How to Propagate Monstera (Monstera Deliciosa): The Best and Easiest Methods
Have you ever stumbled upon a plant that you instantly loved, yet it seemed a bit too exotic and risky to buy because plants are hard, right? For me, that’s the Monstera Deliciosa, also known as the Swiss cheese plant. This was years ago, and since then I’ve realised that they’re everywhere, very forgiving, and super easy to propagate. With its unique, perforated leaves (”fenestration”) and an uncanny ability to change up and bring life to any room, it’s become incredibly popular, to the point that it’s almost the ‘face’ of plants.
The first Monstera I got was from a friend – a single leaf and node in a glass jar. My excitement was palpable. I soon realised they’re a little slow growing, especially when it’s only one leaf in water. Regardless, I loved it, and I still have it years later (now living in its own pot with more leaves!). It’s genuinely one of my favourite plants.
Contents:
- Tools and Materials
- Method 1: Water Propagation
- Method 2: Soil Propagation
- Method 3: Air Layering
- FAQs
Tools and Materials
Before embarking on this propagation journey, you’ll need to gather a couple of things:
- A sharp knife for clean, precise cuttings.
- A glass jar to keep an eye on the root development.
- Optional: rooting hormone (unnecessary, but can make rooting faster).
I sell everything you need for this in the little shop on this site, or you can grab what you need from around the house. Once you’ve got it all together, keep reading:
Method 1: Water Propagation
This is the simpler method; I’d rate it a 2/5 on my arbitrary difficulty scale. It would be a one but honestly the most difficult part is having the patience to wait long enough for roots to grow. Expect to wait for 2-3 weeks for any sign of roots to develop. Your main task will be to keep the water topped up (no need to replace it unless it becomes cloudy/looks a bit gross – a sharp knife and clean cut will help minimise this).
Step-by-Step Process:
Step 1: Find a healthy stem on your Monstera plant and make a choice on where and how much you want to cut off: your cut should be towards the end of the vine of the Monstera – i.e. you’ll be chopping off the newest leaf/leaves.
In order to grow roots, your cutting must have a node, a leaf alone will not work. The node is basically what the leaf is attached to and grew out of – a bump/join in the section of the main stem of the plant (image above).
Step 2: Using your sharp knife or pruning shears, make a clean cut below the node.
- Optionally: dip your node in your rooting hormone (usually a gel or powder).
Step 3: Place the cutting in your jar with enough water to submerge the node. It’s fine (and almost unavoidable) if there’s a bit of leaf stem in there too, but ideally no more than around 2-5cm.
Step 4: Put your jar in a location with bright, indirect sunlight and wait for those roots grow.
Depending on the season, check the water every 3-4 days and keep it topped up. You should see roots developing in about 2-3 weeks, but don’t panic if it’s taking a bit longer. More light will usually help speed the process up a little.
TIPS FOR CARE:
Once you’ve successfully propagated your Monstera, it’s all about aftercare. The excitement doesn’t end at root growth.
After the roots have developed (i.e. your roots are growing roots – tiny little secondary roots starting to grow off the main thicker roots), you can pot your new Monstera in a container with well-draining soil. Give it a good watering initially and let it drain for 15 mins or so, then stick it in a place with bright, indirect light (the same place it was before would be ideal, but I’ll leave that up to you). Try keep the soil consistently moist initially, avoiding waterlogging.
One key indicator of successful propagation is the development of new leaves. If you spot a leaf starting to poke out of the propagated stem, it’s time to get excited – you’ve done it!
Troubleshooting tip: If your new plant looks a bit sad and the leaves are yellowing, it might be due to overwatering. On the flip side, if the leaves are brown and crispy, it might be underwatered or exposed to too much direct sunlight.
Method 2: Soil Propagation
Soil propagation is a bit more challenging, mainly because you’ll need to be more active in maintaining moisture levels. If water propagation is a 2/5, I’d give this a 3/5 – still very do-able but needs some care and attention. The extra work can make it all the more be rewarding, and means you don’t need to repot later – it’s already good to go. This method essentially replicates the natural growing conditions of the plant and is how it would propagate in its natural habitat. Here’s how you can propagate your Monstera in soil:
Step-by-Step Process:
- Step 1: Follow the same process of identifying a healthy stem with a node and make a clean cut below it.
- Step 2: Instead of placing the cutting in water, you’re going to plant it directly in a pot with well-draining soil. Make sure the node is under the soil surface, but the leaves remain above.
- Again, this is where you would optionally dip your cutting in rooting hormone before placing it in the soil.
- Step 3: Water the soil thoroughly, give it a chance to drain, and place the pot in a location with bright, indirect light.
- Step 4: Keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Too much water can cause root rot, especially in a freshly-cut node. Using a spray bottle can be helpful to achieve this balance.
It takes about the same amount of time as water propagation – about 3-4 weeks; what makes it a little more difficult is that you won’t be able to see the roots growing. You’ll know your propagation has been successful when you gently tug on the cutting and feel resistance – that’s the roots hanging on. Don’t do this too often though, you’ve really got to practice patience here. I’d say wait at least 4 weeks before you do your first test.
TIPS FOR CARE:
After testing and feeling tat resistance of the roots forming below the soil, continue to care for your plant as usual. Keep it in bright, indirect light and keep the soil moist. After a couple of months or so, once you’re satisfied that the roots have formed, you can stop testing them. You can let the top few centimetres of soil dry out between waterings now, there’s no need to be as disciplined as you were before with the spray bottle, just try not to let it dry all the way through or you might stress the new roots and slow it’s growth.
Plant: Prop’d.
There you have it, a beginner’s guide to propagating Monstera Deliciosa. From the thrill of making the first cut to the joy of witnessing new growth, it’s an exciting journey. Remember that, as a noob at least, it’s not about perfection, but about immersing yourself in the learning experience. Thankfully you can pick up a new Monstera pretty cheap from almost anywhere that sells plants, so if you don’t succeed on your first go, you can give it another crack. They’re pretty forgiving, and I have every faith in you.
Did you follow this guide? Did it work? Send me the photos! I love seeing people inspired by their plants and creating new ones.
Next on the propagation series, I’m chopping up Fiddle Leaf Figs – a plant that’s as melodious as its name suggests.