Monstera deliciosa, more popularly known as the Swiss cheese plant, is a species of flowering plant native to tropical forests of southern Mexico, south to Panama.
It has been trending for a long time now, and the trend is justified.
The Swiss cheese plant is an exotic plant, which is an excellent choice if you want a houseplant that is a change from your tiny desk plants.
This plant grows larger than the common houseplants and is excellent to fill in the corner that has been lonely since Christmas.
The Monstera deliciosa owes its popularity to its uniquely perforated green leaves that can spice up any place. In addition to its striking look, it requires minimal care. It cleans the air of your home, making it purer and healthier for you to breathe.
In addition, it is one of the few plants that are large enough so you can place it in the house to spruce up the entire interior of the house.
If it were me, I would buy it for the memorable name and treat it for the eyes.
If you own a swiss cheese plant, you might be wondering how long it will take for it to grow to a specific size so that you can shift it to the emptier corner.
Or if you are thinking of buying one, you might be wondering how long before you have to repot it or before you repot it.
How fast does Monstera grow?
A monstera deliciosa grows about 2 feet in a year, under the right conditions. Like most tropical plants, this plant also requires ample water, adequate sunlight, well-fertilized and well-draining soil to grow correctly.
If you provide all this primary care, the swiss cheese plant grows its best, and you can be sure of its long life. And the point to be noted is that this plant is not very high maintenance. However, just a little attention goes a long way in contributing to its growth and new leaves’ growth.
Growth in monstera deliciosa plants is not only vertical but also horizontal. So, naturally, this plant tends to become bushier rather than taller. However, that is not a problem.
The more bushes this plant has, the more leaves it will produce, ultimately increasing the height. This property of the monstera deliciosa plant is especially beneficial if you do not want to buy new plants but grow them independently. You can take the cuttings from your monstera deliciosa plant and grow them on their own.
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Factors that can affect the growth of a monstera
The growth of the monstera deliciosa plant entirely depends on your approach to it.
To ensure that you give the best possible care to your monstera plant, you need to know what factors contribute to its growth.
I have listed the most important factors that affect the growth of a swiss cheese plant.
Light
Light is a crucial contributing factor when we talk about the growth of the monstera deliciosa plant.
When we keep the plant inside, it is generally to improve the house’s interior or to have fresh air while we work or sleep.
We tend to forget about the light needs of the plant. Plants need light to produce food through a process called photosynthesis.
Although this plant can survive in a wide range of lighting conditions, the ideal is 10 to 12 hours of bright indirect light every day. In these conditions, this plant is happiest.
Know how much light does monstera plant need here
Time of year
Monstera deliciosa plants grow the most during summertime and very little during winter.
If you are providing the proper required care and still the plant is not growing, it is maybe because of the season.
Winters is the dormancy period for these plants. If you fertilize or water more during the dormant season, it is all futile.
Watering
Overwatering or underwatering are the two factors that equally affect the growth of swiss cheese plants.
This plant tells you when you do not fulfill its requirements. If the leaves are wilting or turning brown, change your watering schedule.
Also read: When should you water monstera
Nutrients in soil
The concentration of nutrients in soil affects the growth of all plants, and your Monstera is no exception.
Natively, the monsteras grow in the wild, where there are plenty of natural and organic sources that maintain the number of nutrients in the soil.
But in our houses, when they are grown as indoor plants, we have to make sure that the soil is healthy enough to keep the monstera plant satisfied.
Humidity
Being native to the tropics, the monstera plant does not care for low humidity levels.
Since they are grown in our homes, we can control the humidity to make the plant happier. Low humidity levels make the leaves dry, and eventually, it starts affecting the whole plant.
It might reduce the moisture level in the plant to such an extent that even watering cannot quench its thirst, and it stops growing.
How long does it take for Monstera to grow a new leaf?
If you give proper care and enough attention to your monstera plant, you can expect one new leaf in 4 to 6 weeks. Are you not satisfied? Read further.
It is when your plant is new. As the growth of the plant progresses, the number of new leaves growing also increases.
The bushier the plant, the more growth points it will have for new leaves to emerge.
How do you speed up Monstera’s growth?
Earlier in this article, we learned about the factors affecting the growth of a monstera plant.
If you alter those factors to be ideal for your plant’s growth, the plant will grow at the ideal speed. So, let us see how we can speed up the monstera growth.
Sufficient lighting
Since monstera plants grew under the shade of high tropical plants’ canopy, they do not expect direct light.
Direct light is strictly not recommended as that will scorch the leaves.
And keeping the plant in the complete shade is also not good for its health as the plant will not be able to make sufficient food, leading to weaker stems and unsplit leaves.
Caring according to seasons
Providing proper nutrition during the growing season is very important to boost the growth of monstera plants.
Water the plant regularly and fertilize whenever needed to restore the number of nutrients in the soil.
But do not overdo it in the winters when the plant is in dormancy. It is harmful to your plants as it may cause fungal infections or other problems due to overfeeding.
It happens because when the plant is not growing, its food and water requirements also decrease.
Excessively feeding them during that time does more harm than good. Let the plant rest, and you take a break from caring.
Adequate watering
Watering every 5 to 7 days is ideal for your Monstera to thrive. However, it would help if you did not treat this as a strict rule.
You need to water this plant when the soil is dry. And when you do water it, do it thoroughly. But watering needs to be reduced in the dormancy season.
Fertilize
Fertilizers maintain the content of nutrients in the soil.
The monstera plant needs several micro and macronutrients to survive. Use the proper fertilizer and use it in the proper amount for optimal growth of your plant.
Avoid it in the winters and use it as required in the growing season.
Maintain humidity levels:
If your house has low humidity levels because of the climatic conditions or the heating systems, mist the plant to maintain the moisture around it.
You can also keep it in a tray filled with pebbles and water to create a humid vicinity.
Is Monstera easy to grow?
Yes, monstera plants are pretty easy to grow.
They can survive neglect for quite some time and even show you the signs that it needs attention.
Once you attend to it, it returns to its former glory. Plus, newer plants can be grown from the old ones very quickly.
Conclusion
In this article, we saw the growth rate of the monstera plant, its factors, and how to boost it. So don’t wait any longer. Instead, buy that trendy plant now that you know you can care for it.