What Is the best soil for Monstera deliciosa? A Monstera needs soil that is both airy and can retain moisture. General potting mixes for houseplants are not well suited.
At the beginning of my plant career, I used potting soil that was too dense. The result was root rot. It was almost impossible to correctly water the Swiss Cheese plants I owned then.
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What Is the Best Soil for Monstera deliciosa?
The best soil for Monstera deliciosa is an airy aroid potting mix containing peat, perlite, orchid bark or coconut coir, charcoal, and potting soil. The ideal pH is 5.5-7. The optimal soil mix varies according to your climate. Warmer climates need a mix to retain more moisture compared to colder climates.
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Here is My Video on How to Mix Monstera deliciosa Soil
Best Potting Mix for Monstera
The best dirt for Monstera is rePotme Houseplant and Tropical Classi Potting Soil Mix. The reason is its ingredients. It contains perlite, peat, coco coir, charcoal, and bark. It is mixed by hand to make it airy and retain moisture.
I had a Monstera Thai Constellation and a Monstera deliciosa Variegated. Both plants suffered from root rot multiple times because the soil was too compact.
According to the University of Connecticut, Monstera deliciosa needs well-draining soil high in organic matter. The same goes for growing Monstera adansonii.
Ideal Monstera Potting Mix Ingredients
Monstera deliciosa soil mix must be airy and retain moisture simultaneously. Here are the most common ingredients that make a great Monstera potting mix:
Perlite
Perlite is a light volcanic, inorganic material. It is porous and can hold some water and nutrients.
Purpose: Perlite is used to add drainage.
Peat Moss
Peat moss derives from decomposed Sphagnum moss and other plants in bogs. It is the end product of the decomposition process of moss.
Purpose: The main purpose of adding peat moss is its water retention capability. Since it is so fine-grained, it can become dense and heavy when wet. Don’t use too much of it.
Sphagnum Moss
Sphagnum Moss is fibrous, grows in bogs, and can hold 20 times its weight in water. I
Purpose: It works great for rooting cuttings. It has excellent water retention capabilities. Ensure it does not get too wet, as this could lead to root rot. Use it sparingly in a potting mix.
Orchid Bark
Orchid bark should be part of every aroid mix. It has fantastic drainage abilities and builds large air pockets in potting soil.
Purpose: Drainage
Potting Soil
Potting soil is great as it retains humidity and nutrients. But it can get compact. This is why soil is best mixed with other ingredients.
Purpose: Hold nutrients and water
Fertilizer
Slow-release or liquid fertilizer deliver nutrients for potted plants. You can use organic or inorganic fertilizer.
Some organic fertilizers that work great for a Swiss Cheese plant are bat guano or worm castings. You can add 5-10% to your potting mix. Replenish it every 3-6 months.
Purpose: Provides nutrients
Coconut Coir
Coconut coir is often chunky and can be used as a substitute for orchid bark. It is also available as a fine mix and can be used for seedlings.
Purpose: Adds drainage and allows for airflow when chunky. Retains moisture and nutrients when fine.
How to Choose the Right Potting Soil for Monstera? 5 Crucial Factors to Consider
1. Drainage
Drainage is important for Monsteras as they are epiphytes. Epiphytes are plants that grow on other trees and objects. They do not well in soggy, wet soil.
Monstera plants belong to the Aroid family (Araceae). These plants often have aerial roots and roots that are only partly submerged by soil. For soil to drain well, it must contain ingredients that differ in size.
Chunky materials like perlite and orchid bark create that size variance needed for air pockets to form in the potting mix. Compacted soil leads to root rot because oxygen cannot reach the roots.
Monstera deliciosa is particularly susceptible to root rot. Hence, drainage is the most crucial aspect when choosing the soil type.
2. Aeration
Aeration is essential as Monstera roots need oxygen. The roots need constant airflow and do not do well in compact soil. The roots cannot access oxygen and rot if the soil is too compact and damp. Fungi take advantage and feed on the roots.
Gradually, the roots start softening and die off as the infection spreads. Monstera plants develop root rot.
Good aeration and drainage are a two-in-one package. The same soil components that improve drainage also improve aeration. The vacuum sucks fresh air into the soil, allowing the roots to breathe.
3. Nutrition
Nutrients are needed for plants to grow and do photosynthesis. Plants take in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrients through their roots.
The soil in tropical jungles is fed continuously by dead plant debris and animal droppings. Plant pots contain a limited amount of nutrients that deplete over time.
This is why fertilizer is needed to add nutrients to the soil.
4. Water retention
Water retention is the soil’s ability to absorb water and slowly release it as the roots require it. Water is retained by porous material such as peat, perlite, potting soil, and sphagnum moss.
When the water around the roots is used up, the water stored inside the perlite and other water-retaining components is released gradually per the plant’s requirement.
This way, the soil is kept moist without the risk of excessive dampness.
5. Soil pH
Different plants thrive in different soil pH levels. Monstera deliciosa prefers soil that is slightly on the acidic side, with a pH range of 5.5-7.
The potting mix we mentioned above will already fall into this pH range, so you don’t need to adjust it more.
DIY Monstera Soil Mix Recipe
A great Monstera soil mix recipe is:
- Peat: 40%
- Perlite: 20%
- Orchid Bark or Coconut Coir: 20%
- Charcoal: 10%
- Potting Soil: 10%
The soil mix recipes need to be adjusted depending on climate and location. Warmer locations need a mix to retain more moisture for longer. In colder climates, the mix has to drain faster and should not stay very humid.
What Type of Soil Does Monstera Deliciosa Not Like?
Monsteras do not like 100% potting soil. This soil is too dense and gets more compact as it is watered. Avoid soil with a pH above 7 or below 5.5. These pH values hinder Monstera deliciosa and adansonii roots from taking in nutrients.
Alternative Potting Mixes for Swiss Cheese Plants
Pon
Pon is an inorganic substrate. It uses zeolite and pumice as well as a slow-release fertilizer. One brand for Pon is Lechuza Pon. Since it is inorganic, chances of overwatering and root rot are diminished. Pon is also airy since it is chunky. Because slow-release fertilizer is already added, aroids like Monstera plants grow fast in this substrate.
Lechuza pon is my favorite growing medium apart from aroid mix and leca. I use it for lots of my Monsteras as aroids. Using lechuza pon has simplified growing plants for me.
Leca
Leca stands for Lightweight expanded clay aggregate. 100% Leca can be used to grow a Swiss Cheese plant hydroponically. Hydroponic growing needs no soil. The nutrients are added to a water reservoir. Semi-hydroponics means that the water is wicked up using the capillary effect.
Swiss Cheese plants grow great in leca alone. Organic material, such as too-wet soil, causes rot rot. You are fine as long as the temperatures are not too cold and the roots are not submerged and above the water level.
FAQ
When should I repot my Monstera deliciosa?
Monsteras can smoothly go 2-3 years in the same pot. If you think your plant needs repotting, try taking the rootball out and checking if roots are circling at the edge of the soil. The best time of the year to repot is spring.
Why is my Monstera deliciosa drooping after repotting?
It is normal for plants to display signs of transplant shock when they are repotted recently. If you’ve done the repotting right, the foliage will look happy in a few days. If the problem persists, it may be the wrong time of the year to report, or the plant may not like its new home.
Is cactus soil good for a Monstera?
Cactus soil is not optimal for a Monstera. Although it drains well, it does not retain humidity very well. Monstera deliciosa needs soil that is not airy and retains water.
Should I use orchid bark for Monstera?
Orchid bark is a great additive to a potting mix for Monstera deliciosa. It is coarse and well-draining and allows for airflow to the roots. Orchid bark is a great choice as an additive to a Monstera potting mix.
Can I use peat moss for Monstera?
Peat moss is water-retentive and well-draining and works fine for a Monstera. Monstera deliciosa grows well in 100% peat moss. Alternatively, peat moss can be used as an ingredient for a soil mix consisting of peat moss, bark, perlite, and potting soil.
The last soil
If you get your potting mix right, Monstera care is much easier. This is why aiming for the best soil for a Monstera is so important.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.
Last update on 2023-10-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API