Overwatered Monstera: What Should I do?

Overwatering the Monstera plant is the wrong choice since it is sensitive to excessive moisture fluctuations in its soil.

Continue reading to learn how to identify the indicators of overwatered Monstera and how to remedy these issues.

Signs of Overwatered Monstera

Monstera enjoys wet, well-draining soils; however, it doesn’t like to stay in soggy soil for an extended period.

You may tell whether your Monstera is overwatered by looking for some of the signs listed below.

1. Brown Spots on Leaves

Dark brown spots in Monstera are caused by the lack of oxygen in the soil.

Excess water pulls oxygen out of the soil, clogging the roots and lowering their efficiency. The roots will choke, drown, and decay if left unattended for an extended period.

Thus, the leaves develop dark brown blotches due to the root system’s failure to absorb water and other vital elements.

2. Root Rot

Overwatering is a typical cause of root rot. If left untreated, the disease impairs the root’s capacity to absorb water and other critical nutrients, causing your plant to dry out.

The soggy conditions prohibit roots from absorbing all of the oxygen they need to survive.

The roots die, and the plant loses vitality, causing a foul odor.

On the other hand, softening roots makes them more vulnerable to soil fungus, which is another cause of root rot.

Pythium, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium are well-known fungi that grow in moist conditions and cause root rot.

So, it is essential to examine the soil for root rot. It is okay if wet, but you’ll most likely find rotting, nasty, and slimy roots beneath the ground if it is wet for a long time.

3. Wilting of the Leaves

When your Monstera cannot absorb oxygen and water due to overwatering, it may show signs of distress.

There aren’t enough air spaces when soil is always damp, and plants can’t breathe by absorbing oxygen via their roots.

Even though the soil is damp, your plants will wilt, giving the illusion of insufficient water.

The leaves become mushy and floppy when your Monstera wilt due to too much hydration.

4. Yellowing Leaves

The most prevalent reason for yellowing leaves is overwatering your Monstera.

For instance, iron chlorosis can be caused if soils are kept excessively saturated or compact.

Chlorosis causes plants to turn yellow-green to yellow between the veins, with the veins retaining a darker green.

When severe chlorosis occurs, the leaves turn pale yellow and acquire brown patches between the main veins.

5. Mold Growing on Soil

The plant is unaffected by the unpleasant mold on the soil and around the base of the stems.

However, the presence of white or gray fungus, on the other hand, indicates problems with the plant’s care.

The emergence of long, white threads on your soil around the base of your Monstera plant is a crucial indicator of fungus infections.

Suc development of mold might also indicate that fungus entered the pot from another source, such as contaminated utensils or a contaminated pot.

6. Edema

Edema (also known as Oedema) is a sort of improper water retention in plants that occurs when the plant’s tissue cannot retain water appropriately.

Similarly, it’s neither a bacterial nor fungal problem; therefore, it won’t transmit from one plant to another.

Water pressure builds up inside the leaves’ interior cells, causing them to split, resulting in the dead cells visible as lesions on the undersides of leaves.

The primary cause of edema is when a plant absorbs more water than discharges. As a result, the Monstera’s cells will begin to collapse.

Edema in plants can manifest themselves visually as blisters or yellowish lumps on the foliage.

7. Infestation of Pests

Pests are also an indicator of overwatering and excessive soil moisture levels. Insects prefer moist, wet soil to live in.

If you observe small bugs moving about in or around your Monstera, first look for other indicators of over-watering before treating the issue.

Spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs, aphids, gnats, and other insects are most frequent. Here are some symptoms to look at;

How to Save an Overwatered Monstera?

Here’s how to save an overwatered Monstera: let’s go over the steps in detail.

Step 1: Remove the Plant from the Pot

The first step is to take the plant out of its pot and allow the excess water to drip off on a towel or sink.

It will aid in removing some of the water that has saturated the roots and soil. It also allows you to inspect the root system for root rot.

If any roots appear dark, mushy, or smelly, prune them and gently remove as much of the old soil.

The best way to do this is to loosen the roots and gently shake them carefully.

Step 2: Trim off Damaged, Yellow, and Rotten Roots

Remove any yellow, dead, dying, or withered Monstera leaves. The damaged leaves divert more energy away from the roots of the plant.

Disinfect your pruning instrument with some disinfectant before making any cut. Repeat it between cuttings to prevent germs from spreading throughout the plant.

Likewise, remove any rotten roots you find to avoid any further spreading.

Removing unhealthy Monstera leaves and roots also frees up energy that your plant can utilize to grow new leaves and roots.

Step 3: Treat Fungal Infection and Root Rot

Remove as much soil and damaged roots as possible by washing the root under running water.

Cut the rotten parts with sharp scissors carefully not causing any damage to the white parts.

Use a fumigant containing methyl bromide to help reduce disease spread.

Then, to inhibit illness transmission, use a fungicide to eliminate fungi in your soil.

Step 4: Repot the Plant

After removing the old potting soil and trimming any decaying roots, it’s time to repot your Monstera in a new potting mix.

Use a well-draining potting mix with perlite or vermiculite to keep the soil aerated and prevent it from becoming soggy.

Choose a pot that is one size larger than the previous one and has adequate drainage holes to allow excess water to drain.

Fill your container with new potting soil. You can put a layer of stones at the bottom of the pot for extra drainage.

Then place your Monstera inside and thoroughly water it.

Step 5: Adjust the Environment Setting and Maintain Proper Watering

After repotting thoroughly, water the plant, but then allow the soil to dry completely before watering again.

Water your Monstera once or twice a week during the summer and once every two weeks during the winter.

Place your Monstera in a location that receives strong, indirect light and adequate ventilation. Make sure drastic temperature changes don’t stress it.

Before applying any fertilizer to your Monstera, wait at least one month. Chemical fertilizer can harm the young roots that are forming.

Tips to Prevent Overwatering Monstera

• Watering on a consistent schedule and timely check the moisture of your soil. You can apply the finger test, stick, or even purchase a moisture meter.
• In the summer, water weekly to every other week. Similarly, water once every few weeks in the winter.
• Avoid getting the leaves damp. Instead of dropping water on the plant, add it to the soil.
• Water your Monstera in the early morning, between 5:00 and 9:00 a.m., for ideal results.
• Use a self-watering or a normal pot that is the correct size. If the pot is too big for the plant, the soil will not dry out quickly enough.
• Instead of gardening soil, use excellent potting soil, and lighten it with sand or perlite.
• When watering your plants, use room-temperature filtered water or leave the water out overnight to allow the chlorine to dissipate.

Also, watch the full video for more information,