Only a few plants have their hashtag on Instagram. One of these is the Monstera – the houseplant, which has been kept in the limelight for years and is making its way into modern and stylish interiors. On social media, you can find it under the hashtag #MonsteraMonday.
But it will win your favour even if you don’t crave beautiful photos on social media. In fact, it is very easy to grow and, with proper care, pay off with typically ornamental leaves. It grows to almost monstrous proportions over the years.
It is originally a liana from South American tropical forests. It can grow up to five metres tall, though it will not reach that height in an apartment. When mature, one of its leaves can be up to half a metre across, so clearly, the plant needs plenty of space around it.
Do not spill it
Tropicals thrive in peaty soil. So choose one for your Monstera. However, it does not thrive in waterlogged conditions, so make sure the pot has drainage holes to allow excess water to drain away. Depending on the conditions in which you are growing the plant, it depends on how often you water it. Check the soil at all times and only water when the soil is dry. Water it about once every few days to a week.
The Monstera likes to be fertilised. Feed it with a light dose of green manure about once a fortnight. Do not forget to fertilise in winter, but increase the interval to about six weeks. Monstera will stump on nearby trees in the wild, so adding support to the pot will do it well. You should then repot the plant every two years in a larger pot.
Once the Monstera has grown to its maximum size, and you can’t find a larger pot, at least replace the top of the soil. For adult plants, again stick the aerial roots into the soil, or if this is not possible, form a moss ball to attach somewhere around the pot.
Do not look for it in the florist; you can order it online
Although very popular, the Monstera is not easy to find. It’s not available in every florist or garden shop. Still, you’ll often find it in online shops offered by people who have inherited it with their home. Or you may find a person who will order their plant for you. Just cut off the leaf along with the aerial root. The cut piece can be left to root in water or planted directly into the soil. You can also try tucking the cut leaf into the water; in a short time, it should grow roots.
Beware of dry air
Any plant needs the right conditions to thrive. Monsteras will thrive at a room temperature between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. Note that the higher the temperature, the quicker the Monstera will grow. Even though the plant likes plenty of light, be careful of the sun’s rays. If too much, the plant will burn its leaves. However, if there is not enough, Monstera will not have its typical leaves. They will remain undivided, only heart-shaped with no holes cut through them.
The Monstera loves high humidity – after all, this is a plant native to the rainforest. It thrives if you sprinkle the leaves from time to time. Remember to keep the humidity even in winter, when the rooms heat up, and the moisture naturally drops.
Make sure you don’t leave the Monstera near a heater; it will dry out its leaves. Remember to clean the leaves thoroughly and wipe them clean of dust with a damp sponge. Moreover, the dusty leaves look unkempt, and you certainly don’t want that with a plant this big.
Watch out for children and animals
Though the Monstera is beautiful and ripens edible fruits in nature, all other parts of the plant are poisonous. So if you have small children in your home or pets that have a habit of nibbling on your houseplants, you will have to do without the Monstera. Any poisoning is definitely not worth it.
