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.
Humidity
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.
Dominik perka gets to the bottom of the controversy.
The majority of the plants that we keep indoors are native to regions with higher humidity levels than those found in our homes or apartments. Misting them to death therefore makes perfect sense, doesn’t it…?
We’ll go over some reasons why misting your plants may not be as useful as you might think as we go over certain points.
You would need to spritz the air surrounding the plant every few minutes to genuinely make an impact if you wanted to increase the humidity level around your plants. This problem will not be resolved by spraying the plant’s leaves.
Excessive water on the leaves can cause mold, fungus, or other leaf deformities. When your plants are clustered together and one of them has a disease or a pet, the extra water from the just misted plant can fall down onto the other healthy plants, spreading disease-causing particles with it.
Additionally, misting causes the soil to become more moist, which promotes the growth of mold and may draw fungus gnats. Numerous plants, including ferns, monstera, ficuses, and many others, don’t actually benefit from or enjoy misting. On the other hand, plants with extra water on their leaves and roots, such as bromeliads, tillandsias, orchids, and carnivorous plants, enjoy it.
Think of a few simple facts to help you visualize the concept. Exposure to rain or misting can quickly decrease the photosynthetic process in more than likely half of all plants. Depending on the atmospheric humidity, water vapor that normally fills leaves diffuses through the stomatal holes.
By sealing stomata, more water on plants (from rain or misting) reduces transpirational loss and slows down photosynthesis.
When misting for just two minutes with insufficient air flow, the transpirational loss can be slowed by 30 to 40%, which can delay photosynthesis for almost an hour! And now it isn’t really a good thing, is it?
It is preferable to spend the time on more effective solutions to the dry air issue in our houses, such as pebble trays, boiling water placed nearby plants, water containers placed on your heaters, or even purchasing air humidifiers.
Water transpiration will occur naturally and your plants will stay healthy if you maintain a suitable level of air humidity around them.
Maintaining the happiness of your plants is crucial in the end. Since what works for me might not necessarily work for you, feel free to stick with your current method if it works for you.
WRITTEN BY:
I’ve made the decision to start something new after finishing my studies in psychology and English language and literature. During my former career at a pet store, where I served as an aquarist, I began working with aquatic plants. Later, I added terrariums and vivariums, which introduced me to a brand-new obsession: indoor plants. As a passionate self-taught plant owner, I am always eager to assist anyone who wants to add some greenery to their home.
How frequently should I spray leaves of Monstera?
Almost area in your house is a good place to plant Monstera! It can withstand low light, but develops more quickly and dramatically in an area with bright indirect light. Having said that, stay out of direct, bright sunlight as it could burn the foliage. Use a grow lamp if you don’t have access to an area with the right illumination for your Monstera.
When the top 5075 percent of the soil is dry, water your Monstera. Pour water into the pot until it begins to drain through the drainage hole at the bottom, then drain any excess water into the saucer.
Almost any atmosphere will be favorable for this plant, but if you want to give it a particular treat, spritz it once a week with a Mister. The water will have plenty of time to evaporate before dark if you spritz your Monstera in the morning.
The ideal temperature range for your Monstera is between 60 and 80 degrees. Under 55 degrees or sharp decreases in temperature are intolerable to it. In the winter, stay away from direct heater airflow and cold drafts.
Feed your plant once a month in the spring and summer for best results, using our All Purpose Fertilizer (20-20-20). To promote growth and root health, a little food will go a long way. Giving your Monstera a chance to relax during the cooler months of the year is vital since fertilizer is not required throughout the winter.
Both humans and animals are slightly poisonous to monstera leaves. Ingestion frequently results in tongue and stomach discomfort, as well as potential vomiting.
Massive leaves may attract dust. To maintain the leaves clean and healthy, use microfiber dusting gloves to wipe them down whenever you see that they are dusty or soiled. Monstera plants like to climb in the wild. You can use a moss pole or a dowel to stake wild offshoots of your Monstera in order to encourage it to grow upward. Make careful to use clean, sharp Plant Snips while trimming your Monstera.
How are Monstera leaves kept shiny?
Cleaning monstera leaves with distilled or purified water, a little non-detergent soap, and a microfiber cloth is one of the simplest methods.
To clean the leaves, first mist them with distilled water and let them sit for around five minutes. Any trash or other crud on the leaves will become looser as a result.
Use a half-gallon of distilled water and a teaspoon of detergent-free soap (we recommend Dr. Bronner’s pure organic castile soap) to soak your microfiber cloth. Start cleaning the tops and bottoms of the leaves very gently, being careful to hold the opposite side of the leaf in place with your hand. Here, take your time to avoid accidently breaking, cracking, or scratching the leaves.
After thoroughly wiping each leaf, give them a gently rinse in the shower or with a hose spray.
To prevent the soap and water from dripping into the soil, you might wish to tilt your plant to one side.
To keep your leaves clean and healthy, we advise doing this at least once every few months!
Do my Monstera’s leaves need to be cleaned?
The glossy, dark green leaves of Monstera deliciosa are one of the plant’s main draws, but there are many others. However, with time, Monstera leaves might start to become dusty and drab, much like other surfaces in your house. Cleaning your Monstera’s leaves on a regular basis will maintain the beauty and health of your plant.
How are your Monstera leaves kept glossy? Monstera deliciosa leaves just need to be cleaned frequently because they are naturally shining. While a larger, more difficult-to-move plant can be cleaned by wiping the leaves with a wet towel, a smaller plant can be cleaned by immersing the leaves in water or giving it a shower.
Due to their size and predominant horizontal orientation, the leaves of Monstera deliciosa are particularly prone to accumulating dirt. There is no specific frequency for cleaning a Monstera’s leaves, but you should do it whenever dust is apparent.
Is it possible to mist water on Monstera leaves?
There may be affiliate links in this content. Your purchases generate a small commission for us. Additional Affiliate Policy
One of the most distinctive, eye-catching, yet simple-to-maintain houseplants is the monstera. They are adapted to greater humidity levels and come from the tropical woods of Central America and southern Mexico. How much humidity do they prefer or require, though? And how frequently should they be watered or misted to maintain their finest appearance?
If the humidity in your location is typical, you can mist monstera once a week. However, if you detect crispy leaves, brown patches, or if you live in a dry climate, you can mist them more frequently.
However, although it is not always necessary, more humidity can be beneficial for a Monstera plant. Only temporarily will misting your plant increase the humidity. Furthermore, over-misting your plant can make it more likely for it to contract fungus illnesses and pest infestations. What options do you have for raising the humidity level around your Monstera plant? Let’s investigate.
Should my Swiss cheese plant be misted?
The ideal indoor temperature range for Monstera deliciosa is between 60 and 85 degrees. Although it will adapt well to dry indoor environments, it favors high humidity levels. You can sprinkle it sometimes to increase humidity if you truly want to take care of it, but it’s not absolutely necessary. When watering a Swiss cheese plant, make sure the water drains out the bottom of the pot. No plant enjoys wet feet! ), then hold off on watering again until the top few inches feel dry. Avoid overwatering this plant—this is a common mistake. Monstera deliciosa prefers a little bit of dryness in the soil. If you’d like, feed the plant with a balanced liquid fertilizer in the summer and then forgo feeding it in the winter while it’s dormant.
Monstera deliciosa can be brought outside during the summer or left outside in warm climates (it’s frequently planted as a landscaping plant in warm climates like Florida). Never place it in full sunshine; instead, place it in filtered shade to prevent the leaves from burning. Before the temperature drops into the 40s, bring it back inside.
Small plants can be supported by a pole covered in moss, which they will climb, as a stake. As the plants develop, the size of the leaves grows. If you don’t stake, your plant will grow more sprawling, which is also acceptable. Although the Swiss cheese plant rarely bears fruit indoors, it does so in the wild.
How can you tell whether your Monstera is content?
How can you prevent your Monstera from drowning? We’ve discussed a little bit about how to avoid overwatering it. Once you get to know your Monstera and understand all of its behaviors, you’ll notice lots of indicators that it needs water. Some of them may not come as a surprise because the indications that a Monstera needs watering are also quite similar to those that other plants exhibit.
Your Monstera’s Soil Is Dry
The primary indication that a Monstera needs watering is dry soil. A Monstera deliciosa shouldn’t thrive in arid conditions, despite the fact that it’s vital to allow the soil dry up a little bit between waterings. Although too-dry soil won’t immediately kill a plant, it will hinder its capacity to grow effectively.
Since every plant and indoor environment is unique and can necessitate a different amount of time between waterings, routinely testing the soil will enable you to determine when your Monstera needs to be watered. Using your finger is the simplest method for doing this!
If the soil is dry after sticking your finger in it for about an inch, water the plant. Don’t water your Monstera just yet if it’s moist or still wet.
Your Monstera is Leaning Over
Although it is an unusual indicator, I have observed a leaning Monstera in my collection. An underwatered Monstera will begin to sag in a manner that causes the leaves to droop, which is similar to wilting. On a little Monstera, this is much simpler to see, although it can be seen on bigger plants as well.
Always examine the soil before watering because leaning plants might occasionally be an indication of a different problem, such as overwatering. Never add more water when the earth is damp; dry soil indicates that it is time to water.
Your Monstera should bounce back within a few days after receiving a thorough watering if the cause of drooping is too little water. As much stress as possible should be avoided allowing the Monstera to become this dry as it will stunt the plant’s growth.
Your Monstera’s Leaves are Curling
Leaf curling is just another sign that a Monstera needs watering. The leaves of a Monstera that needs water will start to curl inward, making them appear smaller and less wide.
This is a temporary problem that almost always goes away with some time and some good watering! If the soil is dry, check it and give it a nice, thorough watering. Within a few days, the leaves ought to resume their regular state.
If they don’t, there might be another problem going on. Before watering once more, take some time to run a diagnostic.
Your Monstera’s Leaves are Brown, Yellow, or Dead
An alarming sign may be the yellowing of your Monstera’s leaves. Dark green, waxy leaves are present on a healthy, happy Monstera (though younger plants or new leaves may be lighter green).
Some discoloration is expected because older Monstera leaves gradually turn yellow and drop off as they become older. However, you have an issue if you notice many sections of the plant with yellow, brown, or dead leaves or new leaves.
In addition to underwatering, additional issues that might cause leaf discoloration include overwatering, excessive or insufficient sunshine, or parasites. Don’t water the plant right away; instead, take the time to inspect it for any signs of these issues.
Although older growth will occasionally die off, you should take immediate action if any leaf loss is accompanied by other symptoms like drooping or discolouration. The soil’s moisture content should always be checked as the initial step. Water the soil deeply if it is dry. Look for indications that your plant may have been overwatered if the soil is wet.
Your Monstera Isn’t Putting Out Fenestrated Leaves
With adult Monsteras that haven’t started fenestrating or that produce leaves with holes in them, a lack of fenestration can become a problem. Fenestrations are nearly always a sign that the plant is not receiving enough light.
This can occasionally be brought on by inadequate sunlight. Examine the surroundings of the plant to rule that out. Monsteras require six to twelve hours a day of bright indirect sunlight. Try transplanting the plant to a brighter location if it isn’t receiving this much light.
Set a smart alarm to remind you to inspect the soil if lighting isn’t the issue and you think your Monstera needs extra water. This will assist you in forming the practice of routine plant maintenance. You can establish the ideal watering balance by making sure the soil is moist enough many times per week. Be careful not to overwater, though!