Please note: These are non-exhaustive tips , since each plant will react differently depending on its environment. If your plant is doing very well and your maintenance does not follow this sheet to the letter, don't change anything . Pay attention to the moods of your plants first and foremost!
Warning: you will often see it sold under the name monstera minima: but it is not a monstera!
Easy plant
Up to 30 m like lianas, if staked
Family: Araceae
Exposure : Bright – no direct sun.
Mist : Several times a day; It will also be necessary to mist the aerial roots. This will notably keep away thrips and mites in addition to washing its leaves (if it is rainwater, otherwise beware of traces of limescale). Be careful, the water placed on the foliage must be allowed to dry between two mistings (risk of fungal diseases). In winter in particular, it is not necessary below 18°C. Namely, misting is not used to increase humidity for more than a few minutes. For that :
Humidity : She will appreciate clay balls in a larger dish, or gravel, with a bottom of water. Be careful, the bottom of the pot must not touch the water. Also the company of other plants
Watering in spring/summer : once a week; the substrate must always remain very slightly damp, i.e. dry for about 3 cm.
Watering in autumn/winter : 1 time every 10-14 days, the substrate must be dry.
Temperature : Ideal between 18-25°C. Should not drop below 17°C.
Repotting : In spring every year if the plant is cramped (roots sticking out), preferably in a terracotta pot.
Soil : light, potting soil for green plants or houseplants and best mixed with a lot of perlite, or clay balls. The best being an intermediate aroid mixture , 25% potting soil (preferably organic), 25% sphagnum moss, 40% coconut bark (between 10 and 20 mm) and 10% perlite (20% if your climate is more temperate/cool). Sphagnum moss will help in particular to retain the necessary humidity.
Liquid fertilizer : if used, for green plants or for cacti in small doses, spring/summer every two weeks, then stop completely. Useless if the potting soil is recent and already contains fertilizer (wait at least one month). Liquid fertilizer should always be applied to previously watered soil.
Cuttings : You can cut under one or two nodes which have fairly present aerial roots. You can root it in water or sphagnum moss. Very easy to water if you already have good aerial roots.
Be careful, however, if you root in water, the transition to soil will be complicated: it is better that the water roots are not too developed, and that the soil remains very humid. You can try to root the cutting more quickly in a perlite/vermiculite mixture.
Concerns:
-The leaves turn yellow: excess water or lack of water. Most of the time it is still more likely an excess. In this case, wait until the substrate is completely dry before watering again. And choose a terracotta pot.
-The leaves turn yellow despite appropriate care : the plant lacks nutrients. Repot or add fertilizer. Otherwise, see here .
-If the leaves turn black : too much direct light/too much water or too little water/or too little humidity.
-The leaves are becoming smaller and smaller: it must be staked; or repot it (lack of nutrients).
-The leaves come out deformed: lack of water and/or humidity
- The nodes (area from which the aerial roots emerge) are widely spaced from each other ; which means several things: lack of light or need for a guardian (or both) or perhaps lack of nutrients
Overall quite resistant to parasites. Mine sometimes has a few thrips but it resists them well. I've actually had it since 2021 and it's still going great!! This is one of my few plants that I've had since the very beginning!
Please note: Toxic for animals and children. Be careful of drafts. Climbing plant: if you want it to be beautiful and grow quickly, you will need to allow it to climb (on a tutor for example; or directly against a wall).
There is a lot of care and advice that generally applies to almost all indoor plants , drain the substrate, avoid installing near heat sources, avoid direct sun... To know them I will tell you advises you to read my article Basic plant advice sheet . Otherwise, generally speaking, the articles on the Basic Advice page.
Comments