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Posted 4w ago by @SucculentSavant

Should I repot my Monstera?

I just picked up my first Monstera from Lidl about a week ago! I’ve heard it’s generally a good idea to repot store-bought plants into fresh soil after bringing them home since the soil they come in isn’t always the best quality.

I was planning to repot my Monstera today, but after some research, I learned that repotting in winter (their dormant season) can be risky.

So now I’m stuck wondering, what’s riskier?
β€’ Leaving my Monstera in the soil it came in, which might not be ideal, until spring?
β€’ Or repotting it now during its dormant season?

A few other things to note:
β€’ It has several large roots sticking out well above the soil line, with one root visibly circling the perimeter of the pot.
β€’ I checked underneath the pot, and there are roots visible at the bottom too.

Is it normal for Monsteras to have exposed roots like this on top and/or bottom, or is this a sign that it’s rootbound? If it’s rootbound, I might need to repot nowβ€”but I’m not entirely sure.

What would you recommend? Any advice would be greatly appreciated πŸ™πŸ½πŸŒ±
#Monstera #HappyPlants
4ft to light, direct
11” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 week ago
In my opinion she looks pretty healthy. I would acclimate her to your environment for a while before repotting it. Let her soil almost completely dry out before you choose to rewater again to prevent root rot. You may also want to quarantine her away from your other plants for a while to ensure there arent any pests secretly hiding. The exposed roots at the top are arial roots and were directed back into the soil to allow them to take up more nutrients, so there’s no rush to bury them. Monsteras like a snug pot and don’t mind being quite rootbound πŸ‘€. Good luck!! 😍
Generally its okay to repot indoor house plants in the winter, especially if they are showing signs of being root-bound or if you need to move them to a larger pot, but it's important to be mindful that if they are in a semi-dormant state during this time, you should handle them very carefully to not stress them out. If it is not rootbound then consider waiting until late winter when more light is available for better recovery after repotting.
@Kapuac I thought so too! At least for now - I just don’t want to make any mistakes. I think I’ll take your advice and leave her be til she shows signs of needing intervention.

The only other question is when to water… her soil is so stiff that it’s difficult to even break the top layer to check. But as you say, she seems to like it that way πŸ˜… Guess I’ll just wait to see signs of dehydration 🀞🏽

Thank you for the advice and well wishes 🀍
@SelfmadeSalsify That’s what I thought, as well, given the temperature doesn’t change much. But I read they also choose their dormancy by other factors (hours of daylight, humidity, etc) so I’m apprehensive.

I can’t tell whether she’s root bound without taking her out - maybe I’ll do just that, and if she is truly root bound, repot. Otherwise we will wait till late winter/early spring πŸ™πŸ½
Just reported mines on its water day . I always take chances when I notice there not doing good I usually wait till there water day
@Sept_girl I tend to do the same, and so far, it's only benefitted me.

Your monstera looks great! I might pull mine out just to check if it's rootbound. I don't have any roots coming out of the bottom like yours had, but I do see them circling the pot.

I've also got a few drooping/yellowing/torn leaves. The holes were there when I got her - not sure if it was a pest or just rough handling. But the drooping must mean something... Got to narrow down the possibilities.
Well y’all… turns out she was very much root bound. Glad I decided to check. Now comes the task of loosening her roots without damaging them πŸ™ƒ
@SucculentSavant sooo beautiful though ! Healthy roots
@SucculentSavant I water mine every 10 days