1. Getting started with your Swiss Cheese plant
Where to place your Swiss Cheese Plant
Place it somewhere bright but never under direct sunlight
If your plant is casting a sharp & defined shadow, the light is too hard. We're looking for a shadow that's soft and blurred.
Monsteras can tolerate low light, but the more it gets, the more it'll flower and the larger those flowers will be
Potting your Swiss Cheese Plant
Leave it in its nursery pot
Your plant is comfy in its nursery pot. It's best to let it acclimate to the lighting, temperature, and humidity in its new home for at least 2 weeks before repotting it
Pro tip: if you purchased a planter with your plant, you can simply place the nursery pot in that planter
2. Continually caring for your Swiss Cheese Plant
Watering your Swiss Cheese Plant
Water when the soil is almost completely dry
Monsteras like 50%-75% of their soil to dry out between waterings. We like to use a chopstick to check. Gently insert the chopstick 3/4 of the way down to the bottom; if the chopstick comes out:
1) Clean: your soil is sufficiently dry and needs a watering
2) Dirty: you'll know the soil is still moist and doesn't need a watering
Rule of thumb: expect to water your plant every 1-2 weeks, and more often with more light. Having said that, soil moisture should inform your watering decision, more than time as this can change
When watering, gently pour until liquid flows through the drainage hole at the bottom and discard any excess water. Remember, never use cold water as this will shock your plant's roots
Finding your Swiss Cheese Plant's favourite temperature
Like most houseplants, Swiss Cheese Plants are happiest between 18°C - 30°C
Repotting your Swiss Cheese Plant
In the right conditions, Monsteras are fast growers and may need to be repotted sooner than your other plants; every 1-2 years, depending on how much light & water its getting
When it's time, we recommend transferring your Monstera to a pot that's about 5cm large in diameter to give it ample room to grow and use a high-quality potting mix
Cleaning/pruning your Swiss Cheese Plant
Big leaves mean more dust. When you see this, gently wipe off each leaf top with a clean, damp cloth.
Though tedious, doing so will help your plant soak in light and breathe through the little pores on its leaves (stomata)
Some common problems with Swiss Cheese Plants
1. Yellowing/browning leaves
Usually caused by overwatering; allow the soil time to dry out sufficiently, then slowly rewater, following the watering guide above
2. Leaves curling/wilting
Usually due to underwatering; check the dryness of the soil, referring to the guide above, and water if needed
3. No holes in the leaves
This is normal; usually monsteras take time to develop their holes. If yours has over 7 large leaves with little to no holes, then try giving it more light
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