Monstera Light Requirements: Type And Light Quality

Often, there are two critical aspects of each new plant you bring home that may take some time to get right: light and water. What are the light requirements for Monstera plants to maintain a healthy body? The good thing about Monstera is that it can endure many lighting situations; however, outcomes may differ. Fortunately, you may take advantage of this to grow a smaller or larger plant or to adjust the lighting in your house!

So how does your Monstera respond to various lighting situations? Let’s discuss it.

How Much Light Does A Monstera Require?

In order to grow, this Swiss Cheese plant requires 10 to 12 hours of exposure to light each day, which is optimal in the summer but can be reduced to 8 to 10 hours in the winter with an increase in humidity.

Types of light

The Monstera prefers indirect and bright light since it stimulates rapid growth. Move the plant to the shade or use the curtain to keep the plant diffusing the light if you want it to grow big and bold to make a statement. Within a short while, you’ll have a stunning, tall plant!

Monsteras may not prefer too much direct sunlight or too bright light because they are rainforest plants. Monsteras often develop beneath the canopy of rainforests and utilize their aerial roots to ascend other trees into the sun.

Intensity of light

Since Monsteras are forest plants and their primary habitat is under large trees, they are not exposed to much direct sunlight. The strong exposure has the potential to burn the leaves because it hits them directly. Burned leaves will leave unsightly brown or tan blotches that won’t go away. Therefore, it’s crucial to monitor the plant’s light levels and adjust its positioning or conditions to ensure it receives the right amount of resources for healthy growth. Rather, they receive filtered indirect light through forest foliage. Depending on the thickness of the foliage, Monsteras can receive bright, medium, or weak light. So Monstera’s favorite lighting environment is indirect (bright to medium) light, which is in the range of 1000–2000 FC. However, in low-light environments, Monstera can still survive. 

Low levels of brightness usually mean that the plant is farther from a window, deeper in the room, or has fewer windows. This doesn’t mean a room with no windows, since most houseplants can’t live without sunlight.

Monstera can still grow in the shade. However, if a Monstera plant is kept in low light for an extended period, it may struggle to produce enough energy for healthy growth and become weak, leggy, and prone to disease. If you want to grow a Monstera plant in the shade, choosing a hardy cultivar and taking steps to provide the plant with the best possible growing conditions are important

The minimum light intensity for Monstera to grow is 75–100 FC. However, for the plant to grow well, the light intensity should be in the range of 200–500 FC. For the maximum growth of Monstera plants, the required light intensity will be 1000–2000 FC from an indirect light source. When planting indoor plants, you should place the plant near a south- or east-facing window to receive the most moderate light intensity. In addition, at some times of the day, you should draw the curtain or place the plant a little further away from the window if you find that the light intensity is too strong.

Duration of light

Inside, a Monstera plant may expand to a width of two feet. They need a lot of sunshine and other materials, though, to keep up their development. Your Monstera will thrive with more than 8 hours of direct, strong sunshine. For three to six hours each day, it can tolerate both partial shade and direct sunlight.

If you can’t use natural resources from outside, you must use a grow lamp to add to the lighting. You should keep it on for at least 12 hours per day when using an artificial light source and gradually raise this to 14 hours per day for the greatest results.

Too Much Light Or Too Little Light, Which Is More Damaging?

It sometimes appears impossible to select the ideal location for our plants, where they will receive sufficient light without being burned by direct sunlight. There is a remedy if you have this issue and your plant doesn’t have the appropriate lighting: grow lights! For your Monstera and other plants that require strong, indirect light, there are a tonne of different lights available. For a more visually acceptable solution, try installing a grow light bulb in a standard lighting fixture!

Regardless of what kind of lighting you have to deal with, you can still plant a large, robust Monstera. Making your area work for you is key, as is recognizing when your Monstera needs increased lighting.

When to tell your Monstera is lacking light

Monstera plants have many benefits, including air purification. However, depriving your plant of light can be detrimental to its health. Here are some signs that your Monstera plant may need more light:

Wilting leaves

Consider the trees denature as a result of losing more water through evaporation as a result of too much sun’s heating. The next step is a reduction of turgor pressure, which causes drooping.

Leaves do not split

If your Monstera is older than three years, the leaves should begin to fenestrate, or separate. You don’t need to be alarmed because this is a fully normal trait of the Monstera plant. This trait demonstrates healthy plant growth.

You should start to see some fenestration, or splitting, in your leaves if your Monstera is older than three years. Because of this, most people have an aura of mystery, which is one of their most recognizable qualities. But for your Monstera to achieve this, it requires light. Your Monstera would be happier with more light if its adult leaves lacked holes.

The soil takes a long time to dry

A modest quantity of water is needed for Monsteras, however, they dislike having damp roots. When the top inch or two of soil seems dry to the touch, you should water. Put a finger on the ground. Give your plant a drink if the soil is dry to the second knuckle! Your plant uses water more effectively while it is in the sun, but when it is dark, the soil might stay moist for a lot longer than is good for the roots.

If you’re giving your plant additional light in addition to changing the quantity of water you give it, you should go more than 10 days between watering since the soil still feels moist. For your Monstera, we advise using this potting mix (speaking about soil).

Slow growth

It is commonly known that Monsteras, particularly Monstera deliciosa, can develop into… monsters! For instance, Monstera deliciosa may expand up to 10 feet indoors, and it doesn’t take very long to do so. It’s possible that your Monstera isn’t getting enough light to provide the energy necessary to sustain new development if you find that it hasn’t gotten bigger or produced new leaves for a few months (particularly during the spring or summer).

Falling leaves

As a result of this adaptation, Monstera leaves can now efficiently absorb energy from direct sunlight. Monstera is a rainforest plant that burns or scalds its leaves in response to direct sunlight. They usually have a pale or white appearance, and they lose the capacity to carry out photosynthesis, which is essential for normal development. So they’re weaker and finally fall to the ground.

Bleaching leaves

A Monstera with excessive sunshine will have whitewashed-looking leaves. They will seem pale, white, light grey, or light green. As chlorophyll degrades, the leaves that are closest to a window or light source may turn yellowish.

What happens when your plant is getting too much light?

The leaves discoloration

The soil dried up more quickly, and the leaves became burned due to the increased sunshine exposure. The leaves may completely turn brown or take on huge brown patches or sunburn-like blemishes.

There could be a few things going on if you see dark brown spots or yellowing on your Monstera’s leaves. While these tropical plants require filtered light, they can be sensitive to direct sunlight, which can cause the leaves to become burned or discoloured.

In addition to lighting needs, leaf discolouration can also be an indicator of other issues, such as nutrient deficiencies or watering problems. If giving your Monstera less water doesn’t fix the problem, you might want to move it closer to a window.

Overly dry soil

The container may overheat, and the soil may dry out too much in direct sunlight. Your Monstera will suffer as a result because it requires consistently moist soil to flourish.

Drooping leaves

Monstera plants require a lot of intense light, even if they dislike direct sunlight. They won’t flourish if you put them in a dark environment. Make sure your plant is located somewhere that gets bright light for at least six hours every day.

Treatments for light problems 

Inadequate light

Place your plant in a location with more direct, strong light. Plants receive the greatest light from windows that face south, although east and west are close behind. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t put the Monstera right up to the window since the strong sunlight might burn the leaves. Pull the plant back three to four feet into the space instead.

You should keep your plant away from locations with strong drafts of heat or cold while choosing a site. A plant will become stressed out by sudden temperature fluctuations, so try to keep them away from all HVAC vents as well as often opened doors and windows. Even the right amount of light won’t be enough to make your plant grow if it is stressed out by unpredictably harsh circumstances. During the save, you should keep your Monstera plant out of your cat’s reach or consider choosing a different plant that is safe for cats since Monstera plants are harmful to them.

Too much light 

The ideal option would be to relocate your plant farther away from the source of light or to use a sheer curtain or other kinds of filter. Some people increase the frequency of watering because they believe they are watering less. Watering more regularly does no good; first, adjust the light. Increasing the frequency of watering won’t help.

Trimming the yellow or brown leaves would be great because they won’t grow back. Your Monstera’s growth hormone will increase as a result of trimming, and the plant will concentrate more on new development.

Conclusion 

In the end, if you desire a Monstera, but your house doesn’t have “excellent lighting,” don’t give up hope. These plants have adaptable light requirements and can thrive in a range of lighting situations. It only requires a little bit of planning. Monstera is an excellent option if you don’t have much light or room! Monstera is a fantastic option if you have a lot of light and room. They add beauty to any environment and are quite simple to maintain.