Common Monstera Issues and Remedies
Monsteras are probably one of the most popular house plants these days, and rightfully so because they’re pretty easy to take care of, don’t require a lot of attention, and the dark green leaves create a nice focal point in any room. I purchased my Monstera from The Plant House at the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale, MI. Their plants are super healthy and of really good quality (proof pictured above).
Daybreak sideboard from Anthropologie | White resin planter from Home Depot
Any plant can be “easy” to take care of once you take the time to understand its needs and pay attention to its reactions to watering and light. It took me about 6 months to figure out what lighting and watering cadence worked best in my house. Her happy spot is in a window facing southwest, and loves to be misted with water every few days between waterings. During summertime, I water her twice a week, about 2 cups of water, and around every 10-12 days in the wintertime.
Monstera’s love indirect sunlight, well draining soil, and consistent amounts of water. Seems pretty simple, right?
Well, life can happen and the next thing you know giant brown spots are appearing all over your Monstera. It can make you question whether you’re worthy of this plant (just kidding) or if you can salvage it in time.
To put it simply, it’s not you, it’s the lighting and air quality you provide, along with the pot you choose, that ultimately affects your green thumb status.
Below are some common monstera issues that are easily overcome, if you happen to run into one.
Download HLV remedies Monstera Care Guide here
Issue: Crispy Edges on Monstera Leaves
Remedy for crispy edges:
If your monstera develops crispy edges, you are not giving it enough water and it is suffering from dehydration.
Remedy: Water more often & trim the edges that are crispy, as they won’t grow back or heal… so there’s no point in letting it stay.
Follow the 1 inch rule
1'“ Rule: Stick your finger 1 inch deep into the soil to feel if it’s fully dry; if it is, water it. There is no set watering schedule for a monstera because the environment you provide (climate, light, pot material, air flow, etc) alters its watering needs.
Test this every few days to figure out a proper watering cadence.
Issue: Burn Spots on Monstera Leaves
Remedy for burn spots on monstera:
Light brown spots indicate the plant is receiving too much direct sunlight, resulting in visible burn spots.
Direct sunlight can damage and burn plants. Pay attention to the direction of your windows to assess the intensity of light; finding a spot in your home that produces bright, filtered light is the goal.
Remedy: Relocate the plant to a place that has indirect sunlight, as intense sunlight can burn plants.
Southwest and west-facing windows are the best for providing bright, indirect sunlight.
Southern light is the strongest and brightest. If your monstera receives sunlight from a southern-facing window, you can move it up to 15 feet away from the window to diminish the intensity of light.
a good rule of thumb is: if you can see the shadow of your monstera, the light is too harsh
Issue: Yellowing Monstera Leaves
Remedy for yellowing monstera leaves
If you’re noticing yellow spots developing on leaves it means the plant has been over watered or it’s in a location where the soil can’t dry out efficiently. Either way, you’ll want to move it and scale back on watering.
Remedy: move your monstera to a sunnier spot where soil can evaporate more easily, and make sure you’re only watering when it’s completely dry to the touch, before watering again.
Air flow is important too; avoid placing your monstera in a stuffy room, otherwise it could start to rot.
Trim that yellow leaf right off. Be gone with her. She’s dead to you now. (ps: always trim at the base)
Issue: Curling Monstera Leaves
Remedy for curling monstera leaves
Good news: this is totally normal and easily overcome! Curling leaves are a sign of slight dehydration, but not to the point where browning is occurring.
Remedy: Mist your monstera between waterings to give it an extra hydration boost. You might also consider investing in a humidifier for wintertime.
If you notice the leaves start curling during cooler months, it’s probably due to lack of humidity.
No need to trim any leaves off - just give it more water.
Issue: Drooping Monstera Leaves
Remedy for limp, or drooping monstera leaves
Another salvageable issue is droopy leaves; either your monstera is thirsty or drowning.
Remedy: Check the dryness of the soil to determine if the droopiness is from over or under watering. Lack of air flow and sunlight can trigger leaves and stems to droop. This is a common issue between seasons.
In the summertime, bright sunlight coupled with fans running all day can dry out soil a lot quicker than normal.
Lack of sunlight during winter months makes it difficult for soil to dry out between waterings. Keep a close eye on soil dryness during extreme temperature season.