Gadenin日本語Get the appIt falls over because the weight moves up
A monstera is a climber. In a pot with nothing to climb, it extends sideways and the weight ends up beyond the pot, so it leans and then falls. That is the plant behaving normally, not a cultural failure.
| What the plant is doing | What is happening | Which section to read |
|---|---|---|
| The stem lies over and leaves touch the floor | The weight has moved beyond the pot | Choosing a support |
| Long gaps between leaves, small leaves | Not enough light, so it is stretching | Keeping it to a size |
| Thick aerial roots hanging over the pot | It is looking for something to climb | What to do with aerial roots |
| Taller than the support | Beyond what extending will fix | Cutting an overgrown plant back |
A heavy terracotta or ceramic pot makes a real difference. A large plant in a light plastic pot goes over easily.
Choosing a support
The point of the right support is that the aerial roots can grip it. A bare cane holds the plant up but does nothing for leaf size, because the plant is not actually climbing.
| Type | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tree fern pole | Medium to large plants with aerial roots | Roots grip it when damp. The most stable |
| Coir wrapped pole | Large plants you will extend upward | You can add sections. Dries out, so mist it |
| Plain cane | Small plants, temporary propping | Roots will not grip. It only supports |
| Three canes with a hoop | Plants that have sprawled | Good for drawing the stems back in |
Tying it in
Tie the stem to the pole loosely at each node, and press the aerial roots against the pole rather than tying them tightly. Keep the pole damp and the roots attach themselves within a few weeks, after which the ties matter less.
Add ties as it grows rather than trying to bend a hardened stem later. Monstera stems become inflexible with age and snap if you force them.
What to do with aerial roots
Aerial roots are how the plant climbs and, once attached, how it takes up some water. They are not a fault and cutting them all off is a loss, but you do not have to keep every one.
Direct any root heading towards the pole onto the pole. Guide any root heading into the room down into the compost, where it will function as a root. Cut only those that are dried out, damaged, or genuinely in the way.
Cut an aerial root close to the stem with clean pruners and let it dry. Do not tear them off, which wounds the stem.
Keeping it to a size
You can hold a monstera at a size indefinitely: keep it in the same pot with fresh compost, root prune when you repot, and cut the longest stem back each year.
What does not work is trying to limit it by underwatering. The roots are damaged, the leaves yellow and drop, and the plant ends up looking far worse than a well grown one you pruned.
Cutting an overgrown plant back
A plant that has outgrown its support is cut back into a node, and the piece you remove is a cutting. Cut in late spring or early summer so both parts recover in the growing season.
Cut just above a node with an aerial root, and new shoots come from the nodes below. The top, with its node and aerial root, roots readily and becomes a second plant.
The sap irritates skin and mouths. Wear gloves and keep the cut material away from children and pets.
Growing it without a support
You can let a monstera sprawl, and some people prefer the look. The consequence is that it takes width rather than height, and the leaves stay smaller because it is not climbing.
Decide how much floor space you are prepared to give it before you choose. A sprawling mature plant occupies several feet in every direction.