Monstera belongs to the family of tropical plants with large leaves, called aroids. The older a young plant becomes, the more clearly holes appear on its leaves, which will eventually become cuts.
Temperature for correct height Monstera should be at least seventeen degrees. In winter, this rule can be ignored.
In summer the temperature should be between twenty and twenty-five degrees.
In winter between ten and eighteen.
Lighting should be direct, but direct lighting should be avoided sunlight. It's better to let it be half light. The lack of light is reflected by smaller incisions.
Since Monstera is a tropical plant, the humidity should be high. It should be remembered that air humidity depends on temperature. The lower the temperature, the less water is needed.
To remove dust, wipe the flower with a damp cloth.
There should always be plenty of space for a monstera, since it grows quickly and sometimes takes up to five meters in length.
Monstera loves turf and peat soil, mixed with sand and humus.
Monstera flowers are white, similar to a closed lily. IN suitable conditions it even bears fruit, but not many gardeners are able to create such conditions from scratch, without experience. Now we will tell you more about them.
Until the age of four, the monstera needs to be replanted regularly. After that - once every two or three years. Pots should be large and spacious.
The soil should be: peat, turf, humus and sand in a ratio of 1:3:1:1.
If the plant has lost its luxurious appearance, dropping leaves from the bottom of the trunk, it's time to renew it.
To do this, in the spring, cut thirty centimeters from the top of the plant and lower it into water. After it gives roots, filling the container with them, it can be planted in a pot and cared for like an ordinary monstera.
This plant reproduces in three ways.
It is easy to care for monstera, and it will delight you with its huge leaves and beautiful appearance she will be there all the time.
Today we will talk about how to grow this at home spectacular plant like a monstera. Reproduction of this tropical giant sometimes causes some difficulties, but in fact there is nothing complicated here. We will look at the features of care and some subtleties, thanks to which, if you follow them, your home will soon have a monstera that is stunning in its size and beauty. Exists a large number of myths that say that you cannot keep this plant at home. However, all this is nothing more than speculation and “horror stories” that should not be taken seriously.
Researchers first encountered this stunning plant in tropical forests South America. It is not difficult to imagine that the first thing that came to their minds was when they saw a 30-meter vine with huge carved leaves and thick creeping stems resembling snakes, up to 20 cm in diameter. The aerial roots, which descend from above in the form of monstrous tentacles, also give the plant a terrifying appearance . In the twilight of the jungle, its rugged leaves resemble amazing masks. As a result, the only possible name is born - monster. Then they begin to add dark energy and mortal danger in the form of toxic fumes to this name. In fact, this plant is not at all dangerous and at the same time very attractive, and therefore today we will take a closer look at what a monstera is. Reproduction of a stunning vine is a separate topic.
IN room conditions it does not grow as large as in the tropics, and aerial roots neatly tied and stuck into the moss do not evoke unpleasant associations in anyone. But you still need to think carefully about where exactly your monstera will grow. Reproduction occurs using cuttings and aerial roots, so getting yourself a layer is not difficult. In 3-4 years, a large vine can take up half the room, which means that a spacious veranda or large hall is best suited for growing it. If you have a small apartment, then it is better to choose a smaller philodendron.
Since many people confuse these two related plants, Monstera is often placed in deep shade. It requires minimal care, and based on this, the plant is left to its own devices. However, unlike philodendron, which easily tolerates shade but will grow in brighter light, monstera loves light. It is best to choose a place with diffused lighting or light partial shade. Good choice to place the flower there will be space between the windows, preferably east or west. If the lighting is chosen correctly, you will soon have a large and bright monstera. Caring for it is not difficult, but changing the location of an adult plant is not recommended. The lighting to which it is accustomed will be ideal for it. Therefore, it is better to decide on a place for the plant in advance.
Let's continue the conversation about what conditions the monstera plant likes. The optimal temperature for it is +25 degrees. It begins to grow actively at a temperature of +16. IN winter period need to withstand more mild conditions so that the plant can rest. The ideal would be +16... +18 degrees, although monstera can be kept at 10-12 degrees for some time.
Since the monstera plant is tropical, it requires good watering. It should be especially abundant in spring and summer; it is advisable to use soft, settled water. It is necessary to water when the top layer of the substrate dries out. At excessive watering the plant begins to “cry”, excess liquid appears in drops on the leaves. But drying out of the earthen coma is also unacceptable.
Monstera at home most often suffers from excessive dry air. System central heating least of all resembles the climate of a tropical jungle, where the heat is somewhat muted due to the abundance of vegetation around, but moist vapors constantly rise. To prevent aerial roots from suffering, you need to spray them regularly. The soil must be covered with a layer of sphagnum moss, which must be periodically moistened. In addition, a special hollow tube filled with peat is installed in the monstera pot. It serves to support a large vine, since in the jungle it clings to trees. Peat also needs to be moistened periodically to imitate natural conditions.
Adult specimens require regular fertilization, since large vines require nutrition. From March to August it is necessary to fertilize with complex mineral and organic fertilizers approximately every two weeks. Without this, plant growth slows down greatly, and decorativeness is lost. The leaves lose their delicacy; usually, due to a lack of nutrients, they are small and whole. Young, newly planted plants do not need additional feeding; fresh soil is quite capable of providing seedlings. Starting from the end of August, fertilizing should be stopped, as a certain period of rest is necessary.
This stunningly beautiful vine cannot be planted immediately in a large pot, as such planting will slow down its development. On the contrary, a pot that is only slightly larger than the root system activates its growth, development and even flowering. Therefore, depending on the age, the plant is replanted at different intervals. Up to three years this is once a year, usually in the spring. The diameter of the pot should be slightly larger each time than the previous one. By 3-4 years, Monstera reaches an impressive size; now replanting is required only once every two years. And finally, by five years the plant reaches full maturity; it can be replanted once every 5-6 years. Do not forget that, regardless of age, transshipment is carried out every year, that is, upper layer soil in the pot and add new soil.
The most exotic method in our conditions can be considered propagation by seeds. It’s not easy to find them; there’s simply nowhere to collect them, since the vine does not bloom at home, and it’s quite difficult to get greenhouse ones. Even if you find seeds on sale, you will have to wait quite a long time. Shoots appear 2-4 weeks after sowing. Now the seedlings can be opened and provided with regular picking, watering and care. After 2 years, the plants already have a well-developed root system and 2-4 adult, juvenile leaves.
This is the most popular method, since planting material can be found quite easily, especially if mature plant your friends have it. By spring, the plant sometimes produces layering from the root, then when transshipment (replacing the top layer of soil), it is enough to separate it from the main root and plant it in a new pot. If there are no root cuttings, this is not a cause for concern; soon you will have a monstera. Propagation by cuttings occurs in May or June. At this time, lateral shoots appear in the lower part of the trunk, which can be safely cut off and rooted. You can also use pieces of the stem, most often the top of the plant, as material.
So, you have a side cutting or piece of stem with one or two leaves. The sections should be sprinkled with crushed charcoal and let dry. They are then planted in individual pots for rooting. The substrate consists of a drainage layer, peat soil and 2-3 cm of coarse sand. It is advisable that the temperature be maintained at 20-25 degrees. Watering is required in the morning and evening. It is best if rooted layerings or cuttings have several aerial roots.
The many aerial roots hanging from the plant provide an additional source of moisture and are also used by the plant for support. However, without support, a large vine will not be able to stand upright. In the jungle, it uses trees as support, or it can simply grow creeping along the ground. Propagating Monstera by aerial roots takes a little more time, but the result is a new plant without having to cut off parts from the mother plant. To do this, you need to wrap several aerial roots (the topmost, youngest and white ones) tightly in damp moss, tie them with twine and tie them to the trunk. Soon many roots will form and young leaves will appear. The new plant must be planted in a pot so that the roots and cut are covered with soil. This method has an extremely beneficial effect on the mother plant; its old stems will soon form new ones side shoots.
This is a tropical plant that needs to be provided with appropriate living conditions. Flower growers often encounter some difficulties. It happens that the growth of a plant stops and the trunk becomes exposed. Most often this happens due to the fact that there is not enough light. It happens that a person lives with an adult monstera, small leaves which do not at all resemble luxurious carved plates. The reason is most likely a lack of lighting or lack of nutrients. With age, the bottom of the trunk most often becomes bare; this is a normal phenomenon, but if the leaves become dry and brown before falling off, then the reason is too high temperature air.
Yellow and faded leaves indicate a lack of nutrition, purchase complex fertilizer and with the beginning of spring, apply it to the soil at intervals of 1-2 weeks. By autumn, your vine will turn bright green, and the new leaves will delight you with their size. If the leaves begin to “cry,” this indicates excessive watering. This can lead to rotting of the roots, so you need to stop in time.
Exotic flowers rarely adapt to unusual conditions. However, Monstera, the reproduction and cultivation of which is quite possible in a temperate climate, is grown in many apartments and offices. In nature, Monstera is an evergreen vine. Its homeland is the tropical forests of the South and Central America, where the plant often reaches a length of 100 m. Several ornamental varieties were specially bred for growing monstera indoors.
Despite the fact that monstera is one of the most unpretentious tropical indoor plants, it requires certain rules of cultivation and care. The plant tolerates well room temperature. Appropriate place for this flower - in the corner of the room or near the wall, where the light falls, but does not fall directly Sun rays. In nature, the plant tolerates shade well, so near the window sunny side he will feel uncomfortable.
The main thing for monstera is watering. An indoor flower needs constant hydration. You should not overwater it, as the roots and leaves will begin to rot, but you should not allow the soil in the pot to dry out. During the warm period, the flower is watered abundantly. In winter, watering can be reduced slightly. The plant needs high humidity air. The flower is periodically sprayed with a spray bottle and wiped with a damp cloth. But at low indoor temperatures, external water treatments should be abandoned so that the leaves and stem do not freeze. In addition, during the cold period it is better to move the plant away from the radiator, otherwise the moisture will quickly evaporate from the pot and the tips of the leaves will begin to dry.
The young flower grows quickly and does not require fertilizer. But an adult plant needs fertilizing. Twice a month organic and mineral fertilizers. Without fertilizing, Monstera grows slower.
Although Monstera is easy to grow, it rarely blooms indoors. In nature, the vine is covered with beautiful cream flowers every year. In order for a plant to bloom in the house, it is necessary to create the most comfortable conditions for it.
Monstera is propagated by layering with aerial roots, cuttings, leaves and seeds. Shoots and side shoots appear on the plant in spring. To take planting material, the side shoot of the flower is cut off along with the aerial roots. The main thing is that there is at least one leaf on the shoot. The cut branch is immediately planted in prepared soil consisting of turf soil. Sometimes a little sand and leaf soil are added to the pot.
To propagate by cuttings, cut off the top of the plant with 2-3 leaves and an internode. You can cut off the monstera babies that are located at the bottom of the stem. They should also have an internode and at least one mature leaf. Before planting the planting material in the ground, it is placed in a container with water to form roots. The cuttings can also be planted in a mixture of peat and sand. You just need to make sure that the soil is moist all the time. The young plant is transplanted into a pot when at least one new leaf. Those cuttings that have the rudiments of aerial roots take root and develop faster.
The method of propagation by seeds is not the most reliable, since it is very difficult to find good planting material. In addition, for good germination, seeds need constant heat and sun. The seeds are planted in a fertile substrate and watered abundantly. The container is kept under glass or in a transparent bag, ventilated periodically. The first shoots appear after 1-1.5 months. When the sprouts are strong enough, you can transplant them into different pots. The first leaf of the sprout usually appears after 6-7 months.
It is not always possible to grow monstera from leaves. Experienced gardeners The plant is rarely propagated in this way, since the planting material often rots and dies. But for beginning gardeners, this method is the simplest; you just need to cut off several leaves at once so that at least one takes root. The leaves are placed in a glass jar with water and wait for roots to form. If cuttings or cuttings can be transplanted into the ground immediately after the formation of 5-10 cm of root, then it is better to wait with the leaves. Let the planting material stand in the water, grow stronger and gain strength, and let its root system develop well.
As a rule, monstera propagation at home goes well: the young shoot quickly takes root in a new place. There is no optimal time for planting a flower, since monstera can be propagated at any time of the year, but it is better to do this during the warm period, since in low temperature conditions it is more difficult for a new plant to develop. To make shoots or cuttings grow faster, they need to be sprayed with water. If the room is cool, then containers with young shoots should be covered glass jars or plastic bags to keep the plant warmer. In addition, humidity increases inside closed containers, which the tropical flower also really likes.
In indoor conditions, the plant can grow up to 3 m, so it needs periodic transplanting into a larger pot. Otherwise, the monstera will simply stop growing and wither away. The process is carried out according to the following seating scheme:
An old plant usually loses lower leaves and becomes ugly. But such a flower can also be propagated and “rejuvenated” a little. Several aerial roots located closer to the leaves are wrapped in damp moss and tied tightly to the stem. Under the influence, small roots will appear. Then the top of the monstera, along with 1-2 leaves and part of the roots, is cut off. The plant is planted in prepared soil. It quickly adapts to new conditions, and side shoots will develop on the old flower by cutting off the top. The monstera will look lush and beautiful.
Before planting a monstera in a pot, you need to prepare a container and soil for it. For a young plant, a small container with a volume of 4-5 liters is suitable. The pot must have a tray. Monstera loves it loose fertile soil Therefore, the soil is prepared from a mixture of turf soil, peat and humus. The substrate is mixed well. You can also add sphagnum, sand or regular soil with garden plot. It is necessary to have drainage made of expanded clay or broken bricks so that moisture does not stagnate. For flower will do and ready land for palm trees. Since Monstera is a tropical plant, it will take root well in such a substrate. At good care the flower grows quickly and, perhaps, in 2-3 years it will even bloom.
The prepared substrate is poured into the pot, filling it halfway. Make a small depression in the middle and pour in water. We plant the shoot in a new pot. The roots and a small part of the stem are carefully sprinkled with soil on top. The soil is crushed and watered abundantly. If the monstera is transplanted correctly, it stays stable in the pot.
Usually, the housewife, after planting the monstera, removes the remaining aerial roots from the old plant. It is impossible to trim them after transplantation, as they indoor flower produces additional nutrients. The roots are carefully tied up and directed into the ground. This way they will not interfere, and will produce new shoots, taking root in the soil of the pot. In addition, after replanting, the top of the old plant is trimmed so that the side shoots develop more actively. The flower will look lush and voluminous. A young plant does not need top trimming.
One of the most beautiful indoor vines is Monstera. Caring for this plant at home requires knowledge about the characteristics of its growth. Its homeland is South America. Today the vine is common in tropical rainforests around the world. Its leaves amaze with their carved patterns, dotted with beautiful holes and slits.
There are many species of this plant from the araceae family. But a familiar species in indoor floriculture is the delicious monstera, or attractive monstera (lat. Monstera deliciosa).
Monstera in nature reaches several meters in length (height). In a greenhouse or in a large, bright house, it can also grow to this size. The vigor and vitality of the vine are amazing.
Its almost half-meter-long leaves are leathery and shiny, the holes in them form intricate patterns. There are different points of view on why vines have holey leaves. Most likely, the holes in the leaves reduce the sunlit surface of the Monstera leaf. Young plants have solid leaves, similar to philodendron leaves. Only the mature leaves appear in all their carved and perforated glory.
Monstera is shade-tolerant, like all tropical vines. It will be content with diffused lighting, but will grow poorly in a completely dark corner. With its aerial roots, the vine clings to supports in order to grow vertically, and feeds by lowering them into the ground.
In indoor conditions, the vine blooms very rarely. Monstera flower is a spadix with a white or cream veil. The monstera fruit ripens within 14 months. All this time, the plant should receive uniform lighting and adequate nutrition. The fruit looks most like a large ear of corn or an elongated pineapple. It also tastes like pineapple, banana and mango together. An unripe fruit can cause a burn to the mucous membrane.
Reproduction of monstera at home is not difficult. This can be done in three ways:
Monstera is a tropical plant found in eastern India and South America. They can be gigantic in size; the leaves alone grow up to a meter in diameter, while the plant blooms and bears fruit.
The domestic monstera is much more modest in size, although large for indoors, does not bear fruit and blooms very rarely. There are two types of monstera: attractive with large leathery leaves of dark green color with cuts, sometimes with light stripes or spots; unequal-sided (oblique) with asymmetrical leaves.
Monstera is a tropical plant that requires high humidity and abundant watering, but there should be moderation in everything. There should also be no swamp, otherwise the leaves will become covered with dark spots or rot.
The water must be boiled or settled. In winter and autumn, the plant should be watered moderately, the soil should have time to dry out, in summer and spring - much more often. The leaves also need to be moistened all year round.
Monstera does not tolerate excessive shade, but the light should be diffused.
The ideal option would be rooms with windows facing west or east. Also, the plant cannot be constantly moved from corner to corner, as this will cause it to wither. The place must be permanent.
The monstera tolerates small changes in temperature, but it should not be allowed to drop below 15-16° in the cold season; optimally the temperature in the room should be about 25°.
Like any other tropical plant, Monstera needs additional moisture at home. Therefore, the plant must be sprayed regularly, otherwise the leaves will dry out. In this case, the air temperature should be quite high. In winter, it is better to refrain from additional moisture.
Young monsters do not need feeding, adults need to be fertilized once every 2 weeks from the end of April to August. Without feeding, the monstera will stop growing normally, the leaves will lose their bright and juicy color.
In addition to timely application of fertilizers, the stems of adult monstera need to be supported or tied. Typically, sticks or special decorative supports are used for this.
Young plants grow actively and are replanted annually. The soil is prepared from turf, sand, humus and peat (2:1:1:1). Mature plants do not need to be replanted frequently if the top layer of soil is changed every year. Monstera is planted in large containers “with a reserve”; tubs or buckets are often used for this.
During transplantation, aerial roots that extract additional moisture from environment, tied towards the ground so that over time they will produce new shoots.
The method is unpopular due to its high labor intensity and complexity. The sown seeds are kept warm and in good light.
The first shoots will appear within a month. After which the seedlings are transplanted into a larger container, and replanted every year.
Propagation by cuttings is usually carried out in the spring. The lateral shoots from the lower part of the stem or the top of the stem with one or two leaves are separated from the mother plant.
The cuttings are planted in prepared pots, which must be drained in advance and sprinkled with soil (peat and sand). For creating greenhouse effect The plant can be covered with film or a jar until the roots grow.
Young plants are kept at a temperature close to 25° and watered twice a day. As soon as the cuttings germinate, they will need to be transplanted into a larger container. IN further transplantation It is carried out once a year; an adult plant needs it once every 4 years.
At proper care, suitable temperature conditions, regular watering and optimal humidity, the monstera does not get sick. But, like any plant, it can become a victim of pests.
Monstera feels great indoors, but it should be spacious, with enough light and suitable temperature conditions.
Drops of clear liquid that resemble tears may appear on monstera leaves. This is a normal phenomenon, the so-called harbinger of rain.
Problems with leaves are always associated with violation of maintenance conditions or pest damage. If they dry out, it means there is not enough fertilizer, humidity, or the room temperature is higher than normal. Withering leaves are a sign of pest damage, rotting due to high humidity or non-compliance with temperature conditions.
Monstera is amazing beautiful plant, but at the same time capricious and requires constant attention. Contrary to popular myths, the plant is not poisonous to people and pets.
