When to Repot Your Monstera Plant: a Step-by-Step Guide (2023)

This site is supported by our readers. We may earn a commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through links.

My friend, we stand at a crossroads. For too long, we’ve let our Monstera care routines grow lazy and complacent. We’ve neglected our repotting duties, lulled by the stability of routine. But no longer! The time has come to shake free these shackles of inertia.

Our M. deliciosa yearns for fresh soil and room to spread her roots. She cries out for renewal of purpose – and it is our sacred duty to provide it. Though change brings uncertainty, inaction promises only decay. So steel your nerves and ready your materials, companion.

Adventure awaits those bold enough to seize it! Let us tenderly remove our Monstera from her tired pot and allow her roots to breathe free. With care and patience, we’ll repot her in rich new soil, supporting her with moss poles or stakes as needed.

A new era dawns. Gone are stagnation and neglect – today, we nurture new growth!

When to Repot Monstera

You’ll want to transplant your Monstera when its roots are bursting from the drainage holes or its growth has slowed down. As an ever-growing climber native to the jungle, the Monstera depends on room for its wandering aerial roots to roam free.

Once its root ball outpaces its pot, stagnation settles in. Refresh your plant’s enthusiasm by freeing its roots into new potting soil and a pot only one or two sizes larger. Avoid shocking your Monstera by keeping the repot in its usual spot and waiting six weeks before feeding.

Why Repotting is Important

Though your monstera seems sturdy in its current home, depriving it of fresh soil would be unwise. As your monstera grows, its roots eagerly seek fresh soil but remain trapped in the same tired container.

Without repotting into larger quarters with rejuvenating, rich soil, its growth will stagnate, leaves will yellow, and roots will warp. Satisfy your thriving monstera’s need for roomier, moister soil before stunted growth sets in.

An ideal soil line replenishes the minerals and moisture that enable your monstera to unfurl ever larger, luscious leaves. Repot at the first signs of constraint, when productivity wanes. Proper soil nutrition and space keep your monstera vigorous for years to come.

Four Signs It’s Time to Repot Your Monstera

Slow growth, yellowing leaves, roots poking through the drainage holes, and depleted soil nutrients tell you it’s time for a bigger pot. As your Monstera matures, the root system expands, needing more room to access nutrients and moisture.

When constrained, growth slows, leaves yellow from inadequate nutrients, and roots desperately seek new soil.

Regularly inspect the drainage holes at the base. Protruding roots signal root bound plants begging for an upgrade. Lastly, the original soil loses its fertility over time. Repotting provides fresh, nutrient-rich mix for optimal growth.

Moving your Monstera into a slightly larger pot with fresh soil restores vigor, allowing the tropical beauty to thrive.

Materials You’ll Need

Gather together what’s needed for the fresh start your monstera deserves.

• A pot, only 1-2 sizes larger, than the current to allow room for new growth.
• Fresh, high-quality potting mix that will nourish its tropical roots.
• Clean shears to prune any damaged leaves or roots.
• Support pole or stake to maintain its climbing habit.

With the right materials, repotting your monstera will invigorate its growth. The root ball will have space to expand in new soil.

Take charge and give this classic houseplant the care it needs to thrive under your masterful green thumb.

Steps to Repot a Monstera

First, gather your supplies and prepare the new container. Next, carefully remove the plant from its current pot, gently loosen the root ball, and prune any damaged roots. Then, position the Monstera in the new pot, fill it with fresh soil, and provide support as needed before returning it to its usual spot.

Step 1: Prepare Your Container

Choose a new pot that is just 1 or 2 sizes bigger than the current one, like a crab upgrading to a slightly roomier shell. Carefully fill the new container one-third full with fresh, nutrient-rich potting mix.

Ensure that the soil is loose and fluffy – monsters thrive in free-draining soils. Gently remove the monstera, keeping the root ball and moss pole intact. Place it in the new pot, aligning it with the original soil line.

Step 2: Remove the Plant From Its Pot

Carefully detach the root ball and gently loosen it before placing the Monstera in its new home. Support the heavy plant as you tip the pot and slide it out. With your hands, massage the roots to loosen any circling patterns.

Some roots may snap, which encourages new growth. Check for any rotted or dead roots and prune with clean shears.

Step 3: Tease the Roots

Gingerly unfurl the tangled roots to breathe new life into your leafy friend.

1. Tease apart any matted roots to encourage new growth.
2. Untangle thick, woody roots from the root ball.
3. Comb through the finer threads near the base.
4. Prune away any dead or damaged roots.

Freeing your monstera’s roots from their confined cage empowers its reach. Like a trellis supporting growth, your care liberates its climb skyward.

Step 4: Tidy Up and Support (Optional)

Ahh, this is the fun part where we shape her up and prop her proud!

Tidy stray aerial roots	Help them find their way
Prune off damaged leaves	Promote healthy new growth
Stake tall or top-heavy plants	Prevent leaning and drooping

With some minor pruning and staking, our Monstera will stand tall and flourish. Her fresh soil and roomy new pot empower extensive root and leaf development.

Step 5: Start Replanting

Set the repotted beauty inside and fill her up with that fresh dirt, friend. Carefully add more potting soil while supporting her moss-covered stake until you’ve reached an inch below the container’s rim.

Gently pat the surface smooth, leaving room for water to seep in through the drainage holes.

Care After Repotting

After replanting your tender monstera, make sure to water it deeply and let it drain fully before returning it to its cache pot, so its fresh roots can stretch out in their new home without getting waterlogged.

As your monstera settles into its roomier pot, avoid overwatering or saturating the soil to prevent fungal infections.

Check for new growth in 10-14 days – you may see new leaves unfurling as it acclimates. The key is to allow time for those sensitive feeder roots to establish themselves.

Avoid fertilizing for at least 6 weeks after repotting, as the fresh soil contains nutrients.

With proper aftercare, your monstera will flourish in its new home.

Monitor for signs of transplant shock like drooping or yellowed leaves, and make adjustments to light and water as needed.

How to Water a Repotted Monstera

When quenching your newly settled beauty’s thirst, gently saturate her fresh soil until water flows freely from the drainage holes below.

• Use room temperature water to minimize shock.
• Avoid using cold water straight from the tap.
• Let the water settle for 24 hours to remove chlorine.

After a thorough initial soaking, allow excess water to fully drain before returning your precious green companion to her cache pot. As her roots reestablish in their new home, water when the top inch of soil becomes dry.

Letting the Monstera Adjust After Repotting

Give the monstera a few weeks to acclimate in its new pot before expecting vigorous growth. Repotting can be stressful for the plant, so be patient with your monstera as it adjusts.

Allow a couple of weeks for the roots to establish in the fresh soil and potting mix. While its energy is focused underground growing new roots, you may notice slower leaf growth up top. But don’t worry, once the roots adapt, the monstera will resume its usual rate of growth.

Monitor your plant’s progress and only resume fertilizing after about 6 weeks. With great care and patience, your monstera will flourish wonderfully in its new pot.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)