YELLOW LEAVES: The most common cause of yellowing leaves among Monsteras is improper soil moisture–in particular, overwatering. Only water your Monstera when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry. Soil should remain damp, but not wet. In the winter, you can allow your plant to dry out a little more between waterings.
When you water, make sure you provide enough water so that liquid flows from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot and into the saucer. It’s extremely important to discard any excess water in the saucer, as your Monstera will not respond well to “wet feet,” which causes the roots to rot and the eventual death of the plant.
Providing proper and consistent soil moisture is important in caring for a Monstera. Alternating between bone dry and wet soil from ill-timed waterings can create stress and cause your Monstera to yellow.
LIMP, DROOPING LEAVES: Your Monstera prefers soil that is consistently moist. Be sure you’re not over or underwatering your plant. Keep a consistent watering schedule–water when the top 2”-3” of the soil are dry.
If you accidentally let your Monstera’s soil dry out completely, you may see leaves go limp, droop, and possibly start to brown. If the soil is extremely dry all the way through the pot, a thorough soak is in order.
FALLING OVER: Lack of Support
For any monstera parent, it’s important to understand how these plants grow in the wild. They root in the soil and naturally climb upwards on tree trunks, occasionally putting out aerial roots for support. When grown as a houseplant, it’s up to you to give your plant the support it needs. Without support, as your plant grows, it will naturally fall over. Plan to stake your plant using a moss pole or trellis. You might need to add ties to get it started, but soon it will naturally begin to adapt to its support structure.
LACK OF SUNLIGHT: A monstera plant grows towards the sunlight. So if your monstera only receives sunlight from one direction, then it might begin to grow towards the light. This can cause it to look like it is falling over and very lopsided. If this is the case for you, try to rotate the plant on a regular basis. This way, all of the leaves are getting sunlight, and the plant will grow in a more balanced way.
If possible, move it to a room that has sunlight coming from multiple directions. However, if the monstera’s home is in a smaller room or apartment with limited options, the rotation method will work!
POTTING ISSUES: If your monstera plant receives plenty of sunlight from different angles, or you are a regular rotator, then it might be falling over due to potting issues. If there’s not enough soil to support the root ball, the plant could become top-heavy, causing it to tip to one side. To avoid this, repot your plant as needed to ensure there is plenty of soil surrounding the roots. With a well-anchored base, the stems can begin to grow upwards again.
