Monsteras with most leaves dead
Cutting off an excessive number of leaves at once can be harmful to a Monstera plant’s ability to recuperate if the bulk of the leaves are damaged. Keep any leaves with healthy green sections since plants require them to photosynthesize. To allow the plant to continue making energy from the remaining green leaves, first only remove the leaves that are the most severely injured or completely dead. If the remaining leaves continue to deteriorate, you can remove them later.
It’s still possible to rescue your plant even if all of its leaves are dead. An axillary bud, also known as a lateral bud, will activate and branch off to create a new leaf as long as the stem and roots stay in good condition. To activate several buds, you can also cut and propagate your Monstera as stem cuttings. This method should only be used as a last resort because it will be extremely slow without leaves.
Where should I trim leaves from my Monstera?
Fortunately, trimming a monstera is not too difficult. Since they are a hardy plant, they don’t need to be meticulously pruned. In other words, even if you don’t perform a great job, your plant will probably be alright.
You’ll want to remember a few things, though:
1. Put on gloves. When pruning or propagating your monstera, be sure to use protective gloves because the sap is poisonous and can cause severe skin irritation.
2. Use a tidy, sharp instrument. You can avoid crushing or damaging the stem by using sharp pruning shears or a knife to make the cut. Your plant is also shielded from hazardous microorganisms by clean tools. Bacterial diseases can even spread to your other plants and are difficult to treat. (Protect your monstera from insects, fungi, and bacteria with our Houseplant Leaf Armor!)
Instead of slicing the stem off, just give it a good snip or chop while cutting. The cleanest cut will be made as a result.
3. If you can, prune in the spring, especially if you want to promote growth. Growth spurts occur in the spring and summer for the majority of plants, including monstera. Pruning in the spring will yield the best benefits and hasten the recovery of your plant. You should prune in the spring because that is when your cuttings will grow the fastest if you intend to propagate them.
4. Arrange the slices. Starting at the base of the stem, remove any outdated or diseased leaves.
Cut where you want the plant to grow if you are pruning to promote growth. Make a top cut if you want it to grow higher.
When the time comes to actually trim your monstera, keep in mind that pruning promotes growth so choose where to make your cuts. You can safely reduce the plant’s size if you’re pruning to manage your monstera’s size. Just remember that it will eventually need to be done again because it will grow back.
5. Be sure to cut below a node if you’re propagating. Don’t be concerned if you’re only trimming to reduce the size of your plant or get rid of dead leaves. However, if you want to grow your cuttings from them, make sure that they have a node, which is a tiny knob that develops on the stem opposite a leaf. When your cutting begins to grow, these will subsequently develop into aerial roots!
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6. Prevent unintentional proliferation. When you’re done pruning, be careful to dispose of your cuttings in the trash if you’re not going to propagate them because if you place them in a compost pile or somewhere else where they can root in the earth, they’ll start to grow roots.
I’m done now! Don’t be afraid to prune your monstera; it’s an essential yet easy component of care for this plant. This plant develops rapidly and bounces back quickly from pruning. Good fortune!
Pruning Your Monstera
All year long, remove dry or dead leaves, but wait any significant trimming for the spring and summer. Use clean, precise shears to trim your Monstera, and remove any extra growth at the stem’s base.
How to Repot a Monstera
The growth of indoor plants is substantially slower than that of wild plants. This is a good thing to do every two to three years to offer new nutrients and promote new development, depending on the size of your plant and the density of the roots.
When to repot – Because of their aerial roots, Monsteras frequently grow outside of the soil. When the time is right, the plant will however let you know by practically starting to climb out of the pot with its larger branches and their roots.
Pot sizing: Choose a nursery pot with a diameter that is 2 larger than the existing pot if you want your plant to grow taller. You can reuse the same container and just swap out the soil if you want your plant to remain the same height.
Put newspaper on the floor, remove the plant from the pot, and shake off as much of the old soil as you can to ensure that the roots are clean. Get your hands messy. Put the plant in the pot’s center, fill the container with fresh soil, and compact it firmly. Place the plant in a location with bright indirect light after fully watering the soil. It will take your plant 2-4 weeks to recover from the shock and become used to its new surroundings.
Staking Monstera
Some Monstera growers want to stake their plants to support them and encourage more vertical growth in addition to aesthetic considerations. You may accomplish this by simply inserting a moss totem and using prongs to secure the plant stems to it. See here for a complete explanation of how to stake the Monstera.
Do Monstera leaves regenerate after being cut?
What do you do now that you have a clipping from your Monstera plant? Will the plant ever produce those lovely, large leaves again, or will it perish forever?
Well, don’t worry; the Monstera has magical abilities and will regenerate all of its lost stems and leaves (at least if you take good care of it)!
The Monstera will regenerate a new growing point from the closest node where the cut was made after being made. The portion of the plant that you removed will have fully recovered within a few months.
Light, water, soil, humidity, and fertilization are just a few examples of the variables that affect how quickly a plant will develop.
Do I need to remove the injured Monstera leaves?
Your Monstera should have any damaged leaves removed. Trimming dead leaves helps your plant’s health in addition to improving its appearance.
- Unable to photosynthesize are dead leaves. Any brown or black areas on your Monstera’s leaves are no longer able to supply the plant with energy.
- Dead leaf sections have no protection against rot and infection in comparison to healthy leaves. Dead plant cells provide nutrients that are consumed by bacteria and fungi. For instance, you can notice mold growing on dead leaves that have been left on the plant or in the soil. To help defend the remainder of the plant against these diseases, remove any dark or damaged tissue.
It is possible that only the ripped edge of a leaf will become brown to seal a cut if there is only very minimal damage, such as accidently ripping or torn a portion of the leaf. If the damage does not effect other places or ruin your aesthetic enjoyment of the plant, it is completely fine to leave little imperfections untouched.
Monstera damage to the roots and stems can be more serious than damage to the leaves because it prevents the plant from transporting water and nutrients. Visit our soon-to-be-available guides on stem damage and root rot.
Do I need to remove the damaged leaves?
A houseplant’s appearance can also be ruined by dead or poorly formed leaves. Both damaged leaves and missing plant branches can be removed. You can use sharp scissors to trim overly ambitious stems back to just above a leaf point when they start to spoil the plant’s form. Simply remove the dead leaves; do not leave any little snags that will die back. It is advisable to trim the stem back to its base with sharp scissors in order to eliminate any dead leaves that are at the top of the shoot.
The dead blooms on houseplants can be removed individually and thrown on a compost pile. Azaleas bloom profusely over several weeks. Pick off the initial ones as they pass away to make room for the next ones to emerge. It is known as deadheading. You may remove each dead blossom from a cyclamen by pulling it off with the stalk. It will just snap off at the desired location if you give it a little tug. The stem would steadily deteriorate if you merely removed the blossom, which would stimulate the deterioration of other blooms and stems as well. Moreover, it just looks horrible. Don’t leave the blooms and stems at the plant’s base; instead, add them to the compost pile.
Yellow monstera leaves can mean it’s either getting too much water, or not enough nutrients.
Yellow leaves can also signify a variety of things. You’re probably overwatering your monstera if the leaves are turning yellow. Make sure your plant receives lots of indirect sunshine so the top few inches of soil may dry out quickly before watering.
Considering that your monstera may also be lacking in nutrients, this is an excellent moment to start using a liquid fertilizer in your usual care. Because Monstera Plant Food is made to be used with every watering, you won’t need to keep track of a fertilization schedule, which is why we adore it!
Dark brown spots on monstera leaves is a good indication of the plant getting too much water.
If your monstera plant has dark brown stains on its leaves, it may be because of overwatering, which is rotting the roots. (Read 4 Signs Your Monstera Is Over-Watered for additional information.)
Trim off any roots that appear mushy or brown with clean, sharp pruning scissors after carefully removing the plant from the pot. Repot the plant into a clean container (either a new one or the old one that you’ve cleaned out) with fresh, dry soil after removing as much of the old, damp dirt from the root ball as you can.
Make sure your monstera receives enough of light, and reduce watering while the plant is healing. You can also remove the damaged leaves with pruning.
Make sure the soil feels dry before watering to prevent root rot, and think about obtaining a moisture meter like this one to check the moisture content of the root ball before watering.
Light brown spots and crispy edges on monstera leaves means the monstera needs more water.
Your monstera plant may be thirsty if the edges become a light brown color and become “crispy.” Give the earth a drink and think about watering a little more frequently if it feels dry. The dead edges can be removed because they won’t recover.
Additionally, avoid placing your monstera in direct sunlight as this might burn the leaves! Move your monstera a little further into the space or to a better location altogether if you observe the sunshine directly striking your leaves.
A drooping monstera can mean it needs more water or more light.
Another symptom that could imply a variety of things is drooping monstera leaves. Your monstera may be overwatered or underwatered in this situation.
Look at the earth to determine which it is! It’s likely that your plant needs water if the soil seems dry. Give your plant a chance to dry out if it feels moist before watering it once more. Make sure it receives plenty of indirect sunshine so it can successfully do this. Consider repotting into a pot with greater drainage and a faster-draining soil if you notice your soil remains wet for an extended period of time.
Your monstera might need additional light if the soil looks to be healthy and watering doesn’t seem to be the problem. (Read 4 Signs Your Monstera Needs More Light for more information.)
Read our instructions on watering your monstera here. Watering is typically the most challenging aspect of taking care of any plant.
When should I trim the leaves on my Monstera?
The Monstera deliciosa is a stunning climber that is a native of the jungles of Central and South America. It is aggressive and quick to develop. You might be unsure of how, if, or when to prune your Monstera due to how quickly they can grow to be large.
Monsteras require routine pruning. Pruning promotes growth and makes the plant healthier overall. You may regularly replenish your supply of new Monsteras by correctly taking cuttings from the plant and then propagating them. Prior to the Monstera’s growing season beginning in the early spring, pruning should be done.
If you’re not very experienced with houseplants, the prospect of chopping into your prized Monstera might give you the chills. But don’t worry; trimming is easy and beneficial to plants. Continue reading to learn how to prune your Monstera’s various components, why you should, and how to propagate cuttings.