The first plant that I ever propagated was a Monstera Deliciosa that came to me in a pretty bad shape. I took about million cuttings and propagated everything. All cuttings rooted and survived! And it was my first plant propagation experience. So, even if this will be your first time propagating, don’t be afraid to do it, it’s really easy!
The important thing to remember is that you CAN’T propagate leaves without the node from which the leaf sprouts. Cutting above the node simply won’t do.
If you cut just the leaf, the only thing you can do with it is to keep it in water as decoration for a couple of weeks until it starts decomposing.
You can’t propagate a Monstera Deliciosa without a node.
To propagate a Monstera you’ll need to cut under the node (see picture). The node is the spot where your Monstera will start to root.
You can propagate a Monstera by water or by soil. Since I love the look of the Monstera leaves and I love to see the roots sprouting, when I propagate my Monstera I almost always place it in a transparent glass vase. It’s a gorgeous decoration piece in my home + I get to see new roots popping out.
Change the water every couple of days or if that’s too much of a fuss be sure to add new water. You can keep it like this in a vase for at least a couple of months if you want. I transplant mine in soil after the roots get bigger and start to go in a circle in a vase. At that point I’m sure the roots are big enough.
Transferring your rooted cutting into soil
When you transfer your water propagated cutting into soil, be sure to keep the soil moist for a couple of weeks. Don’t let it dry out because going from water to soil it’s a shock for the plant. At that point the cutting is used to only water and you want to make the transfer as smooth as possible.
You could propagate Monstera Deliciosa in soil also. If you choose soil propagation, place the Monstera in the soil so that you “emerge” the node into the soil and keep the soil moist for a couple of weeks.
It’s best to place your cutting in a plastic pot, rather that a terracotta pot. If you are interested to know more about this topic read my post – Plastic pot vs. terracotta pot | Which one is better for your houseplant?.