Planta
Back to Monstera Maniacs

Hello! New plant mom here! So I recently potted my monstera… | Monstera Maniacs | Planta community

Shay

Hello! New plant mom here! So I recently potted my monstera propagation and it seems to be very droopy and wilting. I’m not sure what kind of monstera it is as it was given to me by a friend who wasn’t sure, and we used all purpose potting soil because it’s all we had 😅 I’ve read a bit about plants going into shock from repotting and I know all purpose soil isn’t the ideal choice for monsteras, but I also read that repotting plants too much isn’t good for them. I assumed it needed to be watered and might have haphazardly watered it without checking how dry the soil was deeper in the pot (it was dry on top 🙃). I have all my plants in a west facing window with indirect light, but the window has a bit of a draft and my friend suggested they might be too cold right up against the window like that. We also planted it a bit sideways because the roots grew silly when I was propagating it. ANYWAYS, sorry for the info dump — just trying to learn as much as I can and keep as many of my plants alive as I tend to get attached 😭 Here’s a photo of the monstera and of the silly lil baby roots just for funsies (sidenote the leaf on the left is broken so it’s always been a bit droopy!)

Attachment 1 of 1
1 like 7 comments

7 comments

  1. letsfindjoy

    I’d actually let it prop in water longer bc that root doesn’t look very long. You want it like 3-4 inches long at least. And then in the mean time get some perlite and bark to add to your soil. You can find diy recipes online. I took from a few different recipes and what I could more readily and cost effectively find and the one I made is 40% sphagnum peat moss, 30% perlite, 20% earthworm castings, 5% tropical soil, 5% reptile bark or orchid bark. And then when you stake it, you want to stake it closer to the main stem so the stress isn’t on a single thinner stem.

    1 like
    • Shay

      Hi and thank you for all your help on all my posts!! 😂🫶 I should’ve mentioned that the prop picture was a week or so before I planted it and I just included it to show the silly angle it grew in (and hence the silly angle in which we planted the baby). I didn’t take a picture but the root was 3-4 inches long!! Just grew out to the side. But okay yes thank you, had a feeling we used the wrong soil after doing some research and downloading Planta 😅 Would it be too much stress on the plant to replant it in more proper soil so soon? Thank you again you’ve been SO helpful!!!

      0 likes
  2. Women are Water

    Do you have a smaller size pot. That’s a lot of pot for that single root. You did a great job. Just know that the roots are water roots so there will probably be some drooping as the plant accumulates to soil. When your able, I would also recommend a chunkier mix. You want the soil to be airy and allow for fast drainage. Regular potting mix has a tendency to become very dense and compact over time. BWH has a great tropical mix if you doing want to make your own. (If you do there are tons of videos on YouTube) I think it’s 15 dollars. But it should be enough for all 4 plants (I saw they other post) and if you don’t have a smaller pot you can use a Dixie cup or yoghurt container and just punch some holes in the bottom for drainage. Or just let the roots grow out more in water.

    3 likes
    • Shay

      Thank you so much!!! So much helpful information. Question about potting and repotting— how often should I be repotting my plants? Does it put a lot of stress to repot a plant multiple times in a small time period? Say I downsize in more suitable soil tomorrow, how big should I let it get before moving it back into a bigger pot? Sorry for so many stupid questions, the internet just has so much information it’s hard to get exactly the answers I need. Appreciate you all so much!!!

      0 likes
    • Women are Water

      Yes it is true that some plants can be very sensitive to having their roots disturbed. Some plants like to be root bound some don’t. So E plants have thick hardy roots some have fine thin roots. That’s why it’s important to know what type of plant you have. But at the end of the day they all need to be repotted at some point. Your root ball/root system is what indicates if it’s time to repot. Generally of course. I wouldn’t go larger then 2 inches in diameter bigger then my root ball. Technically you could probably just leave it if you’re concerned about repotting. Just baby it. There is another node on that plant so it would be like soil protection for the other node. So keep it warm. Give it some good light Feed it. I think you’ll be fine. Do hesitate to ask any questions. The people on this app have great advice! Happy propagating! 😊

      1 like
  3. Claire5904

    Also, transitioning from water to soil is a huge change for the plant. Roots that grow in water are smooth and lack the protective ‘skin’ that dirt grown roots have. The skin protects the root from sharp edges in the soil. Your plant needs some time to grow more roots that will be suited to the soil. Don’t give it too much light during the transition period because there aren’t enough roots to pull any water/nutrients into the leaves. You just want the plant to focus on roots, not leaves.

    1 like
  4. Shay

    You are all incredible I am learning so much!!! Thank you!!! Will update soon!!

    1 like