If you’re a plant fan and wanna grow your green family, multiplying your baby Monstera (Rhapidophora Tetrasperma) is a pretty cool project. Propagation is basically getting snippets from your main plant and turning them into new baby plants. With a bit of know-how and some TLC, you can totally nail propagating your mini Monstera, and before you know it, it’ll be a fab new member of your indoor jungle. In this piece, we’re gonna walk you through how to multiply your mini Monstera, so you can feel the buzz of seeing your plant thrive and multiply.
What is Mini Monstera (Rhapidophora Tetrasperma)?
Rhapidophora Tetrasperma, or as we like to call it, the Mini Monstera or Philodendron Ginny, is a tropical creeper with air roots that’s a breeze to look after and grows pretty quickly. It’s called mini Monstera ’cause it looks like a tiny version of Monstera Deliciosa or Split Leaf Philodendron (these leaves won’t get bigger than 12″), and it needs pretty much the same kind of care.
The Mini Monstera has lush green, heart-shaped leaves with a splash of variegation here and there, and large, shiny split lobes that make it a real head-turner in any room. Like other Philodendrons, the Mini Monstera is a fan of bright but indirect light, and it might get a bit stressy if you put it in direct sunlight. When it comes to water, play it by ear, letting the soil dry out between drinks, and because it’s from humid tropical places, it might appreciate a misting every now and then.
Taking Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma Cuttings
You’re gonna need a healthy plant and clean pruning scissors to propagate Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. Just to be safe, give ’em a wipe with rubbing alcohol.
For the greater good choose the vine you want to sacrifice. If you have any vines on your plant that appear to be a little scraggier than others, those would be good candidates. If you want your mini Monstera to look more bushy, root these bits and plant them back in the same pot.
Snip the vine at the nodes, which are the little bumps where new roots or leaves can sprout. A few leaves can come in handy too, especially if the stem is kinda skinny. They’ll help speed things up by letting the cutting do its photosynthesis thing.
Did you know that? There’s nothing stopping you from splitting a longer vine into multiple pieces. Again, as long as your Mini Monstera has a node or two and some leaves, any cut is workable. This method allows you to transform a single vine into a slew of new plants.
How to Propagate Mini Monstera in Water?
You can chuck your rhaphidophora tetrasperma cutting in water to get the roots growing. “Water rooting” is the term for this. Change the water every week or so. When the roots are a couple inches long, stick it in houseplant soil that drains well.
For a few weeks, keep the soil kinda damp—but not soaked. This helps the plant’s new water roots settle in the soil. Extra humidity helps too—try a greenhouse cabinet (check out my Ikea greenhouse cabinet for some ideas) or a plastic bag.
After a couple weeks, give the stem of the cutting a gentle tug. If you encounter any resistance, it implies it has taken root! Yay! Stop watering it so much and just take care of it like normal
You may also like: How to Prune Monstera for Maximum Growth (Essential Tips)
How to propagate rhaphidophora tetrasperma in Soil?
Propagating Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma, or mini Monstera, in soil is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to propagate your mini Monstera in soil:
Materials you will need:
- Healthy Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma plant
- Sharp and clean gardening scissors or pruners
- Small pot filled with well-draining potting soil
- Water
- Plastic bag
Steps:
- Select a healthy Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma plant with several long stems.
- Using sharp and clean gardening scissors or pruners, cut a stem that has at least one node. The node is where the roots will grow from.
- Remove the leaves from the bottom 2-3 inches of the stem to expose the node.
- Dip the cut end of the stem into water for a few seconds. This will help to prevent air bubbles from forming in the stem when it is planted.
- Plant the stem into a small pot filled with well-draining potting soil. Firmly press the soil around the stem to hold it in place.
- Water the soil thoroughly, making sure the soil is moist but not waterlogged.
- Cover the pot with a plastic bag to create a humid environment for the cutting.
- Place the pot in a bright, warm location with indirect sunlight.
- Check the soil every few days and water when it feels dry to the touch.
- After a few weeks, you should see new growth on the cutting. Once the cutting has developed roots and new leaves, you can remove the plastic bag.
When the cutting has grown into a new plant, you can transplant it into a larger pot with well-draining soil.
Other propagating Mini Monstera Methods
Hey, propagating plants is super easy andmost plant lovers choose to propagate their plants in water or soil. But that doesn’t mean there’s no other way to do it!
Here are some other methods of Rhaphidophora tetrasperma propagation:
- Division: When your plant gets matures, it’ll start popping out new baby plants, or “pups”. You can snip these off and repotted into separate containers.
- Propagating in LECA: LECA stands for Light-Expanded Clay Aggregate. This method requires submerging the lower part of a stem in clay granules that have been soaked in water. As long as the granules are moist, the plant will propagate!
- Propagating in sphagnum moss: Sphagnum moss is a great medium for propagating Rhaphidophora tetrasperma. You can propagate the plant by submerging stems in sphagnum moss and ensuring that it stays moist. The roots will form in the moss, then you can transplant them into soil.
No matter how you decide to propagate, just remember: Rhaphidophora tetrasperma likes it humid and warm.
After-Propagation Care for Mini Monstera
Once you’ve got your Mini Monstera baby plants, you’ve gotta look after them right so they can grow big and strong. The first thing you gotta do is water them; this will help them get used to their new home and keep their roots happy. Keep a check on the soil – it needs to stay damp. Plan to water your Mini Monstera every couple of weeks, or whenever the top bit of soil feels dry. And when you do water, make sure the water’s not too hot or too cold, and give the soil a good soak.
Fertlelizer your new Mini Monstera is super important too; it’ll help them grow and get their roots nice and strong. Use a gentle liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks during the warm months. You could also add a slow-release fertilizer for an extra nutrient kick all season.
Your Mini Monstera likes it humid, so keep those leaves misted. Do this every few days in spring and summer, or when the humidity drops under 40%. Or, you can get an automatic mister to keep your Mini Monstera’s leaves all dewy and happy.
Last but not least, make sure your Mini Monstera is somewhere with lots of indirect light. Pop it near a window or somewhere it can get light without getting baked by the sun. This will help it grow up nice and strong.
By following the simple method outlined in this post of FamiPlants, you can be propagating mini monstera with ease. Have fun!
