Okay I never had monstera this huge! She is gorgeous. I usually propagate plants so most of mine are small to medium size.
I just rescued this beauty from FB market place. I really appreciate your advice on how to take great care of her.
I wanna repot her to a larger pot & give her some support. However I think it’s better to cut some branches and propagate them since her body is slim and weak (bear with me English isnt my first language).
My first time posting so im not sure what else to include. [ I only include this random texts so I can post 😭 It wasnt my plant as the first place so im not sure how much water and light it got] 50ml once a week, 5 hours of light a day.
by GrapefruitGrand1571
6 Comments
I was panicked typing so I forgot to include: THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! I appreciate your help!
Check for bugs/eggs
Nice find!
In your situation, I would just repot into a much bigger pot and plant the stem up to just below the node of the first leaf. Since the stem is capable of growing new roots anyway, they’ll just grow straight into the soil without the added step of growing from cuttings. I’d also add a large moss pole, and make sure to plant into a chunky aroid mix. As a climber, monstera usually latch on to things anyway, so the air roots that grow into the moss pole will help it get stronger as it grows.
Of course, if you are more comfortable (or just more excited by!) restarting from cuttings, that works as well.
Some things to keep in mind:
* Don’t forget to quarantine your new plant for a two weeks before introducing it into a space with any of your current plants. This will help avoid transfering any pests or diseases to your pre-existing plant collection. If you do find pests, you can treat the new plant without having to treat your entire collection.
* Monstera like a bit of humidity, between 60 to 70%
* They also prefer bright, indirect light
* They prefer to let their soil dry out a bit in between watering. Luckily they aren’t finicky about their water, so should be fine with tap water if that’s what you have.
* As mentioned, they’re climbers, so giving them a moss pole is best, otherwise they might latch onto furniture or walls.
Hopefully this is a helpful introduction, but it sounds like you have past experience with plants so you should do fine! Good luck with your brand new monstera!
Interesting prop roots happening here!
Are there any promising nodes near where your potential cuts are in the red line pic?
Have you considered [air layering](https://monsteraplantresource.com/monstera-propagation-via-air-layering/)?
Yes you can certainly chop & prop if you like to give it a better shape! It’s ‘leggy’ because it has not been receiving enough light, so over time it has ‘stretched’ to find more – increasing direct sunlight will help future growth and overall health.
I would not repot this into a larger pot. On the contrary, this pot seems too large for such a thin, leggy plant. When you remove it to examine the rootball, you’ll have a better idea of how to size the pot. The more snug, the better.
Remember that monstera as indoor houseplants need very little water, depending on how much light it gets – water infrequently, only when the soil feels dry; when you do water, use enough so the whole soil is drenched and water runs out the bottom. The potting mix should be very thick and chunky, so that water runs through the pot very quickly. Thick chunks of bark or similar should be the main ingredient in your mix. The mix it’s currently it looks rather dense and wet. You want the roots to have excellent airflow.
For support, sphagnum moss poles can be useful, just be sure to set it up correctly if you want the plant to grow with/into the pole! Otherwise you can just use a thick stake to superficially support its structure/weight.
For any new ‘rescue’ plants, be sure to inspect thoroughly for pests, give it a good wash, and when you repot, inspect the roots well for rot. Good luck!
You need to quarantine this plant ASAP. I’d bet money that it has thrips.