Monstera Deliciosa, the queen of plants, wouldn’t you agree? Even if you’re not a fan of big plants that occupy so much space, you cannot skip on the beauty of the Monstera Deliciosa. I love this plant because it’s a very forgiving plant, easy to take care of and really majestic, a treat for the eye.
Scientific name: Monstera Deliciosa
Common names: Adam’s rib cage, Swiss Cheese
How often should you water your Monstera Deliciosa? | Watering
You need to water your Monstera only when the soil has almost dried out.
How often will that be it’s really hard to tell, because it depends on a lot of different factors. You’ll need to water it more frequently during summer than in winter, the bigger your Monstera is the more water it will need, but not as often as a Monstera Deliciosa that’s in a small pot.
You can read in more detail about these factors in my post – 7 factors that affect your houseplant watering frequency.
So how do you know when to water it?
I generally go by the “finger rule”. I stick my finger into the soil and if the soil is moist I don’t water it. If it’s dry for the first couple of inches, then I water it thoroughly. When I do that, I wait for the excess water to drain out.
Do not let your Monstera Deliciosa sit in water or the roots will start to rot.
It’s really important to throw out all the excess water that your plant didn’t absorb after 15-30 min. So be sure the pot your Monstera is planted into has drainage holes on the bottom. If the plant is constantly watered and always has extra water in the pot, it’s like you are literally drowning your plant.
What kind of light does a Monstera Deliciosa need? | Lighting
Monstera Deliciosa needs bright indirect light to thrive. It will survive in low to medium lighting but having it in a darker spot will stunt it’s growth. East, west and south facing windows will provide your Monstera with the right amount of light.
Just one thing you need to be aware is that direct sunlight coming through the south facing window can burn it’s leaves and after they are burnt there is no remedy to revert them back to being lush and green, unfortunately.
I have my Monstera about 1 meter from a south facing window. I do have a semi-sheer white curtain on the window so all my plants facing that window get filtered light and not direct sunlight. This is really important during summer, when the sun is really really hot.
Should you prune your Monstera Deliciosa? | Pruning
You can prune your Monstera Deliciosa, it won’t harm the plant. There are many reasons to prune your Monstera Deliciosa, maybe you want it to have a certain shape but a couple of leaves just won’t cooperate with your vision, maybe your Monstera is getting really wide and taking up too much space, maybe… well you get my point.
You can prune your Monstera anytime you want, in any season you want. If you cut leaves off without the node, you won’t be able to propagate it.
When it comes to pruning, I always like to prune it by taking the leaves off with nodes so that I can at least propagate it. I find that to be a great and thoughtful birthday gift for a friend or family member, a new Monstera that came off your Monstera.
Check out How to propagate a Monstera Deliciosa – it’s so easy!!
Should you cut aerial roots off your Monstera Deliciosa?
Aerial roots play an important part, especially when the plant is big. Aerial roots get additional oxygen to the plant. The bigger the plant the bigger the roots will be and the older the plant the longer the roots will be.
If you don’t mind the roots don’t cut them off.
You can also place the roots on top of the soil, in that way they won’t be so noticeable. Or, you can cut the aerial roots, but it’s better to cut up to one half of the roots and not all areal roots.
Does Monstera Deliciosa like humidity? | Humidity
Monstera Deliciosa loves humidity, but you don’t need to stress about it. Monstera are sturdy plants, they are not sensitive like some Calatheas, for example.
Place your Monstera in a spot where there’s higher humidity or mist the leaves in the morning and she will love you.
Often when there are really low humidity levels, Monstera’s leaves will start to curl. In this case, just by misting it in the morning you can help your plant.
How often should you fertilize your Monstera Deliciosa? | Fertilizer
Personally, I fertilize my Monsteras only during the growing season (March to October), and I do it once a month. I use a general liquid houseplant fertilizer. Follow the instructions on the bottle to know how much should you dilute the fertilizer.
During winter I put away the fertilizer and I let the plant rest and get ready for the next growing season.
Fertilizing during the non-growing season
If you see that your Monstera is producing new leaves even during the non-growing season, you can fertilize it because that means that it’s growing and that it consumes minerals from the soil. But even in this case, I wouldn’t fertilize it often, maybe every 2 months, and only if it’s growing.
If your Monstera is not growing, don’t give it fertilizer.
Also, if for some reason your Monstera is in a bad shape, don’t give it fertilizer.
Is Monstera Deliciosa poisonous? | Toxicity
Monstera Deliciosa is considered toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA.
