Humidity. Monstera Deliciosa enjoys a humid environment, which is why we recommend frequent misting of its leaves.
This plant will thrive in almost any environment, but if you want to give it a special treat, gently mist it once a week using a Mister. It's best to mist your Monstera in the morning so the water has plenty of time to evaporate before evening. Normal room temperatures between 60–80 degrees are great for your Monstera.
Monstera like regular watering. Monsteras prefer slightly moist soil and generally like to dry out just a bit between waterings. They are epiphytes with aerial roots (a plant that grows on another plant in its natural habitat), so they don't tolerate soggy soil.
Mold can develop, and wood elements can begin to warp in an overly moist environment, so be sure to keep an eye out for such things when running a humidifier regularly. If you want to see which humidifiers I use and get more information on these helpful machines, read this article: The Best Humidifiers for Houseplants.
The “deliciosa” part of the plant's name comes from the pineapple-like fruit it bears in its natural habitat! Monsteras appreciate a warm, humid environment, a good amount of water and gentle sunlight. Place your Monstera where it can receive medium to bright indirect light.
Overall, monsteras typically do well with bottom watering and the risks of trying it are relatively low.
Monstera plants thrive in bright, indirect sunlight, so a spot near a window is ideal. If you cannot provide enough natural light, you can supplement with grow lights. Be sure to give your plant enough light each day, as too little light will cause the leaves to droop and the plant to become stunted.
Just a light spray is needed to give your Monstera the humidity it needs. The best time to mist is early in the morning when the air is cooler because this will allow more moisture to stay on the leaves. Avoid watering your Monstera at night as it can cause fungal growth on its leaves.
The main cause of yellowing monstera leaves is overwatering, though it can also be traced to nutrient deficiency.
As a tropical plant, monsteras do best with higher humidity levels, at least 40 percent. If humidity levels are consistently low, your monstera's leaves might pucker, wrinkle, or curl due to water loss. High temperatures from a heater, fireplace, or heating vent can also cause monstera leaf curl.
Since it is a tropical plant, it does like its humidity but will be fine if the indoors is a bit drier than normal. If you really want it to thrive, try putting a bed of lava rocks in a tray below it and set some water on the rocks, so that the water will evaporate upwards and increase the humidity for its spot.
Mixing up some potting soil with peat moss, and placing it in a container with drainage holes will help keep moisture conditions juuust right. Once in a while, you can even place your monstera directly in the shower and let some warm “rain” trickle down on it.
Medium Monstera cleaning - showering
This is the best method for cleaning medium sized Monstera. These are those plants that can be moved, but are too big to be turned upside down. To do this method of cleaning you simply need to put your Monstera in a lukewarm shower for a few minutes to wash the leaves.
You may need to water less in the winter, so always check the soil before you add more water. Plan on watering weekly to every other week in the summer and every few weeks in the winter. It's better to slightly under-water your monstera than over-water it. You can add more water, but removing water is a lot harder!
Monstera Deliciosa enjoys a humid environment, which is why we recommend frequent misting of its leaves. Alternatively, you can place your plant close to other plants, which increases the humidity of the air around them.
Replant your Monstera annually to replenish its nutrients and give its roots more room to grow. The best time to repot is in the spring, before new leaves emerge. Use a pot that is two inches bigger than the current one each time you replant. When the Monstera becomes as big as you want, stop repotting.
Go ahead and remove any yellow leaves you see with clean shears, but make sure to check your plant's conditions to determine whether you have a problem to fix or if this is just normal, healthy leaf drop.
What does an overwatered Monstera look like? An Overwatered monstera has chocolate brown or yellow leaves, black root rot, mold on the top of the soil, blisters on the leaves, and/or extremely wet soil.
Pruning Your Monstera
Remove dry or dead leaves all year round, but save any major pruning for the spring and summer months. When pruning your Monstera, use sharp, clean shears and cut any excessive growth at the base of the stem.
As long as you avoid these harmful methods, cleaning your monstera's leaves is actually an essential part of keeping your plant healthy. It's best to stick to simple soap, water, soft cloths, and gentle products that have been proven to work.
Mast recommends the “bottom soak method”: All you have to do is fill a sink or tub with two to four inches of lukewarm water, set your plant in the water sans saucer, and let it soak for 30 to 45 minutes if it's a small- to medium-size monstera, or an hour and a half to two hours if it's a large plant.
As long as the water is kept clean, your monstera plant can continue to grow in the water with no problem. Many times, though, a monstera's roots will begin to rot in the water from having so much moisture surrounding them, so use caution when deciding whether to leave your monstera cutting in water.
As with anything rare, the rarity of the Variegated Monstera Deliciosa is a contributing factor to its high cost. These plants are difficult to propagate and take a longer time to grow compared to their non-variegated counterparts, resulting in limited availability and high demand.
When you're ready to actually prune your monstera, remember that pruning encourages growth, so make your cuts wisely. If you're pruning to control your monstera's size, you can safely cut the plant down to size. Just know it will grow back and you'll need to do it again at some point!
Rare Varieties
More common monstera varieties such as standard Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii are going to cost a lot less (think $35-$60) than rarer varieties such as Monstera acuminata, or the elusive (and super pricey) Monstera obliqua, which can sell for thousands of dollars for a single non-rooted leaf!