How to care for a Monstera

To care for a Monstera, give it plenty of bright, indirect light, water only once the top few centimetres of soil have dried, plant it in light soil in a pot with a drainage hole and feed it in spring and summer. With an east-facing window and a 16 cm plastic pot, July’s rhythm is one watering every 6 days. Let your finger decide.

What light does a Monstera like?

A Monstera (Monstera deliciosa, also known as the Swiss cheese plant) grows in the shade of taller trees, so it likes strong but filtered light. The best spot is near a bright window, ideally east-facing, or south-facing behind a sheer curtain. Midday sun through the glass scorches the leaves. In low light it survives, but grows slowly and makes small leaves with no splits. There’s a whole article on it: how much light a Monstera needs.

How often should I water it?

Less than you think. The plant prefers soil that dries a little between waterings to soil that stays soggy. Before watering, push a finger in to the second knuckle: if the soil is dry, water generously until water appears in the saucer, then tip it out. The rhythm changes a lot with light:

Where it lives	In July	In January
South- or west-facing window	5 days	7 days
East-facing window	6 days	8 days
North-facing window	9 days	13 days
Hallway or corner with no window	13 days	18 days

The finger test, the pot and the season have a guide of their own: how often to water a Monstera.

Which soil and pot suit it?

• Light, open, airy soil. Potting soil blended with pine bark and perlite lets both air and water through, and a mix with orchid compost goes the same way. What the plant can’t stand is compacted soil that stays wet.
• A drainage hole, every time. Without one, water gets trapped and the roots rot.
• A pot just a little wider than the root ball. Oversized pots hold on to too much water. A heavy pot gives stability, because a mature plant gets top-heavy.

What temperature does it need?

It’s happy at normal room temperatures: guides give roughly 18 to 25 °C as ideal. Below about 10 °C it stops growing, and frost kills it. Keep it clear of cold windows, doors and radiators.

As for the air, this is a rainforest plant and prefers medium to high humidity (above about 50%), though it tolerates an ordinary home. Brown tips give away air that’s too dry. Grouping plants, a pebble tray with water or a humidifier help; misting now and then has a brief effect. An occasional wipe of the leaves with a damp cloth clears dust and lets them make better use of the light.

When and how do I fertilise?

From spring to early autumn, a liquid fertiliser for green plants, diluted as the packet says, once a month, is plenty (some guides suggest more often, but starting gently is prudent). Apply it to damp soil, never dry, and take a break in winter, when the plant barely grows.

Does it need something to climb?

In the forest, a Monstera climbs. A moss or coir pole gives it something to grip, keeps the stem from snapping under its own weight and, if the moss stays damp, the aerial roots can root into it. Many growers say the leaves also grow bigger and have more holes. Secure the stem with a soft tie, without squeezing.

When should I repot?

A young plant usually wants a new pot every year or two, and an older one less often. Spring is the right time. The signs are roots poking out of the drainage hole, or soil drying in a day or two. Go up just one size (about five centimetres wider, at most), with fresh soil.

What about pests?

The usual suspects on houseplants are spider mites, thrips, mealybugs, scale insects and fungus gnats, the last of which show up mainly when the soil is always damp. Glance at the undersides of the leaves now and then, and keep new plants apart for a few days before standing them with the others. Acting early helps a lot.

What do I do when something goes wrong?

What you see	What it usually is	Where to read
Yellow leaves	Too much water	Yellow leaves
Brown tips or patches	Dry air, watering, sun, salts	Brown leaves
Curling or drooping leaves	Thirst or suffocating roots	Curling leaves
No holes in the leaves	Age, light, no support	No holes
Not growing	Winter, light, tight pot	Not growing

Summary: Monstera care

Care	What to do
Light	Plenty of bright, indirect light; no midday direct sun
Watering	When the top few centimetres have dried; generously
Soil	Light and airy, with pine bark and perlite
Pot	With a drainage hole, only a little bigger than the roots
Temperature	About 18 to 25 °C; away from cold and draughts
Fertiliser	In the growing season, once a month; pause in winter
Support	A moss or coir pole, so the stem doesn’t snap

Quick questions

Does a Monstera need direct sun? No. It wants plenty of light, but indirect. Gentle morning sun is usually tolerated; midday sun through glass burns.

Do I need to mist it? It isn’t essential. Some guides recommend it now and then, but the effect is brief; grouping plants and wiping the leaves with a damp cloth do more.

Where is the best place for a Monstera at home? Near a bright window, ideally east-facing, out of the harsh midday sun.

When should I repot a Monstera? In spring, when roots appear at the drainage hole or the soil dries in a day or two.

Caring means knowing your plant

What works in one home may not work in yours. In Verdejar, you pick the plant, the room and the light, and the app works out the watering rhythm and adjusts it over time. To see the numbers for each spot at home, open the Monstera plant page.

Sources: Royal Horticultural Society · Missouri Botanical Garden · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension · Penn State Extension · University of Minnesota Extension · University of Illinois Extension · Oregon State University Extension. The days between waterings come from the Verdejar watering engine.