How to care for a Monstera plant
Chances are you’ve spotted its leaves on everything from pillows to wallpaper. The Monstera Deliciosa (aka “Swiss Cheese Plant”), is a tropical plant from the Araceae family.
Monstera are species of evergreen tropical vines/shrubs that are native to Central America. Monsteras are famous for their natural leaf-holes, hence its nickname the Swiss Cheese Plant. In the wild, Monstera can grow to be enormous: dozens of metres tall with leaves that spread to nearly two metres wide. It produces a corncob-shaped fruit (which is said to taste like a combination of pineapple, banana, and mango). It’s not all delicious, however: The plant itself is poisonous and eating the fruit before it becomes ripe can cause mouth irritation.
The great thing about Monsteras is that they're low-maintenance plants that are great for any beginning plant owner. They are also very flexible when it comes to light requirements, so you'll always have a good place for this plant in your house. Would you like to know how to take care of it? Read on to find out more…
- Monstera needs an adequate amount of space: Put it in a statement-making spot in the living room, rather than in a dark corner or on a windowsill.
- Water Monstera moderately about once a week. Wait until the soil is fairly dry before watering again. Keep in a fairly humid environment.
- Find a balance between sun and shade. Too much sun and the leaves will turn yellow. If it’s left in the dark, the plant will exhibit negative phototropism, where new leaves grow towards the dark, rather than the light. Indirect sun is best.
- To stop excessive growth, avoid re-potting too often and prune regularly by pinching off new growth.
- This plant likes moist soil, and doesn’t deal with wet soil very well. To help give the Monstera the right amount of moisture to thrive in, you should use well-draining soil.
- Monsteras love humidity. They thrive in high humid places because it resembles their native environments. Because of this, it's a great idea to mist your Monstera every day. If you have a humidifier in your house, this is also a great solution.
- If your Monstera does well and grows consistently, you have to repot it about every two years.
- Monstera grows horizontally by nature. A moss pole trains the Monstera to grow vertically instead of horizontally. If you prefer the plant to grow taller instead of wider, this is the best solution.
- During the spring and summer, you should fertilize the Monstera about once per month and during the dormancy period, autumn and winter, you shouldn't fertilize the Monstera at all. During this time its resting and preparing for the next growing period.
We hope that these useful tips will keep your Monstera thriving throughout the seasons. Monstera Deliciosa is available at Derek Garden Centre. For more information about this beautiful plant do not hesitate to get in touch.
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