I have two thai constellation monsteras, first pic I got it half a year ago and second pic around 3 months ago.
I have both potted up in chunky aroid mix. The first one has no natural light, only uses a 10W grow light, about 14 hours a day, and the second bigger one I have directly facing a floor to ceiling east facing window, also supplementing with a 10W grow light as well because it can get quite cloudy where I live with short days. I fertilize both with every watering, with Superthrive foliage pro. The only problem might be humidity, which probably sits around 30-40% where I live.
The roots are very healthy. Every time I check they are white, chunky, firm roots wrapped around the pot. I repotted both around a month ago, but to be honest, they weren't that due for a repot. I heard that when the lower leaves die off, it's a sign that they need more space, but that hasn't proven true since more old leaves keep dying off even after the repot.
For the first plant, it keeps cycling its leaves like an alocasia. For some reason, the leaves refuse to upsize/mature, and I'm not sure what the issue is. It keeps growing more and more roots in the meanwhile — it has probably doubled to tripled its root mass. I use a Sansi 10w grow light, which works well for all my other plants. The snake plant behind the monstera is loving the grow light, even though it's further away, but my monstera couldn't care less.
For the second plant, it has grown one new leaf in the time I had it, which definitely decreased in size. I figure it is due to un-optimal conditions and needs time to adjust. However, the lowest leaves keep turning yellow and dying off. I think about 3-4 leaves have died off now. They were small baby leaves, and I figured it was normal, but now the oldest leaf is fairly big and is also dying off. Also, I recently went to a plant nursery and saw much bigger monsteras for sale, all of which still had all of their baby leaves somehow.
My question is, why are my plants struggling so bad and why do the lower leaves keep dying off?
by Opening_Grocery_7414
3 Comments
Humidity is irrelevant. The thing about senescing leaves if they need space is total myth. If this was insufficient light exposure, you would see the white specks browning first.
Are you significantly diluting the fertilizer since you are using it so frequently?
The only other thing that would really cause this is if it were being watered too frequently. This can happen even if root health looks good, but the fertilizer issue is my first thought given that root health is good and there’s no necrosis. 💚
I have the same thing my man, both my thais keep pushing out newer, bigger and more fenestrated leaves yet drop their smaller non fenestrated ones.
Both sit under 45w sansi bulbs with moss poles, same thing as you where the roots look fine
Pots sitting in display pots, the Roots end up Drowning in dripped stagnant water.
Roll up two sheets of Aluminium foil into tight Balls about the size of Gulf Balls & pop them into the bottom of your display Pot. This lifts them out of any stagnant water.
Last change the soil out to some chunky Monstera Mix.
Remove the Yellow leaves.