Monstera Adansonii Plant Care

I am sure you already know all about the lovely Monstera Adasonii or the Swiss-cheese plant. It got its name due to highly pierced leaves and thus resembles the varieties of pierced Swiss cheese you can find on the market.

This tropical epiphytic vining perennial from the numerous Monstera varieties can grow up to 60 ft tall, so you better prepare some stake or sticks for it to cling to. This beauty has become a famous indoor plant due to its aesthetic vibe.

I also know that you can’t resist having this seemingly fragile beauty in your home and you keep finding ways to have it around for as long as possible.

So stay tuned to discover all the tips and tricks on the proper Monstera Adansonii care.

The Proper Care Requirements for Monstera Adansonii

The Swiss cheese plant care is no fuss, as you will witness in the course of this article.

The most important fact, though, is that you lavish it with love. Plants like to feel loved. They need constant attention, and they respond to kind words. Make sure that your plant only receives warmth and encouragement from you.

This will make it thrive!

Of course, there are other things to pay attention to, but I’ll go through this one by one!

Still, for those unaware, I need to point out that our little adansonii is a bit toxic (i.e. moderately). Make sure to keep it away from pets since it can cause burning and swelling.

Now, let’s move on to some practical guidance tips on how to make your monstera vine all the more lively and luscious.

The Perfect Place

As commented briefly, our Swiss cheese vine here can be poisonous to pets, so when deciding where to keep it, you need to go for a place that is out of your pets’ reach.

Just in case, make sure that it steers clear of your toddlers too – it’s a fact these two don’t get on well (I’ve witnessed it myself)!

Tables, windowsills – such places will be a perfect choice.

Temperature and Humidity

Our Monstera Adansonii is a tropical plant that goes well with maximized humidity and temperature. Ideally, you could grow it in a greenhouse, but let’s be realistic here – you only have the office or apartment at your disposal.

So, try to imitate the native humid forest environments as best as you can. Your bathroom could just as well be an option.

Pro Tip: Use a humidifier and mist the leaves frequently. This will provide the required humidity to the overall plant, not just the roots.

Next, know that warm places are appreciated by the Monstera Adansonii – remember, it’s a plant from hot, tropical regions. If you want me to speak in numbers, then 60°F is your guideline.

Light Requirements

Directly linked to the previous point, the light requirement is rather important for your Swiss cheese philodendron.

Our lovely cheese plant here is native to tropical regions (South and Central America) so its natural habitat is shady spaces. No direct exposure is the preferred condition.

In case direct exposure cannot be avoided, at least make an effort then to keep it limited to just a couple of hours of the morning sun.

This is when the sunlight is not very strong and it will not scorch the leaves.

Soil Type

If you are still having doubts about why soil is so important, let me just ask you this – can you imagine yourself living without food?

As we are aware that not all foods bring the best nutrients, the same goes for the soils you choose for your plants.

Moreover, not cheese plants require the same type of soil.

Out of the variety of plants with holes, our monstera adansonii requires potting soil based on peat for optimum growth. The main reason behind this is that the peat will prevent waterlogging which is extremely dangerous for the adansonii roots (more on that later).

Ideally, soils with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0 are your best ally in optimum care.

Watering

Just like people, plants cannot survive without water either.

Some need it more, some less.

IMPORTANT: Don’t mix adequate humidity with abundant water. Adequate humidity is in the air. Abundant water is in the pot; and, that’s not good!

So, when to water?

One way to know the answer to this question is to use a toothpick and stick it in the soil. If it’s completely dry, it’s time to water.

Or, you can use your finger instead. Push it in the soil up to the knuckle and see if it’s wet. If yes, postpone the watering for a couple of days.

Excessive water shall cause the adansonii roots to rot, so you better watch it!

In order to gain better control over the watering requirements, make sure that the pot you choose has drainage holes at the bottom since this will let the excess water run through the pot.

Fertilizer

Another important contributor to the well-being of your monstera adansonii is the fertilizer that you choose for it.

Fertilizers are chosen based on the nutrients that your plant requires to recover if it’s in a bad shape and/or to bloom faster.

As for our monstera house plant, fertilizing is done to promote growth, but as for blooming, you can forget about it. While it’s true that it does bloom in the tropical wilderness that was originally found, in indoor conditions, you will sadly not have the opportunity to see it flower.

So, if you planted your monstera in the general potting mix, skip the fertilizer for a few months after potting or repotting. Such soils already contain a percentage of fertilizer and adding some more of it will only do more harm than good.

Generally, just like with any other plants, the spring and the late summer are the best time to fertilize – just to boost it a little to be in the full swing and in the latter case to help it make it through the winter.

Otherwise, your plant will tell you that it needs to be fertilized. Seriously, just watch it closely. Yellow leaves are often a sign that your monstera adansonii lacks fertilizer. This is when you can add some even if it isn’t the “official” fertilizing season.

Pro Tip: Don’t throw away your banana peels! Soak them in water instead and make your own home fertilizer. Banana peels are rich in potassium that will do good to monstera adansonii.

If you still opt for ready-made industrial fertilizers, know that whichever you choose, you can add them at the time of watering.

Pruning

Not so long ago, I remember how confused I was whenever I needed to pinch out or cut down a leaf from my plants.

Oh, the horror!

And, to be perfectly honest with you – now I tend to believe that this is an action that we do absentmindedly.

It’s no big deal.

Here, let’s take your monster adansonii as an example.

The whole point of pruning is to make your darling monster more beautiful.

Since we’re talking about a vining plant, feel free to cut it down once it seems too large for your liking.

Otherwise, you can always cut those leaves that look damaged or dry. Keeping these around will just further impair the health of your Monstera adansonii.

When pruning to control the growth, it is best to prune from spring to autumn since the plant will quickly compensate for the loss. Cut as close to the stem as possible.

And, what to do with the healthy cuttings, by the way?

Propagate

Seriously, use the healthy monstera adansonii cuttings to propagate it further.

Put these cuttings in a suitable propagating medium (peat, moss, water) and wait for them to develop roots.

There is also an option to put the cutting with at least one node in the soil directly. But, I know how impatient we can get when we want results ASAP and then weeks go by and we can’t tell what’s happening.

I must admit, this is not a preferred way to propagate, but if you opt for it – know that you did a good job if the monstera adansonii cutting you planted directly in the soil doesn’t die out on you over the next couple of weeks.

You need to be extra careful with these cuttings prepared for propagation. You need to make sure to provide optimum light and temperature, and moisture.

The most important thing here is that you will need to arm yourself with patience and wait for a few weeks until a web of roots shows up.

Then, simply repot the cutting in a new container.

Speaking of which…

How to Repot Monstera Adansonii?

The next step in the proper care for our little monster is repotting.

This step enables a healthy life for your plant and boosts its general well-being.

Still, you cannot and should not repot whenever you see fit. No!

Repotting is best done in early spring or during autumn when the monstera adansonii is past its active season. Repotting at such a time will just cause harm.

The point of repotting is to provide more space for the roots and at the same time to provide more nutrients contained in the new soil.

Obviously, with each repotting you will have to go a size or two up, depending on how much the monstera adansonii has grown over the past seasons.

I will not bother you with the pot materials at this time, since everybody has their favorites. Some will stick to plastics, some will prefer clay, metal, or wood. You also know that you can choose almost any color and the shapes are also at your will.

I believe you will manage this all by yourself and create a perfect tropical jungle with your monstera adansonii combined with other outdoor plants and shrubs in your home.

However, what I need to bother you with – and I can’t stress this enough – the pot you choose has to have drainage holes! In this way, you will prevent soggy roots from sitting in a waterlogged environment.

The only thing you will achieve, in this case, is root rotting which will lead to your plant dying out. So, if you opt for a pot that you find pleasing to the eye, but without any drainage holes, then make them yourself.

A house knife will do the trick if nothing better comes to your mind (I’ve done it a hundred times).

Next, take note of the fact that monstera adansonii is not a plant that you repot every year. There is no need for that. Moreover, repotting it every other year will be more than fine.

On the other hand, what you can do every year adds some fresh soil to the mix. In this way, you will improve the overall soil quality and provide some extra nutrients to your pierced monster.

Finally, when repotting, make sure that you add a wooden stake or a stick to the pot. These will help in directing the monstera adansonii upward, as it should grow.

Otherwise, you will be faced with drooping leaves that fall off the edges of the pot and might occasionally seem unsightly. So, to have a charming-looking Monstera adansonii, use props to help it grow as is right.

Any Pests and Problems to Pay Attention to?

Hmm, yes; but nothing serious, though!

Just like most plants with holes, or any other houseplants in general, for that matter, our monstera adansonii normally does not encounter any major issues with diseases or pests.

Typically, you will find scale, spider mites, and mealybugs, but it’s nothing a little pesticide cannot solve. Preferably try insecticidal soaps since they are not toxic and will do the job just fine.

Conclusion

When we talk about Swiss cheese plants and their proper care, we will inevitably have to pay attention to some details.

All of these are listed in our review of our monstera adansonii which is a plant with holes that we all gladly keep in our little home jungles.

Follow these instructions and share the photos of your beauties in the comments section!

Until next time,
Stay safe!