Monstera care tips

A gorgeous, striking plant with leaves full of holes. It's no wonder the Monstera is also called the Swiss cheese plant. Who's hungry?! It looks as if big bites have been taken out of the leaves of the Monstera. This gives the Monstera a unique and unusual appearance.

This striking character originally comes from the tropical rainforests of South America. There the Swiss cheese plant climbs up the trunks of tall trees and its leaves can grow up to a metre across(!). Fortunately, in most cases the Monstera will behave itself in your home and stick to a normal size. The holes in the Monstera's leaves aren't just fun to look at, by the way; they also serve a handy survival purpose. The big holes in the leaf mean it's less likely to be damaged or torn in heavy wind or rain. In the South American rainforest you'll therefore often hear the plant belting out Destiny's Child's 'I'm a Survivor'. What a show-off, that Swiss cheese plant.

Swiss cheese plant care

The Monstera is not a difficult houseplant to care for. Ideal if you're not blessed with the greenest of fingers but would still love an unusual houseplant in your home. It is important to know, though, that the Monstera is no fan of bright sunshine on its head.

As mentioned, the Monstera originally comes from the rainy tropical rainforest, where it grows in the shade of larger plants and trees. That's why the Monstera isn't naturally used to standing in full light and will much prefer a spot in partial shade. So bear this in mind when you give your Monstera a place to shine. In bright sun this green houseplant will soon struggle, and before long the only thing that stands out is a bare and dying Monstera in your living room.

Watering the Monstera

The Swiss cheese plant doesn't need a huge amount of water. A good splash once a week is often enough. The soil may stay slightly moist, but how exactly do you tell?

Well, it's actually very simple: dig two fingers into the soil up to the knuckles.

Is the soil bone dry after a few days? That means the plant processes water quickly and you can water your Monstera. Is the soil still moist after a few days? Then it's better to wait a little before watering your Monstera. That way you never give too much water that can linger around the roots. And so, indirectly, you also prevent possible root rot. Better safe than sorry!

Light and warmth for the Monstera

The Monstera is not a fussy one. Put it in a spot with bright indirect light or partial shade and the plant is soon content. It's not a good idea to put your Monstera in the sun. The leaves can discolour and even scorch. That's why we strongly advise against a spot in front of a south-facing window.

Monstera plant food

By feeding your Monstera we don't mean, of course, that you should push a sausage roll into the soil, but the Monstera finds a bit of extra nutrition now and then more than delicious. Just make sure you use suitable Monstera plant food and that you give it at the right time of year. Many plants go into a winter dormancy and have no need for extra nutrients then. If you've only just repotted your Monstera, plant food isn't needed yet. Fresh Monstera potting soil already contains plenty of new nutrients that the plant can live on for a few more months.

Repotting the Monstera

We usually repot a Monstera every two years. That said, it's different for every individual plant and depends on how quickly it outgrows its pot. If you're repotting your Monstera, we recommend always doing so with a waterproof inner liner, vulcastrat and a moisture meter. The waterproof inner liner stops the decorative pot from leaking, the vulcastrat absorbs excess water and the moisture meter lets you gauge how much moisture there is at the bottom of the soil. After repotting your Monstera, you can no longer feel this with your fingers in the soil.

Taking Monstera cuttings

Are you an experienced plant parent who'd like to take cuttings from your Monstera? You can! Swiss cheese plants often produce aerial roots, and this way of growing makes it easy for you to see where to cut your Monstera cutting. Use sharp scissors or a sharp knife. Put the freshly cut cutting in a glass of water and, if you like, use our Pokon rooting powder for faster root growth. Once the cutting has grown its own roots, it's time to pot it up in soil and voilà! Your very own baby Monstera.

Pruning the Monstera

Pruning a Monstera isn't a weekly job; you only do it when a leaf has outgrown itself or is dying. In that case, cut the leaf as close to the stem as possible, again with sharp scissors or a sharp knife. The Monstera will recover quickly.

Monstera pests and problems

Nobody's perfect, eh. Plants are living things and unfortunately can sometimes suffer from a disease or a pest. This is because potting soil is full of living organisms. In warm, wet conditions these can develop into insects. Fortunately these pests are easy to deal with.

Dealing with mealybugs

Mealybug is a very common plant pest. These little nuisances travel on the wind or on clothing and can easily settle on the Monstera. Mealybugs look exactly like tiny white balls of fluff. If you don't remove them in time, they can attack the leaves and drain the energy from the plant.

So make sure you remove mealybugs from your plant quickly! This is easily done with a plant mister and a cloth. If that doesn't work, you can dab the mealybugs with a cotton bud dipped in methylated spirits.

Monstera yellow leaves and brown spots

Is your Monstera getting a yellow leaf? Or is your Monstera developing brown spots? This can be a sign of too much water. But it may also simply be an old leaf. That's part of your Monstera's growth process. The leaves can't live forever, of course, and will keep replacing themselves.

If you see your Monstera getting several yellow leaves, it may well be down to watering. When they get too much water, plants often show it by turning their leaves yellow. In that case it's a good idea to keep an eye on your potting soil and perhaps water a little less.

Monstera leaves curling

Are your Monstera's leaves curling? This can be a sign of dry air. In that case we recommend putting a bowl of water next to the houseplant. Make sure the plant isn't near a radiator either, as that also gives off a lot of dry air.

New Monstera leaves grow rolled up and unroll themselves once they're big enough.

So don't be confused by new leaves that are also curled; they may simply be new growth.