Monstera Deliciosa, which is often referred to as Swiss Cheese Plant, has become an increasingly popular plant that looks good with modern decor. These plants also grow quickly which means budget-conscious growers can purchase a small Monstera Deliciosa and be confident that it will grow into a large plant within a short period of time. Unfortunately, Monstera Deliciosa will grow more slowly when conditions are no longer favorable. This can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are often several things you can do to encourage your plant to start growing again.
The most common reason that Monstera Deliciosa will grow more slowly is exposure to insufficient light. To encourage your Monstera to start growing more quickly, consider supplementing natural light with full-spectrum grow lights. In addition, water your plant when the top 1-2 inches of soil dries out.
The rest of this article will provide more information about why Monstera Deliciosa slows down its growth and how to encourage your plant to continue growing beautiful leaves.
How often do Monsteras grow new leaves?
Monstera Deliciosa grows fairly quickly as long as you provide the plant with suitable care and favorable conditions. A healthy Monstera Deliciosa should produce new leaves on a monthly basis. A smaller plant may produce one or two new leaves each month while a larger plant can grow even more new leaves each month.
Has Your Monstera Deliciosa Gone Dormant?
Like other non-bulb-forming aroids, Monstera Deliciosa will not go dormant if the plant is grown in conditions (e.g., light, humidity, watering) that mimic the plant’s natural habitat. However, Monsteras do tend to grow more slowly when they are exposed to less sunlight during the winter months. This is why many houseplant growers recommend watering less frequently during the winter and applying less fertilizer.
How To Encourage Monstera Deliciosa Growth
If your Monstera Deliciosa has stopped growing, there are ways to encourage it to start growing more rapidly again!
Make Sure Your Monstera Deliciosa Is Exposed To Enough Sunlight
If your Monstera Delicisoa has stopped growing new leaves, it may need more light. In the wild, Monstera Deliciosa grows under a canopy of other plants. This means that Monstera Deliciosa is not exposed to direct, bright light in its natural habitat. This is important to keep in mind when selecting a location in your home for this plant.
Monstera Deliciosa should be placed in a spot that is exposed to medium to bright, indirect light. These plants do well a few feet away from a south-facing, east-facing, and west-facing windows.
If your Monstera Deliciosa is not getting enough light, you might see the leaves of the plant start to spread into a darker area/corner. This phenomenon is called negative phototropism. It may seem a bit seem counter-intuitive for a plant to seek the light by spreading into dark areas, but Monstera Deliciosa does this because the plant is seeking tall trees to climb up in order to find the light. In the wild, dark areas indicate tall trees.
During the winter months, it can be difficult for your plant to get enough sunlight. There are fewer hours of daylight, and many growers have to move their plants farther away from windows to avoid potentially harmful chills/drafts. The easiest way to ensure that your plant receives enough sunlight is to supplement natural light with a full-spectrum grow light. Keep the grow light on for 12-16 hours each day. Do not keep the grow lights on all the time. Plants benefit from a period of darkness.
Finally, it is important to clean your Monstera Deliciosa’s leaves to ensure that the leaves are able to absorb light and photosynthesize properly.
Water Your Plant Properly
Watering is a very important aspect of plant care. The appropriate frequency of watering depends on a variety of factors including how much light your plant is getting, the size of your plant, the time of year (water less frequently during the winter), and the relative humidity of your home. Only water your Monstera Deliciosa after the top two inches of soil has dried out completely.
Your Monstera Deliciosa may be exhibiting signs that you need to adjust your watering regime. Wilting or droopy leaves are a sign that your Monstera Deliciosa is not getting enough water. Similarly, brown, crispy, or curling leaves are also a sign that you are underwatering your Monstera Deliciosa.
Fertilize Your Monstera Deliciosa Correctly
Monstera Deliciosa does best when fertilized with a houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength every four to six weeks during the spring and summer. Most houseplant growers recommend not fertilizing during the winter season. If your plant continues to grow throughout the winter, your plant will benefit from some fertilization.