The typical houseplant is able to thrive in a humidity level that ranges between 40% to 60%. But not all houseplants are the same.
In this post, we are going to take a look at:
- Does a Monstera plant require humidity?
- What is the right amount of humidity for Monstera plants?
- How to get the ideal amount of humidity for Monstera plants?
- What about misting?
…and much more.
Understanding Humidity in House Plants and Monstera Plants
Many houseplants come from a tropical warm, and humid environment where the temperature and humidity levels can be higher than 80% as compared to the natural humidity levels in a house. It is important to create the right humidity level for houseplants, especially Monstera plants, since the chief culprit when it comes to health issues in plants is often the home’s environment.
This can be tricky when it comes to keeping indoor plants, mainly because most households tend to have air conditioning during the summer, which spreads cold air throughout the house while sucking up all the moisture.
In winter months, the heating system turns the air dry, which can also cause houseplants to end up with dry leaves. In short, the unhealthy appearance of a Monstera plant is often the result of inadequate humidity levels.
Why Is Humidity an Important Factor for Plants?
Every plant has countless pores located at the underside of the leaves, which are known as stomata. The water in plants evaporates through these tiny pores, which also helps keep the plants cool while also allowing the flow of water and essential nutrients throughout the plant.
The stomata also play a pivotal role in photosynthesis, helping the plant absorb carbon dioxide while releasing oxygen. In warm climates, plants lose water continuously, which can result in dehydration.
When this happens, plants close down the stomata, blocking the water from evaporating quickly; however, if the stomata remain closed, the plants are unable to absorb carbon dioxide, which in turn, leads to stunting the plant’s growth and shedding leaves.
Since plants tend to dehydrate quickly, humidity is a key factor in keeping them healthy. The only way to keep houseplants healthy is by making sure the humidity level is ideal for the particular houseplant, which in this case, is the Monstera.
Do Monstera Plants Like Humidity?
While the Monstera is not considered to be too demanding when it comes to its environment, Monstera like humidity that’s close to tropical climate conditions. If you are keeping Monstera plants that are from dry climates, such as the Monstera Deliciosa, then it is a good idea to use a humidifier to increase the humidity level around the plant. This means you will need to measure humidity levels to ensure the plant has adequate humidity in humid rooms.
Humidity Affects Monstera
Since the Monstera plants are mostly found in tropical climates, they thrive in environments where there is more moisture in the air. This is why for optimal growth, it is advised to raise humidity levels for a Monstera plant when kept indoors where there’s no direct sun. That said, too much humidity can be fatal for the plant since it does not do well in an indoor greenhouse-like environment.
It is easy to detect whenever a Monstera plant is not getting enough of its humid forest condition. One of the visible signs of a Monstera plant that’s lacking the right average humidity level is leaves that are gradually browning or yellowing. You are also going to notice the plant wilting or stooping to one side. Another major sign that your Monstera houseplant needs more humidity is the leaves starting to fall off.
How Much Humidity Do Monstera Plants Need?
Because they are native to the tropics, Monsteras thrive in environments with high humidity and warmer temperatures. In these circumstances, Monstera deliciosa can grow enormously, occasionally reaching heights of up to 60 feet on a tree’s side.
Temperatures that range from 65° to 90° F, humidity levels not less than 60% or 80%, and six hours of indirect sunshine each day are the ideal conditions for Monstera deliciosa. In order to maintain this plant in your house, attempt to mimic the circumstances found in its natural environment as closely as you can.
Is Humidifiers or Misting – Which Is Better for Monstera Deliciosas?
Even while you may spritz your Monstera plant a few times, this is not the best way to get the ideal humidity level, particularly if you reside in an area where the relative humidity is below 40%.
The water droplets will start evaporating as soon as you spritz your plant there since the air will be warm and dry. As a result, the moisture level wouldn’t stay high for very long. You must therefore come up with different methods to make sure that the air surrounding your Monstera plant stays wet for a long period. Since water evaporates in warm temperatures, to retain moisture, make sure the plant gets enough humidity and air circulation along with using a better potting mix.
To recreate that natural habitat of a lush tropical forest climate in your living room, all you have to do is use the ice cube method.
Do Monsteras Like Misting?
It certainly helps to raise the humidity to the required humidity level to create that greenhouse environment in which these plants thrive. Monstera prefers a lot of moisture in the air because it is a native of the tropics. For optimum development, provide ordinary to above-average relative humidity levels. Wetting its leaves often helps the Monstera stay healthy. You can also position it next to other plants to boost the humidity of the air around your Monstera plant.
Almost any atmosphere will be favorable for this plant, but if you want to give it a particular treat, spritz it once a week with a Mister. The water will have plenty of time to evaporate before dark if you spritz your Monstera in the morning. For your Monstera, a typical room temperature between 60 and 80 degrees is ideal.
Tips for Misting a Monstera Plant
Many various kinds of indoor plants, especially those indigenous to tropical regions, benefit from misting. Your indoor plants’ health can significantly improve with daily watering by utilizing a cheap spray bottle.
In a spray bottle, add lukewarm (tepid) water. Use filtered water that is free of pollutants like fluoride, chlorine, and other toxins. Set the nozzle’s fine mist function. Plants should always be misted early in the day so the leaves can dry off. Spray the top and bottom of the leaves with water, then let the water rest there for a while. Leaves shouldn’t be wiped down.
Tips to Get the Right Amount of Humidity for Your Monstera Plant
There are several ways in which you can ensure that the humidity level indoors is ideal for the healthy growth of the Monstera plant.
Since Monsteras are tropical plants, they thrive in damp soil. Therefore, it is best to water a Monstera plant when the top of the container looks to have dry dirt. To test the soil, stick your finger into it. Consider watering your plant as soon as you can if the top 2 inches appear to be dry. It is crucial since a dry or warm climate or insufficient water might cause your Monstera plant’s leaves to droop. On the other hand, overwatering can also be detrimental to your plant and cause yellowing of the leaves.
You may even think about putting a pebble tray next to or underneath your Monstera plant. Grab any old tray and fill it with pebbles. The Monstera plant must then be set on top of the stones after some water has been added.
This is quite effective because as the water slowly evaporates, the air becomes more humid. However, you should fill the tray with a lot of water because it might lead to root rot. Additionally, just a small area may be used to raise humidity levels, so you must make sure it’s dry and warm enough. If not, mold may grow since the water wouldn’t evaporate rapidly.
Misting your plants is one of the simplest methods to add more moisture. Your high-humidity plants will undoubtedly appreciate the moisture-rich mist on their foliage.
Keep water in a spray bottle next to your plants so you may sprinkle them if the atmosphere seems dry. You should never water plants directly with chlorinated tap water. For houseplants, chlorine is poisonous. As an alternative, let the water stand for 24 hours to let the chemical vaporize.
Spraying your plants makes the air around them more humid, but it has little effect on the humidity levels in the air as a whole. Additionally, this approach won’t significantly increase the humidity levels.
How to Know If Your Monstera Plant Needs Humidity?
There are several red flags to look out for to ensure that your Monstera plant doesn’t die due to inadequate humidity levels in your home.
Yellowing Leaves
There are several causes of yellow leaves, including a lack of nutrients, direct sunshine, and water problems. But if you find a lot of leaves turning yellow, your dry living environment is to blame for the low humidity.
Stunted Growth
Plants cannot photosynthesize or produce their nourishment in dry circumstances, which stunts their development. Due to the scarcity of nutrients, the plants in this scenario choose survival above active growth.
Wilting
When a plant is very dry, it wilts, but low humidity can also create wilting-like symptoms. In a dry atmosphere, you will see drooping leaves and browning stems. Your plants might sustain irreparable harm if humidity levels are not increased quickly.
My name is Daniel Elrod, and I have been houseplant love ever since I was 17. I love how much joy they bring to any room in the home. I’ve always been amazed at how a few pots of flowing leaves can turn a drab and sterile office into an inviting place where people love to work at.
