A monstera dying after repotting is caused by the roots being ineffective at absorbing moisture and nutrients because they have not yet been established in the new soil. After repotting, this makes the monstera leaves droop and look to be dying.
In order to prevent root rot, monstera also need potting soil that is well drained, porous, and aerated.
The roots’ ability to soak up moisture and nutrients is hampered if the potting soil is overly compacted or absorbs too much water, which can cause the leaves to become yellow.
When you repot your monstera plant, be careful not to compact the dirt around the roots too much because doing so will force the oxygen out of the soil, which is necessary for root respiration, and will also make it difficult for water to drain properly after watering.
To boost aeration and improve drainage when repotting monstera plants, I advise enriching the potting soil with succulent and cactus soil or orchid potting medium. This aids in simulating the natural environment’s soil composition for monstera.
To ensure proper drainage of excess water, it’s crucial to repot the monstera into a container with drainage holes in the base. Regularly empty the trays and saucers under the pot to avoid water gathering there, which can lead to root rot.
Key Takeaways:
- Low humidity and dry soil are the usual causes of a monstera that is dying. Tropical monstera plants demand thorough watering every 7 days and at least 30% humidity. The leaves turn dark and look to be dead or drooping if the humidity is too low or the soil dries up completely.
- The overwatering or inadequate drainage causes the soil to get overly damp, which causes the monstera leaves to become yellow. Between waterings, the top inch of the soil must somewhat dry out for monstera. Because of root rot, monstera leaves will turn yellow and droop if the soil is always moist.
- A monstera plant will sweat if the soil is too wet, thus this is a good sign. Between waterings, monstera plants need the top inch of soil to dry off. The monstera begins to sweat as a symptom of stress if the soil is constantly wet from overwatering or poor drainage.
- Low humidity and dry soil conditions cause monstera leaves to turn brown at the margins, while over watering and moist soils can also cause fungal disease pathogens that cause monstera leaves to turn brown or black. Tropical forests with high humidity and moist, but well-draining soil are the natural habitat of monstera.
- The usual causes of drooping monstera leaves include dry soil, excessive fertilizer, or a lack of support. Monstera are climbing vines that need a support structure to climb in order to keep the plant upright. When given too much fertilizer, monstera has weak, drooping growth. Large leaves on monsteras require a lot of moisture. The leaves and stems get droopy when the soil is dry.
- Insufficient light, a deficiency in fertilizer, or a lack of a support structure are the causes of monstera’s slow growth. During the growing season, monstera need bright, indirect light and frequent fertilization. The leaves of the monstera cannot grow in low light conditions or in the absence of fertilizer.
- A dying monstera can be brought back to life by simulating the conditions of its native habitat, which includes placing it in bright, indirect light, letting the top inch of soil dry between watering sessions, and spraying its leaves daily to promote humidity.
How can a dying monstera be revived?
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.
How does a monstera look when it is overwatered?
The Swiss cheese plant, or Monstera, is a great choice for interior design because of its distinctively sized leaves. However, if not properly cared for, the plant is susceptible to temperature changes and overwatering and may display unfavorable symptoms including drooping and discolored areas on the foliage. What are the symptoms of monstera overwatering, and how can you save the plant?
The yellowing, drooping, and development of brown patches on the leaves are indications of an overwatered monstera plant. To prevent root rot, repot the monstera in a potting mixture that drains properly. Lightly water the plant to keep the soil moist, and then wait until the top 2-3 inches of soil are completely dry before watering the plant again.
How should a dying Monstera Leaf be handled?
DO NOT CUT OFF THE TOP LEAF OF YOUR MONSTERA AT THE BASE OF THE PETIOLLE IF IT HAS BLACK SPOTS (the stalk that holds the leaf up from the main stem). The top growth point, or terminal bud, is located on the top leaf petiole. The petiole’s side has a bump where the subsequent leaf will develop if you look attentively. Leave the stalk intact and only remove the leaf, allowing your Monstera’s new growth to continue to grow.
It has already generated a new leaf from its petiole for a lower leaf. A lower leaf’s connection to the main stem can be safely severed at the bottom of the leaf. The petiole may eventually die and fall off the stem if you leave some of it connected.
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.
How can overwatered monstera be revived?
Despite the fact that Monstera Deliciosa is a tropical plant that thrives in dampness, everything can be overdone. Root rot, a dangerous ailment, can develop if you let the soil around your plant grow wet. Fortunately, you can frequently save your Monstera from a root infection brought on by overwatering.
Root rot can be prevented by removing your Monstera from the soil and trimming the diseased sections of the root mass away. Then, if possible, plant it in a different container with brand-new dirt. To prevent the issue from reoccurring, check that your Monstera’s new container has sufficient drainage and adjust your watering method.
You might need to severely cut your Monstera’s leaves in order to reduce the amount of energy the roots must use on maintenance, depending on the severity of the rot. Extreme procedures are never enjoyable, but they may be required if you have a serious systemic infection. The good news is that the Monstera should gradually regrow to its previous lush grandeur if it survives treatment.
What symptoms indicate root rot in a Monstera?
Knowing the symptoms of Monstera root rot is essential if you want to stop an infection from spreading and harming your lovely Swiss cheese plant.
Here are a few warning indications of root rot for your Monstera, listed in order of severity. Your Monstera will have a better chance of surviving if you catch root rot as soon as possible!
Early Detection
In Monstera, sluggish growth, wilting foliage, and yellow leaves are early indicators of root rot. All of these indicate that you need to inspect the soil around your Monstera plants to make sure it hasn’t been too moist for too long. Your Monstera can successfully recover from a case of root rot with the right care and early detection.
Stagnant growth
If your Monstera isn’t developing as quickly as it typically does, this is just known as stagnant growth. This is a typical wintertime occurrence as the days become shorter and the temperature decreases. When given insufficient amounts of light, fertilizer, or water, monsteras also experience a growth slowdown.
It’s not necessarily the case that your Monstera’s roots are decaying only because its growth is slowing down; nevertheless, if you don’t also reduce the frequency of its watering, it’s possible.
A plant like a Monstera that grows slowly won’t require as much water, while a stagnant plant’s roots could rot from too much water.
Wilted leaves
Wilted leaves are a sign that the earth is not providing enough water to your Monstera plant. Check the soil of your Monstera plant to see if it is damp or dry if it is withering.
Simply put, your Monstera needs water if the soil is dry. You should give it a good, lengthy drink of water as usual.
Your Monstera’s roots are most likely rotted and unable to absorb the existing water if the soil is already damp and it is droopy. You should now examine your Monstera’s roots and check for decay.
Yellow Leaves
Numerous things, such as overwatering and root disease, might be indicated by yellow Monstera leaves. If your Monstera stays in wet soil, the next stage after drooping leaves is yellowing leaves.
If your Monstera develops yellow leaves, you should absolutely check its soil and roots for excess moisture and rot.
Advanced Root Rot
Your Monstera’s health will deteriorate if the early warning symptoms are disregarded or overlooked.
Black stains on the leaves, smelly roots, and discolored roots are indications of advanced root rot. These symptoms indicate that your Monstera requires emergency attention.
To keep the plant alive, you will need to perform a thorough check and remove any dead or dying components.
Root discoloration
Like other plants, your Monstera should have whitish roots. When root rot takes hold, the rotting roots become mushy and slimy and turn brown or black. This is only visible if you delve into the soil or remove your Monstera’s pot to look at the roots.
All dark and discolored roots on your Monstera must be removed in order to treat the root rot; otherwise, the illness will continue to grow.
Foul odor roots
If you put your face close to the soil of your Monstera plant and the scent of something rotting is there, something definitely is rotting, and it’s probably the roots of your Monstera plant.
It will be more difficult to maintain your Monstera alive at this time the worse the odor, the larger the infection, and the tougher it will be.
Black spots on leaves
Your Monstera’s leaves will start to develop black spots, occasionally with yellowing around the area. This suggests that the virus has already begun to spread across the entire plant.
Root rot will gradually grow up the roots, up the stem, and out to the leaves of the entire plant. You may recognize that this is taking place by looking for black or brown dots on the leaves.
Beyond Saving
Unfortunately, sometimes we don’t notice root rot’s warning symptoms until it’s too late. Your Monstera is doomed once the rot destroys all the roots and advances up into the stem.
If there are any remaining uninfected stem segments, propagating them would be your sole remaining option for saving your Monstera at this time.
Roots all dead
Once all of your Monstera’s roots have died, it is doubtful that it will survive. The existence of every plant depends on its roots, despite the fact that we cannot see them. If your Monstera has no roots, it cannot absorb nutrients or water and will probably perish from dehydration.
Dark and Mushy stem
Once the rot travels into your Monstera’s main stem, that stem will become dark and mushy like the roots. The Monstera will soon die since the rotting stem cannot provide nutrients and water to the foliage.
How frequently should Monstera be watered?
Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii are the two varieties of Monstera that are grown as indoor plants. In addition to having entirely enclosed leaf holes, Monstera adansonii differs from M. deliciosa by having longer, tapering leaves. Leaf holes on Monstera deliciosa eventually mature, move toward the edge, and then open up.
Though they hardly ever flower or produce edible fruit inside, they are one of the few aroids that produce edible fruit, especially Monstera deliciosa, which is a member of the Araceae, the Aroid Family. Although the indigenous peoples of Central America had been familiar with monsteras for a very long time, the botanical community only became publicly aware of them in the early 20th century, like many aroids.
thrives in direct light that is bright to medium. Although it cannot tolerate strong, direct sunlight, it can become accustomed to it.
Water every one to two weeks, letting the soil dry out in between applications. In brighter light, water more frequently, and in less-bright light, less frequently. Pro tip: Water that has been filtered or set out overnight before use is beneficial for monsteras.
Although normal room humidity will do, humid circumstances are preferred. Use a fine-mist mister or humidifier to increase the humidity level in the room.
Most houseplants enjoy temperatures between 65F and 85F. (18C-30C). It’s ideal to keep the temperature above 60F. (15C).
Use a potting mix that drains effectively. As needed, incorporate ingredients like perlite or lava rocks to improve soil aeration.
The Monstera is a calm and often pest-free plant. Treat pests as soon as they show up by wiping down the plant frequently and weekly applications of a natural insecticide like neem oil.
SYMPTOM: Edges of leaves that are turning brown and crunchy. CAUSE: Overwatered, thirsty, or high salt buildup