Monstera Repotting Shock (Plant First Aid)


How can I prevent Monstera repotting shock?

The most important step you can take to prevent repotting shock is to ensure the preservation and protection of your Monstera plant’s roots. Roots are how your plant is going to get its nutrients and survive, and it needs to have them intact to adapt to its new home.

As such, you should try not to disturb your plant’s roots when you repot it. Be gentle and break up root masses with a light and cautious touch. You should also never loosen roots unnecessarily.

This also means you should try bringing as many of your Monstera’s roots along to the new pot. Unfortunately, this fact is related to another very common and easily overlooked cause of repotting shock: incorrect transplant time.

As aroids, Monsteras find ways to take root just about anywhere. This fast rooting can trick less experienced owners of this plant into thinking that it is sufficiently mature for repotting, but this is not the case. This is because Monsteras can root in crumbling spots and often don’t do so tightly or reliably enough right away.

This is why you should only repot a Monstera when it has become root-bound, meaning that its roots have become highly tangled and formed a tight ball that no longer allows for any new growth. This seems like a bad idea, but it is essential so that the Monstera has completely adhered to the soil it is planted in when you move it. As such, its roots will be easy to move in a single clump and can all be saved.

It’s a good idea to pot younger plants once a year to help growth develop, but more mature Monsteras will likely only reach that root-bound phase every two or three years. And, of course, repotting should be done in the event of infection or fungal growth or due to other extenuating circumstances.

Do note that you should never try to repot a Monstera during its dormant phases. Spring and Summer are the ideal seasons to move these plants, as your plant will be able to recover more quickly with the natural growth spurts of these growth periods.


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