Should I Be Feeding My Monstera?

Feeding your monstera is essential because, unlike plants in the ground, it relies entirely on the limited nutrients available in the pot, which are gradually depleted through watering and growth.

Regular fertilisation supports healthy growth, but getting it wrong can quickly cause problems. Underfeeding and overfeeding can both cause a mess of problems.

Striking the right balance is key.

A healthy monstera has:

Deep green leaves
Firm stems
Consistent growth

Like all houseplants, the challenge of keeping a monstera is getting the right balance between water, light, and nutrients. Too much, or too little, of any of these will hurt your plant.

Knowing what problem signs to keep an eye out for will let you know exactly how to help your monstera when it’s struggling.

Yellow leaves

Usually caused by:

Overwatering
Poor drainage
Old leaves naturally dying

Brown leaf tips

Usually caused by:

Low humidity
Irregular watering
Salt buildup from overusing fertiliser

Small leaves without splits

Usually caused by:

Insufficient light
Lack of support
Immature plant

Black mushy stems

This is caused by root rot. Immediately:

Remove plant from soil
Trim rotted roots
Repot in fresh soil mix

Feeding Monstera for Healthy Growth

large fenestrated monstera leaves — 📷 Thanh Luu 📋

Monsteras benefit from regular feeding during active growth, but be careful. Harsh liquid chemical fertilisers can cause root burn and salt buildup in your soil.

My simple schedule:

Spring & Summer: every 3–4 weeks
Autumn: once, around the middle of the season
Winter: not at all

Monstera will go dormant in the winter and do very little growing. Adding fertiliser when the plant is dormant means the nutrients will sit unused in the soil for several months.

This can damage the roots of your plant, confuse the plant’s natural growth cycle, and increase the risk of over-fertilising in the future.

All of our soil mixes come with a natural dry feed that’s gentle and nutritious.

Wrapping up

Feeding your Monstera isn’t to be complicated, but it does need to be consistent and measured. By feeding little and often during the growing season with a natural fertiliser, you’ll encourage strong growth and larger, healthier leaves.

Just as importantly, avoiding overfeeding and salt build-up will protect the roots and keep the plant healthy long-term, supporingt your Monstera at every stage of its growth.

For everything else you need to know about monstera care, head over to my complete monstera guide.