How Often Should You Water A Monstera Deliciosa?
How Often Should You Water A Monstera Deliciosa? Watering monstera right is crucial, and if not taken care of, the plant will give you signals such as droopy leaves, brown spots, yellowing leaves, leaf drops, crispy leaves, and stagnant growth. But how much water do monstera need, and how often should you water them?
Watering your monstera every 5-7 days would be ideal. However, it would be best if you refrained from having a fixed schedule of watering. Instead, check if the soil gets dry and water it accordingly. Only water the plant when the soil gets dry. Also, make sure to water it thoroughly whenever you do so.
Generally, overwatering or underwatering both causes somewhat the same problems, but there can be other factors as well.
They are easy-going and forgiving, so if they are still showing signs, that means there is a prolonged lack of right resources and cultural conditions.
To get that massive lustrous foliage, just dive into this article and fill yourself with everything you need to know about a monstera plant’s water requirements. Let us find out in detail.
How to tell if monstera needs water?
Every living being becomes weak if there is a prolonged deficiency of food and water.
Plants also tend to become weak and give signs, behave weirdly when they don’t get their food, or we can say the right amount of water.
They tell you in many ways that they are suffering from under-watering conditions and need help. Let us learn what the signs are:
Soil pulling away from the edge on the top
You should thank soil for giving you signals that can be easily seen when they pull away from the edge of the pot; they indicate too much exposure to direct light and improper watering.
This means the soil cannot retain its moisture for a long time due to too much light and under watering (as it is watered once a week, which people blindly follow, ignoring other factors).
Soak the pot in a tray full of water for not more than an hour, ensuring that the excess water has drained out after taking out the pot. This will help regain the moisture in the soil.
Droopy, curling leaves
Your plant either might need water, or you need to slow down in watering. They are badly thirsty when drooping and curling, so first check the soil if dry and water the plant thoroughly.
Please don’t wait for the leaves to curl to water them again. Otherwise, the leaves will start falling off due to prolonged deficiency.
If the leaves are droopy and pale, that means you need to slow down and check the soil moistness before watering every time rather than just following prescribed watering schedules.
Dry soil
Monstera has thick leaves, so they manage to maintain their glow and thickness even when underwater. However, the soil will start showing you that it needs water by drying out.
If you are a beginner in parenthood, then use a moisture meter to check the soil dryness. When it shows 2 or 3, you need to water them. Don’t panic if it goes below that. Just water them thoroughly.
Brown crisp foliage
Brown, crispy foliage is an ugly sight on your greenery, usually occurring due to dehydration, too much direct light, humidity issues, pests infestation.
They should not be watered without checking on the soil and check the foliage if any guests are making a home in your plant.
When the soil is dehydrated, the leaves will turn brown, so keep a check on soil dryness and the plant if the leaves turn brown.
They are not a good sign because that means your plant is suffering due to improper cultural conditions.
Soak your plant or water thoroughly any way you like and keep watering whenever needed.
Overwatering can also cause them, especially when you have new leaves forming, having brown blotches on them.
Water evenly!
Bonus Tip:
There are a few ways to check soil dryness:
Moisture meter: When it shows two on the meter, it is time to water the plant.
Finger/Skewer: Put your finger or skewer into 2 to 3 inches in the soil. If the soil is not sticking to the finger or skewer, it indicates dry soil and needs water.
Wet pot: If your plant is planted in a terracotta pot, touch the bottom of the pot to see if the soil is moist or see the shade of the bottom part of the pot; if it’s dark, that means the soil is still moist.
Lifting pot: Simply by lifting the pot, you can know if the soil is dry or moist by the weight difference (can be easy for small pots to lift).
When to water monstera deliciosa?
The wagering requirement of the monstera plant depends upon the season as well as the temperature.
Winter
During winters, your monstera plant needs minimal care, as it is the dormant season.
Also, the soil takes a good time to dry out for about a month, mostly. But always keep a check if the soil is dry before you water it and water it accordingly.
You can always clean the leaves with a damp cloth in between watering to maintain moisture, avoid pests, and help them photosynthesize efficiently.
Summer
Monstera should be watered only when the soil dries out. During summers, since the soil dries out fast, they need to be watered more frequently.
Once a week is a general requirement, but other factors also matter. The pot’s size, temperature level, humidity, plant size, and other such factors will also decide the need for watering.
They are sturdy and forgiving if you miss watering and even can tolerate over watering to a specific limit.
Check the soil moisture weekly with a finger, skewer, or moisture meter.
Factors affecting the need for water
There are various factors affecting the water requirement of the monstera plant. Let us get right into it.
Soil
Slightly dry soil is what monstera enjoys. That means well-draining soil makes them happy, obviously with drainage holes in the pot.
You need to take care of your watering schedule in this case as well-draining soil will dry quickly, increasing watering frequency.
If your soil mix is heavy, the frequency will reduce but increase the chance of root rot. Not suitable for your plants.
I know you want to know the ideal aerial soil mix for your monstera, it is:
60% peat moss 20% perlite 20% compost.
Season
During summer, it is quite apparent that your plant will get more light and high-temperature levels. That will increase the requirement for water.
Summer is the growing season that will help your plant grow like crazy if watered as soon as the soil dries faster.
Winter, being the dormant season, receives less light, and low temperature in the atmosphere, which tells you that you need to slow down your watering schedule.
Light
Better light exposure better the growth and more frequent watering need because the soil is drying out rapidly. It also helps your monstera to develop fenestrations sooner and stimulate growth.
If you keep your plant under low light conditions, they will not require water that fast since the soil is not drying too quickly.
However, you must avoid keeping in scorching direct sun. Else, your plant will require a frequent watering schedule, and their leaves will burn as well.
Pot types
Monstera doesn’t appreciate over-watering but will survive under-watering. They like to dry out between watering.
The fact that people ignore is pot type, which is equally essential to be considered while watering and also helps you if you are a heavy waterer or forget to water to maintain the soil needs.
More water: Pore’s pots are made of terracotta, concrete, or wooden because they absorb moisture away from the soil faster and allow air circulation in the soil (recommended for monstera deliciosa).
Medium water: Glazing pots, i.e., pots made of ceramic, glass, or metal, retain the water inside longer needs to water less frequently.
Less water:Â Plastic pots are ideal if you forget to water (recommended for monstera adansonii).
Humidity
Monstera plant loves humidity. Being a tropical plant, they are used to a high humid environment.
If the humidity level is higher, your plant will ask for water relatively less often. It doesn’t affect much the watering needs, though.
But if the humidity level is low, water them frequently, followed by misting every few days to maintain the humid atmosphere.
Note: Humidity is not a replacement for watering, which means you need to follow your watering regime by checking the soil.
Size of pots
Giant pots need more soil and, as a result, hold more water, which means watering less frequently is essential.
Larger pots also give them plenty of space to grow. It is usually recommended to keep them in big pots (though not too big else it will drown the roots). 1cup of water is good enough and should be drained completely.
Make sure you water them thoroughly to prevent root related issues.
For small or medium-sized pots, frequency is increased.
You need to understand that soil will dry fast in this case, so you need to take more care regarding watering needs. ½ cup of water is good enough.
But still, there is no precise measurement, so always check the soil before watering.
How much water does a Monstera deliciosa need?
Moderation is the key. You can water thoroughly if the monstera ensures a proper drainage system in the pot. Soil should not remain soggy. It should be drenched thoroughly.
They need the amount of water to make the soil moist and flush the excess water out of the drainage holes.
You can also use the bottom watering method by keeping the pot in a tray filled with water for about an hour.
The bottom of the pot should not touch the water. They are sensitive to overwatering, so avoid any sogginess in the soil.
Don’t water through the leaves every time you water it. It will develop molds in the long run.
Bonus tip: To allow better water absorption and nutrients by the roots, aerate the plant soil at regular intervals by loosening the top few inches of the soil.
Signs of underwatering monstera
If you are underwatering your monstera plant, they will so following signs:
- Drooping leaves
- Wrinkled, crispy leaves
- Brown leaves
- Yellowing and dry brown spots
- Soil pulling from the edges of the pot
- Stagnant growth
Signs of overwatering monstera
If you are overwatering your monstera plant, they will so following signs:
- Brown spots on leaves
- Yellowing foliage
- Brown tips
- Mold on the surface of the soil
- Foul odor from soil
- Mushy stems
Can you water Monstera with tap water?
Your monstera is a fighter and withstands various conditions that other plants will not tolerate or suffer.
They can be watered using tap water easily without showing you any harmful effects.
Just try to water with room temperature water, whether tap water or distilled water, whatever you like.
How Often Should You Water A Monstera Deliciosa?
First, check the moisture level of your Monstera’s soil using your finger to determine if it needs water. The top inch (2.5 cm) of soil should be mostly dry, lighter in colour, and not stick to your skin. The very top layer of soil exposed to the air is the driest, so make sure to check a little below that. If you want to be consistent with your moisture reading, I recommend this soil moisture sensor that I use. Click the image or link to check the current price.
Then, if your Monstera is ready to be watered, pour slowly until water runs out the bottom of the pot. I like to water all around the surface of the soil so that the moisture is evenly distributed within the pot.
One common watering mistake is wetting just the top surface of the soil. By watering until droplets come out of the drainage holes, you can ensure that all of the roots can reach the water.
Monstera is aroids, which are tropical understory plants. They need a lot of water to grow those lush tropical leaves! As a new plant parent, I was so terrified of overwatering my Monstera that I didn’t give it enough water. Your plants will grow much more quickly if you make sure that the soil remains moist most of the time like a freshly wrung-out sponge. The soil should not be completely dry, but not soaking wet either. Rapid growth will also help your Monstera grow split leaves sooner!
Should I mist my Monstera?
Misting helps maintain a high humidity level, but it should not be done regularly as it will develop white spots on leaves if done regularly.
Monstera has thick leaves, so they can tolerate misting and different cultural conditions, but excessiveness of anything is harmful. So don’t try to shower your love through misting regularly.
If the humidity level is low, you can mist every few days making sure the leaves don’t remain wet for too long.
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