Monstera plants make a lovely addition to your houseplant collection . And while most mass choose these tropical plants for their strike foliation with its holes and split , their unbelievable growth often amount a faithful second . However , with that growth eventually comes the want to cut them back – but do you in reality know how to prune a Monstera to encourage development ?
That is , your Swiss Cheese industrial plant ( as they ’re also known ) is relatively easy to care for , although it does need some TLC to keep it healthy . Grow your Monsteras in a post where they get bright light from a sunny window and keep their dirt moist , and you will be rewarded with healthy growth that will make your Edgar Albert Guest swoon .
From there , if you are fortunate enough to have a flourishing plant that is outgrow its location , or you just require to ameliorate its form , pruning an indoor Monstera is very easy .
Simply keep reading this clause to see just how to trim a Swiss cheese plant to turn over your overgrown Monstera Deliciosa into one that will shortly be moneyed with new growth .
Table of Contents
Easy Monstera Care Guide 🌿
⭐ neediness one?Grab aclassic Monstera hereor asmaller Monstera Adansonii here !
💧 piss : Water when the top 2 - 3 inches of soil feel juiceless . Monsteras favor consistent moisture but do n’t like sitting in soggy soil .
🌱 Soil : Use a well - draining potting premix -I personally usethis tropical potting mix . A mix with peat , perlite , or coco coir is great for avert inert ascendent .
☀ ️Light : Bright , indirect light is idealistic . unmediated sunlight can scorch their farewell , while low light may retard growth .
🌡 ️Temperature : Monsteras thrive between 65 - 85 ° F ( 18 - 29 ° snow ) . Keep them out from draft and sudden temperature changes .
🌿 Fertilizer : Feed with a balanced , water - soluble fertiliser ( my top clean isthis Miracle - Gro one ) once a calendar month during saltation and summer . Skip feeding in fall and wintertime .
How to prune Monstera to encourage growth
How you prune an indoor Monstera plant to further growth depends on your goals . clip off a few dead leaves is a different process than trying to control an overgrown flora . Likewise , prune with the finish ofpropagating your Monsteraplant takes a spot more care .
1. Removing yellow or dying leaves
As your Monstera industrial plant grows and matures , honest-to-god leaves yellow and fail naturally . This is perfectly normal , and a few yellowing leave are not a cause for care ( although if more than a fewMonstera leaves are turn yellow , that may be cause for further probe ) . However , to keep your Monstera plant glad and healthy it is important to prune off previous and yellow leaves regularly .
2. Controlling or shaping an overgrown Monstera plant
Monsteras raise rapidly and can become unruly if they are left to their own twist . Lateral vines that rise aggressively may become disruptive and untempting if allow to grow wildly . To keep your overgrownMonstera Deliciosaplant in shape , you’re able to snip wayward vines and direct newfangled increase in the direction you prefer .
These cuttings can be used for rooting or propagating your Monstera plant , but you will need to bring down them again ½ inch below a node .
3. Root pruning
Root pruning is a technique used to slow down the ontogeny ofgiant Monstera plantsand keep them under control . While it may sound a little scary it is easy to do and when done the right way will amend the wellness of your plant .
Remove your Monstera plant from the mickle and examine the roots . You will see one main radical with smaller sidelong root grow off it . The finish is to cut back the lateral roots by one - third and to leave the main tooth root intact .
Gently tease the theme apart if they are tightly wound . shorten the ends of the sidelong root by no more than one - third the length of the rootage . This is a good time to cut down away any discolored or damaged roots , too .
4. Pruning to propagate Monstera
Monsteras can be propagate with stem cuttings placed in moist potting premix or in a vase of water . But the cutting want at least one node so as to root . That means you necessitate to be selective when making client cuttings .
Make a sporting cut ½ inch below the lymph node with a sharp clipping instrument . Avoid using a dull blade for bring down as this can bruise the prow and do tissue paper damage .
Should I cut back my Monstera?
Yes , cutting back disobedient or overgrown vines on your Monstera is an effective path to operate its growth . This also forces a flush of unexampled growing . If your Monstera flora is overgrown or rumbustious , selectively contract back vine and stanch that stretch out beyond the borders of your plant will improve its appearance .
The leaves on your Monstera flora do n’t live forever . Old leaves disappearance and die periodically as new growth replace them . edit off or pruning old growing that is yellowing or become flat is an efficient elbow room to advertize the growth of healthy new foliage .
store your Monstera plant trimmed to asseverate the want shape is secure for the plant life as it promotes new growth . After all , yourMonstera leave will grow backeven if you cut them off .
When should I prune Monstera?
The full time to crop a Monstera is in early spring just before new ontogeny begins . This ensures your flora will have the resources it needs to recuperate from any stress from pruning and to send out a flush of new growth .
Monstera plant get in dormancy in the fall and winter and take a rest after a season of combat-ready ontogeny . The flora does n’t stop growing altogether , but ontogenesis is minimal throughout the fall and winter .
Due to the decreased sunlight in winter , photosynthesis slows down . Your Monstera plant ca n’t convert as much of the sun ’s vigor into usable carbohydrates for active increment until the Dominicus comes back out , which is why unexampled maturation begins again in the bounce .
Where can I cut Monstera?
Where you cut your Monstera count on why you are pruning it . To remove honest-to-god leave , only cut them from the main stem . However , if you intend to use the pruned subdivision from your Monstera for generation , the slip take to have at least one node . In that case , cut the prow half an column inch below a guest .
In the case of yellowed parting , they are beyond saving and ca n’t be used for rooting or propagating your Monstera . After all , you could’tpropagate Monstera without a leaf node . That ’s because nodes are the only place on the stem that can produce raw growing as the section between nodes , call internode , will not root or sprout new growth .
To locate a node , search for the surface area where entrust or yourMonstera ’s aerial rootsgrow . This surface area is thickened and may mold a slightly raised ring around the bow . From there , once you ’ve edit just below the node , root the cutting in a shabu of water or in a moist potting mixture .
If you are trim roots to manipulate the size and growth of your Monstera plant , make certain you only cut the sidelong roots . The master root , which is thicker and sturdier , should not be pruned or crop . edit off one - third of the length of lateral roots when you are prune the roots .
Should I cut off small Monstera leaves?
you may cut off small Monstera leaves , especially if you ’re worried that they ’re taking too much of your plant life ’s resources and want to boost maturation . However , small leaves on your Monstera industrial plant usually signalize that its growing needs are not being meet and so pruning Monstera pocket-size leave will not lick the underlying problem stimulate this .
alternatively , a change in placement , watering your Monstera only as often as it demand it , and proper nutrients will further your Monstera plant to bring out larger leaves . To right exit with small leaves , ensure your Monstera plant ’s grow motivation are met . Here ’s a abbreviated critical review of everything a Monstera plant demand to produce big , lush leaves and intelligent growth .
How to cut yellow leaves off Monstera
To hack yellowish leaves off Monstera , observe the leaf ’s root word back to the primary branch or stem . Clip the leaf stem closelipped to the main theme or vine . Then toss the old leaves or add them to the compost bin , as yellow leaves can not be used for rooting and will not sprout new growth .
Cutting icteric leaves off Monstera should become a routine procedure for keeping it looking good . Older folio yellow and die naturally as they are replaced by fresh ontogenesis . cut them off the industrial plant is a mere operation .
What happens if you cut a Monstera leaf?
Cutting Monstera leaf should be part of your even plant precaution routine , especially if they are turning sensationalistic , and so is actually good for your houseplant . If you incidentally bring down a Monstera leaf though , do n’t care as it will more than in all likelihood grow back if the plant is healthy .
Many plant life devotee are queasy to salvage cutting from their plant to root and propagate the flora . While it is potential to use the leaves of some plants , like African violets and begonia , to make novel plants , that is not the caseful with Monsteras .
Monstera leaves will not form source or produce new shoots . The only part of a Monstera plant that grow new plant tissue paper is a thickening . Nodes are located on the primary or sidelong vine of the plant , but leafage stems do not have nodes .
If you accidentally geld a leaf off your Monstera plant life , have it in the trash or add it to the compost voltaic pile .
How do I shape my Monstera?
form your Monstera industrial plant is done by selectively snip stem turn and vines . Sometimes you will want to bring down off vine that have grown unruly to asseverate the overall shape of the plant . Other time , you may want to hale novel growth in a particular part of the flora .
Removing wayward vines
If your Monstera is begin to bet a piddling like the hobo camp it was born in , you’re able to reel it in by selectively pruning off perverse lateral vines . study the vines closely to decide which can be saved and steer up your Monstera pole and which are well cut from the plant .
Cut the vines to the desire length with a pair of sharp garden shear or other cutters . you may dilute the vine back to the principal stem turn if you desire , but you may also cut it anywhere along the length of the vine . Make the cut above a leafage node to encourage novel growth along the vine .
Forcing new growth for dense foliage
If your Monstera plant looks lank or lack the profuse leafage you desire , you may prune Monstera to encourage raw growth . Providing your Monstera ’s mature needs are being satisfy , selective pruning can force new growth and create a more compact plant .
How do I fix my leggy Monstera?
Legginess takes place when your Monstera works is not getting enough light to perform photosynthesis properly and to acquire the carbohydrates the plant needs for levelheaded growth . As such , to bushel a leggy Monstera , see to it that the light hitting your Monsteras leaves is brilliant enough to cast a fuzzy vestige .
Monsteras be intimate bright spark from a gay window and hurt in broken light . That ’s whyleggy Monsteraslook like they are stretching towards the sky – as that is exactly what they are doing . This is part because the sluttish issue may be that the strength of the light is too low .
How shining the light is n’t the only matter that matters to a Monstera . The duration of illumination is of import too . Toknow if your Monstera is getting enough visible radiation , a expert start gunpoint is to check that your Monstera is get bright light for at least six hour a daylight .
Should you prune a leggy Monstera plant?
Pruning a leggy Monstera plant is a good estimation . Because cutting or pruning a vine or stem just above a node force new growth along the radical , doing this can coerce new growing and will meliorate the appearance of the plant .
But , beware : New growth will only sprout at nodes and will not grow from the internodes , so verify you prune Monstera above the lymph gland .
That said , dress a leggy Monstera wo n’t fix the legginess . rather , the first step to correcting issues with legginess is to ensure your Monstera plant is get the light it needs to thrive . At the same time , you may be able to improve the appearance of your leggy Monstera works with some selective pruning , too .
Internodes are the long part of the stem between the thickening . When plants stretch for lightness as yourMonstera climbs , the internode become elongated . This means clip to force new growth will improve the visual aspect of your Monstera plant , but some section of the vine or stem turn may still look sparse .
What do you do when Monstera gets too big?
Monsteras are do it for their rapid growth and the tendency to reach impressive pinnacle . If your Monstera has outgrown the limits of your space , there are several things you may do to control it .
1. Prune the lateral vine
If your major fear with a Monstera that has grown too big is how widely it has spread , you could correct that easily by pruning your Monstera ’s sidelong vines .
Lateral vine come off from the main stem of the plant spud fresh maturation along the path . These vines can be trim back to the primary shank or cut at any degree along the vine . For good results make your cut just above a knob .
2. Cut it back
3. Prune the roots
A Monstera plant that uprise too vigorously can be slowed down a bit with in force root pruning . murder your Monstera plant from the gage and prune away one - third of the length of lateral roots . sidelong beginning are thinner than the primary root and disperse out in all directions .
This can really help to invalidate yourMonstera becoming root bound .
4. Move your Monstera
If you are suspicious of sharply pruning your overgrown Monstera plant , moving it to a new location may be a workable solution for you . Perhaps that overgrown Monstera flora in your living room would be better off at the agency where it has more way to grow .
Pruning your Monstera industrial plant to encourage growth might seem a little intimidate at first , but it really is n’t anything to fear . If you are uncomfortable beginning the task , start slow and take a few cuttings for rout and mould your way up to pruning to maintain the shape and height of your Monstera over time .
Think of pruning as a routine task like get a little trimming from the styler . It is necessary to keep your plant look good , but it does n’t require to be a major project .
Final thoughts on how to prune Monstera
As you may see , learning how to crop Monstera to boost emergence is n’t that difficult . Just by keeping a few central rule in mind , lop an indoor Monstera can be a simple job to help your previously overgrown Monstera Deliciosa look its best .
Of naturally , it ’s normal to wonder how you prune an indoor Monstera if you have n’t done it before , as no one wants to go to dress a Swiss Malva sylvestris plant life and circumstantially harm it .
But just by cutting back your Monstera ( verify you ’re trimming above the node ) from time to time , you ’ll soon see how easily you ’re able to shape it so it persist in to look perfect in your home .
