once a month with a liquid fertilizer like Espoma’s Organic Indoor! plant food in the spring and summer when they are actively growing.
Every year, repot young plants to promote development and supplement soil nutrients. progressively increase pot size by 2 inches year. Once your plant has grown to the height that is ideal for your environment, you just need to repot it every three years or so and give it an annual top dressing of fresh soil. To keep the soil moist but free-draining, always use high-quality potting soil. These animals are natural climbers and cling to trees with the help of their aerial roots. If you decide to repot your plant, add a support structure, such as a trellis or a post wrapped in moss.
Young plants frequently have bushy, compact characteristics. They will start to exhibit their vining characteristics as they develop. You can either encourage them to grow tall and dramatic or, if you like, pinch them to keep the lankyness in check. With your finger, pinch off the fresh growth point at the desired height. Pruning stems that are producing few or no leaves is acceptable. You may also cut off the aerial roots if you are unable to tuck them back into the pot.
Pests and diseases rarely affect monstera. To get rid of dust, periodically wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or give them a good shower. When you do, look for spider mites. This indoor plant has a long lifespan and requires little maintenance to bring you years of enjoyment.
Are you ready for more houseplants? Check out Homestead Brooklyn’s “How to Fertilize Houseplants” for more information.
Can Monstera overexpose to the sun?
- Balance the sun’s and the shade’s intensity. The leaves of Monstera become yellow when exposed to excessive sunlight. The plant will display a condition known as negative phototropism, in which new leaves develop toward the darkness rather than the light, if kept in the dark. (It’s a really cunning trick: in the jungle, nighttime indicates the presence of a taller tree that Monstera can scale to reach the sun.) Indirect sunlight is preferable because this isn’t attainable in a living room.
- Water Monstera once a week, evenly and moderately. Prior to adding more water, allow the soil to become somewhat dry. Keep in a relatively humid setting.
- Avoid repotting too frequently and trim regularly by pinching off new growth to control excessive growth.
Scientists have proposed the following theories as to why Monstera leaves have holes: The ability to capture sunlight on the rainforest floor is increased, according to one idea, by this puncture. According to the other theory, it allows tropical downpours to pass through the leaves, preventing harm to the plant. This explains Hurricane Plant, another name for Monstera.
Note that some of our favorite indoor plants are native to the tropics. Check out Tropical Plants 101: A Guide to Planting, Care & Design for more information. More ideas for indoor plants can be found at:
How far should Monstera stand from the window?
In that case, the following optimum lighting settings will help you maintain the lovely, full appearance of your Monstera Deliciosa:
- Next to or nearby a window with transparent curtains facing South, Southwest, or West for some strong, indirect light (keep in mind, they cannot handle full sun so the curtains keep the leaves from getting burned by the sun)
- Approximately 5 to 10 feet away from a window with no curtains facing the south, southwest, or west.
- next to a window with a north or east view
The leaves of Monsteras become split (or fenestrated) as they get older; the more light they receive, the larger and more fenestrated the new leaves will be. Although they do mostly develop with age, these splits become more obvious as the plant gets happier.
Advice: Buy or construct a moss pole for your plant to train on and grow up on if you want to spoil it and make it very happy.
Watering Requirements
Water the plant thoroughly until water is pouring out of the drainage holes, usually every 7 to 10 days, in the spring and summer when you see the top of the soil appears dry and the first few inches of soil are dry to the touch. So that water reaches the entire root ball, aerate the soil beforehand. If the plant is in a decorative pot, make sure all the runoff is poured out before letting it sit in water since this might cause root rot.
You can cut back on watering throughout the winter months because plants tend to become dormant in our chilly climate. Watering should only be done every two weeks, or when the majority of the soil is dry. Winter is the best time for pests to establish a home, so remove the leaves more frequently by wiping or dusting them.
One thing to keep in mind is that your plant will want more water the more light it receives, and vice versa. Your plant will require more water than the Monstera planted in what I described as a lower light position above if it is located in a location that receives very bright light. When watering your plant, keep it in mind and modify your watering.
It’s also a good idea to give your plant a shower every other week, whether you do it in your shower or outside with the hose. This not only hydrates the plant but also cleans those enormous, gorgeous leaves of any dust and any pests. Additionally, it enables some moisture to get to the aerial roots, which are long, brown, woody vines that sprout from various stems and vines of the main plant.
Humidity
As a result, if you have the time and desire to put up the work, you can:
- Put the nursery pot on top of a bed of wet rocks to raise the humidity level in the area around the plant.
- Put a glass of water next to the plant; this has a similar effect.
- In the summer and winter, mist each leaf once a week.
Without this humidity, you might see some browning at the leaf tips, but this is normal and your plant is fine.
Fertilizing
When it comes to fertilizer, monsteras are not particularly fussy, and they don’t require it very frequently. Through the Spring and Summer, fertilize once a month; after that, during the Winter, do not fertilize. Use a standard home plant fertilizer that is available at any greenhouse, garden center, or plant store!
Common Pests & Problems
Thankfully, Monsteras are mostly not troubled by pests, although they can nevertheless occasionally destroy your life. The following are the most typical pests and issues that a Swiss cheese plant may encounter:
- Any indoor plant may become infested with fungus gnats. They manifest when the soil is still damp and the air is dry, which is difficult to prevent throughout our winter. A few remedies include mixing apple cider vinegar and honey in a shallow basin to trap them, sprinkling the soil with a solution of one part peroxide to four parts water to kill any larvae, and placing strips of sticky fly paper near your plants.
- Thrips – You may have a thrips infestation if new leaves are developing in an abnormal way, leaves appear bleached, or leaves have yellow patches or are otherwise yellowing (not simply the older leaves that are withering off). After removing any severely damaged leaves and washing the entire plant—especially the leaves—and letting the leaves and stems air dry, treat the entire plant—including the stems and vines—with a neem oil mixture or a thrips spray you may buy from a garden supply store.
- Yellow foliage – When the soil is damp and the leaves aren’t turning yellow naturally as they age, this is frequently a symptom of overwatering. You can wait for the soil to dry completely before watering the plant again, but if the leaves are yellowing alarmingly quickly, you should repot the plant.
- If the edges of the leaves are brown and crispy rather than simply turning brown with age, the plant is likely waterlogged or there may be a salt buildup. Start drinking more water and switching to filtered, distilled, or rainwater.
- Whenever the plant appears wilted, it may be time to repot your Monstera. Check the roots of the plant after removing it from the nursery pot. It’s time to repot them into a new container if they are all coiling up at the bottom. Do not repot it into anything larger as that will provide too much space for the plant and cause it to sit in too much wet dirt. Instead, put it in a nursery pot one size up from the existing one (for example, if it was in a 6 pot, plant it into an 8 pot, etc.).
Good luck with your new plant after all that! The plants in your home will quickly resemble a jungle because of how quickly they grow.
Can Monstera endure dim lighting?
Although they cannot survive direct sunshine, monsteras require intense light. Although they can survive in low light, they won’t develop as well. You must give your Monstera plant adequate light for it to develop a spectacular Monstera plant with the lacy leaves and the hue you admire.
Do Monsteras appreciate misting?
Monstera Deliciosas may tolerate low to high levels of indirect, dappled light. Their leaves may burn and scorch if exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period of time. Low light conditions will inhibit growth.
Make sure your Variegated Monstera Deliciosa gets enough of bright indirect light if you have one.
Water
You should spritz your Monstera Deliciosa frequently and water it once a week. In the winter, when you may only need to water your plant every two weeks, let the soil dry up in between waterings.
Because Monstera Deliciosa prefers a humid atmosphere, we advise often wetting its leaves. To boost the humidity of the air around your plant, you might also place it close to other plants.
Additional care information
From a stem and leaf cutting, you may quickly reproduce your monstera deliciosa in water. Make sure to make the cut just below a stem node.
The Monstera Deliciosa’s huge leaves are readily covered in dust over time. Use a moist towel to routinely wipe them.
Troubleshooting
Yellowing leaves may indicate that your Monstera Deliciosa has experienced moisture shock or has received too much light.
Browning leaves are a sign that your plant has been receiving insufficient light or has been exposed to low humidity.