Hi guys, welcome to Monstera Hut!
Today, I will be sharing with you how I care for Monstera Adansonii Albo. I am very excited to share because my Monstera Adansonii Albo grew so fast.
When I 1st got my Monstera Adansonii on 16th September 2021, it only had 3 leaves. Now today, on 20th October, it has 5.5 leaves! The 0.5 is for the new leaf that is yet to unfurl. :-)
So, yes. The growth rate is very fast considering the time for the plant to adjust to the new environment and also after I repotted it. I was worried at 1st when I got this Monstera Adansonii Albo because it was the most expensive plant I ever purchased, and I worried that it would not make it. But, instead, this plant grows really fast, and I am very happy.
So, the question is, what did I do to get my Adansonii Albo to grow super fast? I believe Monstera Adansonii is the same as other Monstera. They need good soil, good light, good fertilizer, enough water, humidity level, temperature and air circulation. It also sounds like all the plants require these seven things. So, let me be specific on what I do and what I use. See below.
Good Soil - Well draining soil is a must in preventing the soil from getting too wet. A wet environment will activate the fungi in the soil that will kill the roots. So, it is crucial to choose suitable soil that drains very well and keeps the soil moist, not wet. You can see how well-draining soil does to the water from the video I shared in the previous Chapter (Monstera Adansonii - Chapter 2, Repotting into self-watering pot).
Good Fertilizer - Fertilizer is the food for your plants. So, good nutrition is critical to keep them healthy so that they can grow very fast.
Bright Indirect Sunlight - So, yes. We all know that plants need light for their photosynthesis. But the question is, how bright is bright? So, I place my Monstera Adansonii Albo in the same room where I keep all my other Monstera Albo, Thais and normal green Monstera. And I have also shared how I measured the light level that I have for this room. You can read about this in my previous article about light (How Much Light Do Monstera Albo Need?).
Humidity Level - I personally don't find the humidity level crucial as plants will adapt to it. While I was living in Calgary, Canada, the humidity level can be very low. I don't see much effect on the plant other than, from time to time, I will find the edge of the leaves will turn brown and crispy. But the plant will still keep growing. In managing the edge browning leaves, I use an evaporator type of Humidifier to bring the humidity level to 40-60%, which solves the problem. Now that I live in Malaysia with a tropical climate, it's very easy to have a humidity level above 50%.
Temperature - As I mentioned, I live in Malaysia, and it is not an issue for me to keep the room temperature between 26°C -30°C. But for those living in a cold climate, you need to keep your room temperature below 22°C. The colder it gets, the slower the growth will be.
Enough Water - Like other Monsteras (Albo, Thai & Green), they are very sensitive to overwatering. Keep the soil moist but not wet. With well-draining soil, this problem can be easily avoided.
Air Circulation - I used to ignore this part. But, a problem I faced was, the soil could easily get white mould growing on it. Besides, based on my readings, good air circulation will promote water evaporation, transpiration, prevent condensation on the leaf surfaces, reduce the growth of fungal infection and rot. Besides, airflow will make the plants grow stronger because of the wind resistance, and airflow takes care of the CO2 build-up and humidity around the plants. So, yes, since I keep the fan on in the room, I notice that all my plants are doing much better, and new leaves keep appearing.
So, guys. Now that I have shared everything I know and what I use and do to my Monstera Adansonii Albo, I hope it helps all of you not to hit the same walls I did. I will be sharing more topics about how I care for all my Monsteras and how I overcome problems. Stay tuned, guys!
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