A monstera plant becoming black is a common occurrence for gardeners. The plant as a whole may turn black, or there may be black spots on the leaves, black-coloured foliage, or even blackened leaves. Each of these demonstrates physiological plant stress.
A monstera plant’s blackening is caused by environmental and physical causes such as inadequate irrigation, dry soil, environmental concerns, lack of sunlight exposure, and humidity issues. Additional factors contributing to this problem include diseases, pest infestations, or physical harm.
To assist your Monstera in quickly recovering, keep reading.
What Causes Monstera To Turn Black?
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Incorrect Watering
The most frequent causes of black stains on Monstera leaves are water problems. It’s crucial to monitor the dosage and quality of your water. Then you can water your beautiful plant regularly. Watering plants, even Monstera, is something that most people tend to ignore and only do when they feel like it.
But like with many things, success depends on moderation. How long should I water my Monstera? It is a question that is hard to answer because every plant is different.
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Water Quality
Most gardeners water their plants with tap water, so it’s crucial to make sure the plants can drink it. It’s advisable to contact your water community for a quality report if you believe your water contains toxins like fluorides and chlorides.
Black patches on the leaves can result from insufficient liquids. For them, it’s equivalent to ingesting poison. The plant’s water transport system may become clogged by salts in the water.
Solution
To increase your water quality, try utilizing a faucet water filter. I typically use water that is at room temperature. You can also use rainwater and snowmelt! A simple recommendation is to let it sit for the entire night so that salt-forming substances like chlorine and others have ample time to evaporate.
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Overwatering
Name a more famous pairing than Monstera and overwatering. Because of its large size, you might feel compelled to saturate the plant’s soil with copious quantities of water. Root rot can occasionally result from over-irrigation; we’ll go into more detail about this later.
Your plant’s leaves develop large, dark spots as a result. Since these spots tend to spread quickly, take precautions as soon as possible!
Solution
Keep an eye on your irrigation schedule! Deepen the dirt with your finger or a wooden stick by about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm). If it’s dry, you should probably water your plant.
Wait a few days for such a plant to soak the moisture if it’s humid. After 7 to 10 days, Monstera needs to be watered. Please water the soil alone, not the foliage, and ensure thoroughly wet the soil.
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Dehydration
Dehydration is the condition on the opposite end of the watering spectrum. Underwatering, as opposed to overwatering, is a slow killer. Due to the thick leaves of Monstera, this process takes much longer to manifest than overwatering. There isn’t enough water in the dried plant to hydrate every component.
This explains why the furthest away leaves are where darkness and crispiness initially appear. Lack of water stresses plants, which causes palisade cells to shut down.
Solution
Buy your Monstera a drink if she appears sad and spotty with a glum expression. I advise soaking the pot’s base with water and letting the soil soak it up. It can appear that your soil has turned hydrophobic if this doesn’t work. It’s merely a fancy way of saying “it despises water.”
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Dry Land
A powerful indirect light source can quickly cause the soil to dry. Black stains on stems and leaves aren’t directly caused by dry soil, but they favour the emergence of several other problems. Low retention capacity in unsuitable soil can result in poor absorption, dehydration, and several nutritional difficulties.
Poor management of sunlight frequently leads to dry soil. It is not advisable to leave the soil exposed to intense direct or indirect sunlight before transplanting (or repotting) your Monstera. It turns dry and hydrophobic.
Having poor drainage might also result in dry soil. If you utilize compact soil that is high in clay, water won’t be able to pass through it, and the soil will remain dry at the root.
Solution
Ensure your soil receives the right amount of water and indirect light. Add gravel and stones to the soil if it’s too compact. A gravel and pebble blend, according to the study, helps control soil humidity and temperature while also enhancing soil drainage.
If you determine that the soil can no longer be saved, be careful to report your Monstera in a container with high-quality, humus-rich soil.
Black stalks and roots could be another problem you experience. Switching to a soil composition with good drainage qualities and repotting your plant are highly advised in this situation.
Does Temperature Affect Monstera Plant?
The ideal, minimum, and maximum temperatures vary for each plant. Particularly during the juvenile phases, these values significantly impact plant growth.
Monstera enjoys relaxing and comfortable settings where it can enjoy the warmth of filtered sun rays because it is a tropical plant. When these conditions are broken, the plant develops huge, unappealing black dots from the roots to the leaves.
Is Cold Weather Ideal For Monstera Plant?
Weather conditions are easily disregarded as an issue related to better plant care. Although most people are terrified of sunburns and excessive heat, chilly weather can be harmful. Monsteras are unable to really withstand the cold due to their enormous size. It takes a lot of effort to warm up a plant this size. Approximately 50° F (10° C) is the lowest temperature they can endure.
Low temperatures can also harm young buds or cuttings used for development, turning them black and destroyed for the same reasons. Black patches appear on the leaves due to the plants’ stopping their growth in this environment. Many bacterial and fungal infections can develop at cold temperatures as well.
Why Is My Monstera Leaves Getting Sunburn?
Sunburn is an issue that is more frequently caused by warmth. Making your plants burn is a novice error, but you quickly learn how to fix it. Your Monstera will be exposed to tremendous energy as heat if you place it in the sun, outside a window, or under a lamp.
Also, on the stems and leaves of your plant, you may readily identify dark, somewhat crispy, and toasted spots. They often have an oval to a circular form. On a good day, several homeowners still like to keep their monsteras outside and plant them on a heated patio, which can seriously harm the foliage and the roots.
Where To Put Monstera Plant?
Never put your Monstera outside a window, especially one that faces south. It should ideally be put close to a window that faces east. It can receive a lot of warm, indirect sunshine throughout the day. If you plan to move your plant outside, ensure it is shaded and that the surface you are setting it on is not too hot.
What Humidity Issues Are Related To Monstera?
Problems with humidity are a common cause of erratic watering. Since it is a native of tropical rainforests, Monstera can withstand high humidity. Still, dry weather is never a positive factor. Low humidity concentration and unnecessary misting are the most prevalent causes of poor humidity.
Minimal Humidity
It’s possible that your plant doesn’t like the humidity in the space if it starts requesting additional water all of a sudden. It attempts to quench the hunger that would otherwise be caused by water vapour in the air by drinking additional water.
Your Monstera, like its forebears, prefers to develop in a tropical setting; therefore, maintaining the right humidity level is essential. Low humidity will cause your plant to wilt and develop black scars on some of its leaves that resemble mould.
What’s The Solution To Minimal Humidity?
Increase the air’s humidity if the soil soon dries up after being watered. A tiny plant humidifier can be purchased if you’re walking a tightrope. Put some water-soaked pebbles around the pot’s base to try and remedy the situation initially. Because of this, the water will gradually escape into the soil and leaves. In environments that are 50% to 60% humid, Monstera grows well.
Is Misting Good For Brown Monstera Leaves?
Misting has become more common among novice gardeners for whatever reason. The mist that emerges out of the container is not, however, the issue. Sorry, but that is simply rain, and plants don’t appreciate that. Suppose you wouldn’t like fungi and pests on your plant. In that case, it can make the water store on the leaves’ surface, eventually resulting in patches on those leaves that become darker.
Do not mist your Monstera by spritzing it with water. Just that easy! Only use this tactic if you reside in a dry environment and cannot get a plant humidifier. Then spritz, or perhaps sprinkle, the plant lightly many times per day in tiny dosages. Consider maintaining a misting schedule, typically just once every 3–4 days.
Should I Introduce Fertilization?
For new gardeners, proper fertilizer seems to be a huge mystery. Lack of nitrogen might cause your Monstera to grow degeneratively and show signs of black and yellow patches. Your plant starts starving and more vulnerable to disease attacks due to inadequate nourishment.
Utilize a granular fertilizer initially for young growth. I advise choosing ones that are high in nitrogen. Add liquid urea, a natural nitrogen-based fertilizer, as the plant grows to boost leaf growth. When the plant is developed, use a liquid fertilizer with a denitrification ratio of 20-20-20.
What Diseases Can Cause Brown Monstera Leaves?
Things could become creepy at this point! Identifying any disease’s specific symptoms is critical as soon as possible. Houseplants are not immune to infections because they aren’t frequently exposed to them.
Unfortunately, root and stem rots can affect Monstera. Anthracnose is a fungus-based illness that I’ve also want to talk about earlier.
Are Leaves with Black Spots on Them Removed?
The solution to this query is not straightforward. The main factor here is what caused these black patches. You don’t need to trim the leaves if the environment, such as watering, temperature, or humidity, is the problem unless the leaves are seriously damaged.
Cutting off sick leaves usually avoids the patches from spreading further when it relates to pests and diseases.
Why Is The Stem On My Monstera Deliciosa Brown?
Your plant has stem rot, which is the most likely scenario. The stem may get discoloured and diseased due to overwatering or poor drainage. Extract the plant from the pot and wash the roots to treat stem rot. Water your plant just when the dirt appears dry to prevent it from becoming soggy. Stem rot can destroy your plant if quick action is not done, even if it is controllable in the initial phases.
On a stem, not all brown areas are signs of a bad thing. The stems get dark and woody. Foliar shears are also brown, where a leaf first appeared on your Monstera. This is quite natural, and there is no need to worry.
Why Do My Monstera’s Unfurl Leaves Turn Brown?
Before they have even begun to unfold, a plant’s new leaves will be brown or black, indicating a severe imbalance in soil moisture.
Perhaps your soil has become excessively dry, or your plant has been left moist for an extended period. To learn how to water a houseplant correctly, reviewing my piece of content on under- and overwatering is important.
Can I leave My Monstera Outside In The Summer?
Most definitely! It will prosper outside! In case you decide to move your indoor plants outside during the hot summer months, you can go ahead and do it.
Conclusion
It’s crucial to become informed about the various reasons why your Monstera can be turning black. It will be simpler to deal with these issues when your plant becomes ill, as the better you would understand them. The most crucial advice is to give your Monstera adequate time since it deserves it.