Does a Monstera need a lot of water?
It’s a plant from humid forests, so many people water it as if it lived in one. But a Monstera doesn’t ask for a lot of water: it asks for water given well, and then a rest.
No: a Monstera doesn’t need a lot of water. It needs plenty of water at a time, but only when the soil has dried: water well, until it runs out of the drainage hole, and only water again when the top few centimetres of soil have dried. At an east-facing window, that’s about every 6 days in July and every 8 in January.
Does it need a lot of water, or water given well?
A Monstera (Monstera deliciosa) comes from humid forests, but it grows on the ground and up trunks, where water drains away and air moves. It doesn’t live with its feet in water. At home, that gives you two rules:
- At each watering, be generous. The root ball gets wet all through and the roots at the base drink as well.
- Between waterings, let the top layer dry: guides say two to five centimetres, and some say let the soil dry almost right through.
The opposite mistake is giving a little every day: it wets only the surface, and the bottom stays dry or, worse, soggy without anyone seeing.
Why do some Monsteras drink more than others?
One plant can ask for water in very different ways depending on its spot, its pot and the season:
- More light, more warmth, more thirst. Beside a south-facing window, the soil dries fast.
- Low light, little thirst. In a dark corner, soil takes much longer to dry, and that’s where too much water does the most damage.
- Terracotta pot. It lets water evaporate through its walls and dries faster than plastic.
- Winter. With short, cold days, the plant nearly stops and drinks much less; guides advise easing off from autumn to the end of winter.
The concrete numbers, spot by spot, are in how often to water a Monstera.
How can I tell whether it’s getting too much?
Too much water:
- Lower leaves turning yellow, permanently damp soil, a musty smell, fungus gnats, a soft stem, droplets on the leaves and dark or black roots instead of pale ones.
- It’s the most common slip, and it kills more Monsteras than anything else. Read why Monstera leaves turn yellow.
Too little water:
- Leaves curling at the edges, crispy brown tips, hard soil pulling away from the pot. Read about curling Monstera leaves.
Does a Monstera need humid air?
That’s a separate matter, and more watering doesn’t fix it. It prefers medium to high humidity but tolerates an ordinary home; what punishes it is the dry air of a radiator, which browns the tips. For the air, not the soil, grouping plants, a pebble tray with water or a humidifier help. Misting has a brief effect, and leaves that stay wet without airflow invite fungus.
Can I water it with tap water?
In most cases, yes. If your water is very hard, leaf tips can brown over time and the soil tends to turn alkaline; rainwater or filtered water helps, while letting tap water stand overnight removes some chlorine but not the limescale. Room-temperature water is the better choice.
How much is “plenty” in one watering?
Enough for water to run freely from the bottom. The volume isn’t the point; the result is: the whole root ball soaked and the excess draining away.
What if I forgot to water for weeks?
Water slowly until it drains, then empty the saucer. If the soil is so dry that water runs down the sides without sinking in, leave the pot in a basin of water for twenty minutes. Curled leaves usually recover within a few days; only tips that have already dried won’t come back.
Summary: how much water
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much each time? | Plenty: until it runs out of the drainage hole |
| How often? | When the top few centimetres of soil have dried |
| In winter? | Much less often |
| In low light? | Less often: the soil takes longer to dry |
| How to check? | Finger in the soil to the second knuckle |
| Misting? | Brief effect; the air needs other help |
Quick questions
Should a Monstera sit in a saucer of water? No. Tip out the saucer half an hour after watering, since roots left standing in water rot.
Can I give it a little water every day? No. It wets only the surface. It’s better to water thoroughly and wait for the soil to dry.
How do I know a watering was enough? When water drains freely from the bottom and the root ball is wet through.
Can a Monstera survive a week without water? In most cases, yes: it copes better with a few thirsty days than with overwatering.
The right water, on the right day
Knowing it’s “now and then” is easy. Remembering the right day, with several plants, is something else. The Verdejar app works out each plant’s rhythm from its light and pot, and reminds you. For the whole routine, read how to care for a Monstera and open the Monstera plant page.
Sources: Royal Horticultural Society · Missouri Botanical Garden · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension · Penn State Extension · University of Minnesota Extension · University of Illinois Extension · Oregon State University Extension. The days between waterings come from the Verdejar watering engine.