Why are My Monstera Leaves drooping?

The monstrous, sturdy Monstera is a sensitive plant that can lose its vigor and essence while showing telltale signs of drooping leaves from botched-up care.

As every Monstera owner occasionally faces drooping problems, do not panic and read till the end to ensure it will not worsen.

Is it Monstera Leaves Drooping Normal?

Monstera plants are sensitive creatures and react very limply to changes in their preferred environment.

Therefore, often drooping Monstera leaves are normal and nothing to worry about.

If drooping does not resort out itself despite excellent care but instead worsens with time, you must take immediate action.

Before hopping onto the treatment process, you must confirm and diagnose the real culprit behind the drooping leaves.

Why are my Monstera Leaves Drooping?

Monstera’s drooping leaves often signify underlying issues like improper basic care.

Generally, underwatering is the most common culprit that causes drooping Monstera leaves.

How do you Fix Droopy Monstera?

Once you identify the root cause of the drooping leaves of Monstera, you can proceed with the treatment procedure accordingly.

1. Improper Watering

Monstera is most likely to show droopy leaves when underwatered or overwatered.

Curling, yellowing leaves and dry, brittle grayish soil with drooping leaves often accompany underwatered Monstera.

Likewise, excess water causes the yellowing of older leaves first, followed by soft, dark brown spots due to root rot.

Solution: Versatile Watering Habit

• Place the overwatered Monstera in a bright location and let it dry out.
• If the situation does not seem to go uphill, repot the Monstera using well-draining soil.
• While repotting, snip off all damaged, rotted or mushy roots using a sterilized pruner.
• For an underwatered Monstera, fetch them chemical-free water until water oozes out from drain holes.
• Snip off all severely brown, crispy dry Monstera leaves.
• Use a moisture meter to water your plant as per plant needs.
• Ensure the pot has multiple drain holes to let out excess water.
• Cut back watering in winter months to once every 2-4 weeks per plant needed.

2. Lighting Problems

Monstera plants tolerate relatively low light but prolonged no sunlight, or deep shade can stunt the growth and cause curling, drooping pale leaves.

Unfortunately, low light also discourages aesthetic fenestration in Monstera.

Likewise, Monstera can not withstand long hours of direct sunlight, resulting in scorched, droopy leaves with a bleached appearance.

Aim to provide bright indirect sunlight for about 6 to 8 hours daily for ideal lighting.

Solution: Strategic Positioning of Monstera

• Control the light intensity by using a sheer curtain for the south window.
• Place your plants 3-5 feet away in an east window to allow 2-3 hours of direct morning sunlight.
• Acclimatize your Monstera with brighter sunlight by gradually exposing them a little.
• Ensure to increase watering habits on summer days to compensate scorching sun.
• Incorporate grow lights in winter for about 10-12 hours to keep plants safe and sound.

3. Transplant Stress

Often after repotting, they suffer from a temporary shock due to the new environment that the Monstera plant is not familiar with.

The way to get around this is to ensure your new surroundings are as familiar to the old ones as possible.

Solution: Prudent Repotting Plan

• Aim to repot Monstera in a slightly bigger pot than the root ball size or just 1 or 2 inches bigger than the previous pot.
• Repot younger Monstera once a year, but wait 2-3 years for adult ones.
• Allow plants to become slightly root bound before repotting.
• Do not haphazardly snip roots, and keep root damage minimal during repot.
• Carefully remove damaged parts of the Monstera using sterilized scissors.
• Avoid repotting or transplanting Monstera in the dormant winter period.
• Pinch back top stems if you are snipping off a large chunk of rotten roots.
• Thoroughly soak the plant before and after repotting Monstera.

4. Poor Humidity

Being a fellow tropical plant, Monstera prefers relatively higher humidity of about 60-70%, aided with regular misting.

However, humidity below 50% will cause crispy dry, drooping Monstera leaves with brown edges.

If not adjusted in time, low humidity can result in the immature leaves dropping.

But again, consistent high humidity for longer periods can invite pests and fungal infections, so you are warned.

Solution: Teaming Plants Together

• Accompany your Monstera with plants like Areca palm that boost surrounding humidity.
• Use a pebble tray filled with water underneath the plant pot, ensuring none of the leaves touches the water.
• Regularly mist Monstera in the morning hours using spray bottles.
• Invest in an economical air humidifier to maintain ideal humidity for Monstera.
• Avoid placing plants near heating appliances as they suck up all air moisture.
• Try placing Monstera in the bright kitchen or bathroom.

5. Fertilizer Burn

Another care mishap that results in drooping Monstera leaves is excess fertilizer.

In general, Monstera prefers monthly balanced fertilization after dilution to their half strength.

But anything more than that or improper fertilization can result in salt buildup in the soil that chokes the roots causing brown spots on drooping leaves.

Furthermore, it is most likely to overfertilize Monstera in winter as they remain dormant with low nutrient uptake.

Solution: Flush the Fertilizer

• If the whitish layer of salt is visible, spoon it out and dispose of them somewhere safe.
• Place the plant in a tub and thoroughly run water till water flows out of the drainage.
• Repeat the process 3-4 times to flush out excess nutrient accumulation.
• If the chemical burn looks severe, repot the plant in a new pot using fresh soil mix.
• Although transplant shock kicks in, carefully rinse the roots to salvage the plant.
• Always dilute the fertilizer before use to avoid fertilizer burn.
• Aim for organic, sterilized composts to replenish soil nutrients.

6. Temperatures Extremities

Monstera despises varying surrounding and hence are not fond of sudden or drastic temperature swings.

Sudden changes in temperature cause drooping, yellowing Monstera leaves with crispy, browned edges.

For ideal growth, ensure to maintain 65°F to 85°F temperature and do not let it go above 90°F or below 55°F.

Monstera severely suffers from cold drafts more often than from higher temperatures.

Besides drooping leaves, improper temperature brings adverse effects like stunted growth and yellow or brown, scorched leaves.

Solution: Moving Monstera In 

• If your Monstera is close to the cold windowsill, immediately relocate or move the plant somewhere out of the draft’s reach.
• Provide your Monstera frost blankets and heat pads to ensure consistent ideal warmth.
• Move in the potted outdoor Monstera if you are not within 10 to 12 USDA zones.
• Leverage heating appliances to keep the room temperature optimal but keep plants away.

7. Pest & Disease Infection

Often brought on by improper watering and humidity habits, pest and fungal diseases can cause drooping Monstera leaves.

Pests generally suck out the nutrients from the leaves, leaving them fragile and leading to drooping.

Meanwhile, fungal problems like root rot disable the root’s functionality causing no nutrient supply to maintain plant stature.

Regardless, both of the causative agents spread exponentially over time. Thus, they must be stopped before the plant becomes unsalvageable.

Solution: Urgent Plant Quarantine

• Immediately isolate the infected Monstera and prune away damaged parts using sterilized scissors.
• Manually remove visible pests and their eggs, then apply appropriate insecticides and fungicides.
• Carefully apply neem oil to kill and prevent future infestation.
• Repeat the process until there are no signs of pests or fungal infection.
• Try a malathion solution or pyrethrin if the situation does not subside.
• Use yellow sticky traps to capture and control pest infestation.
• Avoid misting Monstera in evening hours and aim for a bottom-watering approach aided with an occasional overhead shower.
• Use well-draining, airy soil that will not get soggy with the ideal Monstera watering routine.

Should I Cut Off Drooping Monstera Leaves?

Unlike blackening or yellowing Monstera leaves, limp leaves can revert to their prime, upbeat condition with prompt treatment.

That said, you must swing the sterilized pruner at your drooping Monstera if pests or fungal diseases cause it.

With proper adjustments, your Monstera with drooping leaves will bounce back soon.

Furthermore, you can always cut off Monstera leaves that no longer can serve their purpose in early spring.