I repotted my new elephant ear, she's got 2 baby leaves; after repotting, the small leaf started deteriorating, I held onto fate and left for the weekend.... that tiny shoot literally brought out a bigger stalk and leaf 🥰🥰🥰 so I told her how good she is to me, and I'm grateful 😆 😅💀
I really appreciate the financial considerations. I don’t think too many people think about how expensive being a good plant parent can be. Thank you for making the information digestible!
I get it, but I have several plants totally thriving and YEARS (maybe even a decade) since the last soil/ pot change. So I wouldn't say that's breaking a budget. It's more like all the new plant purchases 😂
I think opposite. New Iphone cost 1000$ . I bought 100+ plants for less than this :P If you not going with "colector" plant madness is it very cheap hobby.
I think a lot of plant parents get worried about their plants becoming "root bound", but in my experience, most houseplants enjoy being a little bit (or even a lot) root bound. Having too much root in the pot may _eventually_ kill your plant, but over watering can kill it dead faster than you'd believe
After I started realizing that my root bound plants were doing the best, I basically quit repotting unless they are really obviously distressed or start drying out really fast. It feels wrong to keep them crammed in there when you’re first starting out, but most plants do not like “wet feet” and they will let you know it lol.
One thing I really found helped: Instead of buying $10 of soil, buy $4 of soil + $3 of rice husk + $3 of perlite. This, in a reasonably humid environment, creates a soil that goes from soaking wet to dry in about 3 days, and then you swoop in with more water right on time
Thanks. You made this make sense, by not just repeating things like "don't overwater it!" that sound simple but really are SO VAGUE to a new plant parent. You freakin' explained what that means and I'm looking forward to more from this channel
Ten years ago, I moved into a house with a gigantic monstera (15’ growing sideways) in a tiny pot out under the covered patio. I don’t think I even watered it the first year. I live near the beach, so the air is moist. Now I water ever couple weeks. The leaves are 3-4’ long, maybe 2’ wide, and it’s thriving.
There's a lot to be said for letting Mother Nature handle things. In the alternate universe of house plants, though we are Mother (Nature), and that's a tremendous responsibility.
You always answer the questions I have in my head. Unlike any other channel in this genre. Plus I feel like I relate to your personality a lot more than any other. Look forward to the next vid!
I appreciate the way you explained the bigger pot problem! We're always told not to upgrade to a bigger pot too quick and too big but newer really why.
One of the reasons I prefer plastic pots to ceramic is that I use weight to help judge when to water. If I can pick up the plant easily without feeling much weight, it's time to water.
With my Terra cotta since they are fairly light and much heavier when soil is wet, I can tell the difference plus the terra cotta is porous and dries out better imo, plus it’s a better looking pot also, imo. :)
@@JennaB0benna That's a matter of opinion, and the fact that plastic is lighter is the entire point to why I was saying I use it. There are many really beautiful pots made of resin, which is lighter than terra cotta, and the fact that they don't dry out as fast is a PLUS, especially in a hot climate. Pots that dry out fast are a waste of water.
@@Serai3 I agree which is why I stated it was a matter of opinion… just stating my opinion. You don’t have to agree? I’m not trying to start a war lol 😂 I find the terra cotta nice for a lot of plants I personally tend to overwater, so that’s again, just a personal opinion. And a preference 🤷
@@Serai3 your opinion acts like water doesn’t weigh anything in terracotta. Also would much rather accidentally waste water than waste a plant in this situation
As an aquascaper (underwater gardener), I understand epiphyte plants. "Please don't Smother our roots!!" is the cry of the anubias. These plants are often tied to hardscape with string to let the roots breathe. It's pretty cool that Monstera's say the say thing!
I’m a new aquascaper and my anubias keep rotting what am I doing wrong 😢😢 I just attach them in between driftwood no burying in the sub but they keep rotting at the root
@@laraquerubin8250 I'm sorry this is happening! So frustrating - the correct answer is "I have no idea".But I can troubleshoot: if it's not disease, then maybe you are wedging them too far into the driftwood - in effect you are "planting" them in the wood and the rhizome rots. Mybe try glueing them to the wood with cyanoacrylate super glue or tying them on. I hope this helps!
@@laraquerubin8250 I noticed when I place anubias on hardscape without them tied or glued I must be very gentle or it with cause trauma and begin root rot
Came over from Sheffield Made Plants who said you're one of his favorite plant channels on You Tube. I'm so glad that I have plant parents like you two to learn from. I want my plants to do better. Can't think of two better channels to help me with that!
I just found your channel and I love it. I love the way you talk about being a plant parent, I think it is so important to give your plants love and affection. I love your casual vibe and all the knowledge you give without coming across as a know it all. I am super glad I found your channel!
Man, you pack so much into these short videos! Thanks! My poor monstera had plenty of opportunity to dry out when I got out of my normal watering routine recently, It’s a bit… crispy. But you are right, dry is better than wet for these ones.
I've been keeping my monstera deliciosa in fox farms ocean forest potting soil. It is also in a container I picked up from the dollar tree. I believe it was meant as an ice bucket. My plant is from a cutting of my sister's and considering I don't generally keep plants, this one is doing very well. Each time I see a new leaf, I get really excited.😅
I got to say that this has been the best and most informative video that a lot of people who are starting their plant journey should watch I keep seeing people like you say, ask questions on how to take care of the most basic plants and most of the time they see a plant they just go out and buy it without doing research and then come ask questions on why their plant is dying. Thank you so much for doing this video.
I have a fairly big monstera. It was originally from Costco in a 10" pot. When I eventually up-potted it, it was completely root bound. I had to cut the pot off of it. I ended up putting it in a massive 14" pot. I wanted to have a good long while, years hopefully, before I had to deal with it again. It took three standard-sized bags of soil components. I used a simple mix of 1/3 potting soil, 1/3 orchid bark, 1/3 Perlite. It's been about a year since it's been in the bigger pot. It's doing great. I end up watering it with a full talon of water ~once a month. I judge based in leaf turgidity as opposed to soil wetness. Water when the leaf starts to feel just a smidge wilted. Tip: monsteras like to be snug in their pots. Leaf growth tends to slow down when a plant is up-potted, because the plant starts putting more "focus" on the roots. If you have a well-rooted monstera that's growing like crazy, appropriately up-potting can slow that growth down so you have some time to get a handle on it.
I did the exact same thing and mine is beautiful. I had no clue how to take care of mine I just treated it like my other plants. Well except my queen of the night😅🥰
I have a little monstera doing very well so far. Thank goodness I came across this video, and will not be making my past mistakes that have killed off bigger ones. Clear and sensible advice, thank you from a less- than-tropical climate.
I’ve just put my plants outside (under trees) for the Summer, but I’ve left the one inch deep plastic saucers underneath (used to stop water draining onto the floor inside). I’d better remove them, as I’ll be watering more frequently by hose. Thanks for the reminder.
I like to think of watering plants properly as taking a shower vs a soaking in bath. Plants love showers but hate baths. So get those roots wet, but make sure they don’t stay wet (ie: give them proper drainage). Great video as always! Thanks for sharing. 🙏🏾
Very ironic timing for me. I just finished repotting a monstera that was gifted to me. If you saw this thing, you'd probably want to do a video on it. What a sad sight! We'll see what happens from here.
50% perlite by volume in every soil mix for me. You can get like 200 liters of perlite for 40 bucks, so it keeps cost down as well. I love not having to worry about overwatering.
I start blink aggressively when I see a Monstera In a Pot way to big for it. These babies like to be snug and will give you ton of growth when happy. Great Vid!
My son brought me a gorgeous full monsterra and I did exactly what you described to it - I over watered it until it had only one leaf left. Over the next 3 years, I brought it back to life and it is full again. I put it outside under a tree with filtered light from spring until fall and it thrives. I’m very attached to this plant now!
Thank you for acknowledging that commercial soil is fine. I buy Miracle Gro even though people at my local nursery tell me it’s “trash”, and have never had issues. However I recently did start mixing my own (adding orchid bark for plants who like chunky mixes, and perlite for all plants) and they all seem pretty happy. I should mention I am a fan of terracotta because I tend to be on the “overwatering team” more, so this helps too! My monstera mother is still in its original nursery pot but all the babies it’s given me go in terracotta pots with miracle gro mix. They’re thriving!
Thank you!!! You just popped up out of no where on my feed! I literally started mine from a leaf cutting and have been holding off potting it because I did not think I had a pot big enough!!! Thank you! I think you just saved mines life... Will let you know!
@kill this plant I've JUST discovered your channel and I love it. I've only recently REALLY gotten into houseplants. I have been an outdoor gardener for years and only ever had a few simple plants (pothos for example) in my house. I've realized that there are a lot of differences, not only in care but also in how the communities work. I love how down to earth and straight forward you are. I also found Sheffield made plants which I THINK is where I learned about your channel. Y'all are both entertaining to watch and a wealth of information. Thanks so much and I look forward to binging your content!
Watched half the video, paused and went to repot my thai constellation into a tiny terracotta pot, came back to finish the video. Anyway, thanks for the reminder. I got too eager to see my precious baby grow and planted it into too big of a pot much too fast, and of course some of the roots were soggy and gross (luckily not all and there was also plenty of fresh new root growth) so here's to hoping that now I'll finally see some growth on my thai monstera. My toxic trait is being too eager for new growth and smothering my plants, should learn to neglect them :D
I have had 0 issues with using much bigger pots and even find my plants grow faster because im not constantly uprooting and moving to new pots. But i do make my own soil mix and make sure the soil has plenty of time between waterings. Big pots are only an issue when you overwater.
I like using much bigger pots for that same reasons - minimize frequency of re-potting to not disturb the roots and encourage faster growth. It has worked wonderfully and multiply much faster than the social media videos I've seen of people keeping in smaller pots. In addition, I use my backyard clay soil. What I found most important is lighting and airflow, types of soil is less of importance and size of pot is not even an issue on my list based on my growing experience.
As an example, I water rooted two 4 inches fiddle leaf cuttings in spring, planted one in 2 gallons pot and the other in 5 gallons pot. Placed the 5 gallons on my porch and the 2 gallons indoor. Now in early Oct, the 5 gallons is now just under 3 ft tall and the 2 gallons is 1 ft, both with beautiful and same mature size leaves as the mother plant.
How is it this 3 minutes is the most informative houseplant video I've ever seen?!? Thank you for the info about the root system especially, I never knew WHY to avoid oversized pots, or much of the other stuff you said!
I made the mistake of upsizing my pot. Growth nearly came to a complete halt and I’ve wondered why. This makes perfect sense. This plant was doing amazing until then. My daughter took a clipping before i upsized my pot, hers once potted was put into a small pot with lots of soil, perlite, and bark and is also doing amazing with lots of growth. Looks like I need to downsize and add perlite and bark.
Thank you for this. I just found Monstera, I think, in the trash. It looked as though it had been grown in a cup of water given the root structure. I planted it and I'm trying to get it to grow.
I encourage people to mix their own soil. It's cheaper and you easily mix what your plant needs. Organic top soil with no additives, coco chunks instead of orchid bark, peat moss and coco coir to retain some moisture then, I mix in some pearlite when it calls for it. Peat moss and pearlite will also add some minerals to the soil and you can add in whatever natural (or chemical) supplements. It your concerned about pests, mix in some Sevin Dust before you plant and it will assist in soil based pest control. It's food safe and pet friendly in recommended dosages.
I especially liked the part about overwatering. Lots of people think it is about giving too much water in a single watering. Thank you for creating this video 😊
I did this wrong on a mid sized monstera last year and it has been barely surviving since. I had enough 1 month ago and I chopped it up in 5-6 pieces to propagate in different media (permiculite, leca, water, pon…). All cuttings are now thriving ! As it was a gift I was worried to do this but it would have kept slowly dying of root rot in it’s to big pot and pole. Monstera can give second chances, that’s what is wonderful about them Next step is to put them into soil. I’m scared 🥲
Love this channel. I’m a plant lover with 75 indoor plants (which includes 13 Orchids in full bloom). I am subscribing because you have some very good tips for people like me. So, thank you!👍🥰🇨🇦
You know your stuff! This is such good advice 👍🏼 I’m a horticulturist and I work in a retail nursery, and getting this message through is hard. People wanna buy a little plant and pot it up into some huge pot and then wonder why there’s problems
I love videos like these that are full of useful information packed really tightly together, and explained clearly. a well spoken 3 minute video that has orders of magnitude more information than the waffling 15 minute videos plaguing the platform. You're doing youtube right my dude.
Great info. I was gifted a monstera in bad condition. I heard it was best to put in the shade and water once or twice a week. I repotted only to about an inch bigger and it was struggling. As soon as I put it in full sun it started to thrive! And has a new leaf!
Your videos are really well done!! You get to the point, your instructions are clear and concise, your delivery is perfect, and your editing is great. You’re my fav plant video person! ❤
Thanks for this! My dad has a very old Monstera deliciosa with beautiful big leaves and I just got one a couple days ago for myself! It’s fairly root bound but I think I’ll wait a week or two before repotting.
Thank you so much! My Monsteras always die, no matter what I do, I literally threw mine out early this week. That was the third one in three years. Finally I understand why: not enough light. Now I don’t have to try again but it will be on top of my list whenever I find a home with bigger windows 😊
The tiniest pot possible equals no root rot. I wish I would have understood this so many years ago. I love everything in nursery pots now too. I just put them in pretty pots but the nursery pots have soooo many drainage holes. They are superior than any other pot
You can still get root rot in a small pot. It’s the soil that’s important too. It needs to have more than just soil in it to drain better and prevent root rot. Pot size and substrate are both important
I'm totally new at this and loving the results but of course I'm making so many mistakes!! I just made each of these mistakes last night! Thank you for your tips!!!
Thank you for confirming this info, for me. I was gifted a 3foot high Monstera in a 6inch pot. I was so tempted to up-pot immediately but, instead, I set in in the middle of the kitchen Island and have been getting to know it there for about a year now. Occasionally, when it looks a wee bit wilted I toss about a half cup of water over the compact(ed) soil and it perks right up, has sent out new leaves too. How can it be such a grand structure and ask so little?
Now, just imagine how your plant would respond to regular care! 😅 Until I retired, the few, if any, house plants I had were kept in a very haphazard way. Not too long ago, I purchased 3 African Violets in honor of my mom. That's all she ever grew inside. I began researching their needs and attending to those needs. Honestly, they haven't stopped blooming. I've been so overjoyed by their reaction to being properly cared for that I have purchased more plants. Now, I actually feed and water them on a regular basis. Can you imagine? 😮 They seem to all love me for that. My voilets are in bloom constantly. Maybe my mom is helping. Anyway, over time, I purchased a water/ph/fertilize meter, and I have my eye on a light meter on Amazon since winter is right around the corner. Talk about me doing the classic 180°! Why don't you give it a try!? I'd really enjoy it if you would keep me posted. 😊
This explains why my monstera is thriving so well... I replanted it in a mix of normal soil and the mix of soil and bark my orchids used to live in. (i might or might not have murdered them) Im also a moron at remembering to water it, so there is no doubt the soil has dried out before it gets some more.
I don't think I've left a comment on any of your videos yet, but buddy, I just want you to know how much I enjoy your channel and your work! Keep it up!
I spent a year saving a monstera I found by the trash cans of my apartment and It was doing so well shooting off new leaves. Then the spring came this year and I was struggling to get the watering schedule figured out and next thing I knew she had root rot. Now I'm back to square 1 with a cutting rooting in water. This time I'm gonna start her off in a much smaller pot so she can get nice and rootbound before I repot
you gave me so much peace of mind!!!! i'm going to forget my monstera exists for a couple of weeks cause i definitely accidentally overwatered it into spring 😬😬 but only one sad leaf.
My Monstera solves this by doing a LOT of guttation. My wood floor doesn't really like it but who cares. She is perfectly happy though, pumping out leaves and never in the two? years I had her, she had any brown spots. The only leaf she lost was one of her baby leafs
Take rough pine bark, pumice, vermiculite and perlite, vermiculite and perlite can be substituted for by using expanded clay balls and lava rocks, and mix them in equal parts and then add two or three hand full of coco coir and about 50 grams of spaghnum moss that has been soaked in water and then squeezed out to the mix and your monstera, philodendron, alocasia and all the other aroids will be perfectly fine. The pine bark and the clay balls need to be rinsed of thoroughly before you add them to the mix to get the dust off.
@@KillThisPlant The bark, vermiculite, pumice, perlite, moss, coco coir mix is from The Sydney Plant Guy youtube channel. The expanded clayball, lava rock substitute mix is my own because I didn't have vermiculite and perlite at my disposal. 🙂
ALL GREAT SUGGESTIONS DUDE.. I've been keeping houseplants for 30 years. almost unfailingly house plants die from root rot. this is super nerdy, but I stopped guessing and saved up 😂 for a $10 moisture meter. I literally can't keep up with the growth and I only have east and west facing windows. one other thing I'd mention, is when all else fails, figure out the parameters of your municipal water source. I've lived in areas where the chlorine and phosphates were way too high from the tap.
This gives me hope. I definitely killed mine because I repotted it in a pot that was too big and overwatered. I’ll let my next one stay in the nursery pot much longer. I was heartbroken when my first one died, but I’m definitely considering getting a new one this year.
I use 8" clear plastic orchid pots until they get too big. Then you're on your own. I water/worm casting fert. only once every three weeks on my huge ones and thoroughly soaking the well draining soil (coco coir and perlite) Mine are thriving nicely 🤞so far 🤞
My laziness has led me unintentionally to do most of the things you've advised lol!!!! I know a lot of videos/plant ytubers say indirect sunlight but I decided my monstera was going to get southern DIRECT light and if it died, then that's it's problem. (It's not dead and I think it's thriving!)
I use a watering meter which lets me know the right watering. My Monstera is growing so fast and it loves where it is sitting. And I usually let it dry out before watering again, then I use the watering meter as I water and once the meter says "wet" I stop the water. I picked up my meter on ebay and not the ones that need a battery. There is another type but not easy to find. They last forever. And, yes, I pat my plant and tell him what a good boy he is. He likes that. :-)
I must stop ❤ing you as an Auntie/Professor (I am both), and acknowledge your accuracy: but in the meantime, please, know your natural appeal combined with your WORK is instructive and organic. 👍🏽
mine sits in a pot that seems to small for her but she is sitting on the dirt next to my fish pond with a root coming from a branch and sits in the water and one root coming from another branch dug into the dirt..she did this on her own. she may be root bound in the pot but for today she seems happy.
I just repotted an adamsonii using a bigger pot, but I use just PON as soil, so I really don't have big overwatering problem as long as I keep my reservoir void.
My last repot was from a 12" to a 16", because the thing's getting big and I want to skip a repot, but I knew the risks. It wasn't "ramen noodles" like the one in the video, but there were visible roots. In the new pot I watered the same amount I used in the smaller pot and poured it directly above the base of the plant, for about 2 months, then slowly increased the amount. I also have had it under a 100W led grow light 16 hours a day since it was little. I've gotten 2 big leaves from each of the 2 vines since the repot, and have had numerous tiny new starts from the base, but these usually die. The rest of the plant looks great, so I'm not going to increase water to help the little guys.
Fam I've been drilling holes in everything, trying to get water to get through more efficiently. I'm thinking I need to not go so big when re-potting new plants 😅. Much appreciated
I like to do a big initial pot upgrade, but only lightly water and look for mild dehydration symptoms before watering again. I also only water close to the root ball, but I'm still a beginner, and I'm just trying things that let me be lazy
i bought a mini version of monstera, "monkey mask" some months ago. it was in the clearance aisle of ikea, more dead than alive but hey for 50 cts i gave it a try. since then, it's thriving! i googled it and it seems to be an easy candidate to grow. i'm not good at plant parenting, so i guess it might be true... still i'm proud i saved it.
I always tell people at the greenhouse I work at to let the pot dry at least one-quarter to one-third of the way before you water it. I mean 1" to 2" in a small pot is probably about the right amount but 1" to 2" in a large pot is going to be way too much and you're going to over watering it. That 1" to 2" inch thing is not good for all pots
@@KillThisPlant I hate when I hear professionals say, " When the first 1" to 2" are dry water the plant." If they continue to do that after they respot into a bigger pot they're going to kill it. The quarter to a third of the pot being dry is the best way to tell people when to water their plants.
thank you for your explanation on how to take care of our monstera plant, i like how you explain it and the tips and advice you are giving thank you some.
It's good to propagate your big plants and sell those pieces this way I am able to keep my plant more manageable in winter when I bring her in the house
This is such a helpful video. You break it down into perfect bitesize chunks and cover all the issues and their resolutions. Ive subscribed and look forward to your next video
Fabric pots are a game changer for avoiding root rot. Also, ditch miracle grow soil altogether and upgrade with an organic brand like Happy Frog. Your plants will thank you
I loved the ramen noodle moment, made my day. And I love how your videos are really nice evergreen ;) content, I find myself always searching for your channel when I have a question. I think it's because you always make it so informative, but light-hearted in some way, that makes you worry less and enjoy the process- thank you!
It's also important to tell your plants that they're very pretty and that you love them.
lol yes, can't forget this.
Right! They need to hear it! ❤😂
But also that they aren't better plants than other plants. You don't want to spoil them.
I repotted my new elephant ear, she's got 2 baby leaves; after repotting, the small leaf started deteriorating, I held onto fate and left for the weekend.... that tiny shoot literally brought out a bigger stalk and leaf 🥰🥰🥰 so I told her how good she is to me, and I'm grateful 😆 😅💀
Yep, I try and do that everyday. My lovelies.❤
I really appreciate the financial considerations. I don’t think too many people think about how expensive being a good plant parent can be. Thank you for making the information digestible!
I get it, but I have several plants totally thriving and YEARS (maybe even a decade) since the last soil/ pot change. So I wouldn't say that's breaking a budget. It's more like all the new plant purchases 😂
I think opposite. New Iphone cost 1000$ . I bought 100+ plants for less than this :P If you not going with "colector" plant madness is it very cheap hobby.
I think a lot of plant parents get worried about their plants becoming "root bound", but in my experience, most houseplants enjoy being a little bit (or even a lot) root bound. Having too much root in the pot may _eventually_ kill your plant, but over watering can kill it dead faster than you'd believe
Exactly. I'm sure there is some grandparents plant that's been root bound for 20 years.
My pot bound sansevieria has just bloomed for the second time in 8 months.
After I started realizing that my root bound plants were doing the best, I basically quit repotting unless they are really obviously distressed or start drying out really fast. It feels wrong to keep them crammed in there when you’re first starting out, but most plants do not like “wet feet” and they will let you know it lol.
Thanks I needed to hear this.😅
My monstera is submerged 24/7 coming out the top of my fish tank absolutely booming
One thing I really found helped: Instead of buying $10 of soil, buy $4 of soil + $3 of rice husk + $3 of perlite. This, in a reasonably humid environment, creates a soil that goes from soaking wet to dry in about 3 days, and then you swoop in with more water right on time
I'm all for keeping costs down! Great advice.
Where to buy rice husk?
@@alexiasmith6120same
@@alexiasmith6120I’m sure you can search online.
@@alexiasmith6120I know this is 6 mo old and you have possibly moved on or figured it out.
Home brewing suppliers carry rice hulls.
Thanks. You made this make sense, by not just repeating things like "don't overwater it!" that sound simple but really are SO VAGUE to a new plant parent. You freakin' explained what that means and I'm looking forward to more from this channel
100% correct
This video could be a "how to success with almost every plant"
Ten years ago, I moved into a house with a gigantic monstera (15’ growing sideways) in a tiny pot out under the covered patio. I don’t think I even watered it the first year. I live near the beach, so the air is moist. Now I water ever couple weeks. The leaves are 3-4’ long, maybe 2’ wide, and it’s thriving.
damn thats gigantic. would love to see a photo
There's a lot to be said for letting Mother Nature handle things. In the alternate universe of house plants, though we are Mother (Nature), and that's a tremendous responsibility.
You always answer the questions I have in my head. Unlike any other channel in this genre. Plus I feel like I relate to your personality a lot more than any other. Look forward to the next vid!
Glad you're enjoying the content! Thanks for the comment.
I appreciate the way you explained the bigger pot problem! We're always told not to upgrade to a bigger pot too quick and too big but newer really why.
One of the reasons I prefer plastic pots to ceramic is that I use weight to help judge when to water. If I can pick up the plant easily without feeling much weight, it's time to water.
Exactly! I always use the weight of the pot to tell if it needs water 😊
With my Terra cotta since they are fairly light and much heavier when soil is wet, I can tell the difference plus the terra cotta is porous and dries out better imo, plus it’s a better looking pot also, imo. :)
@@JennaB0benna That's a matter of opinion, and the fact that plastic is lighter is the entire point to why I was saying I use it. There are many really beautiful pots made of resin, which is lighter than terra cotta, and the fact that they don't dry out as fast is a PLUS, especially in a hot climate. Pots that dry out fast are a waste of water.
@@Serai3 I agree which is why I stated it was a matter of opinion… just stating my opinion. You don’t have to agree? I’m not trying to start a war lol 😂 I find the terra cotta nice for a lot of plants I personally tend to overwater, so that’s again, just a personal opinion. And a preference 🤷
@@Serai3 your opinion acts like water doesn’t weigh anything in terracotta. Also would much rather accidentally waste water than waste a plant in this situation
As an aquascaper (underwater gardener), I understand epiphyte plants. "Please don't Smother our roots!!" is the cry of the anubias. These plants are often tied to hardscape with string to let the roots breathe. It's pretty cool that Monstera's say the say thing!
I’m a new aquascaper and my anubias keep rotting what am I doing wrong 😢😢 I just attach them in between driftwood no burying in the sub but they keep rotting at the root
@@laraquerubin8250 I'm sorry this is happening! So frustrating - the correct answer is "I have no idea".But I can troubleshoot: if it's not disease, then maybe you are wedging them too far into the driftwood - in effect you are "planting" them in the wood and the rhizome rots. Mybe try glueing them to the wood with cyanoacrylate super glue or tying them on. I hope this helps!
@@laraquerubin8250 It could be they need more (or less) light or fertilization.
@@laraquerubin8250 I noticed when I place anubias on hardscape without them tied or glued I must be very gentle or it with cause trauma and begin root rot
Came over from Sheffield Made Plants who said you're one of his favorite plant channels on You Tube. I'm so glad that I have plant parents like you two to learn from. I want my plants to do better. Can't think of two better channels to help me with that!
Tell Richard I said hey.
Agreed ❤
When I repot plants I use half potting mix and half orchid bark and perlite. And that give lots of oxygen to the plant and let’s it drain faster.
You are a freaking plant genius! I watch so many plant videos and yet i learn 2 to 3 things in each of your videos its so amazing
thanks for watching
I just found your channel and I love it. I love the way you talk about being a plant parent, I think it is so important to give your plants love and affection. I love your casual vibe and all the knowledge you give without coming across as a know it all. I am super glad I found your channel!
Thank you so much, that's so kind of you.
What a highly intelligent young man, I am soooooooo impressed by his presence, his way of teaching and the presentation! Well done!!
Man, you pack so much into these short videos! Thanks!
My poor monstera had plenty of opportunity to dry out when I got out of my normal watering routine recently, It’s a bit… crispy. But you are right, dry is better than wet for these ones.
I've been keeping my monstera deliciosa in fox farms ocean forest potting soil. It is also in a container I picked up from the dollar tree. I believe it was meant as an ice bucket. My plant is from a cutting of my sister's and considering I don't generally keep plants, this one is doing very well. Each time I see a new leaf, I get really excited.😅
I got to say that this has been the best and most informative video that a lot of people who are starting their plant journey should watch I keep seeing people like you say, ask questions on how to take care of the most basic plants and most of the time they see a plant they just go out and buy it without doing research and then come ask questions on why their plant is dying. Thank you so much for doing this video.
I have a fairly big monstera. It was originally from Costco in a 10" pot. When I eventually up-potted it, it was completely root bound. I had to cut the pot off of it. I ended up putting it in a massive 14" pot. I wanted to have a good long while, years hopefully, before I had to deal with it again. It took three standard-sized bags of soil components. I used a simple mix of 1/3 potting soil, 1/3 orchid bark, 1/3 Perlite.
It's been about a year since it's been in the bigger pot. It's doing great. I end up watering it with a full talon of water ~once a month. I judge based in leaf turgidity as opposed to soil wetness. Water when the leaf starts to feel just a smidge wilted.
Tip: monsteras like to be snug in their pots. Leaf growth tends to slow down when a plant is up-potted, because the plant starts putting more "focus" on the roots. If you have a well-rooted monstera that's growing like crazy, appropriately up-potting can slow that growth down so you have some time to get a handle on it.
Crazy how much soil those big pots take!
I did the exact same thing and mine is beautiful. I had no clue how to take care of mine I just treated it like my other plants. Well except my queen of the night😅🥰
I have a little monstera doing very well so far. Thank goodness I came across this video, and will not be making my past mistakes that have killed off bigger ones. Clear and sensible advice, thank you from a less- than-tropical climate.
I’ve just put my plants outside (under trees) for the Summer, but I’ve left the one inch deep plastic saucers underneath (used to stop water draining onto the floor inside). I’d better remove them, as I’ll be watering more frequently by hose.
Thanks for the reminder.
I like to think of watering plants properly as taking a shower vs a soaking in bath. Plants love showers but hate baths. So get those roots wet, but make sure they don’t stay wet (ie: give them proper drainage). Great video as always! Thanks for sharing. 🙏🏾
Very ironic timing for me. I just finished repotting a monstera that was gifted to me. If you saw this thing, you'd probably want to do a video on it. What a sad sight! We'll see what happens from here.
Good luck with it!
50% perlite by volume in every soil mix for me. You can get like 200 liters of perlite for 40 bucks, so it keeps cost down as well. I love not having to worry about overwatering.
I start blink aggressively when I see a Monstera In a Pot way to big for it. These babies like to be snug and will give you ton of growth when happy. Great Vid!
My son brought me a gorgeous full monsterra and I did exactly what you described to it - I over watered it until it had only one leaf left. Over the next 3 years, I brought it back to life and it is full again. I put it outside under a tree with filtered light from spring until fall and it thrives. I’m very attached to this plant now!
This is seriously the best plant care video for beginners that i’ve seen yet. Concise, full of examples and offers solutions. Thank you!
Thank you for acknowledging that commercial soil is fine. I buy Miracle Gro even though people at my local nursery tell me it’s “trash”, and have never had issues. However I recently did start mixing my own (adding orchid bark for plants who like chunky mixes, and perlite for all plants) and they all seem pretty happy. I should mention I am a fan of terracotta because I tend to be on the “overwatering team” more, so this helps too! My monstera mother is still in its original nursery pot but all the babies it’s given me go in terracotta pots with miracle gro mix. They’re thriving!
Thank you!!! You just popped up out of no where on my feed! I literally started mine from a leaf cutting and have been holding off potting it because I did not think I had a pot big enough!!! Thank you! I think you just saved mines life... Will let you know!
Best of luck
@kill this plant I've JUST discovered your channel and I love it. I've only recently REALLY gotten into houseplants. I have been an outdoor gardener for years and only ever had a few simple plants (pothos for example) in my house. I've realized that there are a lot of differences, not only in care but also in how the communities work. I love how down to earth and straight forward you are. I also found Sheffield made plants which I THINK is where I learned about your channel. Y'all are both entertaining to watch and a wealth of information. Thanks so much and I look forward to binging your content!
I love Sheffield Made Plants 🪴 too x
Watched half the video, paused and went to repot my thai constellation into a tiny terracotta pot, came back to finish the video.
Anyway, thanks for the reminder. I got too eager to see my precious baby grow and planted it into too big of a pot much too fast, and of course some of the roots were soggy and gross (luckily not all and there was also plenty of fresh new root growth) so here's to hoping that now I'll finally see some growth on my thai monstera.
My toxic trait is being too eager for new growth and smothering my plants, should learn to neglect them :D
I have had 0 issues with using much bigger pots and even find my plants grow faster because im not constantly uprooting and moving to new pots. But i do make my own soil mix and make sure the soil has plenty of time between waterings. Big pots are only an issue when you overwater.
I like using much bigger pots for that same reasons - minimize frequency of re-potting to not disturb the roots and encourage faster growth. It has worked wonderfully and multiply much faster than the social media videos I've seen of people keeping in smaller pots. In addition, I use my backyard clay soil. What I found most important is lighting and airflow, types of soil is less of importance and size of pot is not even an issue on my list based on my growing experience.
As an example, I water rooted two 4 inches fiddle leaf cuttings in spring, planted one in 2 gallons pot and the other in 5 gallons pot. Placed the 5 gallons on my porch and the 2 gallons indoor. Now in early Oct, the 5 gallons is now just under 3 ft tall and the 2 gallons is 1 ft, both with beautiful and same mature size leaves as the mother plant.
How is it this 3 minutes is the most informative houseplant video I've ever seen?!? Thank you for the info about the root system especially, I never knew WHY to avoid oversized pots, or much of the other stuff you said!
@@daniellepm86 why say many word when few word good?
Thanks for watching.
Perfect advice…you may want to consider air circulation also which helps speed this up - not too much air just enough so you retain humidity
Air circulation can be very important!
Moving air -> Less standing water -> fewer pests/disease
I made the mistake of upsizing my pot. Growth nearly came to a complete halt and I’ve wondered why. This makes perfect sense. This plant was doing amazing until then. My daughter took a clipping before i upsized my pot, hers once potted was put into a small pot with lots of soil, perlite, and bark and is also doing amazing with lots of growth. Looks like I need to downsize and add perlite and bark.
Thank you for this. I just found Monstera, I think, in the trash. It looked as though it had been grown in a cup of water given the root structure. I planted it and I'm trying to get it to grow.
I encourage people to mix their own soil. It's cheaper and you easily mix what your plant needs. Organic top soil with no additives, coco chunks instead of orchid bark, peat moss and coco coir to retain some moisture then, I mix in some pearlite when it calls for it. Peat moss and pearlite will also add some minerals to the soil and you can add in whatever natural (or chemical) supplements. It your concerned about pests, mix in some Sevin Dust before you plant and it will assist in soil based pest control. It's food safe and pet friendly in recommended dosages.
I especially liked the part about overwatering. Lots of people think it is about giving too much water in a single watering. Thank you for creating this video 😊
I did this wrong on a mid sized monstera last year and it has been barely surviving since. I had enough 1 month ago and I chopped it up in 5-6 pieces to propagate in different media (permiculite, leca, water, pon…). All cuttings are now thriving !
As it was a gift I was worried to do this but it would have kept slowly dying of root rot in it’s to big pot and pole.
Monstera can give second chances, that’s what is wonderful about them
Next step is to put them into soil. I’m scared 🥲
Love this channel. I’m a plant lover with 75 indoor plants (which includes 13 Orchids in full bloom). I am subscribing because you have some very good tips for people like me. So, thank you!👍🥰🇨🇦
Thanks for subscribing!
You know your stuff! This is such good advice 👍🏼 I’m a horticulturist and I work in a retail nursery, and getting this message through is hard. People wanna buy a little plant and pot it up into some huge pot and then wonder why there’s problems
Thanks for such a great comment.
Really appreciate your approach to explaining the issue in a clear and easy to follow way. Definitely will check out some more videos.
I love videos like these that are full of useful information packed really tightly together, and explained clearly. a well spoken 3 minute video that has orders of magnitude more information than the waffling 15 minute videos plaguing the platform. You're doing youtube right my dude.
Love the way you talk and explain everything what could happened to it... great job man!
Great info. I was gifted a monstera in bad condition. I heard it was best to put in the shade and water once or twice a week. I repotted only to about an inch bigger and it was struggling. As soon as I put it in full sun it started to thrive! And has a new leaf!
Glad it got full sun 🌞
I’m one of the ppl you’re talking about. I think my monster is not thriving because the pot is too big. Thanks for sharing!
Time to inspect the roots.
Your videos are really well done!! You get to the point, your instructions are clear and concise, your delivery is perfect, and your editing is great. You’re my fav plant video person! ❤
What a nice comment. 😊 Glad you are enjoying it. 🌱
I never thought about how wet soil inhibits oxygen. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for this! My dad has a very old Monstera deliciosa with beautiful big leaves and I just got one a couple days ago for myself! It’s fairly root bound but I think I’ll wait a week or two before repotting.
I loved this video, you were able to paint a very clear picture of what the plant suffers through!! Thank you kindly
Your videos are great, clear, and to the point. Keep on creating :) thanks
You're my favourite PlantTuber :) Thanks for helping me not to off my plants^^"
Love this video and also I think your glasses fit you beautifully.
Thank you so much! My Monsteras always die, no matter what I do, I literally threw mine out early this week. That was the third one in three years. Finally I understand why: not enough light. Now I don’t have to try again but it will be on top of my list whenever I find a home with bigger windows 😊
Amazing advice and really appreciate the succinct delivery. Thank you!
The tiniest pot possible equals no root rot. I wish I would have understood this so many years ago. I love everything in nursery pots now too. I just put them in pretty pots but the nursery pots have soooo many drainage holes. They are superior than any other pot
How does soil stay in then with a lot of big holes ??
You can still get root rot in a small pot. It’s the soil that’s important too. It needs to have more than just soil in it to drain better and prevent root rot. Pot size and substrate are both important
I'm totally new at this and loving the results but of course I'm making so many mistakes!! I just made each of these mistakes last night! Thank you for your tips!!!
Thank you for confirming this info, for me. I was gifted a 3foot high Monstera in a 6inch pot. I was so tempted to up-pot immediately but, instead, I set in in the middle of the kitchen Island and have been getting to know it there for about a year now. Occasionally, when it looks a wee bit wilted I toss about a half cup of water over the compact(ed) soil and it perks right up, has sent out new leaves too. How can it be such a grand structure and ask so little?
Now, just imagine how your plant would respond to regular care! 😅 Until I retired, the few, if any, house plants I had were kept in a very haphazard way. Not too long ago, I purchased 3 African Violets in honor of my mom. That's all she ever grew inside. I began researching their needs and attending to those needs. Honestly, they haven't stopped blooming.
I've been so overjoyed by their reaction to being properly cared for that I have purchased more plants. Now, I actually feed and water them on a regular basis. Can you imagine? 😮 They seem to all love me for that. My voilets are in bloom constantly. Maybe my mom is helping. Anyway, over time, I purchased a water/ph/fertilize meter, and I have my eye on a light meter on Amazon since winter is right around the corner. Talk about me doing the classic 180°! Why don't you give it a try!? I'd really enjoy it if you would keep me posted. 😊
This explains why my monstera is thriving so well... I replanted it in a mix of normal soil and the mix of soil and bark my orchids used to live in. (i might or might not have murdered them)
Im also a moron at remembering to water it, so there is no doubt the soil has dried out before it gets some more.
I don't think I've left a comment on any of your videos yet, but buddy, I just want you to know how much I enjoy your channel and your work! Keep it up!
Glad you like them! Thanks for the comment.
Thank you for being so to the point and all the good tips in a nutshell. Follow worthy. Thanks mate!
No problem 👍
This is the best presented way of explaining why some people kill their aroid with too much water.
Fabulous advice! And so clearly and simply explained! Liked and subscribed.
Awesome, thank you!
I spent a year saving a monstera I found by the trash cans of my apartment and It was doing so well shooting off new leaves. Then the spring came this year and I was struggling to get the watering schedule figured out and next thing I knew she had root rot. Now I'm back to square 1 with a cutting rooting in water. This time I'm gonna start her off in a much smaller pot so she can get nice and rootbound before I repot
you gave me so much peace of mind!!!! i'm going to forget my monstera exists for a couple of weeks cause i definitely accidentally overwatered it into spring 😬😬 but only one sad leaf.
My Monstera solves this by doing a LOT of guttation. My wood floor doesn't really like it but who cares. She is perfectly happy though, pumping out leaves and never in the two? years I had her, she had any brown spots. The only leaf she lost was one of her baby leafs
Healthy plant!
Take rough pine bark, pumice, vermiculite and perlite, vermiculite and perlite can be substituted for by using expanded clay balls and lava rocks, and mix them in equal parts and then add two or three hand full of coco coir and about 50 grams of spaghnum moss that has been soaked in water and then squeezed out to the mix and your monstera, philodendron, alocasia and all the other aroids will be perfectly fine.
The pine bark and the clay balls need to be rinsed of thoroughly before you add them to the mix to get the dust off.
This is a great mix. Not a huge fan of the S.moss in my mix but I know it's pretty common.
@@KillThisPlant The bark, vermiculite, pumice, perlite, moss, coco coir mix is from The Sydney Plant Guy youtube channel. The expanded clayball, lava rock substitute mix is my own because I didn't have vermiculite and perlite at my disposal. 🙂
ALL GREAT SUGGESTIONS DUDE.. I've been keeping houseplants for 30 years. almost unfailingly house plants die from root rot. this is super nerdy, but I stopped guessing and saved up 😂 for a $10 moisture meter. I literally can't keep up with the growth and I only have east and west facing windows. one other thing I'd mention, is when all else fails, figure out the parameters of your municipal water source. I've lived in areas where the chlorine and phosphates were way too high from the tap.
Great advice
This gives me hope. I definitely killed mine because I repotted it in a pot that was too big and overwatered. I’ll let my next one stay in the nursery pot much longer. I was heartbroken when my first one died, but I’m definitely considering getting a new one this year.
I use 8" clear plastic orchid pots until they get too big. Then you're on your own. I water/worm casting fert. only once every three weeks on my huge ones and thoroughly soaking the well draining soil (coco coir and perlite) Mine are thriving nicely 🤞so far 🤞
My laziness has led me unintentionally to do most of the things you've advised lol!!!! I know a lot of videos/plant ytubers say indirect sunlight but I decided my monstera was going to get southern DIRECT light and if it died, then that's it's problem. (It's not dead and I think it's thriving!)
Great video! Your dialogue is amazing easy to understand. Thanks
I use a watering meter which lets me know the right watering. My Monstera is growing so fast and it loves where it is sitting. And I usually let it dry out
before watering again, then I use the watering meter as I water and once the meter says "wet" I stop the water. I picked up my meter on ebay and not the
ones that need a battery. There is another type but not easy to find. They last forever. And, yes, I pat my plant and tell him what a good boy he is. He likes
that. :-)
I use African violet mix for all my plants. They do well with it. I haven't killed any plant with it over the years.
I must stop ❤ing you as an Auntie/Professor (I am both), and acknowledge your accuracy: but in the meantime, please, know your natural appeal combined with your WORK is instructive and organic. 👍🏽
Thank you!
I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS AS YOU BREAK THINGS DOWN ADEQUATELY AND ACTUALLY GIVE US APPLICABLE CONTENT!!!!
Hands down the best video I've seen, thank you!
mine sits in a pot that seems to small for her but she is sitting on the dirt next to my fish pond with a root coming from a branch and sits in the water and one root coming from another branch dug into the dirt..she did this on her own. she may be root bound in the pot but for today she seems happy.
Thanks!
Thank you very much, Marta
This is great, Lee 👏🏻
Thanks Scott.
Sorry about your bonsai.
I just repotted an adamsonii using a bigger pot, but I use just PON as soil, so I really don't have big overwatering problem as long as I keep my reservoir void.
Excellent video plant friend! So much good, concise information. I appreciate you!
My last repot was from a 12" to a 16", because the thing's getting big and I want to skip a repot, but I knew the risks. It wasn't "ramen noodles" like the one in the video, but there were visible roots. In the new pot I watered the same amount I used in the smaller pot and poured it directly above the base of the plant, for about 2 months, then slowly increased the amount. I also have had it under a 100W led grow light 16 hours a day since it was little. I've gotten 2 big leaves from each of the 2 vines since the repot, and have had numerous tiny new starts from the base, but these usually die. The rest of the plant looks great, so I'm not going to increase water to help the little guys.
Adding Perlite to soil is a game changer!
Fam I've been drilling holes in everything, trying to get water to get through more efficiently. I'm thinking I need to not go so big when re-potting new plants 😅. Much appreciated
I like to do a big initial pot upgrade, but only lightly water and look for mild dehydration symptoms before watering again. I also only water close to the root ball, but I'm still a beginner, and I'm just trying things that let me be lazy
i bought a mini version of monstera, "monkey mask" some months ago. it was in the clearance aisle of ikea, more dead than alive but hey for 50 cts i gave it a try. since then, it's thriving! i googled it and it seems to be an easy candidate to grow. i'm not good at plant parenting, so i guess it might be true... still i'm proud i saved it.
Great job 👏
I always tell people at the greenhouse I work at to let the pot dry at least one-quarter to one-third of the way before you water it. I mean 1" to 2" in a small pot is probably about the right amount but 1" to 2" in a large pot is going to be way too much and you're going to over watering it. That 1" to 2" inch thing is not good for all pots
Very good point.
@@KillThisPlant I hate when I hear professionals say, " When the first 1" to 2" are dry water the plant." If they continue to do that after they respot into a bigger pot they're going to kill it. The quarter to a third of the pot being dry is the best way to tell people when to water their plants.
thank you for your explanation on how to take care of our monstera plant, i like how you explain it and the tips and advice you are giving thank you some.
It's good to propagate your big plants and sell those pieces this way I am able to keep my plant more manageable in winter when I bring her in the house
Thank you for mentioning the outdoor plants!
This is such a helpful video. You break it down into perfect bitesize chunks and cover all the issues and their resolutions. Ive subscribed and look forward to your next video
Awesome! Thanks for watching.
I noticed the demise of my monstaria, and now she's living in water without earth. She's still alive.😂 That's my girl.
I LOVE your window hanger!
Great tips! I love the monstera varieties ❤
Fabric pots are a game changer for avoiding root rot. Also, ditch miracle grow soil altogether and upgrade with an organic brand like Happy Frog. Your plants will thank you
I applaud you!! Great format!!
I loved the ramen noodle moment, made my day. And I love how your videos are really nice evergreen ;) content, I find myself always searching for your channel when I have a question. I think it's because you always make it so informative, but light-hearted in some way, that makes you worry less and enjoy the process- thank you!
Such a cool video!!!!! I absolutely agree with you, it hard for me to leave the MONSTERA alone lol