Do you hold an interest in growing Monstera in your garden or house? If so, then you will need to know how to propagate Monstera.
Monstera deliciosa, commonly known as Monstera, is a creeping vine that grows in tropical-like conditions.
Its English name is Swiss cheese plant, and it’s a popular option if you want to add an extra layer of beauty and serenity to your garden.
You can also use it to diversify your garden. One of the ways you can have it in your garden is by propagation.
But how do you propagate it? We will get to that soon enough.
First,
How to Propagate Monstera Adansonia with stem Cuttings?
What You Will Need
- A pot of soil
- A pair of scissors
- A Monstera plant cutting
Now that you have everything readily available at your hand, follow the steps carefully:
- Select The Ideal Stem
Choose the ideal stem to cut and propagate. The ideal stem should have several nodes and leaves. You can also go for a stem with a few aerial roots though it is not critical to the propagation process.
- Cut Them Stem
Use the pair of scissors to cut the stem once you have identified the perfect stem to cut, choose the growth medium.
You can use either water or soil, although water will give you the advantage of more straightforward checks on the propagated plant’s progress.
You should ensure you do your cutting where there is adequate lighting and warmth.
- Careful Watering
Carefully monitor its progress over a few days and keep adding water to the soil if you decided to grow it with soil. If it is in water, then you should only change the water every few days.
That will keep the cutting moist making it easier for it to propagate.
If you cut it during its dormant period, it will take several days to see any notable growth. That is why it is a good idea to entirely forget about the plant and only come back to check days later.
- Transfer To Pot
If you detect any form of growth and development, such as roots, then it’s time to transfer it to a suitable environment such as a pot. And with that, you will have propagated a Monstera plant.
How to Propagate Using Seeds?
You can also propagate Monstera using seeds. The slight complication in following such an approach is that the seeds might be hard to come by.
To get the seed, you will have to wait for long for someone’s plants to develop flowers and produce seeds.
Once you get the seeds, however, planting them is a straightforward thing. All you need is some soil to bury the seeds in. You can put this soil in a pot or make a seedbed in your backyard if possible.
Light won’t be much of an issue since Monstera doesn’t require that much light. Ensure the soil s quite moist so that the seed can get the ideal conditions to germinate.
One thing you will have to remember, however, is that the seeds have a pretty short shelf life.
That means you will have to use them immediately you get them to avoid them expiring and becoming useless.
Monstera Adansonii Propagation Using Suckers
If any of the ways we have mentioned seem a tall order, you can always use suckers to propagate monstera plants.
You can do this by carefully separating the suckers of the plants into three-meter sections.
You will then plant the suckers in some soil as you would with any other plant. After the sucker’s sprout, you can move them to a place of your liking or make them potted plants.
Propagation by Air Layering
Another way to propagate monstera plants is to use a method known as air layering. It is relatively simple as well.
All you have to do is wrap damp sphagnum moss around the monstera plant’s stem. Ensure you do that at a place where the stem has aerial roots or the axil of the leaves.
Use a string to secure it’s that it doesn’t fall off, then wrap it with a clear plastic bag that has slight perforations that will act as vents.
After a few months, you might see some roots develop on the plant. Harvest the roots and grow them somewhere else.
This method, however, will require your patience and takes a much longer time for results. Now, watch this video to learn 2 methods of propagating monstera.
Maintaining a Monstera Plant
We had earlier mentioned that Monstera plants are famous for their low maintenance. That’s because Monstera care isn’t that complicated.
A Monstera, just like any other plant, has its own unique needs. You will have to pay attention to these needs to ensure the plant is in good condition.
Apart from monitoring the plant’s water needs, all you’ll have to do is routine pruning at different times of the year.
Pruning will enable the plant to grow evenly while being a way to eliminate diseased parts.
You will also need to aerate the soil the plant is growing on regularly. Before watering, you should ensure the soil is moist enough.
A monstera plant will grow well in moderately moist soil; therefore, you don’t need to flood the soil with water.
You should also rotate the plant regularly to ensures it grows evenly on both sides. If you don’t do that, it might grow to lean heavily on one side since Monstera plants tend to stray away from light striving for dark.
Another thing you can do to ensure the good health of the plant is dusting the leaves. Most often, you’ll find that the leaves are full of dust which covers the pores, thus impairing photosynthesis.
That’s why it is a good idea to get rid of this dust on the leaves regularly.
Why Is Monstera Such a Popular Plant?
There are various popular plants, even when you narrow it down to house plants. And the Monstera is up there with the most popular of them.
However, what would make it such a popular option? Is it any special, or it’s just another hyped plant?
Several reasons mark the Monstera plant as quite a popular plant. First is the shape and pattern of its leaves. This plant has artistic leaves that tend to add beauty to interior décor.
That shows why so many people would want to have it in their homes and gardens.
The unique pattern of the leaves means it is one of the most sought-after plants. You can find this pattern in many art pieces or even as phone backgrounds.
The leaf pattern is also responsible for the exotic look that makes the plant so desirable.
Talking of interior décor, the Monstera grows in a minimalist style that makes it ideal for decorating houses and gardens.
It has large and textured leaves with a dark green look that elevates it to a dominant status in any room it decorates.
The Monstera is also relatively straightforward to maintain. All it needs to flourish is a slightly humid environment, stable temperatures, and some indirect sunlight.
They aren’t the type of plants to require careful watering as they can survive for some time without the occasional watering.
Thrown in the memorable name, and you have your answer to why people love it. So, you have some Monstera somewhere and want to propagate to a newer place.
How do you go about it?
Our guide has you covered. You will be glad to find that it isn’t that complicated to propagate it. There are various ways you can do that. Let’s first look at how to do it with stem cuttings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- How do I know if my Monstera plant is healthy?
There are so many signs you can look out for to know whether your Monstera is doing fine or not. Radiant green leaves are a perfect giveaway to a healthy plant.
That’s isn’t any different with the Monstera. Yellow leaves, on the other hand? Not very much.
Root rot is also another thing that will show you the plant isn’t healthy. Root rot is often a result of overwatering the plant. Remember we said that monstera plants require only moist soil.
- Do Monstera leaves grow back after cutting or when they fall off?
It is natural for the Monstera to lose its leaves as it grows. The lower parts of the stem will lose leaves as the stem lengthened.
Unfortunately, there is no way to regrow these leaves. You can, however, use the leaves to get a new plant with fuller leaves.
- Is propagating Monstera without nodes possible?
No, it isn’t. The Monstera plant will require at least one node to regrow it in the place you will transfer the plant to.
You, therefore, have to ensure the part you want to propagate has one or more nodes to encourage growth.
The nodes are on the stem, making it impossible to propagate a monstera without the stem successfully.
Final Thoughts
If you wanted to know how to propagate Monstera, then that’s all you need to know. It isn’t that hard to propagate a Monstera plant, as you can see from the various methods we have discussed.
Monstera will help beautify your garden and also improve your interior décor. If you are a big fan of tall indoor plants and had never tried the monstera plant before, you don’t know what you’re missing out on.
Do try it out and see the fantastic natural transformation it will give your garden or house. All the best.
References:
- Tissue Culture and Rapid Propagation of Monstera deliciosa.
- Monstera.
- The Selection of Culture Media for Ceriman Propagation.
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