Monstera Adansonii ‘Swiss Cheese Plant’ Care Tips

Monstera Adansonii Lighting & Position

Monstera comes from the wet forests of Mexico, so they thrive in a warm and well lit position with lots of bright, indirect light. Keep them away from open windows, drafts and heating/cooling units as they won’t like cold drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations.

Monstera Adansonii Watering

It’s important to keep up a regular watering routine. In summer you want to keep the soil moist but not soggy. To monitor this, you can use your finger to poke into the top 5 cm of potting mix and feel the soil moisture level before watering. If it feels wet, let it dry out for longer. Over watering can lead to fungal issues or root rot. Try watering once a week, using just enough water to start to see some draining from the bottom of the pot. During winter, when the plant isn’t in an active growing phase you should reduce watering frequency. 

With almost all plants, drainage is essential. Ensure that whatever vessel your plant is in, there are sufficient holes in the bottom to allow excess water to freely drain from the pot and away from the plant’s roots. 

These tropical plants don’t do well with long periods of dryness, they won’t develop their characteristic holes if conditions are too dry or too cold. Keep monitoring them to ensure the happy balance of moisture within the soil.

Monstera Adansonii Humidity

Monstera isn’t as fussed as some of the other aroids in terms of humidity, however if you do begin to see signs of humidity stress (usually crisp, brown leaf edges) here are some tips for increasing humidity include grouping plants together, placing pots on a pebble tray or – if you want to go all out – buy a small humidifier online and place it in amongst your rainforest friends! 

Monstera Adansonii Fertiliser

Feed with liquid fertiliser fortnightly over the warm, growing period (spring – autumn) and not at all over the cooler winter months.

We recommend using our Plant Food available here. 

Monstera Adansonii Extra Tips

Monstera are epiphytic plants, in nature they grow up and over other tall rainforest trees. This means that at home they will need some form of support to attach to as they grow. You can provide this a number of ways. One option is to wrap coconut fibre around a piece of pvc pipe, a stick or wooden stake. Attach the fibre firmly with wire or string and then gently tie your plant onto the support to help it attach. You can also buy ready made ‘plant totem poles’ online or at some nurseries so have a look around! If you would like to make your own this short video from a recent gardening australia episode will show you how: https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/indoor-plant-totem/9704530

Once a month you can wipe down the plants leaves using a damp cloth to clean away any dust that has collected and may be preventing the leaves from breathing. You can also prune off any damaged or dying leaves using a sharp pair of scissors or secateurs. 

Monstera Adansonii Toxicity

This plant is toxic if ingested for both humans and animals so keep it away from kids or your furry friends!

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