Topic: Monstera

[bananagirl]

Does anyone know anything about this plant?? I think it may be called cheese plant as well. It has big dark green leaves that kind of split at the edges as they get bigger. I have a lovely one, but it's going brown and spotty, kinda blotchy on the edges of the leaves. Need some advice about care before I kill it. Thanks lovely peeps.

[wardy]

Care Tips - Bright but not sunny position (thrives also in shade). Maintain in humid conditions (with regular misting), and in warm soil. Wash the leaves occasionally so that the plant can 'breathe'. Feed every two weeks from spring to summer and allow the compost to dry out between waterings. In winter keep the soil just moist. Do not cut off the aerial roots.
Trivia - In the wild it grows up the trunks and along the branches
of trees, clinging by means of the brown tail-like aerial roots which
take up water and nutrients. When growing it as a house plant, support should be given by training these aerial roots on to a moss-covered pole (usually provided) so that they can take in nutrients from the moss.
Hope this helps.  While you're wiping its leaves you can check it over for insects.  Is it too near to a heat source. Also don't let the leaves touch anything.  I have a plant in my bathroom and if the leaves touch the wall they start to go brown.  Not sure why.

[Svea]

just had to lob quite a chunk of our lovable monster off, as it was growing like mad

i have noticed the soil smelling sour so i think a replanting/fresh compost is in order, too - hasnt been repotted for about two years

^and what wardy said :)

svea

[bananagirl]

Groovy, thanks. I will have to look into the moss covered pole thing, and give it a good drink. Poor thing. It's in my bedroom with no heater, so it may be suffering from that a little too. Will see if I can't make it better :(

[Mrs Ava]

Mum used to have one in her bathroom when I was a nipper, and when we were in the tub the plant used to lean towards the steam!  As you can imagine, my sis and I didn't like it much so it ended up in that great compost heap in the sky.......would love one now!  If you are cutting any of it down bananagirl, I wouldn't mind a bit.... ;D

[rosebud]

I had a Monstera for about 15yrs called Henry (yes i know )don't say it hehehe!.
Giant of a plant that started to go brown & yellow, then i suddenly remembered i had not watered it for months now it is in the plant kingdom :'(. Be warned
they like moist but not wet, and warm no draughts. hope your plant recovers
BG.good luck.

[bananagirl]

EJ, if anyone can tell me when and which bit to lop, and how to get it to root, you'll be more than welcome. Could chop a leaf off and see what happens, but somehow I can't believe it could be that easy... Can anyone help?

[Svea]

not too sure. my grandma used to chop things off when the plant got too long, just above a leaf.
the 'trunk' can be put in water and will readily grow on. however, if you just have a section of the trunk, my grandma used to lay it on its side into moist compost and waited a bit. we are talking about a 2inch chunk at least, btw

[Merlins Mum]

Hope this is some help.  When I had a Monstera and it got too big I would just cut off the top section including 3 or 4 leaves along with a couple of aerial roots and pot it up. (good idea to try and get the bottom root into the compost).  Once I knew it was growing OK the bottom section either found a new home or was binned!