Monstera Deliciosa Care Guide

How to grow a huge, gorgeous monstera!

Light

Monstera deliciosa thrives in bright, indirect light. This is not a low-light plant. In nature, it grows in rainforests under dense tree canopies. Those canopies filter the light, but the plants still get bright indirect light since the sun is so intense.

I recommend a spot near a window that gets plenty of natural light, such as a windowsill for a small plant or an east or west-facing window. If you have a south-facing window, monitor the plant to make sure it doesn’t get too much direct sun. This can burn the leaves. A sheer curtain or blind can help filter and diffuse the light if necessary.

I generally don’t have issues with my houseplants scorching through the windows, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind if you take your plant outdoors for the spring and summer. And I do that! I drag my big monstera outside and put it under a covered patio. It gets some lightly dappled direct sunlight, but it’s mostly bright shade. And it totally thrives.

Another option is to place the plant in a location that gets indirect light from an artificial light source, such as a fluorescent or LED plant light. It’s important to ensure the light is not too intense or too close to the plant. I recommend having a look at my guide Using Grow Lights for House Plants if you’re new to this topic.

Fenestrations

This monstera plant is famous for the holes or “cuts” (fenestrations) in its leaves—holes that eventually grow so large that they split the leaf. It’s likely that the leaves have this pattern as a way of adapting to harsh conditions in the rainforest—think heavy rain and whatnot (source).

Young monstera deliciosa plants do not yet have holes or fenestrations. These develop as the plant ages. The first leaf that unfurls with fenestrations is so exciting! Don’t be alarmed if your plant doesn’t have holes or fenestrations and it is young. They will come with proper care and time.

If your plant is relatively mature and it still not producing fenestrations—or if a plant that has previously unfurled leaves with fenestrations seems to revert to solid leaves—check out your light.

Lower light can lead growth to be smaller and slower, and the leaves may not develop fenestrations. Plants can begin unfurling leaves that don’t have what the plant is known for. Try pruning these away and increasing your light levels to see if that helps.

Water

Monsteras are fairly low maintenance when it comes to watering. I recommend watering your plant deeply once the top several inches of soil dries out. While they are actively growing during the spring and summer, I water mine roughly once a week.

I often see people recommending that you let the top inch of soil dry out. But I don’t think this is waiting long enough. These plants are prone to root rot, so I’d err on the side of slightly underwatering vs. overwatering if you’re stumped.

The best approach to keep your monstera deliciosa happy is to check the soil moisture. I just stick my finger in the soil and dig around. In addition to checking the soil, there are a few other ways to tell if a monstera deliciosa needs water.

First, if the leaves and stems start to droop or wilt, it’s usually a sign that the plant needs water. Second, the Monstera deliciosa’s chunky brown aerial roots help it absorb moisture from the air. If the aerial roots appear brown and dry, it’s a sign that the plant could benefit from some moisture.

Soil

Monstera deliciosa plants prefer well-draining soil that holds moisture but doesn’t become waterlogged. A good potting mix labeled as something for “indoor plants” or “houseplants” will work just fine. You can also order a mix for “aroid” plants.

Another option is to use a mixture of equal parts of perlite, coconut coir, and orchid bark. This mix allows for good drainage, but it also retains the appropriate amount of moisture and prevents the soil from drying out too quickly.

Temperature

Because it originates from the rainforest, deliciosa likes warmer temperatures. I recommend shooting for between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They will grow well in normal room temperature as long as you don’t expose them to cold drafts or extreme heat.

When temperatures drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the plant will start to slow its growth and may lose some leaves. If the temperature goes below 40, the leaves will start to turn yellow and may fall off. It is definitely not frost hardy.

I can personally attest to my large monstera deliciosa being fine with a few cold snaps down into the 50s. That happened when my plant was outside, just before I took it in after fall set in.

Humidity

Monstera deliciosa likes high humidity but will do well with average household humidity. While adding a humidifier would be your best option, I understand they are a pain. If you don’t want to increase the humidity of your entire room, you can mist the leaves to help the plant temporarily retain moisture.

I recommend misting using a continuous mister (affiliate link) in the morning to give the leaves a chance to dry off before nightfall. Also know that misting provides only a very temporary increase in moisture. But it sure is fun. 🙂

Fertilizer

I used to mix worm castings in my soil, and then I tried a combination of that and the plant food Liqui-Dirt (affiliate link) that I added to my watering can once a month.The past fear years, I have used Fox Farm’s Grow Big fertilizer for all of my plants, inside and out.

I try to add a bit to my watering can roughly once a month during the spring and summer. There’s no need to fertilize in the fall and winter. And remember that over fertilizing can cause leaf burn and damage to the roots, so be mindful of the amount and frequency of fertilization.

Pruning

I love pruning my plants! Pruning off old growth helps to encourage new growth. It might be tough to cut off old leaves, but it’s one way I’ve encouraged such a big, bushy plant.

As my plant grew, I would slowly cut off old, less mature leaves. Leaves that didn’t have fenestrations or had yellowing due to age or damage. I’d say I pruning off older leaves at a rate of 2:1—that is, every two new leaves, I’d cut off one old leaf.

You can easily tell which leaves are the oldest because they are on the bottom of the stems. Now my plant is at a point where all of the leaves are large and mature, so I am no longer pruning off old growth unless it is for cosmetic reasons.

Growth & repotting

Monstera deliciosa is considered to be a fast-growing plant, and it can grow up to 20 feet or more in its natural environment. Its fast growth rate is due in part to its aerial roots that can absorb moisture and nutrients from the air, as well as the soil. They can allow the plant to grow taller and faster than other plants.

Because of its fast growth rate, repotting my large monstera has been a ride! I recommend repotting your plant once the roots begin growing out of the pot’s drainage holes. This will likely be every 1-2 years depending on how well the plant is growing.

I have repotted my plant three times. The first pot I had it in had no drainage holes at all. And the plant still grew like crazy. I repotted it after about a year and was shocked to see how jam-packed the roots were when I took it out of the pot!

I sized the pot up about 2 inches and added fresh soil. And let me tell you what—my baby exploded with new growth! It was so potbound and was dying for a new home. Then, the next spring, I took it out to examine the root ball. It was, yet again, completely pot bound. I decided I didn’t want to size the pot up simply due to space, so I hacked the root ball up to make room for fresh soil and repotted the plant.

Aerial roots

I mentioned aerial roots in the previous section…but what are they, and why are they important. Aerial roots are roots that grow above the soil surface. They are not a sign of a problem, and they are a characteristic feature of Monstera and other epiphytic plants. It’s actually a good thing that the plant is producing them—it means that the plant is healthy and happy!

They help the plant climb and absorb moisture from the air and nearby surfaces. But they can also penetrate the soil in search of water. You should not remove the aerial roots unless they are damaged, as they are an important part of the plant’s growth and survival. See the photo below for some wild aerial roots on a Monstera at the National Aquarium!

You should keep the aerial roots moist by misting them. Or you can just stick them down into the soil as I do. Then will eventually take root and do their thing. I try not to overthink it and find that sticking them down into the soil keeps things tidy.

Moss poles

Once a monstera deliciosa reaches a certain level of maturity, it will benefit from having a moss pole or something similar for those aerial roots and stems to climb. In nature, they are often found climbing up the trunks of trees or creeping along logs and other plants.

You can use moss poles to support the plant as it grows and to help encourage the aerial roots to cling onto something. I also like using moss poles for my large monsteras because they help me tie up the plant. Otherwise, they can take up a lot of space.

If you are growing your Monstera in a container with no support, it will still grow and develop, but the aerial roots will grow downwards looking for something to cling onto, and the plant will start to creep along the surface of the soil. This can make the plant look less attractive and can also make it harder to manage.

You can easily avoid this by popping a moss pole into your pot. Encourage it to begin climbing by tying its stems up using stretchy vinyl plant tape. I also like the stackable poles that you can add to as the plant grows—I have that kind on my Thai constellation monstera. For my big non-variegated monstera, I added a DIY jute pole many years ago (see below). It has worked well!

Propagation

I have propagated many monstera plants, and deliciosa is one of the easiest to propagate! If you’re interested in this topic, I recommend checking out my guide all about How to Propagate Monstera Deliciosa From a Cutting. I also have a YouTube video on the topic.

The first step is to take a good cutting regardless of the propagation method you choose. Choose one that has at least 1-2 leaves on it and 1-2 growth points (where the leaves grow from the stems) or aerial node points. Below is an example of good cutting.

Other issues

While Monstera deliciosa is generally an easy-going plant to care for, there are some things to keep in mind when troubleshooting issues. Here are a few.

1. Yellowing leaves

I have a whole article about why monstera leaves turn yellow because this is such a common issue. And it can be due to a number of things.

• Overwatering: If the soil is consistently wet, yellowing leaves on a monstera deliciosa generally are a sign of overwatering. You can let them die, cut them off, and adjust your watering routine to dry things out a bit.
• Underwatering: If the leaves are wilted and accompanied by dry soil, it is likely a sign of underwatering. This is especially true if it’s the oldest leaf that is yellow as seen in the photo below. Trim it off and give your plant a good drink!
• Pests: Some pest infestations may lead to yellowing on the leaves. Especially thrips and spider mites. Examine your plant closely, including the undersides and stems, for signs of unwanted visitors.
• Age: Occasionally, plants will just lose some of their older leaves. They will yellow and pass gently into the night. It’s hard to see, but it’s not a cause for concern if it’s a rare occurance.

2. Monstera vs. split-leaf philodendron

The first monstera deliciosa I bought was actually labeled as a “split-leaf philodendron.” But the monstera deliciosa belongs to the monstera genus, while philodendron plants belong to the philodendron genus.

The two plants are often confused for one another when it comes to naming conventions though, probably because the deliciosa has some similarities in appearance with the philodendron selloum, which also has a split-leaf look. Nevertheless, they are totally different plants. Don’t be fooled 🙂

3. Cleaning leaves

The absolute best way to clean the leaves is by rinsing them off when watering the plant. I do this in the sink or in the shower for my big plant. If the weather outside is nice, I will water the plant with the hose on the patio. Or, even better, drag my plant outside during a rainstorm!

If none of these are an option, wiping for your monstera leaves is a perfectly suitable option. I have an article all about how to clean houseplant leaves. Simply use a damp microfiber cleaning cloth. Wipe down the tops and bottoms of the leaves. You can add a spritz of heavily diluted neem oil to the cloth to help naturally shine the leaves if you’d like. This also helps with routine pest prevention.

4. Toxicity

According to the ASPCA, the Monstera plants contain insoluble calcium oxalates. Ingesting any part of the plant can lead to oral irritation; excessive drooling; vomiting; difficulty swallowing; and other GI symptoms. Keep this plant away from pets and children that may be tempted to have a bite.

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