Monstera deliciosa care is easier than you think! This post is the ultimate guide on growing Monstera deliciosa, and I will also show you some remarkable tips and tricks on repotting Monstera as well so that you can be the best plant parent that you can be!
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This plant was once popular a few decades ago, and it is back with a vengeance! Monstera deliciosa is one of the trendiest houseplants that you can grow these days.
Not only are they a striking houseplant, but they are also very easy to grow and a fantastic beginner plant! Anyone can grow a Monstera!
My plant which was barely 1 ½ feet tall when I purchased it, grew quite large after less than 3 years.
Keep reading to find out exactly how to care for Monstera deliciosa, and also learn about repotting Monstera.
I will also show you how to provide a very sturdy support so your Monstera can climb securely! Forget about the moss posts. I have a much easier and more effective solution.
Table of Contents
About Monstera Deliciosa
There are so many common names for this plant: Swiss Cheese Plant, Mexican Breadfruit, and even Split Leaf Philodendron. Common names are enormously confusing and I always refer to this plant by its botanical name (genus + species), Monstera deliciosa.
You may be wondering about the botanical name Monstera deliciosa. The genus, Monstera, literally refers to the "monstrous" proportions that this plant takes on in the wild.
The species name, deliciosa, refers to its edible fruit that it commonly produces in the wild. Indoors, you may never see this, but know that it does produce an edible fruit!
These plants hail from tropical regions in the south of Mexico and also parts of Central America and are found growing at the base of trees. They will climb and attach to tree trunks via the aerial roots that they produce.
Monstera Deliciosa Care
1. LIGHT
As you can imagine by how this plant grows in the wild in its natural habitat, as described above, it prefers filtered light, or bright indirect light. I grow mine in a large Eastern exposure window so it received plenty of light, including morning sun which is gentle on the plant.
It can tolerate much darker, low light conditions, but your growth won't be as spectacular. After all, plants need light to photosynthesize!
You'll want to avoid too much direct sun however, especially the harsher afternoon sun.
If you live in areas that typically have a lot of strong sun, you'll want to shield your Monstera deliciosa so that it doesn't receive too much direct sun.
2. WATERING, FERTILIZING & HUMIDITY
Monstera deliciosa is pretty forgiving when it comes to watering. Just like most plants, I like to let the top part of the soil dry out before watering again.
Depending on the size of the pot, I'll let the top inch or two completely dry out before I water again. Just use your finger to test the soil moisture. Tap water will work just fine.
Mine is growing in a 14 inch pot, so I'll let the top 2 inches, roughly, dry out before I even think about watering.
Keep in mind that larger pots may take longer to dry out than much smaller pots, so don't water by your calendar.
Use your finger as your guide! If your Monstera is in a smaller pot, let at least the top inch of the soil dry out before watering again.
Avoid extremes in watering. Never let this plant sit in water otherwise it can easily experience root rot. Always discard any excess water that accumulates in the plant saucer.
On the other hand, try not and let the potting mix completely dry out if you can help it. Find a happy medium!
As far as fertilizing goes, I fertilize my Monstera deliciosa year round except for the winter months.
I sometimes rotate and change fertilizers, but I'm currently using Dyna-Gro Grow for most of my leafy houseplants and I don't think I'll ever switch again. This is an AMAZING fertilizer and I stock up on it from Amazon.
I like to fertilize dilutely with every watering. That way my plants receive constant nutrients, similar to how they would grow in nature, and I don't have to remember the last time I applied fertilizer!
As far as humidity goes, although this plant would appreciate high humidity, it does just fine in my home, even with low humidity during the winter time.
3. LEAF PROGRESSION
One of the most rewarding parts of growing Monstera deliciosa is watching the plant evolve from its juvenile leaves, to the more mature adult leaves.
Young plants have leaves that are completely solid and that have no slits or holes.
As Monstera deliciosa ages, the new leaves will have more and more fenestrations (holes) and slits among the leaves. Keep in mind that after a leaf opens up, it will stay the way it is and will not change.
As the plant matures, the newer leaves will slowly have more and more fenestrations.
Depending on how good your growing conditions are, very young monstera plants may take years indoors before they start to exhibit any fenestrations.
Take a look at the following progression of leaves from my own plant:
4. Repotting
For some general repotting tips, and knowing when to repot your plant, check out my blog post on repotting.
This post contains many critical aspects of repotting and important steps, so be sure to read up after you're done reading this Monstera post.
Perhaps the best time of year to repot your plant is early spring when plants are starting to perk up. It can really be done at any time of year if you have good growing conditions. Later winter or early spring is a good bet though.
As I mentioned earlier, Monstera deliciosa is a climbing plant in nature, so you'll want to add some support, and the perfect time to do this is when you repot your plant!
This way, you will minimize the damage to any roots. Although if you are careful, you can really add support at any time.
After you take your plant out of the pot, be sure to loosen up the root ball a bit. Only choose a larger pot that is 1 or 2 sizes bigger than the current pot. And always use a pot with drainage holes!
I used a wheelbarrow outdoors to blend my potting mix and loosen the root ball on my plant.
I like to cover the drainage hole with a broken pot shard (placed like an upside down U over the hole, which leaves space on the sides). Some people like to place a piece of old window screening over the hole.
When you repot, this is the perfect time to add a support so that your plant can start climbing!
As the vines grow, you can loosely tie them to the posts.
Take a look at the bamboo tee-pee that I created below.
I simply purchased some bamboo stakes online from Amazon, and put three of them in the pot at the time of repotting. I like to have extras on hand because I also use them in my garden.
Then I simply took some garden twine and tied the top up. It is a very stable structure!
You can also add a moss pole or moss stick when you repot. I wrote a printable, detailed how-to blog post that shows how you can make your own moss post! It's way better than anything you would buy pre-made and much better quality.
Use about 1 part of the perlite to 2 parts, or even 3 parts, of the potting soil.
It is a highly sustainable mix, and the owners of the company compost food scraps and add the compost to the mix. I've had amazing experiences with this mix and am switching many of my houseplants to this mix (when the time comes to repot).
It already contains plenty of perlite, so there is no need to adjust at all!
I also surveyed my readers to inquire about all their frustrations with potting mixes, and the makers of 'House' potting mix answered all these questions and more.
If you want an organic, sustainable, top-quality mix that you can use straight out of the bag, check out my blog post: Oh Happy Plants Potting Mixes.
This will give you a nice airy, nutritious, well draining soil that this plant loves!
If you're trying to decide what type of pot to give your Monstera, check out my Monstera Pots post that will help you choose the best pot for your plant.
5. Propagating Monstera Deliciosa
Who wouldn't want more of a good thing? If you want to propagate your Monstera deliciosa, it is very easy to do.
There are a couple of different ways that I will describe to propagate your Monstera deliciosa.
If you are impatient and don't want to spend too much time, you can simply just cut a vine and place it in water. Not just any old vine though. You'll want to choose a vine where you see an aerial root.
Then simply just cut below where the aerial root is, near where my finger is in the photo below.
Then simply place this cutting in water. The aerial root will quickly grow in water and it you'll be able to pot it up in no time at all.
The other method that you can use to propagate your Monstera deliciosa is by air layering. You'll want to air layer in the exact same spot that I described above (where my finger is in the photo).
For a detailed photo guide, check out my blog post on propagating Monstera in water. The benefit of doing this is that your vine will be much less stressed (versus just cutting it completely off the plant).
You can check out my blog post on air layering houseplants where you can read exactly how to do it! You can do it exactly as described in that post.
Or, alternatively, as long as you choose a vine where you can wrap the sphagnum moss around an existing aerial root, you don't even have to cut into the vine like I mention in the air layering post.
Simply proceed without cutting because the aerial root will start growing almost immediately.
Other than that one detail, you can follow all the rest of the instructions. Then once it is ready, you can simply cut the vine under where you air layered and pot up your new plant!
Be sure to get everything you need to help your Monstera deliciosa thrive. To summarize, these are the products I talked about in the blog post so you can grow your own gigantic Monstera deliciosa. (Pretty soon, mine will overtake the living room...)
Use 2 or 3 parts Miracle Gro Potting Mix to 1 part #3 perlite. This provides a beautifully airy and well-draining potting mix that these plants just love.
Dyna-Gro Grow is just simply one of the best fertilizers around. Use it regularly on you Monstera deliciosa plant and ALL of your tropicals!
And don't forget the bamboo stakes to make your tee-pee with. Monsteras need support as they grow.
If you want to browse other species of Monstera that you'd like to explore growing, don't miss my post that includes 15 Amazing Monstera Varieties to add to your collection.
There is a huge debate on whether you may have a Monstera deliciosa vs. Monstera borsigiana. Be sure not to miss my post on how to tell the difference between the deliciosa vs. borsigiana species.
If you like the look of Monstera deliciosa, but don't have the room, you can consider growing Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. It is commonly called "mini-monstera" but isn't actually a Monstera. It does have a similar look, but with smaller leaves.
Yellow leaves on your Monstera plant can be caused by a lot of different issues, and this is a very common problem. The causes of yellow leaves can include too little light, too MUCH light, soil that went too dry for too long (which typically results in the lower leaves yellowing), soggy soil, cold temperatures, and more.
These tropical plants do appreciate higher humidity levels, but normal room humidity is just fine! You don't have to invest in a humidifier for your plant. As long as you have proper watering practices and don't allow your soil to get too dry, average indoor humidity is just fine. Proper watering is far more important than trying to maintain a humid environment for your plant.
For smaller pots, wait to water until the top inch of soil has dried out. For larger pots, say 10 or 12 inches in diameter or more, you can easily allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out before watering again.
Should you use a moisture meter for your plant?
I've seen too many people kill their plants by using faulty moisture meters. Many of the inexpensive ones are junky and will read moist, when in fact, your potting mix is bone dry. Save yourself the hassle, and use your finger to judge soil moisture. Wait until the top 1-2 inches of soil have dried out, and then water.
I hope you have enjoyed this post on how to care for your Monstera deliciosa.
If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!
Can Monstera recover from spider mites?
Yes, but early detection is key in controlling any pests. You can tell if you have spider mites if you see fine webbing. You'll also start to see a speckled or mottled appearance on the leaves.
For best results, you'll want to knock off any existing spider mites with a stream of water, or use a damp cloth to wipe down all the foliage. Then regularly treat with an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Check out my post on treating houseplants for spider mites for step by step details.
Do Monstera plants need drainage holes?
Absolutely yes. It is much too risky to grow this plant without drainage holes. The risk of too much water accumulating at the bottom of the pot is too high. And if you're fertilizing, all the fertilizer salts will accumulate in the pot if you don't have drainage holes.
Is Monstera deliciosa toxic to animals?
Monstera deliciosa is toxic to cats and dogs, according to the ASPCA, because it contains calcium oxalate.
Does Monstera deliciosa product fruit?
Yes! And it is edible! It needs to be ripe though otherwise it may be painful to eat. Don't miss my blog post that is all about eating Monstera deliciosa fruit.
I hope you have enjoyed this post on how to care for your Monstera deliciosa.
If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!
Just grabbed a beautiful 10 inch Monstera Deliciosa @ my local Shoprite! Been looking for one every where but all so expensive so i figure worst case I lose $14.99 ... anyway the roots are already coming out the bottom and protruding thru the top .. wanted to see if you suggested reporting into 12 inch or 11? (I usually replant into a nursery pot and then stick into another pot- I find they have the best drainage) ..
Anywho - also wanted to know if you suggested I wait until spring or is this dire?
Lastly towards the bottom there are SO MANY small leaves without any “splits” or anything yet so I’m hoping they grow up and start to split.
You're very welcome Aly! From a 10 inch pot, you can safely go to a 12 inch pot, or even 14 at the very most. If the plant looks like it's ok, wait until spring. I do the same thing with many plants as far as keeping them in plastic and them inserting them into a cachepot. As far as the leaves with no splits, they will remain how they are. As the plant continues to put out new leaves, you will gradually see new leaves with more splits and holes (called fenestrations). I hope this clarifies everything! 🙂
I got a monstera a few weeks ago and unfortunately it had a pot emergency and I had to repot it immediately into a 10 inch (?) plastic garbage can with some holes I poked in the bottom...It seems to be fine and suffering no trauma...when would be a good time to actually move it to a proper pot with some better soil and a support?
Glad you found it helpful! You can go ahead and do it now. They should be perking up soon with longer days, and you had an emergency so I see no harm in doing it now.
I have a monster growing outside. Through neglect, sun and under watering, what's left is a 2' horizontal stem, 6 " above ground with 8-10 aerial roots growing into the ground, and one magnificent large leaf at the end. Obviously "it lives." Can I make several plants by cutting at the aerial roots (if there are nodes)? If not, I will just transplant to a better area? Thank you for your comments.
Hi Carol, does the whole plant only have one leaf? If you care for it properly at this point, it will continue to grow. If you are tired of looking at it and want to make more plants, you can try to harvest single nodes and place them onto moist sphagnum moss and see if they will grow new plants for you.
I have a mystery plant that looks an awful lot like the un-fenestrated leaves of the Monstera from this post. The plant has massive (5-7”) solid green leaves, aerial roots, a vining structure and leaf nodes like a pothos, but it could be some sort of Philodendron. I’ve had the plant in water for several years, so the growth is likely stunted and the spaces between leaves are very large. I put it into soil earlier this year and there is new leaf growth but not a drastic change in appearance. The plant is about 1’ away from a west window, with filtered light.
Is it possible for you to aid in the identification of the plant? I have photos that I could post, if needed.
What does that mean if there are black parts near the section where a new leaf is about to grow. I don't know if it's a natural color for the plant or if it means something else.
Hi Milica! It definitely shouldn't be black. It's probably due to extremes in soil moisture, either too dry or too wet. Does this seem to be the case with your plant? I'd have to see a photo to better help, but I'm fairly confident.
Thanks for this excellent post! I just bought my first Monstera and sadly it is not thriving at all. My apartment simply does not have enough natural light. Because of this lighting issue I am thinking about providing artificial light for my plants. Can you tell me if this will work and what type of lighting I should set up? Thanks.
Yes absolutely! You can supplement any plant with artificial light. I would recommend a full spectrum LED light. There are many different kinds. You'll see a lot of purple lights out there, but that's not necessary and makes everything look weird. There are plenty of full spectrum, white LED lights. They provide a more pleasing white light and they're more energy efficient than fluorescent. Hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing this info! I just got my first Monstera and I’m thrilled! I’ve been trying to find photos and get understanding of the progression of the splitting. This is the first I found with such clarity.
One question I still have, should I use a terra-cotta, plastic, or something else to pot this in?
Thank you!
You can use anything that you prefer! Just keep in mind that terra cotta will dry out much more quickly. So whatever works with your lifestyle/schedule.
Thanks for the great read! What size pot would be best for these types of plants? I have a monstera deliciosa and a monstera adansonii. Thanks in advance.
Hi Jessica! I'm glad you enjoyed the post! As far as pot size, it depends and it may be different for everyone and it will change over time. The main thing to remember is when you repot, you should only go up one pot size. For example, if you have a plant in a 4 inch pot, you should go no larger than a 6 inch pot when your plant needs a bigger pot. Otherwise, if you go too big too quickly, your soil will stay too moist for too long, and this can cause issues. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hello how are you if I sent you two pictures of two different plants that I have can you please tell me the difference I know one of them might be the monstera deliciosa so I probably said that wrong please let me know
Hi, I'm right now growing the root in water. Do I put fertilizer in the water? Also there's hardly no light in windows here so can I use a low light led light or higher led light?
If you are just rooting the cutting in water and then transferring to soil, there is no need to fertilize the water while it is rooting. And yes, you need some light! LED lights are fine. I'd need more details on the output of your light, but you definitely need something if you don't have any windows.
I just noticed dark spots on most of the older leaves on my juvenile monstera (only one leaf with a fenestration). I bought the plant almost 2 weeks ago, I'm not sure if the leaves had these markings before or not as I didn't do a thourough check of each leaf. It's not browning on the edges or isolated brown spots, it's all over the leaves that is present on. It almost looks like the leaf is patterened. The leaves look healthy, only one has some holes and yellowing towards the tip. I've tried to research what it could be but I haven't seen anything resembling my issue. I'm new to the house plant game, so I'm not sure if it is something normal or to be worried about. I've moved it away from my other plants just in case.
Hi Jenna! It sounds like it could potentially be a fungus. If you'd like, you can use my Contact form on my website to send me an email. When I reply, you can attach photos.
Brown leaves can be from a variety of things, but more often than not, it's due to improper watering. I'll refer you to another blog post that has common Q&A on monstera. It should help you! (https://www.ohiotropics.com/2020/02/28/monstera-problems-questions-answers/). Read through the post and you'll have to start observing your plant closer to determine the cause. In most cases of people that have brought this to my attention, they've allowed their soil to go dry for too long.
It's all personal preference! Mine is actually several vines in one pot. I like a fuller look. There is nothing wrong with having just one vine in a pot though if that's what you like!
Just grabbed a beautiful 10 inch Monstera Deliciosa @ my local Shoprite! Been looking for one every where but all so expensive so i figure worst case I lose $14.99 ... anyway the roots are already coming out the bottom and protruding thru the top .. wanted to see if you suggested reporting into 12 inch or 11? (I usually replant into a nursery pot and then stick into another pot- I find they have the best drainage) ..
Anywho - also wanted to know if you suggested I wait until spring or is this dire?
Lastly towards the bottom there are SO MANY small leaves without any “splits” or anything yet so I’m hoping they grow up and start to split.
Happy to send a pic if this helps!!!
I found this article so very helpful!!!!
You're very welcome Aly! From a 10 inch pot, you can safely go to a 12 inch pot, or even 14 at the very most. If the plant looks like it's ok, wait until spring. I do the same thing with many plants as far as keeping them in plastic and them inserting them into a cachepot. As far as the leaves with no splits, they will remain how they are. As the plant continues to put out new leaves, you will gradually see new leaves with more splits and holes (called fenestrations). I hope this clarifies everything! 🙂
Thank you so much for this! Very helpful.
I got a monstera a few weeks ago and unfortunately it had a pot emergency and I had to repot it immediately into a 10 inch (?) plastic garbage can with some holes I poked in the bottom...It seems to be fine and suffering no trauma...when would be a good time to actually move it to a proper pot with some better soil and a support?
Glad you found it helpful! You can go ahead and do it now. They should be perking up soon with longer days, and you had an emergency so I see no harm in doing it now.
I have a monster growing outside. Through neglect, sun and under watering, what's left is a 2' horizontal stem, 6 " above ground with 8-10 aerial roots growing into the ground, and one magnificent large leaf at the end. Obviously "it lives." Can I make several plants by cutting at the aerial roots (if there are nodes)? If not, I will just transplant to a better area? Thank you for your comments.
Hi Carol, does the whole plant only have one leaf? If you care for it properly at this point, it will continue to grow. If you are tired of looking at it and want to make more plants, you can try to harvest single nodes and place them onto moist sphagnum moss and see if they will grow new plants for you.
Hi Raffeale,
I have a mystery plant that looks an awful lot like the un-fenestrated leaves of the Monstera from this post. The plant has massive (5-7”) solid green leaves, aerial roots, a vining structure and leaf nodes like a pothos, but it could be some sort of Philodendron. I’ve had the plant in water for several years, so the growth is likely stunted and the spaces between leaves are very large. I put it into soil earlier this year and there is new leaf growth but not a drastic change in appearance. The plant is about 1’ away from a west window, with filtered light.
Is it possible for you to aid in the identification of the plant? I have photos that I could post, if needed.
Thank you!
Marisa
What does that mean if there are black parts near the section where a new leaf is about to grow. I don't know if it's a natural color for the plant or if it means something else.
Hi Milica! It definitely shouldn't be black. It's probably due to extremes in soil moisture, either too dry or too wet. Does this seem to be the case with your plant? I'd have to see a photo to better help, but I'm fairly confident.
Thanks for this excellent post! I just bought my first Monstera and sadly it is not thriving at all. My apartment simply does not have enough natural light. Because of this lighting issue I am thinking about providing artificial light for my plants. Can you tell me if this will work and what type of lighting I should set up? Thanks.
Yes absolutely! You can supplement any plant with artificial light. I would recommend a full spectrum LED light. There are many different kinds. You'll see a lot of purple lights out there, but that's not necessary and makes everything look weird. There are plenty of full spectrum, white LED lights. They provide a more pleasing white light and they're more energy efficient than fluorescent. Hope this helps!
@Raffaele, Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing this info! I just got my first Monstera and I’m thrilled! I’ve been trying to find photos and get understanding of the progression of the splitting. This is the first I found with such clarity.
One question I still have, should I use a terra-cotta, plastic, or something else to pot this in?
Thank you!
You can use anything that you prefer! Just keep in mind that terra cotta will dry out much more quickly. So whatever works with your lifestyle/schedule.
Thanks for the great read! What size pot would be best for these types of plants? I have a monstera deliciosa and a monstera adansonii. Thanks in advance.
Hi Jessica! I'm glad you enjoyed the post! As far as pot size, it depends and it may be different for everyone and it will change over time. The main thing to remember is when you repot, you should only go up one pot size. For example, if you have a plant in a 4 inch pot, you should go no larger than a 6 inch pot when your plant needs a bigger pot. Otherwise, if you go too big too quickly, your soil will stay too moist for too long, and this can cause issues. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hello how are you if I sent you two pictures of two different plants that I have can you please tell me the difference I know one of them might be the monstera deliciosa so I probably said that wrong please let me know
Yes absolutely! Please use the contact form on my site to email me, and after I respond, you can attach the photos.
Hi, I'm right now growing the root in water. Do I put fertilizer in the water? Also there's hardly no light in windows here so can I use a low light led light or higher led light?
If you are just rooting the cutting in water and then transferring to soil, there is no need to fertilize the water while it is rooting. And yes, you need some light! LED lights are fine. I'd need more details on the output of your light, but you definitely need something if you don't have any windows.
I just noticed dark spots on most of the older leaves on my juvenile monstera (only one leaf with a fenestration). I bought the plant almost 2 weeks ago, I'm not sure if the leaves had these markings before or not as I didn't do a thourough check of each leaf. It's not browning on the edges or isolated brown spots, it's all over the leaves that is present on. It almost looks like the leaf is patterened. The leaves look healthy, only one has some holes and yellowing towards the tip. I've tried to research what it could be but I haven't seen anything resembling my issue. I'm new to the house plant game, so I'm not sure if it is something normal or to be worried about. I've moved it away from my other plants just in case.
Hi Jenna! It sounds like it could potentially be a fungus. If you'd like, you can use my Contact form on my website to send me an email. When I reply, you can attach photos.
Why is my new leaf not standing upright ?
I would need to know your care details and see a photo. There could very well be nothing wrong it.
Some leaves are going brown is that from too much watering? Or not enough sunlight?
Brown leaves can be from a variety of things, but more often than not, it's due to improper watering. I'll refer you to another blog post that has common Q&A on monstera. It should help you! (https://www.ohiotropics.com/2020/02/28/monstera-problems-questions-answers/). Read through the post and you'll have to start observing your plant closer to determine the cause. In most cases of people that have brought this to my attention, they've allowed their soil to go dry for too long.
Can I take my monsters out of soil and in to water ?
I suppose you can yes, but curious as to why you would want to?
Hi! I just bought a juvenile monstera deliciosa and it looks like they put 3 separate plants in one pot. Would it be wise to separate them?
It's all personal preference! Mine is actually several vines in one pot. I like a fuller look. There is nothing wrong with having just one vine in a pot though if that's what you like!
By the way it's in the living room seven feet from window and about ten from the kitchen window
Hi Ken, it is much too far from your windows. What exposure are your windows?