How To Care For Monstera Deliciosa

Hey plant mama’s! Today I’ll be sharing some simple ways on how to care for your Monstera Deliciosa. This plant tends to get confusion across the board with it’s surname and how to care instructions so, I thought it’d be nice to break it down for beginners. I get frustrated when I’m in the store and the name tag on a plant is wrong. It happens when you search online too. It’s nice to know what you’re actually talking about when it comes to houseplants, so I like to do as much research about a plant as possible. The Monstera Deliciosa is related to the Philodendrons and from the Araceae family. If you read my post about how to propagate the Philodendron Heartleaf and Brasil, this one is different.

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How To Care For Monstera Deliciosa

Monsteras are vining plants and their surname is ‘Swiss Cheese.’ If you’re doing some research and come across this plant named as the ‘Split Leaf Philodendron’, that is incorrect. The split leaf name actually belongs to the Thiaumatophyllum ‘Philodendron Hope’ plant. I own both and they are much different as the shapes of the leaves on a Monstera are just like a piece of swiss cheese, hence the name. The hope is actually split making the leaves separated. Also known as Lickety Splitz. But today we’re just covering the Monstera because it’s a famous household plant that people have come to love and obsess over.

Caring For The Monstera Deliciosa

This plant has actually been temperamental with me. If you don’t water just right she gets pretty moody. Often times you will hear me telling you to dry out the plants completely before watering but the Monstera gets thirsty right before drying out. Which can be hard to get just right in between watering’s. I’ve actually neglected this plant for more than one week and that’s not acceptable. You must check out the dryness every week to make sure this plant gets proper attention. Otherwise she flips out and starts browning, flopping, etc.

• Schedule a day each week to dip your fingers into the soil to see if it’s dried out. If the top of the soil is dry I would add some water. This particular species may also like filtered or distilled water better than tap.
• Be careful NOT to overwater though because then she starts sweating.

How To Care For The Monstera Deliciosa

• Set in a well lit room but far enough away from a direct window shining bright light in. If she gets direct sunlight her leaves start to burn. These plants tolerate low light rooms so don’t be afraid to leave her in a room with barely any light.
• Avoid moving around. My biggest mistake when placing new plants in my home is that I keep moving them to find the perfect spot. She gets angry when you do this. Try to find the perfect spot and leave her be.
• Don’t transfer pots as soon as you bring her home. Wait a few weeks so she can adjust to her new living space.
• Pick the right pot when you do re-pot. Sizing is everything to this plant. Nothing too small and/or too big. She likes a snug fitting so maybe 1-2″ bigger than the pot she needs to be in.
• I notice with my other plants I can wipe the leaves no problem but if you wipe hers too much, she gets ugly. Avoid washing leaves but only once a month if that. Make sure you dust them because these plants are prone to pests if you neglect them all together. Finicky, I know.

Monstera Plant Care Guide

The luscious leaves on the Monstera Deliciosa will remain healthy as long as you do these simple things:

• Check the leaves often to make sure they are pest free
• Wipe leaves with a damp cloth monthly (avoid using mild soap unless you have to)
• Do NOT use rubbing alcohol straight up on these leaves…you’ll read a lot of natural ways to rid pests and this is one that I would never do again. The alcohol puts the plant in distress
• Less is more. When caring for these gorgeous plants all you need to do is observe often and water every 6-8 days for an overall healthy plant
• Rather than overwatering, under water. It’s best to allow the plant to dry out before watering’s so you avoid damaged leaves and root rot. Worst case scenario. I know I said to water her before she dries completely out but if you’re unsure do it this way to avoid overwatering

All in all this plant is super easy to care for and does well in most indoor household settings. Don’t freak out if your new baby isn’t adapting to your space. You can often save them from distress and most times the roots are still in a healthy state where you can grow new leaves if you need to cut dead ones off.

Do you own a Monstera? Share the pics on our IG! We’d love to see.

Propagating a monstera deliciosa is much different that the heartleaf, brasil and other philodendrons. The node on the base of the stem doesn’t look like the other plants, making it harder to understand where to cut it.

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