When we talk about Monstera plants we refer to a genus that includes around 60 different species of plants of the Araceae family. Among the most popular species are Monstera deliciosa, Monstera adansonii, Monstera acreana, and Monstera lentii. Their size varies from one species to another and some can reach 20 m in height. Their appeal lies mainly in their beautiful and exotic dark green leaves and they are especially sought after as indoor plants.
As it is a plant that is mostly grown in a pot, we will dedicate this post to talking about the best pot for Monstera. What size and material is the ideal for this beautiful plant to develop properly. Many gardeners forget the importance of looking for a good pot, but as we will see here it is not a minor detail when it comes to growing a Monstera.
1. Tips for choosing the best pot for your monstera
When you have looked for or designed the house where you live, surely there were many factors that intervened to make the house the ideal one for you. I say this because you must think of the pot as the house of your plant, it will live there for a long time, so you must find the one that best suits it.
There are several factors to consider when looking for the best pot for a Monstera. In this section I will help you understand what each of them are.
1.1 Indoor growing
A Monstera that is grown indoors will not experience inclement weather. In addition, since it does not receive rain, the water it receives will depend exclusively on the irrigation that you apply to it. Are you a person who tends to exaggerate watering? Or, on the contrary, do you water your plants very little? This will be important in finding the best pot for your Monstera.
The water it receives will depend exclusively on the irrigation that you apply to it.
If you are a gardener who always waters his plants too much, it is best to find a pot with very good drainage. At the same time, look for a material that does not retain a lot of moisture. A terracotta pot with a good number of holes would be fine in these cases.
On the contrary, if you tend to forget about watering and leave your plants without water for many days, it would be best to choose a pot that retains moisture. A plastic or glazed terracotta pot can be a good option in these cases.
1.2 Outdoor growing
When you grow any plant outdoors it will feel the climatic changes, it will receive cold, heat, rain, wind, etc. This is not a minor detail when looking for a pot.
Depending on the climatic characteristics of the place where you live, one pot may be better than another. For example, if the weather is very rainy, you should make sure the pot has a good number of drainage holes. It is better to avoid plastic pots, they retain a lot of moisture and you don’t need it here. The best would be a terracotta pot that contains much less moisture.
If you live in a cold and dry place, and remembering that Mostera is native to tropical climates, you should look for a pot that retains moisture. It can be a plastic pot. Being a light pot it is ideal to be able to move it indoors during the winter.
Just as we analyze these two types of climates, you must do it with the climate where you live. Always remembering that the Monstera likes humid and warm environments, and that a puddle in the pot is not good.
2. Potting materials for monstera
When you are going to buy a pot for your Monstera it is good to know what are all the options that exist in terms of materials. As we saw in the previous section, depending on the type of cultivation (indoor or outdoor), some materials may be better than others.
2.1 Terracotta pots
It is a totally natural material, with a very good porosity, something that allows it to absorb and evaporate much of the moisture. This property is excellent for plants that cannot stand waterlogging at their roots (this is the case with Monstera).
Another advantage that these pots have is that they are aesthetically very beautiful. They adapt very well to different types of decoration. Being very good to use both at home and in the office.
2.2 Plastic pots
They are widely used indoors, especially in plants that are grown in water. Using a glass pot on a Monstera can be a very good option for propagation through cuttings.
Plastic pots are characterized above all by their high moisture retention capacity and their low weight. As we saw in the previous section, on certain occasions they can be a good option for a Monstera. Especially in dry climates and if we are people who do not water very often.
2.3 Glass pots
Just by cutting a few leaves and placing them in water, they will begin to take root. Although it can continue to live for a long time in water, it is best transplanted into the ground once it has a good number of roots.
2.4 Wooden pots
Like terracotta pots, these are 100% natural, with a very good ability to evaporate moisture. In general they are very robust pots, very good if you are going to grow your Monstera outdoors.
2.5 Concrete pots
They are very resistant pots that retain moisture very well. Due to their weight, in general, it is convenient to place them in a place where we will not move them very often.
In somewhat dry but warm climates they can be good for growing Mosteras outdoors. In cold weather, try to place it in a place where you can easily get it out of the cold.
3. Monstera pot size
We already mentioned that Monstera is not itself a plant but the name of a group of species, which vary in size. As you can imagine when selecting the size of the pot, an important factor will be the species of Monstera that we have.
It will not be the same if what we have is a Monstera delisiosa (one of the largest species) or if instead it is a Monstera adansonii (a much smaller species).
It will not be the same if what we have is a Monstera delisiosa or if instead it is a Monstera adansonii.
Another determining factor for the size of the pot will be the age of our Monstera. In young specimens, they are good somewhat small pots, and we must increase their size as the plant grows.
As a general rule, we can use a 20 cm diameter pot for the young Monsteras. While as it grows you may need a pot up to 60 cm in diameter.
3.1 Consequences of choosing an unsuitable pot size
If you choose a pot that is too big or too small, it will cause problems in the development of your Monstera. Some consequences will be more noticeable than others, but if you do not find the ideal size, you will always be damaging the plant.
For example, if you put your Monstera in a small pot, it will cause the roots to bunch up a lot. Also, having little soil will make the water retention too low, so the Monstera will be thirsty for a long time. These two factors will cause growth to be very slow and can affect the health of the plant.
On the contrary, if the pot is very large, it will increase the water retention. So if you water often enough, the roots will have more moisture than necessary, which can lead to root rot.
As you can see, finding the ideal pot size for a Monstera is not a minor detail. If you don’t take it into account, you are making a serious mistake.
4. Best pot for monstera
We have already left a couple of general tips for the selection of pots, we saw which materials are the most used and how we should select the best size. To end this article, we will briefly discuss which would be the best pot for a Monstera deliciosa and a Monstera adansonii, two of the most popular species.
4.1 Pot for Monstera deliciosa
For Monstera Delisosa grown outdoors, choose different pots depending on the climate. If the winters are cold and you need to get into the pot (Monsteras cannot stand frost) it will be good to look for a plastic pot, since it is light and will facilitate the task of moving it.
In hot climates, with mild winters, you can look for sturdier pots, which are a very good decoration for your garden. When looking for a sturdy planter, you can go for one made of terracotta, wood, or concrete. Both terracotta and wood are good in rainy climates, while concrete is better in dry climates for its good moisture-holding capacity.
In case of growing indoors, many times you should look for a pot that matches the decoration of the room. Also keep in mind that Mostera delisiosa grows a lot, so you should give it enough space for it to grow. In case you want to limit the growth of your Monstera, you can prune the roots when you transplant it, and thus keep the same pot. This is a good technique especially for indoor crops where space is limited.
4.2 Pot for Monstera adansonii
In general, the Monstera adansonii must take into account the same aspects as with the Monstera delisiosa, only that the size of the pot will always be smaller. You will never need a pot of 60 cm or more in diameter.
An adult Monstera adansonii is usually sufficient with a 40 cm diameter pot. In any case, it is always good that when transplanting it you analyze how its roots are. If you see them very crowded it is always good to look for a larger pot.
With this we finish this post, I hope I have been clear and you know which is the best pot for your Monstera. Any questions you can always contact us. 😉
More information:
- Monstera Growing in the Florida – ufl.edu
- Use and Care Instructions of Monstera – homedepot-static.com
- Monstera deliciosa – dpi.nsw.gov.au