How to Grow a Monstera (Swiss Cheese Plant) Without It Outgrowing Its Pot? These Tips You Need to Know

Monstera is surely very familiar to everyone. As an ornamental flower, it looks wonderful grown at home, but many people who grow Monstera say that their Monstera has been growing for a long time yet simply never develops splits, making them feel like they bought a fake Monstera. So why does a Monstera fail to develop splits? What needs to be done well?

Seedling-stage Monstera does not develop splits

When Monstera is still at the seedling stage, its root system is not yet that strong, and it has not grown particularly well yet. At this time the Monstera will not develop splits, but as the Monstera leaves keep growing, holes generally appear after the 5th leaf has grown out, and at this point the Monstera will gradually develop splits. If it still does not develop splits, then pay attention. You can do this:

1. Increase the light for the Monstera

Monstera is a plant that likes light, and during normal care it needs sufficient light to promote rapid growth. If a seedling is kept in a dark place, the holes will be rather small, or there may even be no holes.

2. Do not water too much

Monstera does not particularly like too much water; a small amount of water lets it grow very well, while too much water does the opposite. Watering less promotes leaf splitting.

An adult Monstera that is kept but never develops splits

Many people will find that an adult Monstera has been grown for a long time - even one or two years - and still never develops splits, which is very upsetting. Identifying the cause and treating it accordingly is what matters most.

1. It may be caused by light that is too strong or insufficient

Monstera cannot take direct sunlight when temperatures are on the high side, so shading should be provided. If this is not shaded, or if it is kept in a place with diffused light, that is fine, but it also cannot be placed in a spot with no sunlight at all. If it is placed in a place without sunlight, it will also keep the Monstera from developing splits.

2. Insufficient watering

An adult Monstera is different from a seedling-stage Monstera; it needs sufficient water, and especially in summer it generally needs watering once every one or two days. At ordinary times, water should also be sprayed on the leaves to maintain the humidity of the growing environment around it, thereby promoting its split development.

3. Improper fertilizing causes Monstera not to develop splits

After it becomes an adult, Monstera also has relatively high fertilizer requirements, so during normal care it is best to fertilize it once or twice a month, but do not apply too much. Applying too much or too little fertilizer is both unfavorable for the Monstera developing splits.

You may have grown a pot of fake "Monstera"

If you normally care for it especially well, with no insufficient or excessive light, and appropriate fertilizing, then you should consider whether you have grown a pot of fake Monstera. For example, Alocasia (dumb cane) at the seedling stage really looks very similar to Monstera, and it is possible that sometimes you bought the wrong one.