What is a good soil mix for monstera siltepecana? This li...
4ft to light, indirect
3” pot without drainage
Last watered 5 days ago
10
Best Answer
On my more tropical plants, I put some DIY PON (equal parts zeolite, lava rock, pumice/perlite- all 1/4”) on the bottom 2 inches of the pot. Then I make a super chunky mix. Equal parts perlite, coco husk chips, orchid bark, and 2 parts succulent soil. Now I live in UT, so it’s a bit drier here. But this keeps them well draining and their roots airy. Ever since I started this my plants are growing like crazy.
@TheOddAsity this is helpful information because I think that coco husk chips is what one of my alocasias came potted in, and that plant is so happy. I didn’t realize the difference between coco chips and coco coir, until now. I kept looking at coco coir wondering why it was so different from what I was looking for! Ha! 😄 When you rehydrate the coco chips can you store the leftover portion in a container? I read that coco coir is susceptible to bugs? How do I keep critters out of the un-used portion of rehydrated coco products?
@nellz4estfairyz I buy my coco husk chips in compressed bricks. I break off what I think I will use in that sitting, and soak in a bowl of warm water, then drain. If I have any left over, which usually isn’t a lot if any at all, I mix it into my soil bin. I have a diatomaceous earth coaster I have stuck in there, with a laundry dryer sheet. Between the 2 it keeps bugs out but I also keep it cracked to let out any moisture that’s there before I snap the lid tight.
I have a Siltepecana that I grew from cuttings. Once I found its spot, it puts on new leaves weekly. I have it in an airy mix with lots of perlite and water every 10 to 14 days keeping it on the dry side. The soil was not my issue. It was watering and just the right amount of light. One of my pickier plants. Good luck.
@CheyenneRed how much light does your like? I think I had mine in a window that was too dark for a while. It was just cuttings so I had it by the kitchen sink so I wouldn’t forget about it. I have moved it to a brighter window and it’s showing some new growth.
@nellz4estfairyz @TheOddAsity @CheyenneRed These Monstera Siltepecanas are amazing growers. Mine is still small but as mentioned, puts out a new leaf weekly. I cannot wait until it outgrows the nursery pot to repot & moss pole it. They really do thrive in more light. Mine sits under a skylight & receives 2-4 hrs of strong indirect sunlight (weather permitting). I’ve been researching different substrates to add to Hoya mixes & the choco chips are very popular. I just placed an order to add to my chunky mix as well. I also add a chunky perlite, FF soil, orchid bark, Lecca & charcoal.
@nellz4estfairyz I have mine about 6 foot from an east facing window with no direct light, just really bright indirect light about 3 hours a day. Every where else I tried it, it was super leggy or just stagnated. I do have it clipped to a small trellis. It's one of my favorites now that it's happy.