Monstera (Monstera deliciosa )
Monstera (Monstera deliciosa )
As the name notes, it's monstrous, both leaves and overall growth. When the Monstera is given plenty of bright light and room to grow, a single 16-inch pot with a few vines will fill up a large space, possibly 3 x 5 feet, with beautiful foliage. The compaction of Monstera depends on the amount of light the plant receives, the more available light, the more compact monsteras overall growth will be.
Don’t be shy when giving Monstera space to grow, they will appreciate it. They fill this space with large, dark green leaves, and if lucky with the absolute perfect home, white flowers may appear from time to time.
Monsteras can survive low light conditions
Under low light conditions, Monsteras will vine out more and their leaf size will be smaller. A Monstera can not thrive to its full potential in low light conditions, but they can be kept alive with proper soil care.
Here is how.
Keep the Monsteras soil from drying out completely, but stay on the dry side, usually watering once a week. Keep the soil loose and aerated, adding worm castings every month as a top dressing. This will help with nutrients as well as disease and pest reduction.
But,
Monsteras can become beautiful giants and an accent to any room in bright light.
Monsteras located with enough bright light can grow fast and become quite large. You can support these plants with trellis or bamboo stakes and ties. Moss towers have become popular and are a great option. Moss towers allow the monsteras aerial roots to attach to something, helping with the support and overall health of the plant.
Monsteras can grow these beautiful giant lobed leaves, one of its most prized feature. The leaf shape is reniform (which is heart-shaped) with parted or deeply lobed leaf edges. These edges are sometimes not complete, meaning the leaves end up looking like a block of swiss cheese.
If you notice the leaves are dirty, gently wipe the leaves with a damp rag. This is also a good time to check for pests and damage to your Monstera.
Basic Care
Basic care for your monstera is a learning process, everyone’s situation is a little different for their plants because nobody’s home is the same. Below are the basic needs of your Monstera.
Light requirements
Overall, Monstera will thrive in a southern full-sun window, just be sure to give this houseplant the room it needs. A full sun location will produce an amazingly gorgeous compact growing plant, and the leave will reach their full-sized potential in this bright light.
Keeping the Monstera in a low light condition, be sure to adapt it to this location by letting soil stay in the drier range and removed old yellowing leaves. However, if light conditions are too low or prolonged for too long the Monstera may suffer and die.
Watering regimen
Monstera will respond best in high humid locations, spraying leaves from time to time with clean water. Water your monstera once a week, don’t let the soil dry out completely between waterings unless your monstera is growing in very low light conditions.
Keeping soil at medium moisture will be your best option, just don’t overwater, it is better to give it an extra day than push the moisture level.
Soil requirements
Monsteras grow best in a high humidity location with a quality moist, well-drained soil. It can tolerate a range of moisture levels, but choosing or mixing a soil that allows good drainage but dries out within 10 to 14 days is your best option.
Monsteras do not need to be repotted year after year if healthy soil is maintained and a regular feeding schedule is used. If the soil becomes completely old and bone dry it might be a good option to change it with fresh soil. possibly up-pot into a slightly larger container at this time with a sterile potting mix and a small amount of organic matter.
Fertilizing schedule
It’s good to fertilize your monstera in the spring and about once a month through the summer into fall, stopping before winter. An organic liquid fertilizer works well with indoor house plants, add it to your watering schedule once every three to four weeks depending on seasonal factors.
Other options for fertilizing are using a granular product such as an all-purpose mix, worm castings, and other organic matter products. If you choose to use both, make sure to space out the feeding schedule of the two options, and start easy.
Temperature and humidity constraints
Drafts, especially cold drafts, are not healthy for a growing monstera plant, it's best to avoid locations that will get gusty cold drafts.
Monsteras are tolerant of temperatures down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit but prefer a range of 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit. Growth will pretty much stop as the temperature moves away from its preferred range, and most frosts will kill a Monstera.
Propagating Monstera
Monstera can be propagated easily by a stem cutting or a leaf cutting, as well as layering too. To take a stem cutting choose a stem that is forming aerial roots and cut a large enough section that has at least two nodes in length.
Place this cutting into a free-draining medium, by laying it on its side with half the cutting into the medium in a humid environment. The second approach to this is to insert the stem vertically into the soilless rooting medium and stake up the leaf with a small stake and twist tie.
Monstera can also be propagated by layering growing vines into adjacent containers with a soilless medium in them. Layering can take up to 3 to 6 months and there is no need to sever new plants until growth begins.
