Monstera yellowing near bottom of plant
Plant: Monstera deliciosa
How long have you owned the plant? 1 to 6 Months
Plant Parent
Yellowing of a leaf and new growth towards the bottom of the plant.
The overall plant:
Light Situation:
The plant sits in front of a window getting about 1h direct sunlight (7am to 8am) and 6-8 hours of indirect sunlight (8am to 3-4pm) with the LED on 12h a day (9am to 9pm). Grow light name: “Sondiko LED Grow Lights 800 Lumen”
How do you determine WHEN to water? I follow the schedule I was told/researched for this plant – about once every 7-8 days and checking with a moisture meter.
Describe HOW you water: Fully water the plant from the top until it drains from the drainage holes, check with moisture meter before watering.
Other info: The plant is near a humidifier kept at 55%.
Fertilizer: I have never used fertilizer.
Darryl
Thanks for submitting your photos and care details!
Based on the info you provided, I can say that you have nothing to worry about as this yellowing leaf is the oldest leaf on the main vine. Your new growth is coming from a second vine that has emerged as a pup – that’s great!
While it is completely normal to regularly lose the lowest (and thus, oldest) leaf on a Monstera vine, you can maximize the number of active (green) leaves if you regularly use fertilizer. Here is some more info and recommendations on fertilizer: https://www.houseplantjournal.
Once the yellowing has begun, it will not turn green again so you can just wait until it is fully yellowed and it can be pulled off with a gentle tug – on the other hand, if you find it unsightly, you can cut it off now.
Other Observations/Comments:
- Although these gooseneck blue/red LED lights are extremely weak, you have set them close enough to actually make a difference for this plant – good job! If you’re ever considering upgrading or getting new lights, just get white LED grow lights. Pure red/blue LED is outdated technology.
- You can keep using the humidifier for your personal comfort but don’t feel obligated to do so for Monstera deliciosa – it will grow very well regardless of humidity. I live in Toronto, Canada and have grown this Monstera for over 10 years (note: it’s only in my basement during the winter):
More great resources to level-up your houseplant game:
- Read my books: ‘The New Plant Parent‘ and ‘The New Plant Collector‘
- Take my online course: Essentials of Houseplant Enjoyment
- More detailed houseplant Q&As
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