Monstera leaves that are light green might suggest a problem. It’s important to take action to solve the issue and rescue your plant if the adult leaves are beginning to become a light green color. Whether your Monstera leaf is light green, see if any of the problems on the list below are the problem.
Nitrogen deficiency
Monstera leaves turn light green, then yellow and brown if there isn’t enough nitrogen in the soil. Monstera plants require nitrogen to aid in the formation of green chlorophyll in their leaves. Without it, the plant will sluggish down and lose leaf coverage, and the leaves will turn a paler green.
Give your plant a sip of liquid indoor plant food that has an appropriate ratio of potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. This will give the plant a nitrogen boost, which will help it recover. Give it a dose of slow-release indoor plant food two weeks later to give it longer-lasting nitrogen.
Repotting monstera plants into new potting soil is recommended if they have been in the same pot for longer than two years. Use a premium potting soil with an additional slow-release fertilizer to feed it for the first three months. This will provide the plant plenty of nitrogen, enabling it to jump-start growth and repair discolored leaves.
Lack of sunlight
Another factor that makes Monstera leaves bright green is a lack of sunshine. Lack of light causes plants to grow tall and lanky with lighter-green stems and leaves. For monsteras to flourish, they need at least 6 hours of indirect sunlight daily. If you’re growing them outside, pick a location where nearby trees or shrubs provide shade, shielding you from the midday light.
Indoor Monstera plants need to be kept far enough from windows to avoid becoming scorched while still being near enough to get morning light. Make sure the plant receives filtered light throughout the day rather than direct sunlight to avoid damaging the foliage.
After being relocated to a more light-filled area for three to four weeks, the monstera plant’s leaves will develop chlorophyll and darken in hue. The leaves should darken from light green to dark green as they ripen.
Not enough water
A Monstera plant’s leaves will turn a light green color if it doesn’t receive enough water. The leaves will first become yellow and then brown if the plant continues to dry out. It is probably too dry if the soil feels dry two inches down or if you haven’t watered your Monstera in more than a month.
Using drainage holes in your sink or outside, water the soil on the inner pot’s surface. Until the water drains from the holes and the soil is totally soaked, water the plant. Outdoor monstera can be watered with a seaweed solution to help with root and leaf recovery.
The leaves should stand up straight within a day, and after two to three weeks the color should return. Light green leaves may regenerate themselves given enough water.
Help! How can I tell if my Monstera is over or under watered?
- Most frequently, over or underwatering causes yellowing. It usually results from overwatering if a leaf has both yellow and brown coloring. If there are totally yellow leaves and some brown crispy spots on other leaves, the plant may be drowning. To see if the dirt supports your diagnosis, check it out.
RIGHT: A Monstera plant with drooping foliage and pale-colored leaves as a result of the soil’s lack of moisture. RIGHT: A significant amount of dark brown spotting with yellow edges, together with a loss of leaf structure, show that this Monstera has both been overwatered and is also under-lit.
There are leafless brown growths coming off of my Monstera. Is that normal?
- Yes! These roots are aerial, and they are entirely typical. These aid in supporting the plant in nature and enable it to rise and attain higher levels of light. The roots won’t harm surfaces or walls, and if they start to get out of control, you can always cut them.
My Monstera isn’t forming splits or holes on its leaves. What’s the deal?
- The absence of splits and holes in a Monstera leaf, also known as “fenestrations,” can be brought on by a variety of different things, but typically indicates that the plant is not established in an optimal location. Check on how much water and light it is getting and make any necessary adjustments. The aerial roots of your plant can also be pushed deeper into the ground to allow the plant to collect more nutrients. Remember that your plant won’t get holes until its leaves are more mature, so sometimes you just have to be patient.
My Monstera has gotten way too big. What can I do?
- re-prune it Monsteras are quite resilient and can withstand a decent trim. Stakes and ties can also be used to direct the growth of your Monstera in whatever direction you like.
How often should I fertilize my plant?
- Fertilizing indoor plants from spring through fall generally results in their thriving. Use an organic houseplant fertilizer once a month, dilution and application instructions on the container. In order to ensure that your plant doesn’t require fertilizer within the first six months of receiving it, Greenery Unlimited employs an organic potting mix with a slow release fertilizer in the soil.
How often does my plant need to be repotted?
- We advise repotting bigger floor plants every 18 to 24 months. In order to allow for growth, you need often use a potting vessel with a diameter that is 2- 4 bigger. Selecting a pot that is significantly larger than the previous one could drown the plant’s roots. Repot your plant into the same container, add additional soil, and remove some roots and foliage if you’d like to keep it at its current size. Repotting should be done in the spring or summer when the plant is at its healthiest.
ABOVE: Although the plant in the photo above appears to have aerial roots, this is not always a sign that it needs to be repotted. But now that the soil level has dropped to a few inches below the lip, many of the soil’s aeration-related elements have come to the surface. Both of these facts can suggest that the plant needs fresh soil and a somewhat bigger container.
What is causing the light greening of my Monstera Adansonii?
The bad news is that yellow monstera adansonii leaves can have a variety of causes, so figuring out the real problem and fixing it may need some investigation.
Verify your plant’s nutritional requirements, light requirements, and soil conditions.
Incorrect Watering
Improper watering is the most frequent cause of houseplant problems in general, including yellowing leaves.
Houseplant parents tend to fall into two camps: overwaterers, who love their plants to death by watering too much or too often, or underwaterers, who might water too lightly or forget to water altogether!
Overwatering Monstera Adansonii
The first thing you should do if you observe yellow leaves is to examine the soil’s moisture content. You can do this by feeling the soil with your finger, using a chopstick-like wooden stick, or using a moisture meter.
Your plant may have been somewhat overwatered if the top few inches of soil still feel moist to the touch, if the stick emerges wet, or if the moisture meter reads more than 5 or 6 days after your previous watering.
Observe which leaves appear to be turning yellow as well. Overwatering is most likely to be to blame if the bottom leaves begin to yellow first, feel soft, or have any dark-brown patches.
The immediate fix may be to just stop watering your monstera adansonii until the soil has had a chance to dry out, but there are a number of other elements that affect how rapidly your plant can use water, so you should consider those as well.
Initially, check to see if the soil and pot are draining properly. Make careful to repot into a fast-draining potting mix like our Premium Monstera Soil and a pot with drainage holes if the soil is too dense or compacted, or if the vessel lacks drainage holes.
Examining the lighting conditions for your monstera adansonii is another smart move. For this particular kind of monstera to be healthy and utilize water well, it need a lot of bright, indirect sunlight. You may want to transfer it to a sunny location where it will receive indirect light (but not direct, hot afternoon or midday light) or supplement with a grow light if it doesn’t receive strong light for the majority of the day.
We suggest these bulbs that you can simply put into standard lighting fixtures if you do decide to buy a grow light.
Underwatering Monstera Adansonii
Yellowing of a monstera adansonii’s leaves is another effect of submersion. (Yes, it’s frustrating. Over- and underwatering can also result in problems.)
Observe which leaves are yellowing to distinguish between a plant that is overwatered and one that is underwatered. Underwatering is the likely cause if leaves appear to be turning yellow all over the plant rather than only at the bottom, especially if the yellowing is accompanied by dry, light-brown areas.
Make sure to assess the soil’s moisture content as well. Your plant probably needs water if the top half of the soil feels bone dry to the touch, if a wooden stick emerges entirely dry, or if a moisture meter reads 3 or lower a few days after your previous watering.
Give the dirt a thorough soak, then allow it to completely drain. (Does your pot have drainage holes?) If your plant is badly dehydrated and the soil is absolutely dry, you might need to repeat this procedure a number more times.
Direct Sunlight Exposure
These plants thrive in direct, bright sunlight. The leaves, however, may begin to lose their color if the plants receive too much direct sunshine, particularly during the middle or afternoon when the sun’s rays are more intense.
Examine your monstera adansonii’s lighting setup if over- and underwatering don’t appear to be the issue. Is it positioned in a window that faces west or south? Do the sun’s rays ever directly hit the leaves after ten o’clock in the morning? Are the leaves yellowing first in the area nearest to the window?
These are all indications that the lighting conditions may not be ideal for your monstera adansonii. Adapt as necessary!
The greatest windows for plants are those that face east since they may receive some morning sun and receive a lot of indirect light throughout the day.
If transplanting your plant is not an option, you might consider hanging a sheer drape to block the sunshine from directly hitting the leaves of your monstera.
Nitrogen Deficiency
Consider nutritional deficiencies, especially nitrogen deficiencies, as another major cause of yellowing leaves.
Among other things, nitrogen is essential for the synthesis of chlorophyll, which gives plants their characteristic green color and enables them to absorb and transform sunlight into energy. If the leaves on your monstera adansonii aren’t lush and green, low nitrogen levels may be to blame for the decline in chlorophyll production.
Consider the last time you replanted or fertilized your plant if it appears to be content with its lighting and the soil’s moisture level is suitable compared to when you last watered.
If you don’t start fertilizing around that time, your monstera adansonii may end up with a depressed, yellow appearance because a potted plant like that can quickly consume all the nutrients in its potting soil. Repotting your plant into new, quick-draining, nutrient-rich soil about once a year is very crucial, not just to give it room to grow, but also to replace the soil’s nutrients.