Monsteras are some of the coolest indoor plants out there, and it’s not hard to see why! They’re strong, they grow super fast, and they bring a pop of green to any space. But if your Monstera is more floppy than foliage-y, don’t sweat it – we’ve got your back. Stick around to figure out the whys behind “why is my Monstera drooping“, and how to set things right!
Why Is My Monstera Drooping?
Your Monstera could be drooping for a bunch of reasons, like not getting enough water, catching too many rays, or lacking nutrients. If your plant’s sagging, the first thing you wanna do is check if the soil’s dry. If it is, give your Monstera a good watering and wait to see if it perks up.
But if the drooping doesn’t stop, your plant might be getting too much sunlight. Monsteras like their light filtered, so if it’s in a bright spot, it might start to droop. Try moving your plant to a spot with less light and see if it looks happier.
Lastly, Monsteras are big eaters, so they might start drooping if they’re not getting their fill of nutrients. If you reckon this could be the issue, try feeding your plant with some balanced plant food and see if that helps.
If your Monstera keeps drooping no matter what you do, it might be dealing with root rot or some other major issue. In that case, it’s a good idea to hit up a legit nursery or plant guru.
Underwatering
All you plant parents know watering’s key to keeping your leafy kids healthy. But what happens if you forget to water ’em? One clear sign of not getting enough water is droopy leaves. This can be really obvious in Monstera plants, whose big leaves can droop big time when they’re thirsty. If you see your Monstera plant drooping, don’t panic – there’s a few things you can do to help it bounce back.
First off, give it a hefty drink, making sure to soak the soil well.
Next, spritz the leaves with a spray bottle filled with filtered water, but steer clear of the center of the plant where the new growth is.
Lastly, bump up the humidity by popping the pot on a tray of pebbles or near a humidifier.
With a bit of love, your droopy Monstera will be up and at ’em in no time!
Dry Soil Correction
If your Monstera plant is sagging because the soil’s dry, it’s probably super thirsty and needs a good watering. Here’s what to do to sort it out and get your Monstera back on track:
- Give your plant a good water. Slowly pour water onto the soil until it starts to leak out of the bottom of the pot. Make sure to water the plant evenly and try not to splash water directly onto the leaves or stem.
- Wait a bit for the soil to soak up the water before getting rid of any leftover water that’s sitting in the dish or tray underneath the pot. This stops the roots from getting too soggy and helps the plant grow nice and healthy.
- If the soil around the plant is really dry, you might wanna water it again after a few hours to make sure it’s fully hydrated. On the flip side, watering the plant too much can cause root rot and other issues.
- After you’ve watered the plant, keep a close watch on it for the next few days to see if it’s getting better. If the leaves keep drooping or wilting, it could mean there’s a bigger problem like root rot or bugs, and you should ask a plant pro or your local nursery for advice.
Remember, Monstera plants like their soil damp but well-drained, and shouldn’t be left to dry out completely between waterings. To stop future drooping, keep watering your Monstera regularly and don’t let the soil get too dry.
Incorrect Lighting
Even though they’re pretty tough, don’t forget these plants are forest plants, so ideally they need lots of light but not too much direct sun. Move your plant somewhere better if you see dried brown spots showing up on the leaves, which means monstera receiving too much direct sunlight.
In low light, your plant will get stretched out, the leaves will be thin, and it’s more likely to droop and wilt. Either direct sun or partial shade is fine. How big your plant gets and how healthy it is will be hugely affected by the light.
Root Rot
Root rot’s the name for a bunch of fungal diseases that mess with plant roots.
While root rot can happen in different situations, it’s usually seen in damp soil. So, bad drainage and overwatering can help root rot take hold.
The roots will get slimy as the fungus attacks them, and they’ll eventually start to fall apart. As you’d guess, these roots can’t absorb water very well. The result is droopy leaves.
The best way to deal with root rot is to take the plant out of the pot and take a look at the roots. Get rid of any parts that are damaged or dead.
Next, repot your Monstera in a potting mix that drains well, and make sure the pot has drainage holes. From now on, only water until the top few inches of the potting soil are dry.
If you are wondering when to repot Monstera, Please refer to the following article: How and When to Repot Monstera to keep your plant happy
Overwatering
Overwatering your Monstera plant can happen, though it’s not as common as underwatering. It’ll quickly let you know it’s not happy by sprouting yellow leaves that look weak and often start with the lower leaves before showing brown crispy bits at the leaf tips. Plus, if the soil smells like it’s rotting, that could mean root rot, which is seriously bad news.
If the soil’s wet when you do the finger test, you’ve been overwatering. Once you’ve made sure the pot’s got holes in the bottom and drains well, let the plant dry out.
You shouldn’t water the Monstera plant again until the top 2 inches of soil have dried up after a good soaking.
If the plant’s been overwatered, it might have been potted up too much, which is another common problem when it comes to too much water. It’s easy to think your plant will have more room to grow if you put it in a big pot with extra potting soil.
But what happens is the extra soil sucks up more water, and then the pot gets waterlogged. The soil around the roots acts almost like a wet sponge. When you’re potting a plant, always move it to a pot that’s just one size bigger.
Temperature Stress
Even though Monstera plants are pretty tough in this department, remember they’re tropical and don’t like it when it gets too cold. A temperature range of 64 to 84°F (18 to 29°C) is good.
Watch out for any cold drafts that might be coming in, because they can stress your Monstera plant and make its leaves droop. If you think there could be a temperature issue, use a digital thermometer to track the lowest and highest temps over a few days, then move your plant if needed.
If the sun damages your leaves you need to prune them right away. Please see our how to prune monstera article
Fertilizer Problems
These plants need a ton of food because they can grow really big. Luckily, when they’re in pots, they usually don’t get taller than nine feet, which is way easier to handle compared to their natural height of a whopping sixty feet.
Feed them every two weeks with a general-purpose plant food to support this kind of growth in all seasons except winter. You can cut back to just one feeding a month during the slow-growing cold season.
Be careful not to go overboard with the food because doing it too often can build up in the soil and hurt the roots. Your Monstera plant may droop if the roots stop working and the plant can’t get the water and food it needs.
Think about your feeding schedule and look out for signs of a buildup of plant food salts on the surface of the soil. If you reckon you’ve been a bit heavy-handed, run water through the soil for five to ten minutes. That way, any extra plant food salts will be dissolved more easily and rinsed out of the soil.
Or, you could repot your Monstera into fresh soil and start feeding it more carefully again. For all the info you need to keep your indoor plants healthy, see my guide to feeding houseplants.
Repotting Stress
Your Monstera deliciosa will start growing pretty fast once it’s happy with its digs. You’ll need to repot the monstera plant into a bigger pot at some point. Pick one that’s a few inches bigger than its current home.
This stops the chance of the pot getting waterlogged while also making sure growth doesn’t go nuts. You’re aiming for a gorgeous plant that you can actually get through the front door without needing a machete.
Repotting can sometimes give houseplants a shock, leading to what’s called transplant stress. If the roots were weak or got hurt during the repotting process, it’s more likely you’ll see Monstera leaves drooping afterwards.
Unless the roots are unhealthy, there’s no need to break up the root ball during repotting or cut the roots. After repotting, you should keep a closer eye than usual on your Monstera for a few weeks to make sure it’s adjusting to its new digs.
Lack Of Support
In the wild, the Monstera plant will climb up trees, so you’ll need to give it something to hang onto so it can keep growing upwards. This will stop your Monstera from slithering around the room looking for something to climb and drooping. Moss poles are perfect for this.
Your plant might also start spreading out if it needs more light, which is another possible reason. Not enough light stops plants from developing the leaf splits that are such a standout feature of the tasty monster.
Without enough light, the leaves don’t form splits and stay small and weak-looking. The problem will sort itself out soon enough if you move the plant to a spot with more natural light.
Pests
Monstera plants can sometimes get hit by little Monstera pests like thrips, aphids, and Monstera spider mites. These little critters suck the sap out of the Monstera using their sucking mouthparts.
A few of these pests are usually no biggie, but if there’s a lot of them, they might make a plant wilt.
If there’s only a few pests, you can get rid of them with a soapy rag. If there’s a big infestation, you might need to spray the pests with neem oil, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil.
Droopy leaves can be a major pain for Monstera parents, but with the right care and attention, it’s easily sorted when you’re asking “why is my Monstera drooping?” Remember to keep an eye on water levels, light conditions, drainage, and food to keep your plant looking its best. FamiPlants hopes your Monstera grows like a champ.”
