Anyone can grow it – The Monstera
Anyone can grow it – The Monstera.
aka – Swiss Cheese Plant, Fruit Salad Plant, Mexican Breadfruit, Split Leaf Philodendron, Monstera Deliciosa
Native to Central America – Southern Mexico and Panama
Olaaaa! Who would have thought this amigo was Mexican!? Between sipping on salt rimmed margaritas and shaking the maracas for the local Mariachi – this plant is a real people pleaser. Monsteras are super easy to grow and will really boost your green thumb cred by popping new leaves before you can say Chihuahua.
Even though I can really only think about Enchiladas and Nachos now, let’s find out a bit more about caring for, growing and loving your Monstera.
Choosing their perfect posse at home: Your Monstera will be pretty happy in most spots indoors – preferably with some bright indirect light coming through. That said – they will still be quite happy if there is some shade about. Basically, it is the most no-fuss roomy you can imagine and is quite hard to kill. If you need something to fill or add some interest to a corner, this guy is perfect. With their interesting large and glossy perforated leaves – it adds a bit of a statement tropical feel to any space.
Hydration: A seasonal drinker – keep the soil moist during the warmer months, however give it a break in the winter by letting it dry out completely before watering. Use a damp cloth to give the leaves a wipe down every few weeks, removing dust and keeping them shiny and happy. Surely I don’t have to clarify that tap water is fine – please keep the margaritas for yourself.
Re-potting: You can control the size of your Monstera by the size pot you keep it in. If you want to grow your Monstera to suit a certain space, re-pot bi annually to a bigger pot to avoid it becoming root bound and to encourage it’s lush growth. As a natural climber, you may also want to consider a stake or a moss pole to give it something to grow up.
HELP! There isn’t a whole lot that can stop this plant looking great – however you may notice some curling leaves which comes from underwatering. In this case, sit it in a shallow bath for a couple of hours to give the roots a big drink, or pop it in the shower for a full watering down. On the other end of the scale – yellowing leaves is a sign of overwatering.
Hot Tip: Your Monstera will throw out air roots which you may want to redirect into the soil to give your plant some extra energy. You can snip them off if they are getting a bit wild, however it is best to simply tuck them back into the pot and then congratulate yourself on your lush and happy plant child.
Monsteras come in a range of different size pots from babies to quite established plants – pop down to our store at 16 Rutland St, Newtown to check them out, as well as our range of pots and baskets to match.
