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Monsteras are one of the most unique, dramatic, yet easy-to-maintain houseplants. Originating from the tropical forests of Central America and southern Mexico, these are accustomed to higher humidity levels. But how much humidity do they like or need? And how often should one mist or water them to keep them looking their best?
Monstera like a medium-to high-humidity level; you can mist them once a week if the humidity levels in your area are normal, then mist more often if you notice crispy leaves or brown spots or if you live in a dry climate.
Table of Contents
- Monstera And Their Natural Habitat
- Growing Monstera Indoors
- Misting Your Monstera Plant is NOT the Only Option
- Maintaining Humidity Levels Indoors
- Tips to Increase Humidity Levels in Your Home
- Using Humidifiers
- Do all Monstera Like to be Misted?
- How Often Should You Water Your Monstera Plant?
- FAQs about Monstera Plants
- Conclusion
However, in various cases, added humidity can be good for a Monstera plant but not necessary. Misting your plant would raise the humidity only for a limited time.
Moreover, excessive misting can increase the probability of pest infestation and fungal diseases in your plant.
So, what are the different ways you can increase the humidity level near your Monstera plant? Let us find out.
Monstera And Their Natural Habitat
Before creating the ideal growing environment for your Monstera plant, you should know its natural habitat properly.
Originating from the tropics of Central America, Monstera likes humidity and warm temperatures along with some bright and dappled sunlight. With these conditions, you can grow your Monstera in a large, lush plant.
Usually, a Monstera plant would thrive in temperatures between 65° and 90° F while likes a humidity level of 60%-80% and at least six hours of bright, indirect light in a day.
While these requirements are met, and Monstera grows best in their natural habitat, one should create a similar growing condition.
If you plan to grow a stunning and healthy plant, you should consider offering the optimal growing conditions for your Monstera plant, and creating a humid space is an absolute must!
Growing Monstera Indoors
If you plan to grow your Monstera plant indoors, it would be better to reside in a region with a warm and tropical climate.
However, you can still replicate the ideal conditions for your plant in other regions, which are done by growing the Monstera plant in a greenhouse or conservatory. With this, you will trap a lot more humidity and light inside.
However, having access to a heated greenhouse is not always easy for most. In this case, you can also consider growing monster plants in spaces often used by you and your family members rather than moving them to a room that remains vacant most of the time.
The idea is to grow the plant where heat and moisture get trapped easily.
Alternatively, you can even consider placing your Monstera plant close to other plants, which is a great place to increase the humidity of the air around them.
Misting Your Monstera Plant is NOT the Only Option
While you can mist your Monstera plant a few times, it is not an excellent solution for achieving the perfect humidity level, especially for people living in a region with relative humidity below 40%.
Because the air there will be dry and warm, and quickly after misting your plant, the water droplets will start evaporating.
Thus, the moisture level would not remain high for a more extended period. So, to ensure that the air around your Monstera plant remains moist for a long time, you must find other ways.
Another issue for people living in regions with a humidity level above 60% is that the air is already saturated with water molecules, and misting may result in mold.
Moreover, if the air circulation in your room is not good, it may even lead to bacterial disease and pest problems.
Here is a table highlighting the pros and cons of misting your Monstera plant that will give you a better idea:
| Pros | Cons |
| Can increase the humidity levels | It is not a long-lasting solution for achieving ideal humidity levels |
| Helps in cleaning the foliage of the plant | Can result in pests and diseases |
| Misting with antibacterial oil can prevent pest infestation | Misting may lead to leaf damage. |
Maintaining Humidity Levels Indoors
The humidity levels indoors are pretty different as compared to outdoors. The air in some of your rooms may get drier during the winter months or a lot more humid during the summer months. While growing a Monstera plant, you would want to keep the humidity levels in your home should not go below 40%.
One of the best ways to get a better idea of the humidity level in different areas of your home is to invest in a hygrometer, a device used to measure humidity.
One can easily find one at their local garden center or even get one online. All you need is a basic version that helps you with the temperature and humidity levels.
Even while using a hygrometer, there are a few things that you should take into consideration. One should remember that the humidity levels in one room can be quite different from another room in your home.
For instance, basements, kitchens, and bathrooms usually have high humidity levels.
Tips to Increase Humidity Levels in Your Home
Dry air is harmful not only to your indoor plants but to you as well. So, increasing the humidity levels in your home will not just help your plans thrive but will benefit you in many ways as well. Here are a few tips that will help you increase the humidity levels in your home:
- As mentioned earlier, grouping different plants can increase the humidity in the air. But it should be kept in mind that it can help trap more humidity, but it is not as effective as adding more moisture into the air around your plants.
- Other than this, you can even consider placing a pebble tray under or near your Monstera plant. You can make your pebble tray by taking a tray and filling them with pebbles. Then, you must add some water and place your Monstera plant on top of the pebbles. This is highly effective as when the water evaporates gradually, the humidity in the air increases. However, you should put a lot of water in the tray as it may cause root rot. To avoid this, you can skip keeping your plant on top of the tray and let the water evaporate slowly, increasing the humidity level of the space. Moreover, the humidity levels can only be increased in a limited area, and you need to be sure that the place is dry and warm enough. If not, the water would not evaporate quickly, and it may result in mold.
- Another great option to increase the humidity level in your home is to leave your bathroom door open while you take a shower. If you cannot or do not want to keep the door open while you take a shower, you can simply let all the humid air get trapped in the bathroom and once you are done, you can simply open the door and let the steam out in the room. Or you can simply keep a vessel filled with hot water nearby.
These are simple, easy, quick, and inexpensive ways to increase the humidity levels near your Monstera plant. However, if you are looking for a long-lasting alternative, you can always get a humidifier.
Using Humidifiers
If you wish to make things a little easier for yourself, you can consider getting a humidifier. Depending on your room size, humidity level, and your budget, you can pick a humidifier that suits all your needs.
For Monsteras, you should go for a warm mist humidifier as they will create an environment similar to the one they would experience in their natural habitat.
And while Monsteras like humidity, extremely high moisture levels can result in mold. So, pay attention to the humidity levels in your room while using the humidifier.
Do all Monstera Like to be Misted?
Most will take misting well. However, care should be given to Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma, otherwise known as mini monstera or monstera minima. This plant is not really in the monstera family at all.
How Often Should You Water Your Monstera Plant?
As mentioned earlier, Monsteras are tropical plants, meaning they prefer growing in moist soil. So, it is better to water your Monstera plant when the soil at the top of the pot appears dry.
You can check the soil by poking a finger. If the top layer (2 inches) seems dry, you should consider watering your plant as soon as possible.
It is essential as too little water or a dry/warm climate can cause the leaves of your Monstera plant to droop. However, excessive watering can also harm your plant, and leaves may start turning yellow.
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Conclusion
While Monstera may seem to be a dramatic plant, it is pretty easy to take proper care of this houseplant. Misting in the right way and adequately can help your Monstera plant thrive. We hope that these tips will help you create a plant care routine that works perfectly for your Monstera. So, are you ready to let your Monstera grow into a healthy, beautiful, and lush plant?
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