An ultra-trendy giant plant, the monstera deliciosa single-handedly brings the “tropical jungle” effect into your home.
You love its lush foliage of a monster beauty! But do you know how to care for it and propagate it? Also known as the “monster” or “false philodendron”, the Monstera is a beautiful tropical plant from the rainforests of South America that is now found in many urban interiors.
With its huge, graphic leaves and aerial roots, this creeper also has a fast, vigorous growth rate that you can increase tenfold to create a real plant decor in your home at a low cost.
Indeed, it is quite possible to practice hydroculture with a Monstera, we will see how:
Contents
Can monstera live in water forever?
Yes, it is quite possible to make a Monstera live indefinitely in water, provided that you take good care of it! Don’t panic, we give you all the tips and methods to keep your hydroponic Monstera alive.
How do you keep Monstera alive in water?
Logically, it would occur to you to add a little fertilizer to the water of your vase, but this is something you should avoid doing at all costs for many reasons;
The water will become cloudy, and it will be very difficult to clear it up again without changing the entire contents of the vase. Moreover, a very strong smell of fertilizer will come out (we tried, it is unbearable).
So no, to begin with, no fertilizer in a pot with water!
But then how do they hold up? No worries, your Monstera will not suffer for lack of fertilizer. However, it is vital to change the water in your Monstera as soon as it starts to show signs of dirt (on the roots or on the walls of the vase).
From time to time, when there is a little mineral water left in the bottom of a bottle, it may be worthwhile to pour the remainder into one of your Monstera pots.
Can a Monstera root in water?
The aerial roots of the Monstera Deliciosa are really a key element for growing in water. This is certainly what helps in this case for these three Monstera plants that have been growing in water for two weeks now. In the end, the shoots behave a priori as if they were cuttings.
How to cut a monstera deliciosa ?
Very simple to realize, the multiplication of the monstera is generally done by cutting. This technique allows both to balance the mother plant, whose older shoots tend to get tired, and to be able to duplicate the monstera subjects endlessly. To you the jungle of living room!
Technique to take a monstera cutting in water
Taking cuttings from a monstera deliciosa in water is easy to do but you have to observe some basic rules to make the operation a success.
Choose and take the cuttings
Take the cutting from your original monstera plant by going up the main stem: choose a shoot that has at least two leaves, and cut at the level of the aerial root starts just below a node.
Place the new monstera stems in water
Fill a clear vase or glass bottle with clean, cool water. Gently place the cutting in the water, making sure that the roots are always perfectly immersed.
Attention: it is very important to renew the water in which the cutting is placed, otherwise the new roots that develop will rot. So think of changing the water of your cutting about every ten days, or to place a piece of coal in it to purify the water.
Wait (patiently) for the new roots to appear
Place your cutting pot in a bright place but without direct sunlight, near a window for example and arm yourself with a little patience. After two weeks, you will see the first roots appear in the water of your beautiful monstera cutting!
It will take 4 to 6 weeks before the root system is strong enough to repot the new plant. A little tip: wait until the roots of the young monstera have reached a length of 3 to 5 cm before taking them out of the water to be planted.
How to maintain a Monstera in water?
This is going to be simple, because maintenance is minimal.
About four times a year, you have to change the water in each large pot completely. When you do this water change, you also have to clean each pot completely. This is essential if you don’t want the lime marks to build up too much on the walls of the pot. Otherwise it’s a horror to get rid of.
During these water changes, you can take the opportunity to clean the root balls. The cleaning is first a rough rinse with the shower head. Then, after the first rinse, if necessary, you can go in manually to remove any dead roots, which are easy to detect since they are usually brown.
These dead roots, if left in the pot too long, will dirty the water and sometimes even create odors.
Why not clean more often? Each complete change of water can be a shock for the plant. So it is better to go easy on them and not rush them. Adding water regularly will help keep it cleaner longer.
That’s it. No chemicals or natural products are used to clean the roots or pots.
What type of pot or vase for a Monstera in water?
Color and shape of the pot or vase
We have regularly seen and read that opaque pots, vases and containers are preferable, especially for cuttings in water. This would allow the roots to keep the same protection from light as when they are growing in soil.
We advise you to stay with transparent containers and pots as long as there are no signs of root suffering with the current transparency.
Size and shape of the pot
It is also advisable to invest in one new large pot if you do not already have one. A pot with a height of about 3 or 4 ft will do just fine.
Summary
A little maintenance, observation, clean water regularly, but above all a good room temperature and plenty of natural light, that’s how to keep a Monstera alive in water.