Monsteras are some of the most popular houseplants and with good reason! Here's how to care for them so they grow and thrive in your home.
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How much sun does my monstera need?
If possible, place your monsteras in an eastern facing window. Indirect afternoon light is the most favorable!
With monsteras, too much light will burn the leaves making them get brown dried edges or even change color. With not enough light, monsteras won't grow as many leaves.
If you don't have this ability, it's important to add a supplemental light source like these grow lights.
Watering your Monstera
Water your monsteras once every two weeks, giving it a thorough time to soak up water for at least 10-15 minutes (even so long as 20-25 minutes for more mature plants).
This is also the time you should water the moss pole if your monstera has one.
Fertilizer & Monsteras
Fertilize your monsteras once a month to help your plant grow beautifully. I add a few drops of Dr. Earth indoor plant food to a bowl or sink (always follow the recommendations or aim for less than what the fertilizer recommends) to the monstera's water once a month.
This way it lets your plants absorb all the fertilizer through the roots.
An important thing to remember too is it's always better to under-fertilize than over-fertilize!
Monstera Leaf Care
One of the main reasons people want monsteras are for their gorgeous leaves.
To make sure they are properly cared for, you should be wiping the leaves down with a microfiber towel and water ever month. This eliminates any build up dust/dirt/water spots that could prevent it from properly photosynthesizing.
Best Soil for Monsteras
My favorite thing to do is make my own monstera soil using a 50-50 ratio of orchid bark and tropical potting soil. Mix this up and it creates a chunky mix that monsteras love!
Do monsteras need moss poles?
For a small monstera, you can use a bamboo stick for stability, but as your plant gets bigger a moss pole like this one is a must.
This particular monstera adansonii has smaller leaves but likes to grow up, and the moss pole helps stabilize the long stem (with some velcro plant tape too!)
Monstera FAQ
Monsteras get their notable holes as they mature. If your monstera doesn't have any holes yet, don't worry.
It's just a younger plant. Give it time and eventually you will start seeing some epic leaves emerge!
I will say this every time, always choose a pot with good drainage holes. If you start noticing your roots growing out the bottom, it's time to repot.
It can take anywhere from 3-10 years depending on the monstera.
Yes, if you make a cutting including a leaf, node and also an aerial root you will have the best success with propagating monsteras.
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