Monstera old vine growing wild
Plant: Monstera deliciosa
How long have you had the plant? 3 years
Concerns:
I would like to prevent the plant’s main stem from growing down.
The overall plant:
Would I have repot the plant so that all aerial roots are inside the pot and then add a trellis or is it possible to cut the main stem 4-5 inches away from the oldest leaf and repot? (The last method I would have to trim the aerial roots)
Light Situation: outdoors in a shaded garden in Los Angeles.
How do you determine WHEN to water: I wait for the soil to become completely dry.
Describe HOW you water: I fully soak the soil, letting excess drain away.
What fertilizer do you use? I recently started using kelp fertilizer.
When was the last time you repotted? I have not repotted it yet.
Darryl’s Analysis
Recommendations:
You’ve got a lovely Monstera deliciosa plant! Monsteras grow as individual vines that continue getting longer and would normally find their way to a tree to go up. In a container, they will just sprawl unless supported by a trellis – that’s one option: maybe get a separate pot with a trellis, and just support the vine where it is now.
If you want to create a new plant, you could cut it where I’ve indicated (see attachment), put it in a bucket of water for a few weeks until some roots grow, then plant it into another pot. Try to keep some aerial roots with it, which should help speed up the formation of new roots.
The total number of leaves held on a plant at any one time is a balance of its light, watering, and soil nutrients. If you start using a complete fertilizer on a regular basis, I think more leaves would stay on the plant for longer. Kelp meal products tend to have NPK ratios of 1-0-2 or 1-0-3. Ideally, for tropical foliage plants, you want a multiple of 3-1-2.
My recommended fertilizers: HERE
If you want to create a new plant, you could cut it where I’ve indicated, put it in a bucket of water for a few weeks until some roots grow, then plant it into another pot. Try to keep some aerial roots with it, which should help speed up the formation of new roots.
Monsteras are so hardy that there won’t be any noticeable difference if you cut off a few aerial roots here and there – so whichever course of action you take, feel free to cut off the aerial roots that get in the way.
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