Monstera Care
Monsteras are unique, easygoing houseplants whose dramatic leaves are adorned with dramatic hole formations. Monsteras are vining plants and love to trail over the pot or climb along a stake or trellis.
How to care for your Monstera
- LIGHT
Your Monstera can grow just about anywhere in your home! It tolerates low light, but grows faster and becomes more dramatic in a spot with indirect bright light. That said, avoid strong, direct sunlight because it may burn the leaves.
- WATER
Water your Monstera when the top 50–75% of the soil is dry. Water until liquid flows through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot and discard any water that has accumulated in the saucer.
- HUMIDITY
This plant will thrive in almost any environment, but if you want to give it a special treat, gently mist it once a week using a Mister. It’s best to mist your Monstera in the morning so the water has plenty of time to evaporate before evening.
- TEMPERATURE
Normal room temperatures between 60–80 degrees are great for your Monstera. It will not tolerate temperatures under 55 degrees or sudden drops in temperature. Avoid cold drafts and direct airflow from heaters in the winter months.
- FOOD
For best results, feed your plant once a month throughout the spring and summer, such as our All Purpose Fertilizer (20-20-20). A little bit of food will go a long way to encourage growth and root health. No fertilizer is necessary during the winter—it’s important to give your Monstera a chance to rest during the cooler time of year.
- TOXICITY
Monstera leaves are mildly toxic to pets and humans. Typically, ingestion will cause mouth and stomach irritation and possible vomiting.
- ADDITIONAL CARE
Large leaves can collect dust. If you notice the leaves are dirty or dusty, wipe the leaves with Microfiber Dusting Gloves to keep them clean and healthy. In the wild, Monstera plants like to climb. To encourage your Monstera to climb upwards, you can stake wild offshoots with a dowel or use a moss pole. To trim your Monstera, be sure to use clean, sharp Plant Snips.
Common Issues for your Monstera
Moisture
The most common cause of yellowing leaves among Monsteras is improper soil moisture–in particular, overwatering. Only water your Monstera when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry. Soil should remain damp, but not wet. In the winter, you can allow your plant to dry out a little more between waterings.
When you water, make sure you provide enough water so that liquid flows from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot and into the saucer. It’s extremely important to discard any excess water in the saucer, as your Monstera will not respond well to “wet feet,” which causes the roots to rot and the eventual death of the plant.
Providing proper and consistent soil moisture is important in caring for a Monstera. Alternating between bone dry and wet soil from ill-timed waterings can create stress and cause your Monstera to yellow.
Your humidity level
Low humidity and dry soil cause leaves to brown on their edges, later followed by entire yellowing. Misting the leaves of your Monstera often will increase the humidity.
Improper Light
Generally, Monsteras will thrive when placed in low to bright indirect sunlight. When exposed to direct sunlight for too long, the foliage will burn. While Monsteras can adapt to low light areas, their growth will slow. Too little light can result in yellowing leaves. Take note of the light your Monstera is receiving and move accordingly.
Pests
Weakened or stressed Monstera become more susceptible to insect infestations. Sap-sucking bugs like spider mites can drain your plant of moisture. This problem quickly manifests itself by yellowing leaflets and fronds. Scale, mealybugs, and spider mites occur frequently in indoor conditions. If not killed early on, these small pests proliferate and move all along frond parts into nooks and crannies. The piercing mouths of the insects exhaust your plant and accelerate yellowing, especially if your Monstera is already unhealthy from poor lighting, a nutrient deficiency or improper soil moisture.
Some yellowing is natural
Is your Monstera pushing out new growth? If there is new growth on your plant and the yellowing leaves are older, particularly at the bottom of the plant, this yellowing is natural. Your plant sheds its old leaves and sends energy to new growth.
Incredibly dry soil
Your Monstera prefers soil that is consistently moist. Be sure you’re not over or underwatering your plant. Keep a consistent watering schedule–water when the top 2”-3” of the soil are dry.
If you accidentally let your Monstera’s soil dry out completely, you may see leaves go limp, droop, and possibly start to brown. If the soil is extremely dry all the way through the pot, a thorough soak is in order.
Here’s how to soak-water your Monstera:
- Place your plant in your sink or tub without the saucer. Fill your basin up with about 3-4″ of water. Make sure the water isn’t hot!
- Allow your plant to soak up water through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot for at least 45 min.
- Feel the top of the soil after your plant has been soaking–has the water reached the top 2-3” of soil?
- If not all the soil feels saturated, water your Monstera slightly from the top of the soil to help speed up the saturation.
- When your plant’s soil is evenly damp, drain the sink/tub and allow the plant to rest while it drains thoroughly. Place the plant back on its saucer and back in its proper spot.
Not enough humidity
Your Monstera is a tropical plant, so it will thrive in more humid environments. Increase the humidity around your plant by misting the leaves on a regular basis, using a pebble tray, or moving a humidifier nearby.
Lack of Support
For any monstera parent, it’s important to understand how these plants grow in the wild. They root in the soil and naturally climb upwards on tree trunks, occasionally putting out aerial roots for support. When grown as a houseplant, it’s up to you to give your plant the support it needs. Without support, as your plant grows, it will naturally fall over. Plan to stake your plant using a moss pole or trellis. You might need to add ties to get it started, but soon it will naturally begin to adapt to its support structure.
Lack of Sunlight
A monstera plant grows towards the sunlight. So if your monstera only receives sunlight from one direction, then it might begin to grow towards the light. This can cause it to look like it is falling over and very lopsided. If this is the case for you, try to rotate the plant on a regular basis. This way, all of the leaves are getting sunlight, and the plant will grow in a more balanced way.
If possible, move it to a room that has sunlight coming from multiple directions. However, if the monstera’s home is in a smaller room or apartment with limited options, the rotation method will work!
Potting Issues
If your monstera plant receives plenty of sunlight from different angles, or you are a regular rotator, then it might be falling over due to potting issues. If there’s not enough soil to support the root ball, the plant could become top-heavy, causing it to tip to one side. To avoid this, repot your plant as needed to ensure there is plenty of soil surrounding the roots. With a well-anchored base, the stems can begin to grow upwards again.