PRO HINT: Monsteras love to climb up vertical surfaces because they are climbing plants. Use pegs or moss sticks to direct your Monstera’s growth upward if you prefer it to grow tall rather than wide.
A tough and simple-to-care-for species of flowering plant native to southern Mexico and Panama called Monstera deliciosa is also known as the “Due to the distinctive growth of ridges and holes, or fenestrations, on its more mature leaves, the Swiss cheese plant is called that. The “The fruit that the plant produces in its native environment, which resembles a pineapple, gives the plant its deliciosa moniker.
A warm, humid environment with plenty of water and soft sunlight are preferred by monsteras. Put your Monstera in an area with indirect light that ranges from moderate to bright. Even though it can tolerate lower light levels, you can notice lanky growth as a result, so the optimum location is a few feet away from a window that faces the south, west, or east and provides brilliant indirect light.
We offer a guide on how to measure light in your environment if you are unclear of the lighting conditions in your house or place of business.
Only the most mature leaves of the Monstera typically develop the distinctive splits, and even so, only under optimal circumstances. Just wait if yours has plenty of light but no splits.
What distance should a monstera be from a 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.
May I place a Monstera plant in front of a window?
Monstera. You must place your monstera plant in an area with lots of bright, indirect light for the leaves to develop their distinctive notches and perforations. If possible, keep your monstera away from direct sunlight and position it near a sizable window that lets in plenty of light.
Bright Direct Sunlight
As a rainforest plant, Monstera Deliciosa dislikes excessive amounts of direct sunshine. Tall trees or other tall plants provide shade for the growth of this plant.
A Monstera Deliciosa will use its aerial roots to climb up a plant or support if it is growing next to that object in order to get some sunshine. The Monstera Deliciosa is claimed to have fenestrated leaves that allow light to reach the lower leaves.
However, excessive amounts of intense, direct sunlight can kill Monstera Deliciosa since it can cause the leaves to burn.
It’s okay for your plant to receive some morning sunlight, but make sure it doesn’t receive more than two hours of direct sunlight.
Bright, Indirect Sunlight
Under direct, bright sunlight, Monstera Deliciosa flourishes. You must put your plant close to a window with lots of sunlight if you want to give it these circumstances.
Check to see whether the plant doesn’t produce a shadow when placed in direct sunshine to see if the lighting is ideal.
Low light
Low light suggests that a plant is either kept away from windows or is being kept in a space with windows but little sunlight coming through them.
Low lighting does not necessarily mean that the plant is kept in a room without windows. Because Monstera Deliciosas are tough plants, they may thrive even under dim lighting.
You can still grow a Monstera Deliciosa if you live somewhere where there isn’t enough light coming in via the windows. Your plant’s maximal growth will be the only problem you have.
Since your Monstera Deliciosa will not be provided with the best situation for its growth, it will reduce the size of the plant under low light. However, your Monstera Deliciosa can still grow up to 8 feet tall (2.4m) indoors.
You may always keep your plant in low light circumstances to prevent it from growing too big if you don’t want it to take up too much space in your home.
Where should Monstera be placed indoors?
It is not surprising that Monstera prefers a warm, humid climate because they are indigenous to tropical jungles from southern Mexico to Panama. This makes them perfect for interior use. Georgina Reid, a writer and Wonderground’s founding editor, “Monsteras appreciate moisture, warmth, and shade. They are actually pretty difficult to kill and are quite content indoors. If you reside in a chilly climate, don’t even try to plant one outdoors (less than 10C in winter). Given the proper conditions, they are renowned for being tough.”
Georgina advises putting your Monstera deliciosa in a bright indoor location with lots of room for growth for care and upkeep. To let it to breathe and absorb moisture, water once a week or whenever it appears to be getting dry, and dust leaves with a damp cloth.
Can I place my Monstera in a window facing west?
However, Monstera plants can thrive in settings where they receive indirect, bright light from a south-facing window across the room rather than having to be grown in a sunny window. As long as they are far enough away to escape direct sunlight, they also enjoy the light from a west-facing window.
How can I tell whether my 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!