Monstera adansonii of the Araceae family, often known as Swiss Cheese Plant or Swiss Cheese Vine, is a significantly more space-conscious plant. Monstera adansonii is breathtaking, yet there is never enough of them.
Monstera genus plant propagation is simple, as is the case with many vining plants; it can be done in the water or on the ground.
In this post, we go over each method of propagation and provide you with other valuable information, and if this sounds like something you’d be into, let’s jump right in!
Monstera Adansonii can be grown in sphagnum moss, water, perlite, or ground. Take a stem cutting with at least one node and one to three leaves, if possible, to propagate a Monstera Adansonii. A cutting without a leaf is acceptable if at least one node is present.
Monstera cuttings that do not have a node are not suitable for propagation. Place the cutting in a medium or a bowl of water. The first roots will appear in three to four weeks.
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Monstera Adansonii Propagation in Soil
You can take a cutting with a few leaves on it to propagate your Monstera Adansonii in soil. To begin, sterilize and sharpen a pair of scissors. Next, trim a quarter-inch-deep incision below the node. Ensure the cutting has at least one node, as this is where the roots will develop.
Leave a few inches of the stem vacant by removing some of the leaves from the bottom of the cutting. This will make it possible to plant the cutting in the soil. Place the plant in a spot that receives bright, indirect sunlight. Then, daily water the soil and keep it moist.
The roots will begin to grow in two to four weeks. During the spring and summer months, keep fertilizing your plant. Give it the same attention as an adult Monstera Adansonii.
– Propagating in Water
To propagate Monstera Adansonii, you will also need to take a 14-inch clipping with a few leaves on it. Make sure the cutting has one node since roots will grow from this node. Next, remove some of the leaves from the cutting’s bottom and place them in a glass of water.
Ascertain that the node is also submerged. Put the cutting in an area with indirect sunlight.
Replace the water when it becomes murky and refill it when the water level falls below the node.
In about two to three weeks, you might begin to see small roots emerging. After that, however, you will have to wait a few weeks before you can plant the cutting.
When the roots are three or four inches long, insert the cutting into the soil. The soil should drain adequately, and the pot should have proper and adequate drainage holes.
– Air Layering
When a small quantity of moist material, such as sphagnum moss, is wrapped around a node and kept moist, it is known as air layering. The node will establish roots in the sphagnum as a result of this, and the vine can then be cut immediately below the node and transplanted.
The vine segment is only clipped off once roots have formed; air layering has the best survival rate. If roots do not grow, you can repeat the process until they do. Wrapping little parts of your plant in moist sphagnum has a very low danger of damaging or rotting the plant.
Advantage: There’s a very slim probability of decay. Roots grow faster because the cutting has access to all the plant’s energy. Cuttings have a shallow risk of losing leaves or nodes.
Disadvantage: It doesn’t work on top cuttings that haven’t yet developed aerial roots. Existing rootless cuttings or rehabilitating a whole rootless plant will not work.
– Through Air Layering
Find a node on your plant where the section you want to propagate is. The portion you’re removing on the plant should have numerous nodes above it. Select an area with at least two nodes– the bottom node you will be rooting and another node that will sprout a new growth point.
Multiple nodes can be rooted on a single vine and cut off to form different plants. Nodes with leaves and nodes that have previously lost their leaves can be embedded.
Air layering is best begun in the fall because it allows you to remove the vine in the spring, but it may be done safely at any time.
Wet part of the sphagnum moss with the spray bottle or immerse it in water. Wrap the moss around the node you wish to root after it’s thoroughly moist.
Make a moss sphere about two inches in diameter with the plant stem straight through it. The moss may be able to stand on its own, but you can also wrap it in a fishing line thread.
If you need to bind the sphagnum clump together, do so loosely to avoid strain on the moss. When first used, Sphagnum moss can be difficult to hydrate, so ensure it’s damp throughout the clump.
Once your clump appears to be sufficient, take a piece of plastic wrap and cover the moss loosely. This will allow you to keep the moss moist, as it can quickly dry out in household humidity due to its exposed location. Twist ties or other fasteners can be used to secure the plastic above and below the moss clump.
Make sure you don’t over tighten them around the plant’s stem. Once you’ve made the sphagnum clump, you’ll need to keep it moist by gently unwrapping the plastic and rehydrating the moss once or twice a week with the spray bottle. Roots in the moss will take several weeks to form.
When watering, gently move the moss away from the node to determine if roots are growing from the node.
Wait until the node’s roots have grown to about an inch in length. It’s safe to cut the plant’s stem at this point. Scissors, pruning shears, or a knife can all be used to cut the stem.
Before cutting the stem, make sure your cutting tool is clean. Try cutting half an inch below the node to avoid tearing or crushing the stem in one smooth cutting stroke.
You can either put the rooted part in a temporary pot to allow it to root more or plant it right away in the final pot you intend to use for your plant.
– Propagating Without Node
It is not impossible to propagate a Monstera with only a stem and no nodes; A stem by itself is insufficient.
To successfully propagate a Monstera plant, at least one node is required. A leaf with a petiole, on the other hand, will last for months in a vase. A petiole is the part of the plant that connects the leaf to the stem. On the other hand, a node is a point at which the petiole attaches to the stem.
Each leaf has indeed grown from a petiole. Aerial roots, on the other hand, emerge from the stem. If such conditions exist, the likelihood of effectively propagating a Monstera cutting increases.
The fantastic thing about a Monstera cutting without a node is that it may eventually grow roots. If you leave your Monstera without a node in a glass of water for a few months, it may begin to sprout roots.
Don’t be deceived: even if the Monstera cutting develops roots, it will never grow into a whole plant.
To summarise, A Monstera with no nodes is not viable and cannot develop into a whole plant. It can begin to produce roots from the petiole. However, it cannot grow into an entire plant because a node is lacking.
– Propagating Without Leaf
You may be wondering if you can grow a Monstera cutting without a leaf into a complete plant. A Monstera cutting with a node but no leaf will take its time growing roots and producing its first leaf.
A cutting with at least one leaf is a much faster way. On the internet, stems with a node but no leaf is sometimes referred to as wet sticks. There will be no new plant if there is no node. It’s as simple as that.
How To Start Monstera Propagation: Main Stages
– Stage 1: Unrooted Cutting
Your cutting will have no soil roots when you first start propagating it, but it may have aerial roots. Because aerial roots can’t support the plant, a cutting with aerial roots isn’t considered “rooted.” Your Monstera cutting is slowly dying while unrooted, just like cut flowers in a vase.
Until it develops roots, the plant is missing an essential ingredient of photosynthesis: water. Your plant won’t be able to feed itself for long if it doesn’t have access to water, and it will eventually turn yellow. You must focus on growing roots for your Monstera Deliciosa to survive propagation. Priority is given to the roots.
– Stage 2: Rooted Cutting
The cutting is called rooted if it has grown a complete set of roots. A single white, fuzzy root will emerge from the stem, or an existing aerial root will be the first to grow. The plant’s fluffy root hairs absorb moisture. When this root reaches a certain length, it will begin to create feeder roots from the sides.
– Stage 3: Established Cutting
The cutting is planted in the final medium after the primary roots and feeder roots have grown to several inches! Once the roots have adapted to their new environment and begun to grow again, the cutting becomes established.
It’s essential to remember that the transition from propagation medium to soil can result in the death of certain roots! There is a common belief that almost 1/3 of the roots perish during the transition.
The exact amount can be determined by how much you disturb the roots during planting and how consistent the moisture level remains. Before planting, make sure your cutting has enough roots to last even if it loses a few.
– Stage 4: New Plant
Monstera has finally begun to produce new leaves. Keeping the cutting rooted for a long time can occur before it is planted in its final medium. If your cutting begins to develop new growth, it receives enough water to re-establish itself as a happy, robust plant.
How To Choose the Cutting Method
– Top Cutting
The most straightforward cutting is a top cutting, requiring one snip. You remove the plant’s dying bud, the growth point at the top of the stem, trim the top of the stem; starting from the bottom, and cut on the internode.
Top cuttings are the best sort of Monstera Deliciosa cutting since they regrow the fastest and the young leaves retain their maturity the longest.
– Mid Cutting
You can separate further cuttings from the middle of the Monstera Deliciosa stem after removing the top cutting. Two snips are required for each middle cut, one above and one below.
– Stem Cutting
A stem cutting, also known as a node, “wet stick,” or “chonk,” has only nodes and no leaves. It is possible to propagate a Monstera Deliciosa without a leaf; however, photosynthesis takes longer without leaves.
How to Care for a Plant That Has Been Propagated
– Temperature
The newly reproduced Monstera Adansonii thrives in the same temperature range as a fully developed Monstera Adansonii. Keep the propagated plant between 64 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 27 degrees Celsius).
Keep your newly propagated Monstera Adansonii at or above 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees celsius). Your plant’s growth will be stunted, and it may die due to this.
– Light
Make sure the newly propagated Monstera Adansonii gets bright enough, indirect sunshine. You may also utilize grow lights to give the plant optimal light. Until the plant is fully mature, keep it out of direct sunlight.
A fully mature Monstera Adansonii can tolerate a few hours of direct sunshine. However, newly propagated Monstera Adansonii cannot. These plants will become quite spindly if placed too far away from a window with poor light.
They’ll make it for a while, but they’re not going to look good. The ideal lighting for these plants is bright indirect light from a Northern window, though Eastern windows can work well.
– Moisture
Maintain a humidity level of 60 percent or above for your Monstera Adansonii. This plant prefers a humidity level of 90 percent. However, this is difficult to obtain indoors.
You can boost this process by using a humidifier. If you can’t afford one, a tray filled with water and pebbles will suffice. The surrounding humidity around your Monstera Adansonii will begin to rise as the water evaporates.
– Fertilizer
If you’ve grown Monstera Adansonii in water, you’ll need to fertilize it every time you change the water. However, if you propagated it in soil, fertilizing once a month during the spring and summer seasons would be sufficient.
Make sure to utilize a 20-20-20 NPK ratio. It’s a liquid fertilizer that can also be used as a slow-release fertilizer.
– Rooting Hormone
A rooting hormone is a powder or gel that chemically causes the plant to produce roots. If you use a rooting hormone, the speed at which the roots grow will be substantially accelerated, and more roots will find their way deep into the soil.
Administer a little dusting of rooting hormone to the node before wrapping it in sphagnum to apply the rooting hormone. This is useful whether you make a small cut at the node, but it may be more successful if you do. A rooting hormone may be helpful if you’re having trouble getting your Monstera to root via air layering.
– Soil
Monstera Adansonii requires well-drained soil to avoid roots from rotting. Orchid bark, peat moss, charcoal, and perlite can be used to make this well-draining soil.
Please make sure that the pH level does not exceed 7.0. However, the pH of the water should be between 5.5 and 7.0.
This is how root rot occurs- when the soil remains damp for an extended period, especially if your potting mix is not adequately aerated. Wet roots, combined with a lack of oxygen, will eventually kill them.
– Potting
If you offer your plant something to climb, it will grow larger and larger, necessitating more frequent repotting as it outgrows its pot and requires new soil. Allowing the plant to the trail will cause it to develop more slowly.
However, bear in mind that the material of your container will have a significant impact on how quickly your potting mix dries. Because terra cotta pots are incredibly porous, they will dry up considerably faster than other pots.
If you use a terra cotta pot with a chunky potting mix, the potting mix will dry up far faster than you would like.
– Size of Cutting
Longer or bigger stem sections with more nodes tend to sprout several new stems, resulting in more new growth. This is critical since Monstera is a vine that grows on a single long stem. If your cutting generates leaf sprouts on many nodes, each will develop into a stem, resulting in bushier, compact growth.
Cuttings that aren’t growing well may decay and become dark and spongy. Trim off the black till you have solid flesh, repot in fresh soil, and don’t allow it to get too wet – if the cutting is small, you may need to discard it altogether.
Instead, you can rinse and repot them in water, which will allow you to keep a closer eye on them. Switching media may help you stop the deterioration.
Cuttings that start to wrinkle and lose their fresh green color are drying out due to a lack of moisture. To fix this, water thoroughly, plant in a well-lit location, and repot in water rather than soil.
How to Avoid Common Problems During Propagation
– Leaves with Brown Edges
A variety of factors including can cause browning leaf edges of your Adansonii
- Keeping your potting soil too dry is a big no-no.
- Keeping your potting soil damp for too long (to the point of the roots starting to rot)
- Using water of poor quality
- Keeping your plant too rootbound and having trouble keeping it well-watered
- Overfertilizing
- Relatively low humidity
– Yellow leaves
If the leaves have already started turning yellow, it’s an indication you’re not watering them properly.
When given too much water, the foliage of this plant, like that of many other beautiful green houseplants, begins to turn yellow. This is because the roots are becoming waterlogged and want more air. They’ll start to droop and die out eventually.
To repair the plant’s harm, reduce the amount of water it receives. Then, remove the yellow leaves and trim them.
Ensure there are no rotten, mushy, or grey roots in the roots. Trim them and let the roots air out for a few hours if there are any. Replant in new soil and begin watering after a few days.
– Droopy Plant
Extremes in soil moisture are the most prevalent cause of your Adansonii drooping. One possibility is that you let your potting mix dry out thoroughly for an extended period. If this is the case, all that needs to be done- is to give your plant a good soak, and it should be okay.
The other issue is if your plant has been moist for an extended period. Maybe you left it in the water too long, or your growing conditions didn’t let your soil dry up quickly enough.
If your plant has developed root rot, the entire plant may begin to wilt. You’d have to look at the root system to see if this was the case and if your roots had turned mushy and rotting.
– Mosaic Virus
Mosaic virus impacts around 150 different plant species. Mosaic virus symptoms include discolored leaves that can appear quite attractive, blistered or swollen foliage, and distorted or wrinkled growth.
The mosaic virus can be challenging to spot in a plant since the leaf darkening and distorted leaves can resemble pest damage. The blistered or elevated foliage is the most obvious evidence of the mosaic virus.
The mosaic virus can come from other plants, and pests can spread the virus from plant to plant. Mosaic virus is commonly found in cucumbers, so it could spread if you have a food garden and leave your houseplants outside for the summer. The bottom line is once a plant has contracted the virus, it cannot be saved.
– Fungal Infection
Brown dots on the leaves, surrounded by a yellow “halo” around the brown spot, are characteristic fungal symptoms.
Excessively damp circumstances for lengthy periods, especially with poor air circulation, promote fungal infections.
If your plant has fungal leaf spots, it’s better to catch the problem early and remove the affected leaves. Keep the leaves dry (no sprinkling) for a while to be safe.
– Black Spots on Leaves
Unfortunately, the effects of cold damage on leaves cannot be reversed. If the leaves are too unappealing, you can trim them off. If the plant is not damaged by the cold, it will recover, and new growth should appear normal. If your plant is large enough, you can even lightly trim it to encourage new growth.
FAQ
– What Is the Best Place to Cut Monstera for Propagation?
Cuttings are vine segments that have been cut off at the lowest node and placed in soil or water to root. Once rooted, a new growth point will form from one of the upper nodes, and the cutting will continue to grow as a new plant.
Always cut just above a node when cutting a Monstera plant. The node regulates the formation of new leaves, shoots, and buds. As a result, the node will ensure that the plant may keep growing. It must also have at least one node to be a viable cutting for propagation.
Cuttings can be cut from the top, known as a top cutting, or from any other portion with a node, known as a bottom cutting.
– When Is The Best Time To Plant Monstera Adansonii?
Spring and summer seasons are the vetted times to plant Monstera adansonii. These are the perfect times when the plant can fully grow and avoid stress. It can, however, be propagated inside in all seasons with sufficient moisture, except for cold winter.
Monstera leaves can not withstand freezing temperatures, and it may result in the death of the plant. So spread the word. You can continue the propagation process in “not-so-freezing” conditions, but you may need more resources to get it to grow.
Dawn or early morning is also the perfect time to collect cuttings for propagation because the plant’s natural rooting hormones are accumulated at the plant’s tip. It’s impossible to grow this plant at sub-zero temperatures.
– What Are the Materials Required For Monstera Propagation?
Collect all the necessary materials to continue the propagation process.
Here are the necessary tools and materials:
- Pruning Shears- For cutting leaves, stems, and roots
- Isopropyl Alcohol- For sterilization of equipment before and after cutting
- Monstera Potting Mix- Potting mix suitable for plant
- Clean, tepid water- For propagation via water
- Transparent Vase- For propagation via water
– What Are the Benefits of Monstera Water Propagation?
It is less untidy to cultivate your Monstera Adansonii in water. If you have pets or toddlers, the soil might simply pour all over. If you live in a small house or apartment, the soil’s mess is immediately apparent.
Allowing your Monstera Adansonii to grow in water also decreases the chance of pests and diseases. These bugs are attracted to damp soil, and most of them attack the roots, causing lasting harm.
When Monstera Adansonii grows in water, it’s also easy to repot it. All you got to do now is gently lift the plant out of the water. Fill a larger container with water after that. Place your plant in the larger container and continue changing the water as soon as the water becomes muddy.
– What Are the Drawbacks of Monstera Propagation?
Growing your Monstera Adansonii in water is more complex since you must change the water almost every day. This is a significant waste of water. Algae will grow on your plant’s roots and stems due to the mixing of organic materials and water. This can also contribute to bacterial infestation, leading to root rot.
The more accumulation there is, the fewer nutrients your plant can receive, eventually destroying it. In water, the pace of growth is also incredibly sluggish. The soil provides your plant with more oxygen, nutrients, and adequate stability. Monstera adansonii cannot live in these conditions because it is not a naturally occurring water plant.
Conclusion
Ensuring your Monstera is friendly and healthy is the first step in propagating it. Some of the most crucial considerations include:
- In most cases, it is better to give your plant bright but indirect light.
- You will likely require the use of a humidifier.
- Decide which method of propagation works best for you.
- And choose wisely where you obtain your cuttings from.
All of these things have a role in the success of your Monstera Adansonii and, if done right, can ensure your plant enjoys a long, healthy, and disease-free life!
