Monstera Dubia 2021 Ultimate Care Guide

Monstera Dubia is most popular with aroid enthusiasts. It is grown for the leaf over the flowers.

The Monstera Dubia plant is originating from Mexico and found in Trinidad and southern Tropical America. It grows in a shingle-like manner and grows best as a houseplant to shingle up.

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Plant profile

1. Common name

Monstera Dubia is an exotic perennial climber with the common name Shingle Plant.

2. Size

A young plant can have a height of twenty centimeters, while a mature plant can reach one meter. The young plant spread can reach ten centimeters. The mature plant spread can reach fifty centimeters.

3. Light requirement

It is recommended to provide suitable lighting so your Monstera Dubia plant can perform photosynthesis. The plant requires bright indirect light to thrive well.

If you place the plant in the complete shade, its photosynthesis process can not go through. You must avoid the plant getting direct sunlight because it can harm the plant. The leaves will become discolor and scorched when place under direct sunlight.

You do not want to place the plant in the west or south-facing window where the sun rays will shine down on the Monstera Dubia plant directly. The best place for the plant is east or north-facing window.

You can use curtains to help block the sun if it is too bright. One important thing to remember is to routinely rotate the plant so that each part of the plant receives the sun it requires.

If you decide to use artificial lights, move your plant away from the light to prevent the blaring down onto the plant.

4. Soil

Your Monstera Dubia plant requires a well-draining soil that contains high in organic matter. The best soil for Monstera Dubia plant is soil that can keep the moisture to hydrate the plant.

But you have to prevent the plant from getting too much water. Over-watering will block all that moisture from getting oxygen from the soil. The root will not receive enough oxygen.

If the root gets not enough oxygen, it will cause root rot. Root rot is caused by wet or soggy soil. If you do not fix this problem, it will kill your Monstera Dubia plant.

Use a blend of orchid bark, peat moss, and perlite. You can use the shredded or fine-grain orchid bark. You can also use sand instead of perlite.

The soil must have a pH level being neutral, between five pH to seven pH. If the soil being too acidic, it will not be suitable for the plant.

How to reduce soil acidity

Sphagnum Peat: If your soil is acidic, you can use sphagnum peat to add organic matter to the soil as well as increasing water retention. Apply 2” layer of sphagnum peat into the soil at least one foot deep.
Aluminum Sulfate and Iron Sulfate: For a fast solution, you can apply these materials to the soil, but make sure not to apply more than about five pounds per one hundred square feet.
Acidifying Fertilizer: Fertilizers that contain ammonium nitrate, urea, or amino acids can reduce the acidic effect on the soil.
Mulches and Compost: Applying organic compost and mulches will lower your soil pH.

How to raise soil acidity

Lime: Limestone raises your soil’s pH to make it less acidic. There are two types: calcitic limestone (calcium carbonate) and dolomitic limestone that adds magnesium to the soil. Pulverized lime comes in powder form that acts faster, but the powder tends to clog spreaders. The granular or pelletized types of limestone take longer to break down and spread soon. Hydrated lime is the fastest-acting lime but easy to overdose.
Wood Ash: This organic material can turn your soil less acidic. Apply 1/2″ of wood ash over your soil and blend it into the soil about one foot deep. This application takes little amount over several years but a very effective and great way to recycle fireplace ashes.

5. Temperature

The best temperature condition for the Monstera Dubia plant is between 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Growth will stop when the temperature dips below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

You have to avoid the plant being in frost conditions, or your plant will die off. During the cold weather, it is best to take the plant indoor.

It is recommended to grow this plant outdoors if you are in USDA zones of 10 to 11. The zones are the right temperature range.

6. Humidity

The Monstera Dubia plants are happy to be in a high humidity condition when the environment is over 50%. However, the plant can thrive well in dry conditions occasionally.

To maintain the humidity around the plant, you can mist two times a week. Do the misting in the morning hours, so if there is excess water can dry.

Cleaning the leaves may be needed indoors. You can place two to three drops of dish soap into water.

Use a clean cloth and dip into the water. Wipe down the leaves after you wring the cloth from the excess of water.

You can clean the leaves every month to eliminate dust on the leaves and keep pests away.

Another method is to use a pebble tray by filling a tray to the top with pebbles. Fill the pebble tray with water.

Place your plant pot on top of the pebbles, so when the water evaporates, it goes right to the plant.

How to grow and care Monstera Dubia plant

1. Fertilizer

The Monstera Dubia plants can be developed by fertilizing sparingly at least six inches away from the base. Fertilize three times per year with a slow time-released fertilizer product.

The plant will grow very slow if you do not have a fertilizer application. You have to avoid using heavy salts in inexpensive fertilizers. This cheap fertilizer will damage the roots and may kill the plant.

The Monstera Dubia does not require any special fertilizer. All you have to apply is the indoor liquid fertilizer. You have to make sure that you fertilize the p lant.

2. Watering

The Monstera Dubia plants can be watered like other plants. You must be careful that the plant must not be under-water or over-water.

Under-water will cause the plant to be dehydrated that may lead to the death of the plant. Over-watering will cause the plant to be root rot.

Because the soil has too much water, your plant can not receive moisture from the soil. Your Monstera Dubia will die from root rot or dehydration.

You can discover when to water the plant. If you pick up the plant pot, and it is heavy, it still has water. On the other hand, if it is light, it is time to water the plant.

You can also stick your finger in the soil about two inches deep. If you feel that the soil is dry, you require to water your plant. If the soil is moist, you can water the plant a few days later.

The best time to water the Monstera Dubia plant is about one time every seven days. Lower your watering frequency during the cold winter months. Cold soil keeps water longer than a plant in the summer.

3. Potting

The Monstera Dubia plants Re-potting needs to be re-potted when the roots clog the drainage holes. When the roots outgrow the pot, you need to re-pot the plant immediately.

The best time to re-pot the Monstera Dubia plant is in every two years. Purchase pot or container that is slightly bigger than the current pot.

You have to avoid giving the root too much space. This condition can make the plant gets confused and will stress out.

If this happens, the plant is vulnerable to diseases and pests.

4. Propagation

Monstera Dubia plants can be propagated using cuttings and with separation.

a. Stem cuttings

Before doing the stem cutting, you have to have sterilized pruning shears. All you have to do is put them in isopropyl alcohol in your home.

When you trim, prune below a leaf node. Leave two leaves behind and trim between four inches and seven inches.

After the trimming, you have to create a calloused end to help with growth. To do this, leave the cutting out in a warm area. It would take seven days for a calloused end to develop.

Prepare the plant pot, as you wait for stem cutting to callous. Make sure to purchase a pot plant that has drainage holes with the soil that is well-draining.

When you see the stem cutting has calloused, the cutting is ready to be planted. Place the cutting sit about two inches below the soil.

This practice will keep the plant have the best stability. The calloused end must be in the soil to help with rooting.

b. Separation

To propagate using the separation, it is separating the Monstera Dubia plant into two plants. It would be best if you prepared sterilized pruning shears with isopropyl alcohol.

The best condition for separation is when the soil is moist. Prepare the plant pot ready.

The plant pot must have drainage holes. Pack the plant pot with your potting soil mix. Never pack it too hard, and the pack needs to be loose enough so that water can flow through to the drainage holes.

Remove the plant from the soil, and be careful because you do not want to damage the gentle roots. Shake off soil that is sticking to the roots, or you can run them underwater.

Prune the Monstera Dubia plant in half with the pruning shears. Never ruin any leaves or the stem of the plant.

Now that you have two separate plants plant them in two separate plant pots. Pack the soil around these plants tightly to create stability.

Place the plants in a north-facing window, and water the new plant before the soil gets dry. Treat them as mature plants.

5. Pests and problems

There are no major problems with the Monstera Dubia plant, and it is an easy plant. There are two pests that are likely to infest the plant. They are scale insects and red spider mites.

Spider mites can be deadly before you even know there is a problem. They suck out the sap because the sap is full of hydration and nutrition.

The spider mites are getting everything your plant requires to go through photosynthesis that can cause the plant to stop growing and thrive. The plant will die by the infestation of spider mites.

They can damage the plant and leave small flecks.

The other infestation is by soft brown scale insects that are difficult to see. They are hard to eliminate, breed quickly, and take over a plant in no time.

Scale insects suck the sap from your Monstera Dubia plant. When they infest, your plant is in trouble.

You can try to get rid of them using neem oil. Mix water with neem oil in a clean spray bottle. Shake well before you spray.

These pests will suffocate and lead to their death. All you have to do when they die is wipe all the dead pests off your plants. Treat the plant in two days from the first treatment.