4 Ways Monstera Can Be Propagated Dependant On Variety

Sorry, I’m unable to process the request due to encountered difficulties.

You can propagate monstera plants at home from seeds, division, and plant cuttings, with seeds being the most challenging. The basics are to cut below a leaf node and place it in a glass of water or a free-draining potting soil.

Monstera plants are relatively expensive to purchase from the store. If you would instead grow your own, there are four ways you can propagate Monstera, depending on the available plant parts. If you already have a Monstera, it is easy to grow Monstera from cuttings; however, the plant also grows from seeds and air layering.

Propagating Monstera plants can be pretty intimidating for beginners. In this post, I will guide you through breeding different monstera varieties. These include growing the plant from seeds and using plant cuttings.

Growing Monstera From Seeds

People don’t often grow Monstera from seeds due to the challenges involved. However, it is easy to grow the plant from seeds, even for beginners properly.

You can purchase monstera seeds from the store or collect seeds from ripe fruit. These seeds vary in color, with some white and others greenish.

The Monstera plants we grow at home might not bear fruit due to the growing environment. Nevertheless, monstera plants growing in the wild provide the perfect natural setting for fruiting, which may take two to three years.

All in all, with the right growing conditions, you can bring your monstera plants to fruit. For instance, monstera plants fruit naturally outdoors in the USDA 10-12 zone, including Hawaii and Florida.

Once mature, the plant bears edible pine-like fruit containing seeds. These fruits are ready for harvest one year after flowering.

When ready, the caps at the base begin to spread, exposing a creamy color on the inside. Before harvesting the seed, waiting until the fruit is well-ripened and the green is gone is best. If there is some green coloration on the fruit, place the fruit in a paper bag for a few days. When ripe, snap one of the fruit and collect the seeds.

To plant these seeds, you will require a well-drained container, potting soil, proper growing temperatures between 70 70°F and 80°F and high humidity.

If you cannot create these growing conditions at home, it is best to grow these seeds during spring when the temperatures and humidity are correct.

Alternatively, you can grow them in a greenhouse or use the paper towel growing method.

It is best to remember that monstera seeds have a short shelf life and are only viable for two to three weeks in their packet when refrigerated soon after harvesting.

For this reason, you need to plant the seeds right after harvesting them. If you are not planting them right away, you should store them in sphagnum moss in a packet and refrigerate them.

Before planting the seeds, it is best to soak them in lukewarm water for 12 hours for faster germination.

Soaking is essential because even though the monstera seeds can germinate without soaking, the germination process will take longer due to their hard shells.

Place the soil in the moist container, then place the seeds inside and a thin layer of moist soil on top. The seeds are to be planted at a depth of half an inch to a quarter-inch with spacing requirements of one to two seeds per growing pot.

Ensure that you mist the soil daily to maintain the moisture requirements for germination.

The seeds should take 10 to 21 days to germinate; if they don’t sprout, they have rot.

As a result, you need to observe the growing temperatures responsible for activating enzyme amylase critical for germination when planting.

Low temperatures and humidity can slow down germination and inhibit it completely, causing the seeds to rot.

When the seeds sprout, you can place a plastic bag over them to maintain the necessary moisture requirements. Also, place the seedlings in an area where they receive indirect bright light, as monstera plants are sensitive to direct sunlight.

What monstera variety grows best from seeds?

You can grow all monstera varieties from seeds apart from the variegated types. While people love the variegated monstera variety, it cannot consistently grow from seeds, and this is because the variegated monstera plant carries a recessive gene. For this reason, it can only exhibit in one in a population of a thousand seeds.

However, if you are looking to grow this variety, there are other propagation methods we are about to discover.

Propagating Monstera From Stem Cuttings

One of the easiest ways to propagate monstera plants is through stem cuttings. The plant stem develops roots very fast, more so from the nodes. Besides, the plant also has aerial roots that develop at the nodes, which it also uses for climbing. These roots develop and function as roots when buried in the soil.

There are three ways of propagating the monstera plants from stem cuttings:

  • You can place the plant in water to develop roots, then plant the cutting in its final growing ground or pot.
  • The second option is placing the plant in a second growing medium after it is from water, then planting it in its pot.
  • The final method is to plant by cutting directly into the soil without allowing it to develop roots in another medium.

For this procedure, you will require a healthy monstera plant, clean, sharp pruning shears, ground cinnamon, potting soil, and a growing pot or container.

Procedure:

Use clean shears to cut off the stem with a node, root, and at least two leaves. Make the cutting just after a leaf node and remove the bottom-most leaves.

Place a dash of cinnamon on the plant where you made the incision to help heal and seal the open wound from diseases and pests.

There is no need for using a rooting hormone as monstera plants root faster. However, you can help the plant develop roots by placing them in a container of clean water for several months.

Avoid tap water as it may contain chemicals such as chlorine that might damage and kill the plant. Also, it is essential to change the water every few days.

Once the plant cutting develops a clump of roots, it is time to place it in its permanent flower pot.

Most gardeners recommend that you wait for the roots to reach the size of the growing pot.

To provide extra care to the plant roots, you can move the cutting into another growing medium before planting in the soil. To do this, move the plant to moistened perlite or high-quality sphagnum moss as soon as it starts developing roots. This procedure is more applicable for expensive varieties of Monstera, such as albo Monstera.

The advantage of using this second medium is that it helps the cutting develop a more robust, fuzzy root system that readily absorbs water when planted in soil.

Remember that some roots will likely die from stress when placed in the soil medium.

When it is time to move the plant, be careful not to damage the roots; once you remove the cutting, place it in a water bowl to free the material on the roots.

Place the plant in a right-sized growing pot with fresh soil of 2.5 to 5cm depth. Then hold the plant upright in the container as you freely pour in the remaining soil burying all the roots, leaving the node and stem above the soil. As you do so, avoid compacting the soil to allow air penetration.

Water the plant soon after planting, and ensure the soil is moist. For the plant to establish appropriately, water regularly ensures water drips through the draining holes at the bottom and the soil is evenly moist.

Propagating Monstera Plant Through Air Layering

Air layering is among the easiest and most commonly preferred propagating monstera plants. The technique allows you to grow a new plant from a living one without cutting it first. While the original plant may not look as pleasing indoors, this procedure has a high success rate compared to the others we saw above.

You will need a healthy plant, sphagnum moss, a clean, sharp object, twisty ties, and a plastic bag or wrap for layering.

Once you have assembled all the required items, identify the plant part you wish to propagate, and it should have a node, which acts as a root and a leaf.

Make a notch below the plant node, about one-third of the stem width, below the node and leaf. Wrap the incision, node, and root with moistened sphagnum moss, and place the plastic bag or wrap the entire area.

Use twisty ties to secure the wrapping in place. Remove the wrapping every few days to spray the sphagnum moss with water, then place it back. After a few weeks, you will notice that the wrapped area will begin developing roots.

Once the big roots start developing, your plant is ready for potting. Use a clean pair of shears to cut off the plant where you made the incision.

It is best to apply ground cinnamon to the wound of the mother plant to fasten healing and prevent the entry of disease and pest attacks.

Get the right-sized pot with potting mix and bury the plant thoroughly, covering the roots in the soil. Terracotta and clay make excellent pot choices for monstera plants because they allow soil aeration.

You can place a thin layer of soil in the container and gently pour potting mix around the plant roots while holding the plant upright inside the container until all the roots are covered.

You can place a climbing stake inside the container before setting the plant inside and securing it to the plant ties. Water the plant evenly to ensure the soil is thoroughly wet without drowning it in water.

Please don’t allow the plant to dry out completely before watering, as it is still establishing its roots.

Division Propagation of the Monstera Plant

Some monstera varieties, such as the oblique, produce runners called stolons on the ground. These leafless runners can grow far on the ground, cut off, and propagate into a new plant.

However, monstera plants often grow several stems from the plant roots. The best time to split and propagate these cuttings is early spring or late winter, providing the best-growing conditions for the plant to recover from root stress and assume healthy growth.

Before splitting the plant, water it thoroughly a week before hydrating the root ball, and watering provides the roots with healthy growth.

When splitting the plant, you must tilt the pot and slide the plant out slightly. Alternatively, you can use a garden trowel to coax it. Be careful not to harm the plant as you do so because any damaged stems will hardly recover.

Once the plant is outside the pot, use a clean, sharp object to cut the root ball into the desired number of plants depending on the number of sections and divisions.

Ensure that each plant obtains a substantial amount of roots and stems. It is best to split the plant into sections already sectioned off.

Once you have your plants ready, place individual plants in their pots. The pots you choose should be appropriate for the plant allowing its roots enough space for growth.

Always use fresh potting mix and clean pots to prevent the growth of fungus and bacteria.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should you not do with Monstera?

Never allow your plant to sit in water or soggy soil, as this can lead to root rot and the eventual death of your plant. Your Monstera Adansonii will do well in average household humidity but will benefit from a boost in humidity.

What conditions does a Monstera plant need?

Monsteras appreciate a warm, humid environment, good water, and gentle sunlight. Place your Monstera where it can receive a medium to bright indirect light.

How long do Monsteras live?

There is no specific lifespan and how old these plants can get. However, many reports from gardeners claim to have Monstera plants that are 40+ years old.

Do Monsteras need support?

In the home, maturing plants will need the support of a moss-covered pole that they can climb. If treated well, Monstera can live for years and grow to over ten feet tall. Monstera deliciosa is sometimes incorrectly called a split-leaf philodendron or Philodendron pertusum.

How long can you keep a Monstera in water?

A monstera can live in water indefinitely if you take good care of it. For the best results, we recommend taking a cutting, placing that cutting in water, and leaving it to grow. You must ensure it always has fresh water, so we suggest changing it every 3 to 5 days.

Conclusion

As we saw above, many ways of propagating new Monstera plants exist. The method of choice depends on the plant part you have at hand. Air layering is one of the most effective monstera propagation techniques, hence most preferred by gardeners.

All monstera varieties can grow from stem cuttings and air layering. With this information, you don’t have to purchase your plants from the store, as you can have fun growing your own at home.

Leave a Comment

error

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)