Need help for Monsty! Sheβs dying?
#Monstera I have had Monsty for about five years and need some guidance as her health is really starting to deteriorate and sheβs really stretching (should I add a plant light?). Iβve intentionally not transplanted her to a larger pot as we donβt want her to get too large for our space. Clearly she needs help. What do I do? Should I break her up and propagate her for several new ones, transplant her into a larger pot with new soil? Some of her leaves have recently gone quite brown, but sheβs putting off new ones still. Help! Thank you for any guidance you can share.

EDIT: @Borah1stev WE HAVE EXPERT AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY IN THE CHAT!!!! @SuperbRaspfern We will be treating for root rot! (YAY NO PESTS π€©π±β¨).
1. Remove from your pot, to check the roots. If there is anything brown black or mushy you have rot and will need to cut it all off. Keep only the healthy roots they will be whitish in color
Now root rot comes from a bacteria that forms in your soil and then attacks your plant. So treatment is absolutely necessary.
2. Cut off all affected roots soak what is left in:
1 part peroxide + 3 parts water and leave in the peroxide mix to soak for 5 minutes this will kill off the remaining bacteria. It will bubble pot and fizz this is good itβs killing the bacteria.
3. Next is soil the best choice is to throw it away. Itβs safest. Or bake it for 1 hour in a 200
Degree oven, not the greatest because it REALLY stinks. But itβs effective. Or the most risky way is to thoroughly flush your soil out with your peroxide mix twice! You need to be very careful and do it thoroughly because if even a teeny bit of bacteria is left your rot will come back.
4. Now the pot, it also has that pesky bacteria you must scrub it out with soapy water very well and then also scrub it down with the peroxide mix.
Now you can plant her again. Be sure to add some perlite to your soil for aeration. This will help oxygen reach those roots and avoid bacteria growth in the future.π€©π±β¨ should have a healthy baby!
Nvm here- but if you have scale / rust! So upon closer inspection in between Scale and Rust. @Borah1stev the browning on the stem matches the scale I captured on my Thai con. I think we do need to repot (same pot is a Ok! We just need to clean & disinfect. Either hydrogen peroxide or alcohol! And of course a good scrub). It might be a root issue as well. Could be root bound, which is okay! But we might need to chop some roots to repot her in the same pot. Then a nice chunky soil mix with either pearlite, orchid bark, pine bark, Leca or volcanic rock. And she should be good to go! :)
1. Remove from your pot, to check the roots. If there is anything brown black or mushy you have rot and will need to cut it all off. Keep only the healthy roots they will be whitish in color
Now root rot comes from a bacteria that forms in your soil and then attacks your plant. So treatment is absolutely necessary.
2. Cut off all affected roots soak what is left in:
1 part peroxide + 3 parts water and leave in the peroxide mix to soak for 5 minutes this will kill off the remaining bacteria. It will bubble pot and fizz this is good itβs killing the bacteria.
3. Next is soil the best choice is to throw it away. Itβs safest. Or bake it for 1 hour in a 200
Degree oven, not the greatest because it REALLY stinks. But itβs effective. Or the most risky way is to thoroughly flush your soil out with your peroxide mix twice! You need to be very careful and do it thoroughly because if even a teeny bit of bacteria is left your rot will come back.
4. Now the pot, it also has that pesky bacteria you must scrub it out with soapy water very well and then also scrub it down with the peroxide mix.
Now you can plant her again. Be sure to add some perlite to your soil for aeration. This will help oxygen reach those roots and avoid bacteria growth in the future.π€©π±β¨ should have a healthy baby!
Nvm here- but if you have scale / rust! So upon closer inspection in between Scale and Rust. @Borah1stev the browning on the stem matches the scale I captured on my Thai con. I think we do need to repot (same pot is a Ok! We just need to clean & disinfect. Either hydrogen peroxide or alcohol! And of course a good scrub). It might be a root issue as well. Could be root bound, which is okay! But we might need to chop some roots to repot her in the same pot. Then a nice chunky soil mix with either pearlite, orchid bark, pine bark, Leca or volcanic rock. And she should be good to go! :)
Hi !! @Borah1stev Iβm sorry to hear about the issues :( I didnβt have mine long but itβs already outside on timeoutππ₯Ή anyway.. Iβm wondering if you can see anything underside of the leaves?? What about any rice shaped or size bugs? When you wipe the leaves does the orange dust come off (pic 3)? It looks like Rust, Thrips, or maybe Scale. All very treatable! Like you were saying though, she is reaching for the light. It would be best to set her up with a nice bright light!
@Prentyce thank you for the quick response! Honestly I hadnβt noticed and thought this was dust (NYC is DUSTY!). Are these annoying thrips?
@Prentyce awesome thank you! Will work on this today!
@Borah1stev I also thought my scale was dusty dust π₯Ήπ€©π±!! Same!! Ummm I think protocol is insecticidal soap (youβll have to submerge the whole thing, including the pot π₯Ή). If possible in potentially your shower? Or a giant moving box? Hmmm New York is not friendly toward large plants is it π₯Ήπ₯Ί?
@Borah1stev neem oil is amazing though! Iβd finish off with a spray or wipe down of neem oil π€© to help prevent and protect π€©π± apply at night to make sure you donβt experience leaf burn π€©π±β¨ best of luck!! Let me know if you have any questions :)
@Prentyce generally nothing large is friendly in a NY apartment! Someday Iβll have a house and a yard!!! π½π‘π±πͺ΄πͺ»
@Prentyce would you mind helping her out with the treatment? You got this!
@SuperbRaspfern AHHH !!! GOOD MORNING YOU BEAUTIFUL ANGEL QUEEN GENIUS EXPERT WONDERFUL PERSON! You are AMZING!!! HIII!!π€©β¨π₯³π±
@SuperbRaspfern @Prentyce ok am about to take her out of her pot. Just follow general rules for root rot?
@Borah1stev WE HAVE EXPERT AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY IN THE CHAT!!!! @SuperbRaspfern We will be treating for root rot! (YAY NO PESTS π€©π±β¨) treatment is hydrogen peroxide!! We have to repot (disinfect pot and remove soil). Next weβll rinse those roots real good to inspect for stringiness, mushiness, foul odor, can be slimy, etc! Chop with sterilized cutters - isopropyl alcohol - any of the infected roots! Next weβll want to put her in a bath of hydrogen peroxide/ water. 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 8 parts water (unless you have 3% hydrogen peroxide lol). We want to let her sit and in that to put the hydrogen to work on killing the bad bacteria!! Then repot and your golden π€©π±β¨ should have a healthy baby!
@Borah1stev lol if you already now Iβm triple double sorry π₯Ήβ¨ Iβm so happy itβs not thrips or rust or scale π€©π₯³
@Prentyce for the hydrogen bath, how long should she soak?
@Borah1stev I did my Thai con 15 minutes! Until it stops bubbling works too. Itβs up to you! :)π€©π±β¨
Hey @Prentyce do you have instagram? If so follow me on @sunflowershannons that way occasionally we can help each other out privately through messages.
@SuperbRaspfern YES! Following now π€©β¨π±
@Prentyce @SuperbRaspfern Omg I am both so angry and also feeling so cruel to my sweet Monsty! Just pulled her out of her original nursery pot (11β) to start the serger! look what the nursery did. There was a 6β pot wrapped around this little lovely thing, embedded in an 11β pot. No wonder sheβs gasping for help! Am so annoyed.
@Borah1stev YAS FOR A SAVE YOU ARE A FREAKING HERO *yells at marching band* PLAY THE MUSIC!! You have saved a life today! You did this with your own two hands!! I hope you are proud of yourself because I am SO PROUD OF YOU!π€©β¨π±π±π± yay!!! Repot for the win!!! :) Iβm so sorry they did that to you! We found gloves in my last root rot repot π₯Ή I am so happy though!!!! You will have the most impeccable monstera π€©π±π₯Ήβ¨
@Borah1stev oh my gosh! A second pot? That is completely crazy. Poor baby. They like a tight pot, but they still need a nice chunky soil so the roots can breathe. Ugh. I always recommend the YouTuber @killthisplant because he is fearless with monsteras. I barely saved mine from root rot, but my two others are super happy campers and bringing endless joy. I saved two leaves when the mother got root rot, but they are both growing gorgeous roots. Justice for Monsty!
@Prentyce ok letβs see how she recovers! All settled back in. Sick leaves trimmed and nice clean roots, new soil and a plant light Iβll start as well. Am sure sheβll be in a bit of shock for a while, but thank you for the guidance and emotional support π€£
@teacher12 the hijinx of the plant nursery! I swear it was a lazy βrepotβ so the NYC nursery could charge for an 11β (a monstera goes for a healthy premium here). I bought this one damaged since it was on sale, and wow did I get a surprise all these years later!
@Borah1stev seriously, I get so irritated and angry with what some nurseries do to plants. Iβm thankful that @Prentyce gave you good helpful advice.
There is a reason why if I buy a plant I immediately take it out of the nursery pot and inspect roots etc. and give them fresh soil and new pots. I just know nurseries donβt care for our plants the way we do. So even though MANY people say not to, I always take a looke myself!
I have never hurt a plant by doing that and I have a LOT of plants. It always helps to find little issues early and take preventative measures.
There is a reason why if I buy a plant I immediately take it out of the nursery pot and inspect roots etc. and give them fresh soil and new pots. I just know nurseries donβt care for our plants the way we do. So even though MANY people say not to, I always take a looke myself!
I have never hurt a plant by doing that and I have a LOT of plants. It always helps to find little issues early and take preventative measures.
@Borah1stev yay!!! Nice and cozy π€©π± and sheβs gonna fit so well now!!! Actually I feel like sheβll triple in size and youβll be pissed you didnβt downsize the pot ππ ahhh!!! Iβm so excited to she her thrive in your care nowπ€©π±β¨ congratulations again on your amazing save!