The Monstera has been at the peak of the recent houseplant craze for several years now. Beloved for their beautiful fenestrated leaves, interest shows no signs of waning.
If you haven’t already, you can follow the Monstera trend using one of the many propagation methods available. And if you already have one (or more), you can use these methods to make even more of your favorite plants.
3 Ways to Propagate Monstera
1. Stem cuttings
Cutting the stems is one of the easiest ways to propagate a Monstera. With healthy leaves, the cutting can also serve as a decorative element and eventually grow into a whole new plant.
choose a tribe
Look at your plant and identify a healthy green stem with at least one leaf. Thicker stems that already have aerial roots are more likely to root successfully. Aerial roots also speed up the process, allowing you to transplant faster.
For small plants, it is best to take a maximum of one or two cuttings so as not to shock the mother plant. On larger plants, take several cuttings and root them all at once to produce a fuller new plant or several Monsteras.
make a cut
Once you’ve identified the perfect stem, grab a sharp knife or pruner. Make sure your tools are clean and free of debris to avoid spreading disease to your cuttings or mother plant.
Follow the stem to the node near the base of the plant. Cut the stem just below the node so as not to damage the roots or the structure of the node.
If there are any side shoots or extra leaves, cut them off to leave one or two leaves on the plant. This ensures that most of the energy is spent producing new roots rather than maintaining existing foliage.
carrot in water
Of all the wonderful houseplants to propagate, Monsteras are the best to propagate in water. Its beautiful leaves are often used for decoration and in bouquets, so its propagation season can serve as decoration while waiting for the roots to grow.
For this process, a specialized propagation station is ideal to really pop the leaves. However, any glass or vase large enough to support the stems will do.
Fill the glass with filtered or distilled water at room temperature and insert the stem into the bottom. The bias cut ensures that the bottom no longer rests on the bottom of the glass, preventing water absorption. Move the vase to a warm place with bright indirect light, as direct sunlight can scorch the leaves.
Refill the water every few days and change it completely once a week, clean the glass and replace it to prevent bacteria growth.
You can also root directly into the ground if you want to skip the transplanting step. However, this makes it impossible to track the progress of root growth. You must patiently wait for new shoots to emerge from the soil to determine if your propagation efforts have been successful.
Transplantation
When the roots have reached a few centimeters in length, transplant the cutting into fresh potting soil. Although you can leave the cutting in water with additional fertilizer, the longer you leave the cutting in water, the harder it will be for it to adapt to soil conditions later on.
Fill a pot with loose, well-drained houseplant soil to prevent root rot. The pot you choose should also have plenty of drainage holes to prevent water from pooling in the container. Plant the cutting in the center of the container and press around the soil to anchor it in place.
Water immediately after planting and move to an area with bright indirect light. The plant may initially struggle after transplanting, but once established you should see new growth emerge.
2. Air Layers
Air lamination is a slightly more technical process than the other methods and requires the right tools and a steady hand. However, since the stem remains attached to the plant, it is a more reliable way to ensure healthy root growth without completely removing the stem from the plant.
find a knot
For this process to work, an incision must be made near a node. Follow the stems to the base of the plant and look for one with aerial roots. Thicker stems are easier to cut.
After choosing your rod, prep your blade by cleaning it with a 5% bleach solution to prevent the spread of disease. It also needs to be very sharp to make a clean cut that stimulates rather than inhibits root growth.
make a cut
Take your knife and make a small incision in the handle at the knot. This isn’t always a necessity, but it encourages faster root growth at the cut site due to the hormones produced by an injured plant.
Do not cut too much into the stem to limit the risk of damage. A small cut is all that is needed to encourage new growth in the area.
Envelope
Carefully fill the incision with pre-moistened peat. It should be moist but not dripping to avoid rotting. Wrap the area around the cutting with more moss until it is completely covered. Hold in place and cover with plastic wrap to seal.
You want to keep the moss moist to encourage root growth. Every few days, remove the plastic and spray it with a spray bottle to retain moisture.
Transplantation
After a few weeks you should see more roots emerging through the moss. Simply cut the stem just below the root growth and repot it in a new pot.
3. Division
If your Monstera is starting to outgrow its pot, splitting may be a better spread option. This gives each section more room to grow and you get many plants from just one almost instantly. It’s also super fun to do.
remove from pan
Take the plant out of the pot and shake off any excess soil to expose the roots. If you have trouble removing it, squeeze the sides of the jar to loosen it. You can also wash off the soil of root growth to make each section more visible.
cut into sections
Identify sections with few leaves and lots of root growth. Then separate the stems or cut them with a sharp, sanitized knife to separate the plants. Make sure the cutting is clean, as it is more susceptible to rotting and damage until it heals.
Replant
Prepare as many pots as there are divisions with well-drained potting soil for houseplants. Drill a hole in the center and plant, being careful not to plant too deeply to avoid rot. Water each of the divisions to remove air pockets and encourage new root growth.
