How should Monstera aerial roots be handled correctly?

1. The role of aerial roots

1. Aerial roots grow on the stem and are brown in color, looking like electrical wires, which is why many people also call this plant the wire plant. Aerial roots can absorb harmful gases from the air and also help it grow upward. If the aerial roots are used properly, your Monstera will grow very healthily and vigorously.

2. In most cases its roots grow very well developed. They not only help it absorb water from the air, but can also absorb nitrogen from the air.

2. How to handle aerial roots

1. Cut them off directly

If your Monstera has a great many aerial roots and they look unattractive, very messy and without any order, you can use relatively sharp shears to cut some off; this will not have any bad effect on it.

You can directly cut off the aerial roots that look bad, affect its growth, or that you simply do not like. But note that the topmost aerial root must not be cut off, because one aerial root supplies one leaf, and the leaf supplied by the topmost aerial root has not yet matured. If it is cut off, the leaf will stop growing, and the aerial root will also grow back.

2. Remove them when repotting

If you plan to change the soil, turn the soil, or repot your Monstera, you can take this opportunity to shorten the main aerial roots in the soil, and then move it into a new pot. After replanting, the Monstera will be relatively shorter and more compact and attractive, which improves its ornamental value.

3. Put them into a bottle

You can prepare some very large containers, fill them with clean tap water that has been left to stand, place them near the Monstera, trim the aerial roots and put them into the bottle. In this way, the plant can absorb water and nutrients from the pot through the roots in the soil, and can also rely on the aerial roots to absorb water from the bottle. With this method, both types of roots can play a role and provide good nutrients for its growth, so you do not need to water it often or look after it every day.

As long as you give it sufficient humidity and its preferred temperature, and do not let direct sunlight hit it, after some time you will find that the plant's stems become thicker and sturdier and the leaves become broader and larger, looking more full of life.