How to Care for a Monstera Plant | The 4-Step Checklist

So you got your first monstera plant. Now what? What are the basics of monstera care so you can keep this gorgeous plant green and healthy?

No worries! We’ve got this handy checklist to help you cover the basics!

Here’s everything you need to start taking the best possible care of any monstera variety, including all the resources and products you’ll need!

Table of Contents

Step 1: Choose the right pot and soil.

You will need:

A pot with drainage holes that is 2-3 inches larger than your monstera’s root ball
A loamy, fast-draining soil that’s fairly peaty

Try our Premium Monstera Soil that’s ready to use right out of the bag, or try this special recipe that’s perfect for monsteras and other aroids. If you’re in a pinch and need to pot your monstera right away, a gritty cactus soil with some peat moss mixed in will do!

Resources:

The Best Soil for Monstera Plants

Step 2: Assess your light.

You will need:

A light meter or this guide to determine your home’s light level

Your monstera will need at least 8 hours daily of bright, indirect sunlight to thrive and produce lots of big, green, fenestrated leaves!

Resources:

How Much Light Does a Monstera Need?

4 Signs Your Monstera Needs More Light

Houseplant Grow Lights

Step 3: Dial in your watering routine.

You will need:

A moisture meter, wooden stick, or your finger

Water your monstera when the top 2-3 inches of soil feel dry to the touch, when a wooden stick inserted into the soil comes out mostly dry, or when a moisture meter reads 3-4.

When it’s time to water, you can water from the top or bottom.

Resources:

How to Water a Monstera: The Ultimate Guide

Should You Bottom Water a Monstera Plant?

The Best Monstera Moisture Meter for Your Monstera Plant

Step 4: Choose the right fertilizer.

You will need:

Monstera Plant Food or another gentle, liquid fertilizer with a 5-2-3 NPK ratio

Fertilize your monstera with each watering during the spring and summer and 1-2 times per month during the fall and winter, if you’re using Monstera Plant Food. If you use another fertilizer, make sure to follow the usage direction on the bottle.

Resources:

How to Reverse Overfertilization in Monsteras

The Best Fertilizer for Monstera Deliciosa

Bonus Checklists

Now that you’ve got the basics, it’s time to level up! Learn more about caring for your monstera, helping it to grow, and growing your monstera collection the easy and budget-friendly way (because who doesn’t want more monsteras?)!

Knowledge is power, and the Monstera Resource Center is full of great posts, products, and resources for helping you grow the most beautiful monstera possible!