How to Grow and Care for Monstera
The Monstera (or Swiss cheese plant) is famous for its leaves, and it’s an incredibly easy house plant to maintain. Learn how to grow and care for Monstera in this video by The home Depot:
Monstera is native to Mexico and Central America. Its unique large, lustrous and heart-shaped leaves will add a jungle vibe to your home. Allow plenty or room for rapid growth because the Monstera can grow over six feet tall and several inches wide, and it can grow quickly. Larger plants may need stakes to support the stem. A single plant can easily become the focal point of a room. Individual leaves in a vase of water are frequently displayed as designer accents. Taking care of Monstera is easy once you know what to do.
Make sure the plant container has drainage holes to prevent root rot. If the container has no hole, you can either water the plant less and monitor the soil moisture, or repot the plant into a pot with adequate draining holes. Water when the soil is dry. Use a soil tester or insert your pinky finger into the soil about 1-2 inches to determine whether the soil is wet or dry. If wet, make sure the plant is not sitting in water; if dry, water the soil thoroughly and not the plant stem. Allow the water to drain out the bottom of the container, then discard the excess water.
If your plants don’t appear to be thriving despite proper watering and lighting, add nutrients by fertilizing your Monstera once a month throughout the spring and summer. You can purchase spikes or pellets for slow-release nutrition. apply a ready-to-use pump formulation, or use water-soluble fertilizers that are applied at half strength every other watering.
When it’s time to repot the Monstera, be sure to use an indoor potting mix that does not contain bark or compost which can attract pests. Select a container two inches larger than the current size. Remove the plant from the current container by holding the base of the plant and carefully wrapping the foliage on huge plants. Wiggle the roots to stimulate growth. Trim any dead or unhealthy matter from the Monstera. Fill the container with soil to the neck level on the plant.
Monstera likes bright indirect light. Strong sunlight will scorch the leaves. Consider using a sheer curtain or moving it away from the direct sunlight when placing it near a window with southern or western exposures. Monstera will adapt to moderate light conditions. Plants that live in low light will not develop as many leaf perforations and will stretch to find more light. Remember to rotate your Monstera weekly so the plant will grow evenly. If one side of the plant receives more light than the other, it may grow top heavy towards that side.
Most indoor plants have warm temperature requirements since they’re naturally tropical. Temperatures below 45 degrees F are not recommended. Also, most indoor plants enjoy humidity levels of 50-75%. Monstera plants enjoy higher humidity conditions; low humidity tends to create brown patches on the tips of plants or side of leaves. Increase the humidity by spritzing the plant several times a week with water or placing the plant over a gravel tray filled with water. Drafts may affect some plants since the moving air may be colder than the plant can tolerate. Make sure your Monstera plant does not live near heating vents in the winter as the heat and low humidity will harm the leaves.
Like everything else in your home, plants can get dusty. The huge leaves of the Monstera are ideal spots for dust to gather. If you notice the leaves are dusty or dirty, gently wipe them with a damp cloth or use a leave shine product to add luster to the leaves while keeping the plant clean.
Monstera plants are susceptible to pests like spider mites and scale insects. Scale insects are small and brown. You might also notice white sticky spots on the leaves. The most effective way to get rid of them is by using neem oil or special pest control sprays. Spider mites form a web that spreads on the bottom of the leaves. Remove any of the infested leaves with sterile pruners, wash the leaves with lukewarm water, and apply a miticide that uses natural ingredients to kill the spider mites but leaves the plant unharmed. Inspecting your plants regularly when watering and monitoring in between will allow you to stop any infestation early on. Quarantine any plants under treatment and monitor other nearby plants for infestation.
In nature, the Monstera uses aerial roots to cling to large trees as it grows upward through the rainforest canopy. In your home, the aerial roots have nothing to attach to. Consider using a dowel stake or trellis to provide support for the plant and as a point of contact for the roots to attach. While the Monstera plant flowers and produces fruit in its natural habitat, your plant will probably not develop flowers in your home.
