Demystifying the monstera: common mistakes and how to avoid them
The monstera is one of the most popular houseplants going, and one of the most misunderstood. Most of the trouble comes down to a handful of habits that are easy to fall into without realising. But a little understanding of how they grow in the wild goes a long way towards growing them successfully.
Mistake one: not supporting growth
In the wild, a monstera doesn't grow upright on its own. It climbs, using aerial roots that latch onto tree trunks to pull itself up towards the light.The distinctive splits and holes in the leaves are thought to develop as the plant matures while climbing, letting light reach the leaves below.
Left without anything to climb indoors, it tends to sprawl instead, producing smaller, plainer leaves. A moss-covered pole gives it something to root into, replicating that climbing habit and encouraging the larger, more deeply split leaves it's known for. Keeping the pole misted helps aerial roots take hold, and once attached, they'll draw extra moisture from it too.
Mistake two: overwatering
The single most common way to kill a monstera is being too generous with the watering can. In the wild, its roots grow into loose, fast-draining material on the forest floor, without sitting in standing water.
By overwatering, you suffocate the roots, leading to rot and a host of other issues. The surface can look dry, while below the surface is still holding plenty of moisture, so dig a little deeper before reaching for the can. If you're itching for the watering can but the soil below the surface says otherwise, treat it to a misting and a wipe of the leaves instead.
Mistake three: the wrong potting mix
A monstera's roots are thicker and chunkier than most houseplants, and they want a potting mix to match. A standard, fine-textured compost packs in tightly around the roots, holding too much water for too long and starving them of the air they need. A chunkier mix, with plenty of bark or similar coarse material, leaves gaps for air to reach the roots and lets the mix dry out evenly rather than staying wet at the centrewhile the surface looks fine.
Mistake four: the wrong light
In the wild, a monstera spends its life reaching up through gaps in the forest canopy, never sat in open sun and never buried in deep shade. Indoors, that translates to bright, indirect light. Too little, and growth slows right down, with smaller leaves that may never develop the splits and holes the plant is known for. Too much direct sun, and the leaves scorch instead. A spot with plenty of bright light, just out of the sun's direct path, tends to suit it best.
A note on variegated monsteras
A variegated monstera is grown the same way as its all-green relative, in the same chunky mix and bright, indirect light. The difference is in the leaves themselves. The white and cream patches contain little to no chlorophyll, so the green portions are doing all the work of photosynthesis for the whole plant. Keep an eye on light levels in particular, as a variegated plant in too little light will struggle more than a fully green one would in the same spot, and may even start producing plainer, greener leaves as it tries to compensate.
A monstera that's watered, lit, and supported well rewards you with bigger, better leaves over time. Getting the watering part right starts with the right can in hand, one that lets you measure, pour, and aim with control. Take a look at our indoor watering cans. 