How To Water A Monstera? Mistakes You Should Avoid

The Monstera Deliciosa plant is one of the most beloved tropical plants because of its fresh beauty. But whether a Monstera plant can grow healthy or not will be determined partly by the watering regime. But do you know how to water a Monstera properly? If your answer is no, then our guide will definitely help you.

How should you water your Monstera Deliciosa plant?

I’m going to walk you through a quick, detailed process for watering your Monstera plants in two different ways: from the top or from the bottom of the plant.

Watering from the top 

Head to the sink with your Monstera. Pour water onto the soil’s surface gradually using a watering can with a long neck. Avoid needlessly soaking the foliage. Insufficient ventilation and wet leaves might occasionally promote the growth of plant diseases. Water should be added gradually, giving each addition time to sink into the soil. 

Parched soil often pushes water away at first, so the first drop of water runs through the soil and out of the drainage holes instead of sinking in. Adding a small amount of water slowly ensures the soil will soak up the water and become evenly saturated. Place the pot in the sink for a few minutes to let the extra water drain. Watch for any excess water to drain as you lift the pot. More water will typically drain if the pot is gently raised and lowered while tilted at an angle.

Bottom watering

Bottom watering can effectively ensure that the plant roots receive adequate moisture without risking overwatering the soil surface. First, add water to the plant tray. Inspect the soil to make sure it is damp in the tray. You should allow the plant 10 minutes to absorb the water, then check to see if the soil has absorbed enough water by feeling it. After that, remove any extra drops from the tray if the soil is wet all the way through. However, if it’s still dry, you should fill the tray with more water. Before eliminating the excess, you must wait 20 minutes more. 

In Summer

Monstera plants will be active in the summer when both the temperature and the humidity have increased, giving the impression that the plant is in a more tropical environment. In the summer, your Monstera needs more water as opposed to the winter months. Your Monstera requires a significant amount of water and nutrients over the summer months to sustain the rapid growth that occurs during the summer. Furthermore, it accelerates the pace at which it transpires, resulting in a greater quantity of water vapour being expelled into the atmosphere and a subsequent rise in the need for water. As a result, throughout the warmer months, your Monstera plant can need watering once or twice a week.

Therefore, you should also pay attention to the soil, meaning that Monstera plants need to be watered with distilled water once a week on the soil surface or whenever the top two inches of soil are completely dry. And that’s just for the indoors. If you have your Monstera placed outdoors, for example, on a balcony, it may need watering on a daily basis during periods of extreme heat and dryness.

Propagating and balanced fertilizer can make Monstera grow faster during the summer, the ideal time for this plant growth. With watering, you will have more new plants that you can enjoy for years to come.

In Winter

Monstera plants are among the various tropical houseplants available and those that enter a state of hibernation over the winter. The fact that Monstera is a tropical plant is the primary contributor to this dormancy. These plants need a tropical climate to survive. When the temperature and humidity of their surroundings change, they enter a dormant state in order to preserve their energy.

As a result, throughout the winter, it may take two weeks before your Monstera dries out enough. However, you may discover that this period of time extends to three weeks if the soil around your plant is hanging on to the moisture that was left over from the most recent watering session. Therefore, you should make it a goal to water your Monstera every two weeks in winter, given that it may take at least that long for the soil to dry up to the point where it needs further watering.

It is essential to ensure that your Monstera does not get an excessive amount of water throughout the winter months. Because the plant will absorb less water, the potting soil can become excessively saturated with moisture. Extended periods of soil moisture may cause root rot, which can ultimately be fatal to your Monstera plant. Your Monstera plant needs watering no more often than once every two to three weeks or if the soil becomes dry.

How Much Water Does A Monstera Need?

Any indoor plant, including Monsteras, doesn’t require a specific amount of water every time. To do it perfectly, there’s no need to dig out the measuring jug or follow a recipe. If you used the right soil mixture, you only needed to dampen the soil until it was totally soaked. The typical recommendation is to water until extra drops begin to leak out of the drainage holes. This isn’t the whole story, though. To ensure you’re watering properly, make sure the entire soil surface is moist, not just a tiny region.

In soil that drains well, you should water your Monstera about once every two to three weeks to keep it at a constant level of moisture. This broad estimate will depend on the plant’s performance and other environmental parameters. Because of this, it’s crucial to regularly monitor the soil moisture levels in your plant’s soil rather than setting a reminder to give your plant a drink once a week, regardless of those levels.

What Factors Can Affect Your Watering Schedules?

The growth of your Monstera and the environment will both have an impact on how frequently you water. Knowing how to make these adjustments will enable you to give your Monstera what it requires and avoid issues with underwatering and overwatering. You can refer to the information below to adjust your watering habits when growing Monstera plants.

The amount of sunlight

How much light your indoor Monstera plants get will significantly affect how often you water them. All Monstera plants do best in filtered light, similar to the light they get in their natural habitats. However, they can also tolerate low levels of direct sunlight and even moderate amounts of it when it’s not too strong.

Based on the ideal amount of light, an estimate of 1–2 weeks is made. Moreover, it’s important to note that overwatering a Monstera plant can be as harmful as underwatering it. In low-light environments, evaporation will be slower; therefore, watering the plant less will prevent overwatering problems. In contrast, Monstera in brighter light will require more frequent watering to prevent the soil from drying up too rapidly. You should adjust the watering frequency according to the time you put it outside, which can help ensure that your Monstera plant thrives healthily. Also, you can prune your Monstera to encourage new growth and help it maintain a desired shape.

Temperature and humidity

Temperature affects irrigation just like light levels do. Long-term temperature increases will hasten the soil’s aridification, although wintertime cold snaps may reduce the need for irrigation to once a month.

Another factor, albeit a less significant one, is humidity. The fresh soil will hold onto more moisture when the surrounding humidity is higher since evaporation is slightly slower. The moisture in the soil will evaporate significantly more quickly when low humidity and high temperatures are present.

Changes of seasons

The season and following growth rate will have a significant impact on when you water, along with fluctuations in temperature. Your Monstera will suck a lot of moisture from the soil during the active growing seasons of spring and summer, necessitating a top-up quite frequently. Thorough watering can be drastically reduced in the fall and winter when growth slows owing to temperature drops when the plant enters a semi-dormant state.

Some Watering Mistakes And How To Fix Them?

As mentioned, while watering your plants may seem easy, you can also make some severe mistakes. This will have an adverse effect on plant growth. Here are some tips for you.

Overwatering

Your Monstera will let you know immediately if the watering needs to be done right. This is especially true when overwatering is one of the riskiest mistakes you can make. If you water your plants too frequently, moisture will remain in the soil, obstructing ventilation around the roots. These circumstances promote the development of fungi, which cause root rot and soggy soil. Nutrient- and moisture-deficient roots cannot reach the parts of the plant that need them. Massive root rot makes it challenging to save Monstera. For less severe problems, wait for the wet soil to dry before watering it again. Repotting entails scraping away all the soil surrounding the roots and trimming off any dead growth.

Underwatering

Despite being much simpler to correct, underwatering can be as deadly as overwatering. An underwater plant can have several problems that affect its health. The earliest warning signals are wilting and curled leaves. The plant is likely attempting to preserve moisture if this is the case. In addition, the edges of the leaves may grow dark and thin. However, the sole indication that your monstera lacks water is arid and compacted soil. 

Bottom watering is ideal for these situations. As a result, the soil will be completely saturated and have no dry spots around the roots. The excess should drain, and the leaves will soon return to normal. You can use a moisture metre to monitor when to add water to the plants.

Conclusion

Once you are aware of the variables, watering Monsteras doesn’t have to be a challenging process. While you must be careful to avoid underwatering and overwatering, taking the advice in this article to heart will help you stay away from both problems.