The Monstera is one of the plants of the moment. Its tropical airs, and its incredible large leaves and an intense and bright green color, have made this plant flood our homes. You only have to take a look on Instagram or Pinterest to realize that the Monstera reigns in the world of plants and decoration.
Also known as Adam’s Rib due to the rib shape of its leaves, this species is one of the most resistant indoor plants you will find. For it to grow strong and beautiful, you just have to put it in a warm and bright place (although without direct sun), and water it once a week in summer, and once every two weeks in winter: The substrate should never be dry, but you don’t have to flood the pot either. It is also good to spray the leaves so that they do not dry out and break.
What happens when the monstera leaves turn yellow?
It may be that suddenly, you see that your monstera begins to lose that intense green that we like so much, turning its leaves a yellowish color. In the case of older leaves, it is normal for them to turn yellow, as a consequence of the nature cycle. But if the yellow predominates throughout the plant, including the youngest leaves, the monstera is warning us that it has a problem.
The first of the problems that the plant can have is that it lacks iron. Depending on the type of substrate, the monstera may not absorb this mineral well. So to solve this problem, you will have to give the plant iron chelates (€8.99) dissolved in the irrigation water.
CULTIVES Iron Chelate Ecological Fertilizer 250 gr. Regreening antichlorosis. Fundamental Nutrient for Plants (6% Fe-EDDHA ortho ortho 4.8 %). Force Faith
It could also be that you are overwatering the plant. The monstera is a tropical plant, but it does not need too much watering or drowning in water. To avoid flooding, you must improve the drainage of the plant, and provide it with a substrate for green plants (€1.99). If the plant is exposed to direct sunlightthe leaves can also turn yellow, although in this case, the yellow will be accompanied by a brown tint.
Substrate for green plants
Your monstera can be a victim of a plague
Another cause of the yellowish color of your leaves may be that you are being the victim of a pest. Among the most common, the presence of mites such as the Red spider. How to know that this is the problem of your plant? Because you will see little cobwebs on the back of the sheets. As we already saw when we talked about the problems of the tape, the red spider appears when the plant has a water deficit. To solve it, you will have to apply potassium soap (€17.90) and neem oil (€24.97) to protect the plant from pests.
1L Organic Neem Oil for Plants and Flowers – 100% Natural and Toxic-Free – Protection and Defense from All Kinds of Insects, Pests and Diseases – Indoor and Outdoor – Ready-to-Use Spray
If it does not lack iron, nor does it have red spider mite, the leaves of your monstera may be ugly because of the presence of cochineal. A very unpleasant bug that has two variants, the cottony one (it has a sticky appearance that looks like cotton), or the red one (you will see a kind of reddish crust). You can remove it with potassium soap and neen oil.
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