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. Leave minor imperfections alone if they don’t affect other parts of the plant or interfere with your pleasure of the plant’s aesthetics.
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.
How are damaged Monstera leaves cut off?
You should get rid of lead if more than half of it is yellow and lifeless. Cut it off as close to the stem’s base as you can with a sharp knife. Always cut at an angle and make a smooth, clean cut.
If you notice new leaves emerging that are brown or black before they unfold, there may be a fungus issue or the plant has received too much water for an extended period of time.
Brown Edges
Brown tips on your Monstera leaves typically indicate one of two things: either they’re in too bright of a place (getting too much sun) or they’re starting to dry up because there isn’t enough humidity.
You must exercise particular caution if you have a variegated Monstera, such as the Albo or Thai Constellation, as the white leaves are significantly more vulnerable to the intense sun and dry air.
Yellowing, Faded or Dehydrated Leaves Could be a Sign of Pests
These small black flies will be swarming around your plant if you detect fungus gnats. You may identify them by their feeble, zigzag flying because they are not very strong fliers.
In usually, fungus gnats don’t really harm your plant or leaves (unless they are left to infest for a very long time).
However, you should still get rid of them as soon as an issue arises. You may get rid of gnats using a number of natural approaches.
Take a look beneath the foliage. Common pests attracted to Monsteras include scale insects and spider mites.
Smooth, brown bumps that are easy to identify as scales can be distinguished from spider mites, which are tiny insects that are difficult to see but leave behind extremely fine webbing.
The leaves on your Monstera may be tearing or drooping as a result of the water you are using, even if you are certain you have no bug issues.
Most people use tap water, but owing to treatment, occasionally this water is too harsh for plants.
For a few months, you can try switching to distilled or filtered water to see if it helps. You’ll need to keep an eye on it because after one or two waterings, it won’t make a difference.
Do torn Monstera leaves regrow?
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.
What happens if a Monstera leaf is cut?
Pruning is a crucial component of any plant care regimen. Pruning gets rid of leaves that no longer help the plant but are still consuming its resources. As a result, the healthy leaves and new growth can be supported with more energy! You may manage a plant’s size and shape via pruning. Therefore, remember to prune your monstera!
Additionally, pruning can help your plant grow and allow you to manage where it produces new leaves (and in the case of some plants, branches).
Because your monstera occasionally needs a little additional assistance getting rid of dead or dying leaves, pruning is especially crucial.
However, pruning is primarily a useful method for managing a monstera’s size. This plant grows really big! If you live in an apartment with 8-foot ceilings, this is crucial because monsteras can grow up to 30 feet outdoors and 10 feet indoors.
How is a Monstera treated?
Watering should be your first line of defense when trying to resuscitate your monstera if you have been neglecting it. However, be sure it genuinely needs watering before you overwater it—surprisingly, too much affection can sometimes kill plants suddenly! It’s likely that your Monstera needs watering if the leaves have grown to be dry and brown and the soil is light and dry. Use a moisture meter to determine whether the soil around your Monstera has too much or not enough moisture.
Hold out for a moment before rapidly giving your dying plant a bucket of water; there are some unique methods that can make your Monstera look and feel healthier.
Before putting your monstera back in its pot and saucer, soak it for 20 to 30 minutes in a bucket of room-temperature water. After that, continue to water it sparingly but frequently over the following week or two before returning to your regular maintenance schedule. If you believe the root system is still fairly dry, you can soak for 30 minutes several times throughout the first week to ensure that the soil’s moisture level is rising.
When restoring a dying and neglected Monstera, soaking is crucial. It functions much better than simply giving it a lot of water, as the water will immediately run into the saucer and leaving the root system equally dry. Therefore, you need ensure that the soil is evenly hydrated throughout.
There are a few steps you can do to prevent wet or dry soil in the future in order to prevent overwatering or underwatering your Monstera. First off, purchasing a self-watering container enables you to be certain that your Monstera is receiving only the water it need. This self-watering pot from Amazon is something we advise.
Additionally, we advise using terracotta containers rather than plastic ones because they let some water to escape out of the sides while plastic containers trap in all the moisture, which can make the effects of overwatering on your Monstera much more pronounced.
What should you do with a torn leaf of a plant?
As far as we are aware, breaking leaves is a normal component of a plant’s growth cycle. New leaves will grow in their place when the older leaves split and eventually fall off the plants.
To prevent fungal infections, you can simply snip off the broken leaves if the plant still has enough leaves on it.
Make care to dispose of the plants’ leaves that you have cut off properly. because there is still a chance for fungal infections to spread among these leaves.
However, if the leaf is disease-free, you can simply re-incorporate it into the soil. Check out our useful post on adding fallen leaves to soil.
People also remove ripped leaves from the plant because they dislike how half-trimmed leaves look on their plants.
That’s okay; you are also able to accomplish that. Nevertheless, be careful not to harm the plant when you cut its leaves.
Pruning and removing outdated stems, leaves, and branches won’t hurt your plant. In reality, it’s a smart move to maintain the plant’s health.
This is so that other leaves on the plant can get the nutrients being used by the damaged leaves and grow more healthily.
As a result, it ought to be carried out periodically. The best times to trim the plant are in the spring and summer. These are the times when they are actively expanding.
How do I trim a Monstera leaf that is fading?
What your goals are will determine where you should prune a Monstera. You will need to gently prune back its roots if you want to prevent it from growing too large for its pot. Cut off any dead or unattractive leaves at the stem if you wish to get rid of them. But what about if you want to propagate your plant?
If you’re not familiar with the phrase, propagation is the process of taking fragments of an established plant and allowing them to take root in either water or a growing media in order to develop into a different plant. Although it seems difficult, it is really, really simple.
You will need to make a cut beneath a node if your intention is to prune for propagation. Your plant’s nodes are the areas where the stems and leaves develop. These regions are elevated and a little bit lighter in color on a Monstera. Pick a leaf and follow it all the way down to the point where it meets the main stem if you are unsure of where a node on your plant is. There need to be a node there. Older plants frequently have nodes that sprout several leaves.
Should I remove the monstera’s golden leaves?
Getting Rid of Yellow Leaves While yellowing Monstera plant leaves can be cut off to maintain the plant’s appearance, caution must be exercised when trimming the rest of the plant. To maintain the size and shape of the plant, occasional trimming may be required. It is advisable to avoid taking out more than a third of the entire plant at once.
Do ripped leaves mend?
Leaf splitting may be a natural element of the growth process in many plants, especially if it mostly affects older leaves. You may just pluck off the split leaves and throw them away as long as there are enough fresh leaves to replace the damaged ones. Unfortunately, split leaves will never recover.
Moving your plant to a more humid environment can be necessary if splitting is common in plants that aren’t intended to have split leaves and extra watering doesn’t seem to be benefiting the newly developing leaves.
Find a location in your house with higher humidity by measuring the humidity at the plant’s split leaves with a hygrometer. If your plant gets enough light in these areas, bathroom shelves and kitchen sink shelves tend to be moister than living room corners. If your home doesn’t have the right humidity for your plant, a humidifier on an enclosed porch can produce a humid environment.
Can I fix a Monstera leaf that’s broken?
Your Monstera’s leaves are dead if any areas of them become brown or black. Regrettably, there is nothing you can do to restore their greenness. You must choose how to get rid of the damaged leaves based on the size and severity of the damage. Your plant’s health will be improved as a result, enabling it to grow new leaves. For advice on how to trim damaged Monstera leaves, continue reading.
Want to utilize the methods we employ for our Monstera plants? Check out the products we recommend for caring for Monstera on Amazon.
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.
Watering Problem
In terms of water, monsteras can be picky. They dislike drying out because they are native to the rainforest. However, if they are exposed to too much water for too long, they might develop root rot.
It is crucial to examine your Swiss Cheese plant to determine the cause of your Monstera’s yellowing, as one of these could be the issue.
Overwatering
Checking the soil for excess moisture should be your first step if you find your Monstera’s leaves turning yellow. Simply dig your finger into the soil.
- Is the ground damp?
- Does it feel soggy?
- Does it have a rotting or rather stinky odor?
If so, you should completely repot your Swiss cheese plant since it is probably suffering from root rot brought on by overwatering. For more thorough instructions, please see our tutorial here.
A Monstera that is overwatered will sag, get brown blotches on its leaves, and have yellowing of the foliage as a result. Its soil may grow a fungus on top and take a very long time to dry off.
Keep in mind that soil that retains water and excessive watering frequency, not the amount of water applied all at once, are what cause overwatering.
When watering your Monstera, make sure the soil is not already excessively wet first, and then water it until water begins to drain from the bottom drainage hole.
Before doing any care or maintenance on your Monstera, especially before you water it because it could make the problem worse, it is important to check for root rot because it can swiftly kill your Monstera.
Underwatering
Yellowing of your Monstera’s foliage is another symptom of inadequate watering. Fortunately, fixing this is simple and much less likely to harm your Monstera.
When you inserted your finger into the ground, it came back completely dry. Your Monstera needs to drink.
A Monstera that has been submerged will reveal it in its leaves, which will droop, yellow, curl, and eventually turn light brown and crispy.
The soil needs to be watered more thoroughly because it is so dry. Transport your plant to a location where it can receive plenty of water, such as outside with a hose or in the shower. You might need a friend’s assistance to carry a large Monstera.
Shower your Monstera until water begins to drip from the pot’s bottom, then continue for a little while more. Long-term soil drying out might cause it to become hydrophobic, which means it won’t absorb water as efficiently.
Keep an eye on the yellow leaves and the dampness of the soil after this vigorous watering. You might need to increase the frequency of watering your Monstera.
Even after giving the plants enough water, if more leaves begin to turn yellow, you may have another problem, such as bugs, that has to be addressed.
Temperature Stress
True plants from the jungle are monsteras. They dislike the cold because they do not understand what winter is.
Once the temperature falls below 50F (10C), monstera plants will stop growing, and as the temperature goes closer to freezing, the leaves will begin to yellow or suffer damage.
They will also feel anxious if exposed to extremely hot conditions or harsh sunshine. They occupy the understory of the jungle, climbing the trees to shade their leaves from the glaring sun.
The afflicted leaves of the Monstera will turn yellow, crispy, or brown under any temperature stress. Younger, more delicate leaves may be more vulnerable to temperature stress, however older or younger leaves are not always where this stress begins.
Look at the plant’s position if you see yellow leaves on your Monstera:
- Does it face a southwest window that receives intense afternoon sun?
- Is it next to a window that drafts in the winter?
- Does it stand close to a hot radiator?
Your Monstera may become stressed from any of these sources of excessive heat. It would be ideal if you relocated your Monstera a little distance from the troublesome source to an area with more constant temperatures.
Repotting Stress
Have you lately moved your Monstera into a new location? Stress from repotting could be the cause of its yellow leaves.
After transplant, monsteras frequently exhibit sensitivity. The roots being exposed for too long, a change in soil, or even repotting at the incorrect time of year can all contribute to stress in this situation (late winter to early spring is best).
The leaves and petioles of a Monstera that is experiencing transplant shock will droop, making it appear as though it needs watering. Starting with the oldest leaves, it could start to turn its leaves yellow.
The Monstera attempts to conserve nutrients and water after the stressful occurrence by turning its leaves yellow. It will ultimately return to normal, and in its new pot, it will be even happy.
By relocating your Monstera in the same spot and keeping the same watering schedule after transplant, you can help the plant feel less stressed. The transplant shock will worsen if there is too little or too much light.
Don’t fertilize the plant until it has healed and begun to grow once more. You can give it a little extra humidity if it still seems dry even after regular watering.
Improper Light
Monsteras don’t like extremes in light, just like they don’t like them in water or temperature.
If they receive the wrong kind of light—whether it’s too much or too little—they may start to produce yellowing leaves. They do best in direct, strong light.
Too much light: Leaf Burn
As I already said, monsteras do not thrive in direct sunshine in the wild. The leaves will burn if they receive too much direct light.
Too much light can burn a Monstera leaf, causing the burned area to turn crispy and brown (or black), while the surrounding areas of the leaf turn yellow.
The entire leaf may or may not die and fall off depending on how much of it has burned.
If your Monstera is placed in front of a south or west-facing window, this is more likely to happen. By placing your Monstera a few feet away from the bright window, you can avoid leaf burn.
Too little light
Yellowing of your Monstera’s leaves is not a direct result of insufficient light, but it might be a secondary indicator of overwatering.
A Monstera’s growth is slowed down when it isn’t given adequate light. This indicates that it requires less water and fertilizer. It is much easier to overwater your Monstera in these conditions, which will cause the leaves to turn yellow.
You ought to have already examined the dirt around your Monstera. If not, get started right away!
These are some other signs of inadequate light:
- Etoliation a stretched stem straining for the sun that seems spindly or leggy
- smaller leaves with no or very few fenestrations (holes and splits).
- modest growth
- Stem slanting either in or out of the window
- It takes a while for the soil to dry up between waterings.
If your Monstera displays these signs and has begun to produce yellow leaves, you should take it out of the pot and inspect the roots for rot.
Your Monstera may experience some stress as a result of this, but if root rot is allowed to progress, it will experience considerably greater hardship.
You could try to relocate your Monstera closer to a south or west-facing window to avoid future overwatering brought on by insufficient light. If you can’t do that, you should think about getting a grow light for it.