My goal is to neglect my plants more. I tend to cuddle my plants to death, and unlike my cat, they don't immediately let me know when they've had enough love. Using a wooden skewer to check moisture levels has really helped so far! edit: 9 months later, and I'm still panicking and killing plants left and right... I am learning, but clearly I'm a bit slow.😅
I keep a calendar next to my plants to checkmark when I water/meds with them to minimize the extra lovin'. Do you keep the wooden skewers stabbed in the pot or bring them with you when you water?
@@ceem9924 I use my skewer to poke my plants every week to see how dry the soil is. I only water my succulents when the soil is bone dry, and my other plants when the soil is almost dry. This method has helped a ton, but I am planning to invest in a moisture metre to get more accurate readings.
This has been the biggest shock to me since I’ve gotten into plants and gardening. I thought plants had WAY more roots to them but after watching hundreds of plants videos I’ve been so surprised at how small roots can be compared to how large a plant is. I thought the roots would be like twice the size of the actual plant lol. It was definitely something I was doing wrong in the beginning, giving a small plant that came in like a 3” pot and putting into like a 6” pot lol. Definitely learned my lesson!
My monstera is still in the same pot it came in. I believe it's a 1 gallon nursery pot. The roots are coming out of the bottom now. But she's so dang happy I don't want to move her. 😀
Agreed with you on pot size for Monstera! I've been attempting to grow Monstera for a couple years now without success. After we moved recently my growing conditions have changed (much more light, always a good thing) and the most recent Monstera I purchased came in its' ridiculously tiny grow pot for its size, it seems like it's either root bound or close to, and I just left it to acclimate to my conditions without up-potting it. And put it in a West facing window with a few hours of direct sun (we're in the desert southwest) and man that thing is happy, and thriving. Most success I've had so far, and suddenly growing Monstera is fun again. I ❤ you and your channel, and I too am as much interested in experimenting with growing conditions and mediums and techniques and I don't mind sacrificing a plant to learn and see what works best, so much fun! Thanks for sharing with us all!
@Yoly Rom cool, Yoly.....I know putting a Monstera in the direct light is new for me, we are in a neighborhood kind of hilly so with houses across the street, the side of our house shielding it's particular window from the south, I am gonna say it gets about 3 hours direct light before the sun sets behind the neighbors. The brand new leaves are unfolding without any die back or browning and I'm starting to realize a bit of direct sun was what they needed all along. I only ever had struggling Monstera when I was careful to give indirect light only. If you are going to try this with a Monstera, I'd say remember to harden it off to direct sun over a bit of time, (if it's acclimated to indirect light only), so the leaves don't get burned!
I recognize the over caring part very well. I started tending plants a few years ago and really just placed them where they looked best. Moving them a bit if I found out they received too much or too little direct light. Most plant did rather well. As I started to like tending more and more I spend more time "taking care" and didn't understand why some of them actually were getting worse. A good friend pointed out I might indeed have been over caring them with as a result I watered them too much. Thank you for confirming that often it is perfectly okay to let the plant just be itself and stick to the schedule it likes best.
SUCH a helpful video! I can’t believe how many major problems you just solved with my Monstera. Sometimes the best thing is just to watch you doing the thing. I wish I were less emotionally attached to my plants and didn’t take their deaths as personal failures. 😂
That reminds me of the time when I went to my dad's and saw his teeny little Monstera in a huge pot but it was only growing sideways towards the window and all of its leaves were about the same size. I told him that his plant was not doing so well and he told me that he was thinking about re-potting it... Sadly, this is what most people can think of when their plant is not getting much bigger but isn't showing signs of dying either.
I appreciate hearing when a plant doesn't last and why, so I love that you so easily included those in your video! I will say that update videos are definitely proof of concept, which is why they are so well attended. Love the advice when shifting from beginner to intermediate hobbyist plus lots of other great advice in this video.
Thanks for this informative video and the comment on the intermediate house plant grower who can sometimes do too much and end up killing a plant. With the bulk of my experience being with outdoor landscape plants, I'm learning that there are different levels of care with indoor plants, and this video helps big time.
I always manage to find this channel in times of plant distress. Love what you do here. My monstera, Montero, yes he is named, has recently undergone some changes. I'm in that intermediate stage where I don't know if I'm paying too much attention or not enough. I've recently moved houses and my monstera was thriving in my previous location, albeit one of the leaves grew funny because I moved it out from it's favorite window. The new place I am at has much better insulation on the windows and doors and is just generally built better. Suddenly after moving in, Montero started browning and yellowing on the leaves and two of his original leaves have turned ugly shades of yellow/brown. A new leaf that was coming out died mifurl, crispy and yellowed/greyed out. I snipped it off and that area has turned black. I am hoping that moving from a less climate controlled area into a moreso one is what's making it go all wonky. I do suffer from Too-Big-Pot syndrome, but it's been thriving in this pot since I've gotten it until I moved. I've had this monstera for about 2 years now. If anyone has any recommendations or anything, please, I am all ears (eyes?). I love this plant and will be devastated if I can't fix him to keep growing.
🙋♀️ I'm that intermediate grower that is paying too much attention. My issue is more experimenting with propagation, growing methods, substrate and care than watering. RIP monstera albo chonks.
Damn Lee you literally hit my soul with intermediate stage problems. I literally killed two ferns and snake plant because I was paying to much attention and over watered them.
You've just described me, going from beginner to intermediate, checking on my plants every single day, I'll be extra careful about my behavior from now on. Tks
i love your videos! i got my first monstera a month ago and i felt confident enough thanks to your help. the wooden dowel trick looks like an absolute winner too. thanks Mr. This Plant
You have really useful information in your video. I needed to hear about root ball size dictating pot size, more than leaf size. I'm going to get a monstera now that I know I don't have to use a gigantic pot, cuz I've always liked them.
I've started getting into plants a little over a year ago, I've killed a few like everyone else. I just bought two medium sized ones a few days ago. I'm so glad I came across your videos because I'm terrified of killing it because I've wanted one for so long. I'm struggling with lighting and have been trying to find a sweet spot for these beauty's
My god, thank you! I’m going to share this video any time some rabid, inexperienced, plant owner wants to argue about pot size. RIP to all the plants that died from drowning in a giant pot because a “plant app expert” said to pot based off foliage.
I think I just made it out of that intermediate stage, and I feel like I've gotta knock on wood with how well everyone's been doing recently 😅 It really is true though - I was watering too often, constantly poking and prodding and pruning, and my plants suffered for it. I have enough plants now that I can't focus that much attention on any one of them, and they're all thriving.
Another indication about the size of the pot for the roots is how often the plant needs to be watered. I bought a Monstera 2 weeks ago, because its 10" pot was crammed with foliage: many stems 1 to 1.5' long with a profusion of leaves the size of my hand! In a window facing south, I find that it needs to be watered twice a week. I water my other plants no more than once a week.
Thank you! Love your calmness while explaining this and that without an air of "this is for dummies and beginners!:D " or such, but you seem to turn to all types of green fingers (those of us that learns the difficult way by trial and error and that you actually show what you mean rather than just assuming....well! Keep up the great work and those plants of yours looks brilliant! 😃
Wish I'd found your channel before repotting my monsterra 😅 Omg, the intermediate stage thing is me! I keep over watering my rubber tree every time it gets a new growth because I get to excited and then the leaves curl 🤦
So now the question is, should I report my monsterra into a smaller pot in the middle of summer in Arizona? ....I think imma do it. It's not happy and not growing. Been stuck at 2 nodes for months
Oh wow I just repotted all my plants, and I’m not going to lie, I haven’t repotted the plants for years so I put them all in big pots. Lawd I pray my plants don’t die 😫
great vid telling that sometimes doing nothing is the best option, plants dont always have to look pretty, and if its not working just toss it an move on.
I think this is a good general rule if you’re a beginner plant parent. I’ve been growing plants for almost a decade. I’ve killed my fair share due to root rot, but I understand now how to care for plants regardless of the species. I would argue the most important thing for plants (after sunlight) is a very aerated substrate. I’ve grown single cuttings without many roots in 9” pots with great success. The key is using a very chunky soil, which supplies the plant roots with a lot of oxygen. This is pertinent to plant health. Root rot is practically eliminated if you use the correct substrate, and pot size becomes irrelevant. Just ensure all your plants are receiving the brightest light possible - directly in front of a window!
Regarding size, bigger pots hold more moisture. So why take the risk? Small pots are cheaper and in my view rushing out to buy a larger pot your plant doesn't need is an expensive rookie error
Same, I just started using just straight bark (from landscape bags meant to be used as soil ammendments, lol) just like most tree and shrub nurseries use. Drains every drop of excess water out, but the bark stays moist for the plant. Its literally impossible to overwater.
@@tayh3645 That’s amazing! :) I’m not surprised you’d have success with that substrate. People often forget that plants don’t grow in small pots in the wild. They have the whole ground available to them and they can’t control how much rain they receive. The question is why can plants survive getting “overwatered” in nature, but they keel over in our home? It’s because the substrate they grow in natively is full of chunky organic material that provides the roots with plenty of oxygen.
Hi Lee, you seem to be extremely knowledgeable about plants. I roam through RUclips (being a new Plant Parent), getting as much information as I can about my house plants, mostly Fiddle Leaf Fig and Monstera Deliciosa with a few Bromeliads. I get frustrated tying to find useful information only to have the "You Tuber" going into a monologue and not getting to the point about plants. I like tuning into your channel because for each subject or question I have, you immediately have the information that I need. I recently began propagating a Monstera Deliciosa - up until now I really had no interest in being a plant parent. My wife buys house plants and then forgets about them but I started looking into the different type plants and now I'm hooked. I began with Fiddle Leaf Fig plants, propagating several with some success and now Monstera. My wife wanted to throw away the Monstera she got at Home Depot after several months. It turned into an ugly mess so I decided to "rescue" it. Anyway, I'm getting ready to repot a few cuttings I had in water. They're coming along great with nice root balls. My question was what size pot do I need to transfer them to? I had a problem with root rot and then watched this video you put out about a year ago. This information was exactly what I was looking for. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for the great vids and all the excellent information you provide.
4:30 i'd untangle or even trim roots that grew around the base of a pot like that... ime re-potting a root system w/ that shape requires a new pot too soon in order to maintain rapid foliage growth. sry for the infestation... don't be afraid to use insecticide. there are options that are water soluble w/ a half life of 2-3 months. the active substance gets absorbed by the plant and pests that feed on 'leaf juice' get eliminated rather quickly. (if it's a severe infestation isolate the plant if possible. as a desperate measure transparent plastic bags can be used for a few weeks. at points i used fly spray inside bags, but insecticide is still needed especially for larvae that dwell inside leaves, stems or soil)
I live by your monstera tips, and now when I see a monstera not on a pole properly it makes me feel like *nails on a chalkboard* you can’t unsee it! I see them everywhere now! 🫣
Hi! Thanks for this clip. I really need to learn to emulate your healthy, detached relationship with your plants. I’ve just left home for a three day weekend and I’ve been a nervous wreck about how my baby syngonium collection will do without me constantly checking on them. 🤦🏼♀️ Thanks for giving me the right perspective. 🙏🤗
If I need or only have a bigger pot but don't have the roots for it I just plant the plant lower in the pot and don't fill all the dirt.... Example, I have a two infant leaf monstera with some water roots that's needing potted up. It could easily go in a 2 inch pot but the plant is taller and it would tip, so I'll use a 4 inch pot unless I can find a 2 inch terracotta soon. In the four inch I'll just use about half the soil, the plant is tall enough that it being planted lower won't hide it from view. Once it's got a bigger root system I'll be able to lift it and add soil under it and keep using the same pot for awhile.
Thank you, I think you have saved mu Monsters life. I re potted her and she is now pathetic, dried leaves etc. I would like to know the best compost or mix to make my plant very very happy. Thank you xxxxxxx
Amazing content as always. Can you please do some videos on keeping plants in the balcony like evergreens in pots especially in harsh climates like ours in Canada? Those are still houseplants but they fall in between the indoor and outdoor garden and not enough content about them
I think blogs would give you much more accurate information. Tons of information out there. blog.davey.com/winterizing-and-storing-potted-trees-over-winter/
Not even a minute in and you're teaching me great tips! 💖 Edit: I'm glad you pointed out the beginner to intermediate/more experienced plant owner deal. Makes me feel less alone :P
Hi Lee…Lisa here. I have a Monstera Thai Constellation. It was and probably will be my only very expensive variegated Monstera and I bought it as a cutting bare root with 3 leaves on it. I bought this variety as I was informed the Thai Constellation will not revert and I didn’t trust my luck with an Alba etc. It was being kept in a vase of water to monitor roots. I actually have aquariums and thought I’d place in the corner top of my 45 litre cube tank and see how it goes. It’s been in the tank held up in a plastic cup by pegs lol, very unsightly but until I create some kind of natural wood piece I can gently wedge/sit it in it’s all I have. The roots have gone crazy in the tank, I did actually trim a few of them shorter (unsure if that was a good thing but already done it). It now have two more leaves so that’s 5 in total and it’s looking pretty cool. I messaged the seller I got it from and sent pics asking should I plant in soil in a pot? But I told her I’m super scared to do that incase it decides to die on me, il be unable to see the roots. I fin it really strange this water method to soil method, il tell you why. These plants that can be grown in water only are doing fine right, so why is it that if it’s growing in soil that it can die from too much water ? You know what I’m saying…. in water 100% of its life ✅ in soil but water too much and it dies ❌ 🤷🏼♀️ Its obviously something to do with the soil being too wet and reacting in a certain way I guess which then rots the roots, t you have to admit it’s baffling. Prob is, will I ever feel safe to transplant it into a soil based environment, I’m super scared I’m gonna kill it and at $120 for the cutting that’s a real fear…lol. What’s your thoughts and if it’s to keep it in the aquarium (like the seller told me) then maybe you could help me with trying to create some kind of more natural holder/support for it so it accentuates its beauty. I am on Instagram but barely use it…but I do use fb messenger if you like to drop by n say hey, I can share some pics n maybe even have a fun video chat too. ☺️ Lisa Saxon on messenger Cheers and iv only recently subscribed a few months ago, great content Lee. Lisa in Perth, West Australia 🩵🙏🏻🌱
Wet compacted soil does have a lot of access to oxygen. This anaerobic environment is also a perfect breeding ground for fungal and bacterial pathogens that attack roots. In water the plants can access the oxygen that's bound to the water molecules. There is also a risk with soil. Especially with a Thai con, they are notoriously susceptible to rot.
I always love your vids monstera(plant) guy!!! I come right to your vids when I’m facing an issue. Thanks for the trial and error knowledge sharing!!! 🪴 🌱 🌴
Hmm, after watching this, I'm now worried I gave it too large a pot... but in the previous pot it was always falling over since the plant was growing to one direction (the window) tipping its weight.
Well, I bought three small monsteras that were potted together in a small pot and repotted them into a large pot after I got home. Four years later they were two meters tall and two meters in diameter. No issues whatsoever. In nature they don’t start out in small pots and get increasingly bigger pot sizes either. It’s just one big pot there.
I'm glad your plants did well. I had mentioned this in the comments before but there are a couple of things happening here: Whether is was lighting conditions, temperature, soil choice, or your watering schedule. You had an environment where your plant's roots were not suffering from a lack of oxygen killing them off. Outdoor plants have a vastly different microbiology. Everything from bacteria, to insects and other bugs, are both aerating the soil as well as combating bacteria that would generally cause root rot. Even the wind is causing outdoor plants to dry out at such a significantly higher rate. There is also the underground water table. So water isn't really just pooling in outdoor plants.
@Kill This Plant The plant was in my living room that had a total of 4 double windows. Two were facing south, but on that side, the roof was overhanging and lots of large trees in front of it, so there wasn't much light coming in. The other 2 were facing west with afternoon sun. The plant was in the corner of that room, so it really had access to only two of the four windows, one of them with very little light coming in. I used regular potting soil, and I watered it usually once a week or when the upper 5 centimeters of soil were dry. I also made sure not to flood the pot. I always used only so much water that a bit of it ran out of the bottom, which then evaporated within a day. Of course, it's always best to give a plant what it needs, but momsteras from my experience were never giving me any trouble. My mother used to have one in the living room planted in regular potting soil in a massive glas jar with no holes in the bottom. We had that one for 2 decades. Eventually they redid the living room and one day it was gone. I think they gave it away. Monsteras occur naturally in tropical countries that usually have a rainy season where it does rain almost every day and the rains there are nothing like the rains I know from Europe. It poors down like hell, and the rainy season usually lasts about 4 months, at least in Thailand where I used to live. The ground will be soggy fairly quickly and there's not much time in between for it to really dry up.
Oh, yeah. Throwing away that string of hearts away was cold. I find them to be very pest resistant where I live. It is one of my favorite plants, and one of my oldest, I think I bought it in the mid 90s. I decided to repot it last year, the soil was so compacted. I thought I killed it, but just set it aside and gave it a teeny amount of water every now and then…and damned if it didn’t come back. My monstera (a restart of one that was on it’s last leg) is in a small pot….good drainage, plenty of air flow around the roots….it has a lot of of leaves, but they are all smaller, with no fenestrations. It gets plenty of light, under a skylight. Don’t know what I am doing wrong.
Excellent video. Thank you. New planty and I looked at the size of 2 tinenkes dropped them in a huge pot . Now realizing I should have gone smaller and balanced with a heavier outer pot. 😮
@Not Herb I have had no problem with inaccuracy and I don't purchase the expensive ones. You have to put them in fairly deeply and check in more than one spot because we often don't water evenly. I have been using them for years and it seems to work for me. Perhaps it just reminds me to be mindful.
I find it's not necessarily the size of the pot that makes them inaccurate, but the soil type. If you're using pure miracle-gro, then they work as intended.
@Kill This Plant I customize my mix based on what I am growing. For example the citrus get one type of mix. The monsterra gets something different and so on. For what it's worth I check the readings and calibrate based on soil type. They are by no means perfect but they do help me stay on my toes and not overwater.
My plants have to cope with being watered once a week, lightly fertilized every few months when I think of it - trying to figure out how to get Hoyas to bloom without having to really do anything different, lol. Trying talking especially nicely to them…
Hey I’m the first one watching this, I like your channel and I’m in Toronto, I hate the long winter as a plant parent, what do u do for your plants in winter in terms of light
Thanks for watching! I don't really do anything, my plants that are assisted with grow lights get the same timing all year round. Everyone else just deals with less light!
I also just use grow lights. I think they're a good way to maintain a consistency throughout the year. You can also kinda choose your own grow times for the plants based on how much light/water you're giving them.
I’m not saying this is wrong advice, it’s not wrong! However, my monsteras were not growing large and I was bummed out. They were not even close to being root bound but even with fertilizer they weren’t growing. Repotted to a massive pot and they just took off and began having large leaves. I don’t know why that worked well for me but I was very careful not to saturate the soil in the new pot when I watered because I was terrified of root rot.
I grow succulents from their leaves, the one I took care never sprouted, the one I randomly threw in the garden grow like wild, all sprouted and grow pretty strong stem. Since that day I let the plant do whatever the fk they want.
Can you do a video on Aroid cuttings that are difficult to root ? I've had a few monstera peru cuttings that I had in water for months nothing happened. Moved to soil one finally rooted and the other is just there vibing. It won't die and it won't root it just sits there half wilted
Hi! I obtained a big plant with big and thick aerial roots. I separated them and planted them in a large pot with the large roots in the soil. Is it advisable to do this, or should I cut back the big roots a bit and place them in a smaller pot? Thx!
I'm the intermediate plant owner that's just killed a lot! I've been feeling pretty rubbish about that so to hear you say that, makes total sense and makes me feel better. I'm just learning more!
I killed 2 big monstera and another cool vine one that looked like shredded cheese for potting it in a bigger pot 1st timer last year and got root issues
omg you totally called me out on my monstera obsession Im at the wayyyyyyy intermediate stage and im loving my monsteras wayyyyyyy to much and now they have root rot and im so scared of loosing them . I cut off all the rot immediately and im soaking it in hydrogen peroxide and getting rid of all the old yucky soil and praying for the best going to do your soil suggestion getting coco fiber hair mixed with orchid bark perlite and i have them on a wooden stake with spanish moss wrapped in a string. They are so massive too i really dont want to loose them oh man. I didnt mean to overwater them ugh , you said sulfer power any other suggestions or tips? thanks i love your videos so informativie
just found your channel and love it. can you talk about whether there are different types of monstera deliciosa? i'm in southeast asia and the nursery tells me the short bushy 2 ft ones are from china and will never grow tall, but instead sideways and messy. they're often planted in a group, all facing outwards. there's another kind that's often sold as one stem with multiple leaves. i'm unsure if these are two separate distinct types that the nursery is making it out to be, or whether this is complete bs, and i'm tired of companies that aren't honest. i have a wall that i want very bushy monstera to latch onto. so that i think requires at least 3 stems of monstera plants, facing outwards so that they may start rooting there.
It may depend on how they were damaged? eg. if its a persistent pest infestation maybe remove it, but also you shouldn't remove more than 30% of the foliage on a plant at a time.
I sent this to my husband, praying that he will STOP repotting my plants to humongous pots every time I leave the house 🥹
Oh no lol I hope he watches it!! Lol
😱
Hey at least you know he’s trying, that’s what matters
Lmao, This it's my husband too 😵😂 He thinks they need room to breath & grow lol
That’s so cute 😭
My goal is to neglect my plants more. I tend to cuddle my plants to death, and unlike my cat, they don't immediately let me know when they've had enough love. Using a wooden skewer to check moisture levels has really helped so far!
edit: 9 months later, and I'm still panicking and killing plants left and right... I am learning, but clearly I'm a bit slow.😅
I keep a calendar next to my plants to checkmark when I water/meds with them to minimize the extra lovin'. Do you keep the wooden skewers stabbed in the pot or bring them with you when you water?
@@ceem9924 I use my skewer to poke my plants every week to see how dry the soil is. I only water my succulents when the soil is bone dry, and my other plants when the soil is almost dry. This method has helped a ton, but I am planning to invest in a moisture metre to get more accurate readings.
i use a chainsaw to check moisture levels.
it gives me a mechanical advantage.
@@darkshadowsx5949 and rust, I'd imagine.
I use a water meter.. complete game changer and it takes away the guessing game that is watering.
This has been the biggest shock to me since I’ve gotten into plants and gardening. I thought plants had WAY more roots to them but after watching hundreds of plants videos I’ve been so surprised at how small roots can be compared to how large a plant is. I thought the roots would be like twice the size of the actual plant lol. It was definitely something I was doing wrong in the beginning, giving a small plant that came in like a 3” pot and putting into like a 6” pot lol. Definitely learned my lesson!
I wish I could be like you! I get SO ATTACHED to my plants.
My monstera is still in the same pot it came in. I believe it's a 1 gallon nursery pot. The roots are coming out of the bottom now. But she's so dang happy I don't want to move her. 😀
Agreed with you on pot size for Monstera! I've been attempting to grow Monstera for a couple years now without success. After we moved recently my growing conditions have changed (much more light, always a good thing) and the most recent Monstera I purchased came in its' ridiculously tiny grow pot for its size, it seems like it's either root bound or close to, and I just left it to acclimate to my conditions without up-potting it. And put it in a West facing window with a few hours of direct sun (we're in the desert southwest) and man that thing is happy, and thriving. Most success I've had so far, and suddenly growing Monstera is fun again. I ❤ you and your channel, and I too am as much interested in experimenting with growing conditions and mediums and techniques and I don't mind sacrificing a plant to learn and see what works best, so much fun! Thanks for sharing with us all!
That's great youre in a space with more light!
Your comment was an eye opener. I learned something from it.
@Yoly Rom cool, Yoly.....I know putting a Monstera in the direct light is new for me, we are in a neighborhood kind of hilly so with houses across the street, the side of our house shielding it's particular window from the south, I am gonna say it gets about 3 hours direct light before the sun sets behind the neighbors. The brand new leaves are unfolding without any die back or browning and I'm starting to realize a bit of direct sun was what they needed all along. I only ever had struggling Monstera when I was careful to give indirect light only. If you are going to try this with a Monstera, I'd say remember to harden it off to direct sun over a bit of time, (if it's acclimated to indirect light only), so the leaves don't get burned!
@Kill This Plant thanks, yeah, I'm THAT person, our house choice was basically made by how much light is coming in the windows, lols. Priorities!
I recognize the over caring part very well. I started tending plants a few years ago and really just placed them where they looked best. Moving them a bit if I found out they received too much or too little direct light. Most plant did rather well. As I started to like tending more and more I spend more time "taking care" and didn't understand why some of them actually were getting worse. A good friend pointed out I might indeed have been over caring them with as a result I watered them too much. Thank you for confirming that often it is perfectly okay to let the plant just be itself and stick to the schedule it likes best.
SUCH a helpful video! I can’t believe how many major problems you just solved with my Monstera. Sometimes the best thing is just to watch you doing the thing. I wish I were less emotionally attached to my plants and didn’t take their deaths as personal failures. 😂
That reminds me of the time when I went to my dad's and saw his teeny little Monstera in a huge pot but it was only growing sideways towards the window and all of its leaves were about the same size. I told him that his plant was not doing so well and he told me that he was thinking about re-potting it... Sadly, this is what most people can think of when their plant is not getting much bigger but isn't showing signs of dying either.
I appreciate hearing when a plant doesn't last and why, so I love that you so easily included those in your video! I will say that update videos are definitely proof of concept, which is why they are so well attended. Love the advice when shifting from beginner to intermediate hobbyist plus lots of other great advice in this video.
Thanks for this informative video and the comment on the intermediate house plant grower who can sometimes do too much and end up killing a plant. With the bulk of my experience being with outdoor landscape plants, I'm learning that there are different levels of care with indoor plants, and this video helps big time.
I always manage to find this channel in times of plant distress. Love what you do here.
My monstera, Montero, yes he is named, has recently undergone some changes. I'm in that intermediate stage where I don't know if I'm paying too much attention or not enough.
I've recently moved houses and my monstera was thriving in my previous location, albeit one of the leaves grew funny because I moved it out from it's favorite window. The new place I am at has much better insulation on the windows and doors and is just generally built better. Suddenly after moving in, Montero started browning and yellowing on the leaves and two of his original leaves have turned ugly shades of yellow/brown. A new leaf that was coming out died mifurl, crispy and yellowed/greyed out. I snipped it off and that area has turned black.
I am hoping that moving from a less climate controlled area into a moreso one is what's making it go all wonky. I do suffer from Too-Big-Pot syndrome, but it's been thriving in this pot since I've gotten it until I moved. I've had this monstera for about 2 years now.
If anyone has any recommendations or anything, please, I am all ears (eyes?). I love this plant and will be devastated if I can't fix him to keep growing.
I do almost everything you say in your videos! My plants look great thanks!
That's great!
Great video. I was recommended to your videos from Sheffield Made Plants. I am glad he did and I have enjoyed your content. 😊
🙋♀️ I'm that intermediate grower that is paying too much attention. My issue is more experimenting with propagation, growing methods, substrate and care than watering. RIP monstera albo chonks.
oops!
The learning curb is real 😅
@@lizchee8268 I think this is the best part, there's a reason for the obsession other than collecting them 😆 rip to all the martyrs lol
"Overloving" yes, I recognize the tendency!
It's the reason I rarely do succulents.
Thank you for showing real world application! Most videos tell the viewers what they should do and I want to be shown!
Glad it was helpful!
Damn Lee you literally hit my soul with intermediate stage problems. I literally killed two ferns and snake plant because I was paying to much attention and over watered them.
You are 100% correct on loving your plant too much
Thanks
Thanks for the donation. Appreciate it!
New subscriber. This is one of the best plant videos I've watched- and I've watched a lot of them.
You've just described me, going from beginner to intermediate, checking on my plants every single day, I'll be extra careful about my behavior from now on. Tks
I rarely make a RUclips comment, but this video was so helpful! Thank you for all you put into this video! It is all appreciated 🫶🏼
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the comment. I really appreciate it.
Thanks!
Wow. You're too kind. Thank you!!
I always pick up useful information in your videos and look forward to the next one. Thank you.
i love your videos! i got my first monstera a month ago and i felt confident enough thanks to your help. the wooden dowel trick looks like an absolute winner too. thanks Mr. This Plant
Very helpful tips, for more than just the Monstera. Thanks again Lee. 💖👍😉🌱🌱🌱
Very welcome
You have really useful information in your video. I needed to hear about root ball size dictating pot size, more than leaf size. I'm going to get a monstera now that I know I don't have to use a gigantic pot, cuz I've always liked them.
I've started getting into plants a little over a year ago, I've killed a few like everyone else. I just bought two medium sized ones a few days ago. I'm so glad I came across your videos because I'm terrified of killing it because I've wanted one for so long. I'm struggling with lighting and have been trying to find a sweet spot for these beauty's
My god, thank you! I’m going to share this video any time some rabid, inexperienced, plant owner wants to argue about pot size. RIP to all the plants that died from drowning in a giant pot because a “plant app expert” said to pot based off foliage.
I got my first Thai constellation and this was helpful ! Thanks for your content
I think I just made it out of that intermediate stage, and I feel like I've gotta knock on wood with how well everyone's been doing recently 😅
It really is true though - I was watering too often, constantly poking and prodding and pruning, and my plants suffered for it. I have enough plants now that I can't focus that much attention on any one of them, and they're all thriving.
Im glad ive found your channel
Its so nice the way how to explain etc.
Learning everyday new things!
Another indication about the size of the pot for the roots is how often the plant needs to be watered. I bought a Monstera 2 weeks ago, because its 10" pot was crammed with foliage: many stems 1 to 1.5' long with a profusion of leaves the size of my hand! In a window facing south, I find that it needs to be watered twice a week. I water my other plants no more than once a week.
Thank you! Love your calmness while explaining this and that without an air of "this is for dummies and beginners!:D " or such, but you seem to turn to all types of green fingers (those of us that learns the difficult way by trial and error and that you actually show what you mean rather than just assuming....well! Keep up the great work and those plants of yours looks brilliant! 😃
Actually screamed when you made the cuts lol
Thank you for another interesting video!
Wish I'd found your channel before repotting my monsterra 😅
Omg, the intermediate stage thing is me! I keep over watering my rubber tree every time it gets a new growth because I get to excited and then the leaves curl 🤦
So now the question is, should I report my monsterra into a smaller pot in the middle of summer in Arizona?
....I think imma do it. It's not happy and not growing. Been stuck at 2 nodes for months
Oh wow I just repotted all my plants, and I’m not going to lie, I haven’t repotted the plants for years so I put them all in big pots. Lawd I pray my plants don’t die 😫
im guilty of potting plants up to quickly and in too big of a pot , great tips as always
great vid telling that sometimes doing nothing is the best option, plants dont always have to look pretty, and if its not working just toss it an move on.
I think this is a good general rule if you’re a beginner plant parent. I’ve been growing plants for almost a decade. I’ve killed my fair share due to root rot, but I understand now how to care for plants regardless of the species. I would argue the most important thing for plants (after sunlight) is a very aerated substrate. I’ve grown single cuttings without many roots in 9” pots with great success. The key is using a very chunky soil, which supplies the plant roots with a lot of oxygen. This is pertinent to plant health. Root rot is practically eliminated if you use the correct substrate, and pot size becomes irrelevant. Just ensure all your plants are receiving the brightest light possible - directly in front of a window!
what's your preferred mix?
Regarding size, bigger pots hold more moisture. So why take the risk? Small pots are cheaper and in my view rushing out to buy a larger pot your plant doesn't need is an expensive rookie error
Same, I just started using just straight bark (from landscape bags meant to be used as soil ammendments, lol) just like most tree and shrub nurseries use. Drains every drop of excess water out, but the bark stays moist for the plant. Its literally impossible to overwater.
@@tayh3645 That’s amazing! :) I’m not surprised you’d have success with that substrate. People often forget that plants don’t grow in small pots in the wild. They have the whole ground available to them and they can’t control how much rain they receive. The question is why can plants survive getting “overwatered” in nature, but they keel over in our home? It’s because the substrate they grow in natively is full of chunky organic material that provides the roots with plenty of oxygen.
@@KillThisPlant I use 1 part peat moss to 1 part perlite to 2 parts bark chips. I also add a bit of horticultural charcoal to be fancy. Haha
Good video thank you, I use a wee stick to check for dryness way better than moisture meter, I'm learning just leave them alone as well
It’s called a wee stick?
Hi Lee, you seem to be extremely knowledgeable about plants. I roam through RUclips (being a new Plant Parent), getting as much information as I can about my house plants, mostly Fiddle Leaf Fig and Monstera Deliciosa with a few Bromeliads. I get frustrated tying to find useful information only to have the "You Tuber" going into a monologue and not getting to the point about plants.
I like tuning into your channel because for each subject or question I have, you immediately have the information that I need.
I recently began propagating a Monstera Deliciosa - up until now I really had no interest in being a plant parent. My wife buys house plants and then forgets about them but I started looking into the different type plants and now I'm hooked. I began with Fiddle Leaf Fig plants, propagating several with some success and now Monstera. My wife wanted to throw away the Monstera she got at Home Depot after several months. It turned into an ugly mess so I decided to "rescue" it.
Anyway, I'm getting ready to repot a few cuttings I had in water. They're coming along great with nice root balls. My question was what size pot do I need to transfer them to? I had a problem with root rot and then watched this video you put out about a year ago. This information was exactly what I was looking for.
Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for the great vids and all the excellent information you provide.
4:30 i'd untangle or even trim roots that grew around the base of a pot like that... ime re-potting a root system w/ that shape requires a new pot too soon in order to maintain rapid foliage growth.
sry for the infestation... don't be afraid to use insecticide. there are options that are water soluble w/ a half life of 2-3 months. the active substance gets absorbed by the plant and pests that feed on 'leaf juice' get eliminated rather quickly. (if it's a severe infestation isolate the plant if possible. as a desperate measure transparent plastic bags can be used for a few weeks. at points i used fly spray inside bags, but insecticide is still needed especially for larvae that dwell inside leaves, stems or soil)
My root ball is huge but my leaves are small. Recently upped the light hoping it will help!
🥀 you are absolutely right
Great video, handy tips, and beautiful hoodie!!!
Thank you very much! 😊
I live by your monstera tips, and now when I see a monstera not on a pole properly it makes me feel like *nails on a chalkboard* you can’t unsee it! I see them everywhere now! 🫣
I’m glad this came through to my time line!! Great video.
Hi! Thanks for this clip. I really need to learn to emulate your healthy, detached relationship with your plants. I’ve just left home for a three day weekend and I’ve been a nervous wreck about how my baby syngonium collection will do without me constantly checking on them. 🤦🏼♀️
Thanks for giving me the right perspective. 🙏🤗
I hope your collection can leave you stress free! Have a great day.
@@KillThisPlant Thank you very much. You, too!
Going in a trip tomorrow and feeling the same way. 😬😬😬
May we find our babies thriving🌿🌱🪴
@@FosterGoodness 🤞🙏🤞🙏hoping for the best for yours and mine!
LOL I am the same way. I work for an AI company and set a camera on my plant to detect changes while I was away on a trip
Another awesome video! Also, I love your hoodie!!!
Good info, thank you dear!
If I need or only have a bigger pot but don't have the roots for it I just plant the plant lower in the pot and don't fill all the dirt.... Example, I have a two infant leaf monstera with some water roots that's needing potted up. It could easily go in a 2 inch pot but the plant is taller and it would tip, so I'll use a 4 inch pot unless I can find a 2 inch terracotta soon. In the four inch I'll just use about half the soil, the plant is tall enough that it being planted lower won't hide it from view. Once it's got a bigger root system I'll be able to lift it and add soil under it and keep using the same pot for awhile.
another good technique!
That's genius and so simple.
Omg that’s so smart!!
Thank you, I think you have saved mu Monsters life. I re potted her and she is now pathetic, dried leaves etc. I would like to know the best compost or mix to make my plant very very happy. Thank you xxxxxxx
The casual snip snip of that monstera gave me such bad anxiety 😅
Amazing content as always. Can you please do some videos on keeping plants in the balcony like evergreens in pots especially in harsh climates like ours in Canada?
Those are still houseplants but they fall in between the indoor and outdoor garden and not enough content about them
I think blogs would give you much more accurate information. Tons of information out there.
blog.davey.com/winterizing-and-storing-potted-trees-over-winter/
Thanks! you are quite knowledgeable for a young man. Good for you. I love the videos.
Very helpful video. Thanks for sharing!
Not even a minute in and you're teaching me great tips! 💖
Edit: I'm glad you pointed out the beginner to intermediate/more experienced plant owner deal. Makes me feel less alone :P
Hi Lee…Lisa here. I have a Monstera Thai Constellation. It was and probably will be my only very expensive variegated Monstera and I bought it as a cutting bare root with 3 leaves on it. I bought this variety as I was informed the Thai Constellation will not revert and I didn’t trust my luck with an Alba etc. It was being kept in a vase of water to monitor roots. I actually have aquariums and thought I’d place in the corner top of my 45 litre cube tank and see how it goes. It’s been in the tank held up in a plastic cup by pegs lol, very unsightly but until I create some kind of natural wood piece I can gently wedge/sit it in it’s all I have.
The roots have gone crazy in the tank, I did actually trim a few of them shorter (unsure if that was a good thing but already done it).
It now have two more leaves so that’s 5 in total and it’s looking pretty cool.
I messaged the seller I got it from and sent pics asking should I plant in soil in a pot? But I told her I’m super scared to do that incase it decides to die on me, il be unable to see the roots.
I fin it really strange this water method to soil method, il tell you why.
These plants that can be grown in water only are doing fine right, so why is it that if it’s growing in soil that it can die from too much water ? You know what I’m saying…. in water 100% of its life ✅ in soil but water too much and it dies ❌ 🤷🏼♀️
Its obviously something to do with the soil being too wet and reacting in a certain way I guess which then rots the roots, t you have to admit it’s baffling.
Prob is, will I ever feel safe to transplant it into a soil based environment, I’m super scared I’m gonna kill it and at $120 for the cutting that’s a real fear…lol.
What’s your thoughts and if it’s to keep it in the aquarium (like the seller told me) then maybe you could help me with trying to create some kind of more natural holder/support for it so it accentuates its beauty.
I am on Instagram but barely use it…but I do use fb messenger if you like to drop by n say hey, I can share some pics n maybe even have a fun video chat too. ☺️
Lisa Saxon on messenger
Cheers and iv only recently subscribed a few months ago, great content Lee.
Lisa in Perth, West Australia 🩵🙏🏻🌱
Wet compacted soil does have a lot of access to oxygen. This anaerobic environment is also a perfect breeding ground for fungal and bacterial pathogens that attack roots.
In water the plants can access the oxygen that's bound to the water molecules.
There is also a risk with soil. Especially with a Thai con, they are notoriously susceptible to rot.
I always love your vids monstera(plant) guy!!! I come right to your vids when I’m facing an issue. Thanks for the trial and error knowledge sharing!!! 🪴 🌱 🌴
My outdoor monstera loves its plank of wood :)
Wow what a great explanation! Thank you 💚🪴💚
I saw the movie idiocracy and i tried giving my plants gatorade and it worked!!!
@@DelfinoGarza77 it's what they crave.
Hmm, after watching this, I'm now worried I gave it too large a pot... but in the previous pot it was always falling over since the plant was growing to one direction (the window) tipping its weight.
Well, I bought three small monsteras that were potted together in a small pot and repotted them into a large pot after I got home. Four years later they were two meters tall and two meters in diameter. No issues whatsoever. In nature they don’t start out in small pots and get increasingly bigger pot sizes either. It’s just one big pot there.
I'm glad your plants did well. I had mentioned this in the comments before but there are a couple of things happening here:
Whether is was lighting conditions, temperature, soil choice, or your watering schedule. You had an environment where your plant's roots were not suffering from a lack of oxygen killing them off.
Outdoor plants have a vastly different microbiology. Everything from bacteria, to insects and other bugs, are both aerating the soil as well as combating bacteria that would generally cause root rot. Even the wind is causing outdoor plants to dry out at such a significantly higher rate.
There is also the underground water table. So water isn't really just pooling in outdoor plants.
@Kill This Plant The plant was in my living room that had a total of 4 double windows. Two were facing south, but on that side, the roof was overhanging and lots of large trees in front of it, so there wasn't much light coming in. The other 2 were facing west with afternoon sun. The plant was in the corner of that room, so it really had access to only two of the four windows, one of them with very little light coming in. I used regular potting soil, and I watered it usually once a week or when the upper 5 centimeters of soil were dry. I also made sure not to flood the pot. I always used only so much water that a bit of it ran out of the bottom, which then evaporated within a day.
Of course, it's always best to give a plant what it needs, but momsteras from my experience were never giving me any trouble. My mother used to have one in the living room planted in regular potting soil in a massive glas jar with no holes in the bottom. We had that one for 2 decades. Eventually they redid the living room and one day it was gone. I think they gave it away.
Monsteras occur naturally in tropical countries that usually have a rainy season where it does rain almost every day and the rains there are nothing like the rains I know from Europe. It poors down like hell, and the rainy season usually lasts about 4 months, at least in Thailand where I used to live. The ground will be soggy fairly quickly and there's not much time in between for it to really dry up.
Oh, yeah. Throwing away that string of hearts away was cold. I find them to be very pest resistant where I live. It is one of my favorite plants, and one of my oldest, I think I bought it in the mid 90s. I decided to repot it last year, the soil was so compacted. I thought I killed it, but just set it aside and gave it a teeny amount of water every now and then…and damned if it didn’t come back.
My monstera (a restart of one that was on it’s last leg) is in a small pot….good drainage, plenty of air flow around the roots….it has a lot of of leaves, but they are all smaller, with no fenestrations. It gets plenty of light, under a skylight. Don’t know what I am doing wrong.
Excellent video. Thank you. New planty and I looked at the size of 2 tinenkes dropped them in a huge pot . Now realizing I should have gone smaller and balanced with a heavier outer pot. 😮
I and my plants live by the moisture meter. It will stop you from over and underwatering. As always, Lee, great video. Thanks!
they are innacurate in big pots atleast and most prob its cheapo oen too never see any expensive ones in action tho
@Not Herb I have had no problem with inaccuracy and I don't purchase the expensive ones. You have to put them in fairly deeply and check in more than one spot because we often don't water evenly. I have been using them for years and it seems to work for me. Perhaps it just reminds me to be mindful.
I find it's not necessarily the size of the pot that makes them inaccurate, but the soil type. If you're using pure miracle-gro, then they work as intended.
@Kill This Plant I customize my mix based on what I am growing. For example the citrus get one type of mix. The monsterra gets something different and so on. For what it's worth I check the readings and calibrate based on soil type. They are by no means perfect but they do help me stay on my toes and not overwater.
My plants have to cope with being watered once a week, lightly fertilized every few months when I think of it - trying to figure out how to get Hoyas to bloom without having to really do anything different, lol. Trying talking especially nicely to them…
Many of my plants need to submit to my schedule or get out too.
That's me! I'm that intermediate person that overloves the plants. LMAO!!! Great video and tips.
Good advice my neighbour drives me nuts he puts small flower plants in a tub for trees! 😂
Great info! I love it.
Omg this was so freaking helpful!!!!!❤
Hey I’m the first one watching this, I like your channel and I’m in Toronto, I hate the long winter as a plant parent, what do u do for your plants in winter in terms of light
Thanks for watching!
I don't really do anything, my plants that are assisted with grow lights get the same timing all year round. Everyone else just deals with less light!
I also just use grow lights. I think they're a good way to maintain a consistency throughout the year. You can also kinda choose your own grow times for the plants based on how much light/water you're giving them.
Also, my monstera is growing sideways in the pot. How can I prop it up without damaging the stem?
hey lee i would love to see your plant collection or at least your monstera collection if possible
I’m not saying this is wrong advice, it’s not wrong!
However, my monsteras were not growing large and I was bummed out. They were not even close to being root bound but even with fertilizer they weren’t growing. Repotted to a massive pot and they just took off and began having large leaves. I don’t know why that worked well for me but I was very careful not to saturate the soil in the new pot when I watered because I was terrified of root rot.
I grow succulents from their leaves, the one I took care never sprouted, the one I randomly threw in the garden grow like wild, all sprouted and grow pretty strong stem. Since that day I let the plant do whatever the fk they want.
Great tips, thanks.
Can you do a video on Aroid cuttings that are difficult to root ? I've had a few monstera peru cuttings that I had in water for months nothing happened. Moved to soil one finally rooted and the other is just there vibing. It won't die and it won't root it just sits there half wilted
I'll keep that in mind, a prop box might solve some of your issues though
You did not have to come for my neck like that. I am def in the intermediate stage 🙃
Hi! I obtained a big plant with big and thick aerial roots.
I separated them and planted them in a large pot with the large roots in the soil.
Is it advisable to do this, or should I cut back the big roots a bit and place them in a smaller pot? Thx!
I found a monstera and it’s in a huge pot and it’s smallish. I’m about to see what the heck is going on with the root ball tonight!!
I'm the intermediate plant owner that's just killed a lot! I've been feeling pretty rubbish about that so to hear you say that, makes total sense and makes me feel better. I'm just learning more!
Sooo helpful!
I killed 2 big monstera and another cool vine one that looked like shredded cheese for potting it in a bigger pot 1st timer last year and got root issues
Im here to learn i know a lot of fb groups for plants are toxic
Sorry about your root rot issues!
@@KillThisPlant i learn the old way 😂
저도 정말 작은 팟에 몬스테라 3대를 함께 키우고 있어요. 잎 손상 하나 없이 진짜 잘 자라는 중. 근데 숨막혀 보이기는 해요^^
There’s some kind of insect in the green pot at time code 7:54 … any cause for concern?
You have good eyes!
That was some kind of millipede, I saw it after I was done filming. 🐛
omg you totally called me out on my monstera obsession Im at the wayyyyyyy intermediate stage and im loving my monsteras wayyyyyyy to much and now they have root rot and im so scared of loosing them . I cut off all the rot immediately and im soaking it in hydrogen peroxide and getting rid of all the old yucky soil and praying for the best going to do your soil suggestion getting coco fiber hair mixed with orchid bark perlite and i have them on a wooden stake with spanish moss wrapped in a string. They are so massive too i really dont want to loose them oh man. I didnt mean to overwater them ugh , you said sulfer power any other suggestions or tips? thanks i love your videos so informativie
oh btw they are outside and i found these babies in the wild i was so lucky one of them is almost 6 foot tall
Can you plant multiple monstera plants into on pot with a cedar plank?
Yes.
A wooden what?? What do you use to check if plant is dry?
Literally any stick. A dowel is a cylindrical rod made of wood.
Sweet video, what's the best plank to use and where do you get them?
@@Hunter__14 cedar, but you can Google a list of rot resistant wood and get whatever is available at your local hardware store.
@KillThisPlant off topic question but do you have Video on when to feed and what to feed? Go to fertilizer ?
@@Hunter__14 yes. Just search my channel name and fertilizer. I have 2 I think.
What a fun and great video, very helpfull to watch you problem solve. Do you have experience with (artificial) lighting?
just found your channel and love it. can you talk about whether there are different types of monstera deliciosa? i'm in southeast asia and the nursery tells me the short bushy 2 ft ones are from china and will never grow tall, but instead sideways and messy. they're often planted in a group, all facing outwards. there's another kind that's often sold as one stem with multiple leaves. i'm unsure if these are two separate distinct types that the nursery is making it out to be, or whether this is complete bs, and i'm tired of companies that aren't honest. i have a wall that i want very bushy monstera to latch onto. so that i think requires at least 3 stems of monstera plants, facing outwards so that they may start rooting there.
Can you do a video on soil mixtures?
I have a whole playlist
Hello. Should you cut the damage leaves to encourage new growth if there are no new leaf coming out
It may depend on how they were damaged? eg. if its a persistent pest infestation maybe remove it, but also you shouldn't remove more than 30% of the foliage on a plant at a time.
wair sulfur powder helps prevent rot in wetsticks??!
ruclips.net/video/9mKL6aZw-hQ/видео.html