Having indoor plants is a great way to not only decorate your home with natural beauty but also to bring your love for plants into your home. Monstera plants are very common indoor plants because they are easy to care for and have very beautiful and uniquely shaped leaves. Unfortunately, monstera leaves dont have splits, also called fenestrations, from the beginning. When do monstera leaves split?
When monstera plants have been properly cared for with the correct amount of water, sunlight, and a small amount of fertilizer, their leaves will split when they have reached 2-3 years of age. Monstera plants may split their leaves sooner or later depending on the health of the plant.
What can you do to properly care for your monstera plant to ensure its health and that the leaves split soon?
Why Do Monstera Leaves Split?
Monstera plants grow larger leaves when they get more sunlight and if they are healthy. As the leaves on the top of the plant grow larger, they cast shade upon the leaves below them. Monstera plants make their leaves split to give more opportunities for sunlight to reach the leaves below them.
Proper Care For a Monstera Plant
When thinking about purchasing a monstera plant to add to your indoor plant collection, it is important to note that there are two different types of monstera plants. Knowing which one you prefer is important in your selection of the plant.
There are Monstera deliciosa and Monstera adansonii. The Monstera adansonii plants differ from the Monstera deliciosa because of their long, tapering leaves. They also have completely enclosed holes in the leaves. Monstera deliciosa leaf holes will eventually grow and reach towards the edge. They will also open as they mature.
An interesting fact about the Monstera deliciosa is they are capable of producing edible fruit. Unfortunately, they rarely produce this fruit indoors.
Monstera plants are native to Central America and have only become popular around the world in the 20th century.
When you purchased your monstera plant, you most likely chose this plant due to the unique design of the leaves. As previously mentioned, in a new monstera plant, the splitting of the leaves can take around 2-3 years with proper care. Let’s get into the specifics of the care for your plant so that the leaves will split naturally.
Sunlight
This indoor plant loves sunlight just like any other plant, but it can only have so much of it. Your plant thrives in areas where it has access to medium indirect sunlight. Your monstera plant is not suited for intense or direct sunlight. This can seriously harm your plant. If monstera plants are forced to endure bright, direct sunlight, they may become acclimated to withstand the light, but it is not a good idea to test this on your monstera.
While looking for a good place in your home to place your monstera plant, look for a place near a window that does not normally receive bright sunlight when the day is at its brightest (noon until around 4 PM). This way your plant can still receive the sunlight it loves and needs without being roasted. While you want to make sure they are not getting too much sunlight, this is one of the most important factors determining the split of their leaves.
Water
Every living thing needs water to survive, and so does your beloved monstera plant. As you probably already know, plants can be overwatered, and it causes serious problems for them. It can, in some cases, be fatal for plants. Because monsteras are in a small pot, you want to take extra care not to overwater them.
You should water your plant once every 1-2 weeks. Make sure that you are using the moistness of the soil to determine when the next watering will be. If the soil is still moist, wait. When the soil has dried thoroughly, it is time to water your plant again.
Tip: Monstera plants can actually benefit from filtered water. You can also allow the water to sit out overnight before giving it to your plant.
Humidity
It is important to remember that this plant is native to Central America, therefore, monsteras enjoy humidity. They can be acclimated to live without it, but whenever possible, they prefer to have it.
Are you unable to give humidity to your monstera? Consider purchasing a humidifier or a fine-mist mister to give your plant the same benefits while still being indoors.
Temperature
Similar to many other common indoor house plants, monsteras prefer the temperature of their residence to be between 65°F and 85°F (18° to 30° in Celsius.) It is a good idea not to let the temperatures drop below 60°F (15°C.)
On nice days where the sun is not too bright, you can bring your monstera outside, but make sure the temperature stays between the range so as not to harm your plant.
Soil
When you are replanting a monstera plant into your own pot, make sure you are using well-draining soil. You want to make sure that the water will not get stuck in the soil, “drowning” your plant at the roots.
When looking for what soil to get for your monstera, look for soil that is “well-draining”. If you have problems with too much water and you need soil that will drain water better, you can mix in objects—such as small lava rocks—to give more room and allow the water to drain more efficiently.
Fertilizer
One way to help your plants grow fast and to their fullest is to give them fertilizer. Great fertilizer for indoor plants is a liquid fertilizer. Follow the instructions on the bottle, but a good rule of thumb to keep in mind is to mix half a teaspoon of fertilizer with a gallon of water. This is a great fertilizer to use not only on your monster plants, but on any plants you have around the house or outside who need a little help reaching their fullest potential.
Monstera plants are wonderful, and look absolutely amazing when their leaves have split. Hopefully these tips will help your very own Monstera plants split their leaves!
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