Monstera what to do with leggy growth
Plant: Monstera deliciosa
How long have you had the plant? about 3 years
Concerns:
Overall this plant is quite healthy, but I find that it is just getting too big and vine-y. I have tried staking it but it falls over, and basically, the plant just doesn’t LOOK nice any more. The leaves and stalks are huge and just sort of skew everywhere.
There is new growth but I would like to make the plant more lush and full vs leggy. I have 3 rooted cuttings that I am considering planting into the main pot to help provide some fullness, but wanted your options.
Light Situation:
How do you determine WHEN to water? I tend to give it a good drink every two weeks in spring/winter/fall and it gets more when outside in the summer.
Describe HOW you water: I water until the soil is damp.
What fertilizer (if any) do you use? Yes: 10-15-10 liquid plant food in water about 1x per month
Soil Situation:
Darryl’s Analysis
Environment | Effort | Expectations Analysis
From what I can see, your plant looks fine – the plant will look like this when it only has two/three vines. If the daily average light levels from that distance are less than 200 FC, then the new growth will be leggier than how you first got the plant. It would grow better right in front of the window as opposed to off to the side.
Eight vines potted together and tied to a trellis (the two photos are 4 years apart):
Two very mature vines:
And this is how sparse one vine will look:
The petioles (leaf stalks) of a Monstera will always be a few feet long, making the overall plant’s “wingspan” around 4 to 5 feet in diameter – it’s what a Monstera deliciosa owner signs up for!
I don’t think there’s any need to separate them at the moment but I’m interested in getting big leaves. If you don’t mind starting over from small leaves (except from the top cut), then separating and propagating them would alleviate your space concerns.
Monstera deliciosa are excellent long-term houseplants but most plant care tips and tricks are vague and unhelpful. Here’s some further reading on Monstera deliciosa care with detailed photos:
General Monstera deliciosa care
Using a trellis to train your Monstera
Learn a more sensible approach to houseplant care: my online course.
Tired of your houseplants dying on you?
Sign up and I’ll do my best to help them live their best lives!