Why Are My Monstera adansonii Leaves Turning Yellow? (And Solutions)

If the leaves of your Monstera adansonii start to turn yellow, it is a sign that something is not right. To help them, you must identify the reason first and find a way to fix it.

The primary cause of Monstera adansonii leaves turning yellow is fungal diseases like root and nutrient deficiency. Besides incorrect watering, low light, unfiltered water containing adverse chemicals can also cause this issue. Rarely though, pest infestation and diseases can leave yellow spots on leaves.

Read on, and you will learn why your Monstera leaves become yellow. You will also find a few tips to revive the plant.

Causes of Monstera adansonii Leaves Turning Yellowing

It is heartbreaking to see that your plant has leaves that are turning yellow. But being clueless about where to start and what to do is more frustrating.

This article will help you familiarize yourself with a few causes and the counter steps one by one.

Incorrect Watering

While the plant needs water to grow, incorrect watering can compromise its health.

Water plays a significant role in transporting nutrients from the soil up to the plant. Thus, the lack of water starves the plant of both moisture and nutrients.

An underwatered plant initially develops curling and yellowing leaves and dries up eventually.

Meanwhile, an excessive amount of water limits the supply of oxygen. This incident causes the roots to drown and eventually rot.

Overly wet soil also invites fungi and other harmful organisms. With these, plant health deteriorates and makes them vulnerable to diseases.

How to Fix

Follow these simple tricks to make sure that your Monstera adansonii gets a sufficient amount of water:

Wait For the Soil to Dry in Between Watering

Allow one or two inches from the topmost layer of the soil to dry before watering again. You can gently stick your finger (if you do not have any tool) down the soil to check its moisture. Don’t give water if the soil is still moist.

Adjust Watering Frequency

Consider these factors when watering your plant. These things shall dictate the frequency of water application in your monster plant.

• Position of the pot – A hanging plant often dries more quickly than those sitting on a table.
• Weather – Plants may not need much water on a rainy day. It is because there is no sun to help the plant dry out.
• Potting soil – Growing medium containing less moisture may need more periodic watering.

Water Your Plant Thoroughly

This is to make sure that the water reaches the roots. An even distribution of water will help develop a more robust root structure. Moreover, this technique will avoid one-sided root growth.

Assure Good Pot Drainage

Ensure the pot has an effective drainage system by checking if it has plenty of holes. If there are not enough, you can drill a few more holes at the base of the container. This is to let the excess water and salts flush out of the soil.

Empty the Saucer Under The Pot

Never let your pot sit in a pool of water for a prolonged period. If your pot has a saucer, ensure water doesn’t accumulate under it.

It will create a flooded condition that can, in turn, lead to overwatering problems. Check out this article to save overwatered monstera.

Water Quality Can Lead to Yellow Leaves

Your plant should also receive water that is free of harsh chemicals. Though the effect of these harmful substances will not show immediately, symptoms will appear later.

One of the symptoms is necrosis, yellow to brown streaks that occur in the tips and along the margin of the plants.

This happens because the accumulation of chemicals in soil interrupts the functionality of the root system. With inhibited root function, the plant cannot intake its food.

How to Fix

Following are some steps on how to properly water your monster:

Use Good Quality Water

Use well-water, rainwater, and melted snow to irrigate your plant. Do not use tap water, if possible, as it naturally contains chemicals like fluorine and chlorine.

Giving the plants distilled water is another option. You can either manually distill water at home or purchase one. If you have the budget, you can install a water filtration system for a long-term solution.

Use Room Temperature Water

This is especially important during the cold months when water becomes frosty cold. Too cold and hot water can shock the roots and cause injuries that may lead to death.

Light Exposure

Light is one of the most important factors that influence the growth of plants. For the Monstera adansonii, it needs only medium light exposure to thrive.

Do not leave this plant under full sun, especially for a long time. Prolonged sun exposure can result in leaf scorch and sunburn. This happens because sun rays with strong intensities break down the chlorophyll of the leaves.

Damage appears as faded spots that soon become dry and dark brown.
Likewise, too little is as risky as excessive light.

Plants will not grow at the maximum rate and reach their full development if it does not receive enough light because the light is a main component of photosynthesis.

All these things result in the weakening of the Monstera adansonii. Symptoms like drooping and yellowing leaves can also occur.

How to Fix

Follow these procedures to give your plant the appropriate amount of light:

Limit Exposure to Direct Light

Keep your Monstera adansonii in a spot that is not receiving direct sunlight. Fairly bright interior rooms are great for them.

If you are going to place the plants outdoors, do not leave them outside for more than two hours. You can also shade them with a cloth or a taller plant.

Use Artificial Light

Artificial lighting is also a friend of Monstera adansonii. It can supplement light to the plant without any issues. Just make sure that there’s enough distance between the plant and the light.

Fertilizer Problems

While fertilizer is a good thing, it can damage the plants when they receive too much of it.

Excessive fertilizer leads to the increase of salt concentration in the soil. Such an incident alters the pH level of the soil that makes the nutrients less available to the plant. It also hurts the beneficial microorganisms that are naturally living in the soil.

Additionally, overfertilization can make the roots shrivel. Such a poor root structure will not properly absorb moisture. It will weaken and stress the plant, making it more vulnerable to diseases.

Plants respond to overfertilization stress by turning their leaves yellow and brown.

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How to Fix

Here are quick solutions to do when your Monstera gets overfertilized:

Leach Off Excess Fertilizer

Remove excess fertilizer by leaching the soil with water. Allow the water to drain away. Repeat this step several times.

You will also need to cut off damaged and discolored leaves using a sharp scissor or shear. Unfortunately, these injured parts will never recover so it has to be taken down.

Withhold Fertilizer for Awhile

Clearly, an overfertilized monstera would need some time to recover from the damages. Give it time to regain vigor by skipping the next fertilization schedule.

Follow The Fertilizer Guide

To avoid committing the same mistake of overfertilizing your monster, here’s a simple guide you can follow.

1. In the first year, apply a 0.25 lb (113 g) of complete dry mix consisting of nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and magnesium. Repeat this application every eight weeks.
2. During the growing season of the Monstera, add micronutrients two to three times annually. Apply an iron sulfate to sandy soil with a pH level of 4 to 7. Use chelated iron, on the other hand, to the calcareous ground with a pH level of 7 to 8.5.
3. As the vine grows, gradually increase the amount of the general fertilizer to 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 lb (227 g, 341 g, and 454 g). In doing so, you have to reduce the application frequency down to two or three times a year.

Check And Follow Fertilizer Label

Make sure to follow all the directions indicated in the package of the fertilizer. Never apply more than the amount recommended by the manufacturer.

Repot The Monstera

If the plant is severely overfed with fertilizer, a transplant is a great way to help it heal.

Plant the Monstera in a new pot with a fresh growing medium. Make sure to trim off the damaged roots and shoots before you plant them again.

Diseases

It is frustrating to see that the leaves of your plant turn yellow. Sometimes, remedies like adding water and fertilizer do not work. It is because your plant could have a different and more serious problem, a disease.

Although monstera is rarely thrown off by a disease, it still is possible. So here are some of the most common houseplant diseases that can infect your Monstera as well.

These diseases include the following:

Bacterial Leaf Spot

These are small and dark brown spots with a yellow border that appear in the leaves of the Monstera adansonii.

These streaks with sticky ooze seem to be similar in size. Bacteria that are particularly invasive in warm and wet environments are the major cause of this disease.

Anthracnose

This disease makes the edges of the leaves yellow. The damage eventually turns brown and progresses to the entire leaf.

Large lesions can also occur in the stem of the plant. This is a fungal disease that spreads from seed and plant debris.

Leaf Rust

In the initial stage of this disease, pinpoint yellow spots appear on the leaves of the plant. These dots gradually expand and turn into brown or red blisters.

Aside from the leaves, the rusty spots can also invade the stem of the plant. Rusts in the plants happen because of fungal parasites. These microorganisms dwell and survive in moist conditions.

How to Fix

The following tips will help you combat the disease in your Monstera adansonii:

Remove The Infected Parts

This is especially important during the first symptoms of the disease. Do this to lower the risk of spreading the disease-causing organisms. Keep the plant isolated until it’s fully recovered.

Always Use Sterile Tools

Disinfect the cutting tool before and after using it. You can clean it with bleach, alcohol, or boiling water. Tools are used to create wounds in plants and if it’s infected, there’s a high chance that diseases will spread through.

Treat with Chemicals (Fungicide, DIY solutions)

Spray a light-infested plant with an appropriate fungicide. When doing this, carefully read and follow all the directions on the package of the product. You may also opt to use organic fungicides that are not harmful to the environment.

For the treatment of fungal diseases. Here are the fungicides I recommend:

Name of The Fungicide	Amount	Amount of Water
Bonide 811 Copper 4E Fungicide	1-4 tablespoons (.05-2.0 fl oz)	1 gallon of water
Garden Safe Brand Fungicide3	2 tablespoons (1 fl oz)	1 gallon of water
Southern Ag – Liquid Copper Fungicide	3-4 tablespoons	1 gallon of water

Keep Your Plant Away from Stressful Conditions

An overly wet soil, as well as leaves, can invite pathogens and increase the rate of its spread.

Do not overcrowd the plants to maintain proper air circulation. Make the environmental condition as healthy as possible for your Monstera to recover fast.

Dispose A Severely Diseased Plant

Sad to say these plants are incurable so you have to let them go. Do this by burying or burning it. Such procedures will prevent the spread of disease through wind currents and insects.

Pest Infestation

Aside from the conditions above, pests are also known to cause yellowing of the leaves. The common insects that attack the Monstera are mealy bugs, spider mites, aphids, and scales.

These insects harm the plant due to their feeding mechanism. They pierce the plant, suck its sap, and afterward secrete a honeydew-like substance. This sticky substance may result in a sooty mold that inhibits photosynthesis.

Insect infestation can deplete the nutrients of the plant. It can result in irreparable damage like discoloration, deformation, and even death of the plant.

How to Fix

Solve the insect problems with these simple steps:

Employ Mechanical Control

This is the simplest method especially if the pests aren’t that much. Pick off the large insects (like mealybugs) using your fingers or toothpick.

You may also wash the insects off using water. Using enough pressure, spray the foliage with water to wash off the existing insects. Make sure that they get detached from the plant portions.

Use Chemicals to Get Rid of Them

Dab any insects with alcohol-dipped cotton balls. Spray a houseplant insecticide. Use insecticidal soap and horticultural oils diluted in water.

Prune The Infested Parts

Completely remove the affected parts of the plant if there are only a few of them.

Isolate the Plant

Separate the infected plant away from other houseplants. This is to prevent the insects from hopping from one plant to another.

Discard Severely Infested Plant

If the infestation has gotten worse, there’s only a little chance that it will survive the pests. In this case, you have to discard the plant for good. You can burn the plant (if allowed in your area) or you can spray pesticides first before you throw it away.

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Can Yellow Monstera Leaves Turn Green Again?

Yes, your yellow Monstera leaves can turn green again. But it can only happen if the cause of the yellowing issue is nutrient deficiency. Otherwise, it will not regain its original color.

Why Are My Monstera adansonii Leaves Curling?

Most species of the Monstera develop curling leaves due to moisture stress. Give them plenty of water until it drains out of the pot. Increasing humidity using devices or pebble trays can also alleviate this condition.

Why Are My Monstera adansonii Leaves Wilting?

If the Monstera Adansonii leaves start to wilt, you must assess a few factors. This includes under or overwatering, low light, fertilizer problems, pests, and diseases.

Seeing yellow leaves in your Monstera plant might initially make you panic. But remember that you can always find ways to fix it. Before finding solutions, make sure you’ve diagnosed the real cause of the problem.

If you want to learn more about the general care guide, I have another post that will teach you how to care for this plant to thrive.

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