Should I Mist My Monstera? (EXPLAINED)

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Monstera plants are highly sought-after indoor plants due to their unique characteristics and aesthetic abilities. However, growing a Monstera indoors can be demanding as you have to follow strict care guidelines.

One of the essential things to focus on is moisture. Read here to learn everything you need about misting Monstera and how to keep its moisture level perfect.

Monstera in the Wild

The genus Monstera consists of tropical plants such as the Monstera deliciosa native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

In their native habitat, Monstera plants grow on the forest floor, and their adventitious roots spread out. Due to their epiphytic nature, these plants develop aerial roots that allow them to anchor and grow on trees.

Monstera are accustomed to high humidity and warm temperatures in tropical forests. As such, the Monstera adapted to the harsh climate to ensure its safety and growth.

Hence, these characteristics are ingrained in their genes, and you must provide similar conditions to grow them as houseplants.

While temperature and light are factors that gardeners can control, humidity and moisture can be tricky. This is because too much moisture can lead to fungal diseases like root rot, while too little can lead to dehydration and wilting.

Hence, plant enthusiasts have come up with several methods to provide optimal moisture levels, including misting the Monstera plant.

misting monstera

Should I Mist My Monstera?

Plant owners found an easy way to provide moisture to the Monstera plants. However, misting the Monstera isn’t enough to help reach the moisture and humidity level required.

According to research, you would have to moisturize your plant once every 15 minutes if you live in areas with low humidity.

This is because, in arid areas, the warm air evaporates the mist from the Monstera leaves, and the water vanishes in a few minutes. However, what about areas where the humidity is high?

Well, in areas with high humidity levels, the air is already saturated, and misting the plants would mean that the moisture retains longer, which could lead to diseases.

To summarize, below is a list of pros and cons of misting Monstera to understand if it’s a wise choice.

A collection of different house plants: cacti, succulents, monstera deliciosa, spathiphyllum

Misting Pros

  • It helps raise the humidity levels
  • Misting a mixture of water and neem oil can prevent pests infestation
  • It helps remove dust from the leaves.

Misting Cons

  • In less humid areas, the water evaporates in a few minutes.
  • In highly humid areas, it can result in infection or infestation.
  • Misting too much can result in damaged Monstera leaves

Monstera adansonii

Do Monsteras Like Their Leaves Wet?

Monstera deliciosa is known for its enormous leaves with fenestrations. While the leaves help absorb light for photosynthesis, one downside is that they gather dust quickly. The dust accumulates and hinders light absorption.

Hence, misting the leaves and getting them wet cleans away the dust accumulating on them.

However, leaves use humidity as one of the factors to control transpiration, which is the loss of water from the leaf. Transpiration is a natural and essential process to keep the water flowing from the roots to the leaf.

When the leaves are wet, moisture around them increases, and transpiration slows down. While this isn’t damaging for the short term, a prolonged decrease in transpiration can lead to harm.

Therefore, while Monstera is a fan of being misted now and then, being bombarded with water droplets every hour is not Monster’s preferred method of getting water.

Monstera Minima

How Much Humidity Does a Monstera Deliciosa Need?

In their natural habitat, Monstera deliciosa plants are accustomed to high humidity. This is mainly because the rainforests are covered in numerous plants and trees, each transpiring and releasing moisture. Hence the air remains significantly saturated.

The ideal humidity level is above 60%. Since a forest canopy covers the Monstera, they adapted to the bright filtered light that passed through the large leaves above, requiring bright indirect light to help the plant thrive.

However, growing Monstera indoors can be different. There are numerous factors to consider when you grow Monstera deliciosa indoors. For example, the bathroom and kitchen have higher humidity than the bedroom.

Similarly, temperature and wind play a significant role. If you placed your Monstera deliciosa plants in a warmer area than it is used to, it could la to further evaporation. If your home does not have air circulation, you might want to adjust the humidity levels.

One way to ensure that you provide the Monstera deliciosa plant with the right humid environment is to check the humidity level n different areas of the house.

READ ALSO: Different Monstera Plants

How to Check Humidity Levels of Your House

Humidity inside a home varies depending on the seasons and the area. Hence you will have to check the humidity levels multiple times while you grow a Monstera plant. The best way to check the humidity inside your home is to use a hygrometer.

A hygrometer is a device you can use to measure humidity in the atmosphere. While you might consider it unnecessary and burdening, a hygrometer isn’t as expensive as you think. Moreover, it is the best way to check humidity accurately.

A young woman looking at the foliage plants with a smile

Other Options Instead of Misting

While there is nothing wrong with misting the Monstera leaves now and then, better alternatives can help provide the Monstera plants with their optimal humidity conditions. You can use these methods in combination or as solo methods.

1.      Cluster Up The Plants You Own

One of the simplest ways to increase humidity is to cluster up the other plants you own with your Monstera plant to create a miniature rainforest. The plants share their moisture with neighboring plants to increase the overall humidity and retain moisture levels.

However, do not cluster them in a way that sacrifices any space for them to grow. Moreover, you will have to ensure that each plant gets the right light.

2.      Pebble Tray

Gardeners often use trays filled with pebbles and water and place them under the plant to maintain humidity. Ensure at least a couple of inches of water in the pebble tray, so it doesn’t dry out quickly. You will also have to refill the pebble trays regularly.

humidifier beside monstera plant

3.      Humidifier

One of the best ways to maintain ideal humidity is by using a humidifier that releases mist in the air. The mist is cool so that it can prevent mold growth and bacterial diseases.

Generally, running the humidifier for around 30 minutes daily is enough to increase the humidity level. Ensure that your refill the humidifier with cold water. A warm mist humidifier can do more damage than good.

4.      Placing Monstera in a Humid Area

While not the best method, placing a Monstera plant in humid rooms of the house can help you keep humidity high.

You can place the Monstera in the bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room, where water and steam run most. The water vapor moves to the atmosphere to increase the humidity level overall.

However, you must ensure that the bathroom or kitchen receives enough light. While the kitchen generally receives indirect bright light from nearby windows, the bathroom and laundry room seldom does.

5.      Peat Moss

When potting your Monstera, add peat moss to the potting mix to help increase humidity levels and moisture. Peat moss has excellent moisture-retaining ability for moist soil and is environmentally friendly as it is made from decomposed plant matter.

Moreover, peat moss allows you to aerate the soil and improve drainage, so you won’t have to worry about over-watering your Monstera.

6.      Boiling Water

Boiling water makes it evaporate and turn into water vapors, which then travel in the air. You can boil water on the stove, place a pot on the radiator, and wait until the steam fills the room.

However, this method has some problems. You have to be present until the water is completely turned into steam. You must also keep pets and children away from the hot pot.

7.      Plastic Bag

One way to ensure high humidity levels is to cover your Monstera with a plastic bag. This creates a separate heated greenhouse for each plant. Cover the Monstera from the top of the leaves to the soil, ensuring that the leaves have enough space to grow.

While this method can increase humidity levels relatively quickly, it can lead to some problems. Accumulating moisture in the bag can lead to fungal growth, and the leaves do not have enough space to grow.

Hence, this method works best in the winter when the plant isn’t growing as actively.

8.      Sphagnum Moss Pole

If you are adamant about misting your Monstera plant, then your Monstera will do well with a sphagnum moss pole. A stake is covered with sphagnum moss with high water retention abilities and can help your Monstera plant climb.

Similarly, you can also use a coco coir pole which can retain more moisture than sphagnum moss and is more readily available. Mist your Monstera on a stake to keep it moist.

You can make a moss pole or get it from a local garden center.

Young beautiful smiling woman with her plants at home

What to Know About Temperature and Humidity Levels

One of the main factors to keep in mind when growing Monstera plants is the temperate and humidity. Both factors are detrimental to Monstera’s health and growth.

Below are some things you must know about the temperature and humidity of the Monstera.

Signs Your Monstera Needs More Humidity

Your Monstera plant needs more humidity and moisture if you notice these signs:

  • Leaves turn yellow
  • Brown Leaves
  • Wilting
  • Leaves start to drop off
  • Stunted Growth
  • Monstera feels dry to touch
  • Leaf has Crispy edges

Signs Your Monstera Needs Less Humidity

Your Monstera plant needs less humidity and moisture if you notice these signs:

  • Fungal Mould
  • Leaves feel damp to touch
  • Root Rot

How Temperature Affects Growth

Like all living organisms, plants have an optimal temperature at which they work best. For the Monstera plants, the ideal temperature for the Monstera is between 60-90 degrees Fahrenheit, and the species do not tolerate frost at all.

However, temperature plays a more significant role than that. Temperature directly affects how much water the plant gets and how much it loses. High temperatures can evaporate water faster, speeding up the Monstera’s transpiration rate.

Temperatures can increase for several reasons. Light intensity is one of the main reasons for a sudden spike in temperature. Bright direct light can raise the temperature of the atmosphere and the plant.

Similarly, while bright indirect light also raises the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere, it does not raise it much.

Interior design in urban jungle style. Modern bathroom decorated with green tropical plants and wicker home decor elements. Freestanding white tub, shower space and wash basin inside bohemian restroom

Frequently Asked Questions

1.      Should You Mist Your Monstera Plant?

There is nothing wrong with misting Monstera. You can mist your plants if you find it easier. However, if you want to maintain high humidity levels by misting, that alone will not be enough.

There are several benefits to misting your monstera plants multiple times, as it helps to clean the dust and prevent pest infestation. Misting the Monstera can increase the humidity level when your plant has been suffering from low humidity for a long time and requires urgent care.

2.      How Often Should You Mist Your Monstera Deliciosa?

Generally, your Monstera deliciosa plant will love misting a few times a day or a heavy mist once every two days. However, ensure you keep the mist pressure low and don’t do it too close to the Monstera deliciosa leaves, as they might damage the plant.

Moreover, you can mist the Monstera more frequently in direct sunlight or a high-temperature and relative humidity area.

3.      Do All Monstera Species Like Misting?

While most Monstera-like misting, some Monstera species require delicate care. Plants such as the Monstera minima or specific species of a variegated Monstera plant do not like to be misted much.

 Bottom Line: To Mist or Not to Mist

Misting plants is one of the most common ways to raise the humidity of plants. However, unlike most plants, tropical plants such as the Monstera require more delicate care. Hence, you must figure out whether misting your Monstera is right.

While misting isn’t a wrong choice, it’s not perfect. Several other methods can be used to improve misting for the Monstera plants. However, you must choose the best method for you and your tropical houseplants.