Instagram Worthy Plants: Monstera 101
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business.
You’ve seen them all over the internet, luscious green spaces filled with a variety of houseplants from floor to ceiling. Instagram and other social media sites are covered in beautiful rooms full of plants. So you’ve decided that you want to bring a little bit of that brightness and life into your home. The only problem is that, like a lot of people, you just aren’t sure where to start. That’s why we at Paper Leaves are happy to share a little bit of our experience and expertise with you so that you can finally live in that gorgeous plant-filled house you’ve been dreaming of. We love our plants and can certainly understand why this aesthetic has become so popular online. Plants can bring a sense of tranquility to a space that can be hard to replicate without them. For easy-to-care-for plants that will look great in your home, we recommend you start with a monstera plant, a pothos, or a snake plant. With one of these three, you will be on your way to the Instagram-worthy plant paradise you’ve been craving. Our first pick, the monstera:
Monstera
When you think about Instagram-worthy plants, these are often the first that come to mind. Their beautiful broad leaves with natural holes in them always draw attention. Luckily, these plants are also fairly simple in terms of how to take care of them. When bringing home a new plant, the three basic things you need to know are what kind of pot and soil the plant will need, what kind of light they require and how often you should be watering them.
Potting
For the monstera plant, you will want to make sure that the planter you pot it in has ample drainage. It would be best to use a porous material such as terracotta because the plant enjoys aeration, but as long as your pot has drainage holes, you should be able to use any planter that you like. You’ll want to use well-draining soil to make sure that the roots don’t stay wet for too long. As the monstera grows, it would also do it well to have a support for the stems so that it can stand upright. You can place a support into the pot when you put the soil in and use ties to attach the stem to the support. This will replicate the natural growth pattern that monstera plants find in their natural habitats. As the monstera grows, you will need to repot it so that it does not end up rootbound.
Lighting
The monstera is a plant that won’t do well in intense direct sunlight. The best place for this plant is indirect but bright sunlight.
Watering
To keep your monstera happy, it would be good to have a consistent watering schedule. The monstera likes to have the soil moist, but it is important that you don’t overwater as this could be just as damaging to the plant as underwatering. You’ll want to pick a day of the week and water either once a week or once every two weeks. In more intense light or higher temperatures, you would more than likely want to stick to the once-a-week schedule.
Troubleshooting
Wilting Leaves: If your leaves are wilting, check the soil. If it is dry, you may need to water your plant. If that doesn’t help, it may be time to repot your monstera into a bigger planter.
Yellow Leaves: If your soil is wet, you may be overwatering. Take a break and let the soil dry out.
Brown Crisp Leaves: You may be overwatering. It may also be that your plant is getting too much sunlight and the leaves are burned.
Brown Leaves with Yellow Around the Edges: This could be a fungus, you should remove affected leaves and check if you are overwatering.
TOXICITY: THIS PLANT CAN BE TOXIC TO BOTH CATS AND DOGS. PLEASE KEEP IT OUT OF REACH OF PETS.
Overall, the monstera can be a simple plant to care for that brings big results in terms of beauty. Its foliage is impressive and will make your space feel lively and vibrant. If you have any more questions beyond what is listed here, please feel free to stop by our store and talk to one of our employees or give us a call.
Written by Katherine Elsey
