Propagating Monstera Deliciosa

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One of my favorite houseplants is the Monstera Deliciosa, commonly known as the Swiss-cheese plant.

This beautiful tropical-looking plant with its mix of dark and bright green leaves, and leaf fenestrations is incredibly easy to maintain.

I bought mine at Lowe’s in December 2019, and although I have had many plants come and go since then, this particular plant is going strong. Fast forward to October 2022-the original plant is still producing leaves, and I’ve been able to grow multiple plants from the mother plant!

A 3-gallon Monstera plant can run anywhere from $35-$50 at your local garden center. All you have to do is buy a Monstera Deliciosa plant once, and then propagate! You will never have to buy another Monstera again. Plus it is so rewarding seeing the fruit of your diligent plant care.

When I first brought home my Monstera Deliciosa, I looked up how to propagate this plant, and I knew where to cut but the angle wasn’t quite right and where the node was it was hanging on by a thread, and it eventually fell off.

So I thought, “oh well-I’ll just use it as a decorative piece until it browns and shrivels. I was pleasantly surprised that despite my first cutting not being a clean cut, it still developed roots!

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I love water propagation - the Monstera Deliciosa looks incredible in a vase, and watching the roots grow week by week is extremely satisfying.

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How to Grow Multiple Monstera Deliciosa Plants from One Plant:

1. Cut a stem (whether an older leaf or baby leaf, both are fine) and make sure you cut below where a node is-this is where the root will start forming. Often times an aerial root is already beginning to form on the mother plant, so just cut below that aerial root

2. Place the cutting in a tall vase with water. That’s it! No need to keep it in direct sunlight.

3. Wait a few weeks (3-6) and let the plant do its magic, and refill the water occasionally. In about 2 months, the Monstera Deliciosa will be ready to plant. *See how the roots got longer? The longer you wait, the stronger the roots will be. 🙂

4. Place the cuttings in a small-sized pot with well-draining soil. Potting mix with extra peat moss works wonders. Peat moss will bring acidity and be the perfect environment for the Monstera to thrive. Here I am "stacking" the peat moss with the potting soil and slightly mixing it together.

Here I am “stacking” the peat moss with the potting soil and slightly mixing it together.

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5. Add braces for your young adolescent. Kind of a joke there-I had braces as a young girl lol. Anyways, Monsteras will lean as they grow taller, so a nice stake of some sort will help them stay upright and continue to put out aerial roots. A bamboo stick will work just fine when the Monstera plant is still small. Once the Monstera leaves get larger, you can transition into a larger stake.

Keep in mind that these are tropical plants and don’t need a ton of water. However, since it has been living in water for the last several weeks-months, make sure to gradually adjust the water level so the plant doesn't die of thirst.

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