When it comes to houseplants, one of the most enduringly popular of them all has to be the monstera deliciosa… or Swiss cheese plant, as it’s also occasionally referred to. 

In terms of appeal, it’s certainly not hard to see why people love it so much - and why it’s one of the leading lights of the biophilia interior design trend, with those distinctive leaves popping up on wallpaper, cushion covers, bedding… even cushions themselves designed in the shape of the leaf!

Another reason why monstera plants are so very popular, particularly for beginner gardeners who haven’t quite established their green thumbs just yet, is that it’s really quite hard to kill them. Once you get into a proper routine with the watering, they basically just look after themselves… as long as you put them somewhere they can enjoy lots of light.

Lighting can be a little on the tricky side, however, and you need to find the right balance between sun and shade. If your monstera gets too much sun, you’ll watch as the leaves start to turn yellow, but if it doesn’t get enough, you’ll start to see negative phototropism.

This is where new leaves on your plant start growing towards the dark instead of the light, a little trick the monstera learned during its time in the jungle where darkness was an indication of a bigger tree that the plant could climb up to find some light.

You’ll often read about hard and fast rules for watering your plants, depending on the variety, but the truth of the matter is that it’s better to establish a routine with your plant and get to know their individual watering requirements, rather than solely relying on the internet for information and guidance.

For monstera plants, start off by watering evenly and moderately, perhaps once a week and see how they fare. Wait until the top two inches of soil are dry before giving them another drink and then adjust this schedule depending on the needs of the plant. You’ll get to know your plant on a whole different level and enjoy your relationship with them even more!

You might start seeing some funny little winding roots coming out of the plant in various places. Don’t panic! These are just aerated roots and they can manifest themselves if the room your plant is in lacks humidity. You can just leave them as they are or you can feed them back into the soil to help your plant get even more of that lovely water.

Something else to keep an eye out for is the roots coming out of the bottom of your plant pot. This could be a sign that your plant has outgrown its pot and it’s time for a new one. It can be a little daunting to consider repotting a monstera, especially if it’s a large one, but just take your time, don’t rush and you will likely find that it’s easier than you first thought.

Looking for Brighton plants? Get in touch with Rooted & Co today!