I’ve had this swiss cheese monstera since January, and over the past month these crisp brown areas have appeared. A new leaf began to sprout, but browned and died before it was able to unfurl. I’ve checked the roots and they seem to be fine. She in a south-facing window and gets bright, indirect light. Any thought on what could be causing this?
What are your watering habits? They don’t like to be too wet. The top inch should be dry before watering again. They also like humidity. Either a humidifier or a pebble tray would work….
0 J'aimeI’ve been watering about every week and a half or so, could it be an overwatering problem? I recently got a humidifier and just moved to a far more humid place than where I have been, so I’m hoping that that helps too
1 j'aime So they like to be moist but not wet… I would use a skewer or your finger to test the soil under the top inch for moisture. When it feels low bottom water and yes… humidity is important as well.
1 j'aime I also notice some potential dust on the leaves… a good cleaning with a neem & peppermint mixture would do wonders, deter bugs… dust covered leaves can’t process light as well which can cause less chlorophyll production.
1 j'aimethat’s good to know! thank you!
0 J'aime
Might be pests. Check if there is any bugs or sticky stuff on the leaves
1 j'aimeI checked for pests and didn’t find any evidence of any. No actual little bugs, no “dust”, no sticky stuff, nothing like that thankfully
0 J'aime Thank God that you don't see any pests. But keep an eye on it. I had the same problem - yellowing and dropping leaves, some leaves getting crispy, new leaves dying. The roots were fine. I couldn't see any bugs. Until I saw some drops that didn't dry. As I touched them - they were sticky. So in my case definitely was a pest problem. If the problem is in humidity, as other people mentioned, don't spray the leaves often, and don't use a pebble tray. Pebble tray will do nothing, spraying leaves often will only cause problems like fungus or some other infections. Spray the leaves only if you want to get rid of dust and dirt. Once a week is fine. But it will not increase the humidity around your plant. The only viable solution is to buy a humidifier. But again, only if the problem is in humidity levels. Do you live in a dry climate?
0 J'aimeI’ve been looking at getting a humidifier, look like I’ll definitely be doing that now! And yeah, I’m in Arizona, so very hot and very dry
0 J'aime
They like high humidity and a consistent temperature with no drafts. I had issues with mine for a while and moved it into a different room with indirect light and no drafts, it has been doing much better. Mist leaves often or provide a humidifier.
2 J'aime
Plant needs a humidifier or pebble tray
2 J'aime I dug deeper because I have this plant too and like to know things before they become an issue… Everything I found (and advice from one of my nursery friends) points to underwatering and not enough humidity. Make sure you don’t let it dry out completely. The skewer trick is one that helped me figure out my different plants watering needs.
0 J'aimeOk! I’ll definitely be giving that skewer trick a try
1 j'aime It’s kinda like testing cake batter to see if it’s done. The wetter the soil is… the more that sticks. The dryer it is, less sticks. You want fluffy soil where only a few bits stick. I would also consider a chunky soil mix if you’re just using regular potting medium.
1 j'aime