Hello there, it’s me, your Monstera deliciosa. I’m trying to tell you something important through my leaves. When they start turning yellow, it’s my way of communicating that I’m not entirely happy. Let’s work together to figure out what’s wrong. Here’s a detailed look at the world from my roots up.
This is the most common conversation we have. My relationship with water is delicate. If you give me too much, the soil around my roots becomes waterlogged. My roots need to breathe air just like you do, and when they’re constantly suffocated in soggy soil, they begin to rot. Once root rot sets in, they can’t absorb water or nutrients, and my beautiful green leaves start to turn a sickly yellow, often starting from the bottom. On the other hand, if you forget about me for too long and let my soil become bone dry, I become dehydrated. I can’t transport nutrients effectively, and my leaves will also yellow, often feeling crispy and dry. The goal is consistently moist soil, not a swamp and not a desert.
Sunlight is my food. I use it to create energy through photosynthesis, which keeps my leaves a vibrant green. If you place me in a spot that’s too dark, I’m essentially on a starvation diet. I can’t produce enough chlorophyll, the green pigment, and my leaves will slowly pale and turn yellow. Conversely, if you put me directly in a harsh, hot sunbeam, it’s like a sunburn for me. The intense light scorches my leaves, causing yellow or brown patches and crispy edges. I prefer bright, indirect light—think of the dappled sunlight I would get under the canopy of taller trees in my natural jungle home.
While soil provides some sustenance, I live in a pot with a limited amount of nutrients. Over time, I use them all up. If I’m not fed, I’ll show you I’m hungry. A general yellowing, especially on older leaves, can mean I need nitrogen. If the yellowing occurs between the veins of new leaves, I might be lacking iron. However, be careful not to overfeed me! Giving me too much fertilizer can cause a buildup of salts in the soil, which actually burns my roots and also leads to yellowing leaves. It’s a delicate balance.
As I grow, so does my root system. If I’ve been in the same pot for too long, my roots can become so tightly packed that they can’t function properly. This is called being root-bound. There’s not enough soil to hold water and nutrients, and the roots are constricted. This stress will cause my leaves to yellow. Furthermore, the soil itself can break down over time, becoming compacted and losing its ability to drain properly, which brings us back to the first problem of suffocating roots.
I’m a tropical plant, and I prefer a stable, warm, and humid environment. Sudden changes can shock my system. If you move me from a warm spot to a drafty window or directly next to a heating or air conditioning vent, the temperature fluctuation can cause my leaves to yellow. Low humidity, especially in winter, can stress me out and lead to yellowing leaf edges. Even pests, like tiny spider mites or mealybugs, can suck the sap from my leaves, leaving behind yellow stippling or patches as they weaken me.
