Why do Monstera leaves turn yellow, burnt and dry?

Monstera is a popular large indoor foliage plant known for its bright emerald green leaves. Its most striking feature is the unique cracks in the leaves, which are reminiscent of the patterns on a tortoise shell . Although many friends have potted Monstera at home, why do the leaves of Monstera turn yellow, burnt and dry?

1. Watering problem

Long-term drought can cause the leaves of Monstera to turn yellow, so the potted plants need to be soaked or watered slowly until the soil is moist. Too wet soil will also cause the leaves to turn yellow. You need to loosen the soil and remove the topsoil, add new organic soil, and avoid water accumulation in the tray. Make sure the soil is dry 3 to 5 centimeters below the surface before watering. Reduce watering in winter and increase the frequency in summer.

2. Dry environment

Monstera prefers a high humidity environment. A dry environment will cause the leaves to turn yellow-brown. It needs to be sprayed to increase the humidity and the leaves should be cleaned regularly.

3. Lighting issues

Monstera prefers bright scattered light. Direct light can cause sunburn on the leaves, so it needs to be moved to a shaded place to avoid strong light.

4. Ambient temperature

The suitable growth temperature is 18~28 degrees. Low temperature will slow down the growth. It needs to be moved indoors in winter to avoid frostbite.

5. Repotting and transplanting

It is normal for the bottom leaves to turn yellow and wither after repotting, and they need to be cut off in time to allow the plant to adapt to the new environment.

6. Pests and diseases:

Yellow spots and yellowing may be caused by infection with pests and diseases, such as red spider mites and aphids. You need to cut off the severely infested leaves, spray with soapy water, maintain humidity, and use avermectin for prevention and control. Fungal diseases cause the lesions to spread, so the diseased leaves need to be cut off and fungicides such as thiophanate-methyl or thiophanate-methyl need to be sprayed.

In short, the problem of yellowing Monstera leaves can be effectively solved by watering properly, maintaining appropriate humidity, light, and temperature, changing pots in time, and preventing and controlling diseases and pests. For yellowing leaves due to natural aging, regular pruning is sufficient.