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Monstera Subpinnata – 8 Caring Tips & 2 Propagating Methods

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Monstera Subpinnata is a fragmented leaf plant with an elegant look that originated from Ecuador. It has widely segmented foliage, 8 inches wide and 12 inches long when fully grown.

When it climbs, its vine appears thin and narrow, making it unique compared to other Monstera varieties. Monstera Subphinnata is an easy-to-grow tropical plant that thrives best in moist soil with high organic matter.

Monstera Subpinnata 1
Monstera Subpinnata – via Etsy

Monstera Subpinnata Care Tips

1.       Soil

The optimal composition of the soil for a young Monstera Subpinnata includes peat, sand, turf, and a double part of the humus. The reaction should be neutral or slightly acidic. 

An adult Monstera Subpinnata prefers only neutral soil. For such a plant, soil from peat, leafy soil, sand, turf, and a triple part of humus is suitable. Planting capacity should correspond to the size of the plant. A good drainage layer is laid at the bottom.

2.       Light

Monstera Subpinnata needs light, but it need to be diffused. It is good to grow this plant on the eastern or western windowsill. It should be protected from the sun if it is located on a south window.

If you offer the plant with enough amount of light that is diffused, its foliage may be large. With poor lighting, new leaf plates grow small and aerial roots are thin and weak. It is recommended to transfer a flower to a new place only as a last resort.

3.       Temperature

It is noteworthy that the Monstera Subpinnata is not too picky about the temperature conditions of detention. A flower grower who decides to start this flower at home should consider that the activity of plant growth and development increases at relatively high air temperatures. 

The standard temperature should be 18 to 29°C. If the temperature drops below 10 °C, it will stop growing and developing. It is better to protect your pet from drafts in the cold season, as they can destroy the plant.

4.       Watering

In spring and summer, watering should be plentiful. It should be carried out immediately after the top layer of the substrate dries out. To do this, use soft and well-settled water. 

During autumn, watering should be reduced gradually, and in winter, you need to water it after two days since the top layer soil would have dried out. 

Know that Monstera Subpinnata reacts equally negatively to drying an earthen coma and the water stagnation in a substrate. With even waterlogging, rot can appear and specks can appear on a foliage.

5.       Air humidity

Since the leaves of the Monstera Subpinnata are large, the evaporation area is large, so it requires regular spraying. This has a positive effect on the condition of the flower. 

This procedure requires settled water at room temperature. You also need to monitor the leaves. If dust accumulates, it should be collected with a soft, damp cloth.

6.       Fertilizer

Monstera Subpinnata needs to be fertilized. If this is neglected, the bushes grow poorly, and the foliage acquires a pale green tint. Feed the plant in spring and summer. 

By autumn, fertilizers are applied as rarely as possible, and in winter, they completely stop feeding. Monstera Subpinnata loves both root and foliar top dressing. Fertilizers are applied at least twice a month.

7.       Top dressing

Only large overgrown Monstera Subpinnata need top dressing. Such adult specimens are fertilized from the second half of spring to the end of summer. 

To do this, two times a month, mineral and organic fertilizers are applied to the soil, alternating them. You can use complex additives for decorative leafy plants. 

Mature plants are sometimes fed foliarly. Monstera Subpinnata is not fertilized in winter: activating leaf growth during a period of low light will not add beauty to the plant.

8.       Transplant 

If the plant is still young, then transplantation is necessary annually. For 3-4-year-old Monstera Subpinnata, this procedure can be carried out once every two years, and for five years and more, once every four years. But it is necessary to add fresh substrate annually. 

Young Monstera Subpinnata grows well in neutral and slightly acidic soils, a mixture of humus, turf, and peat. A combination of humus, sand, peat, turf, and hardwood is suitable for transplanting adult plants. Mixes can be purchased ready-made, or you can cook them yourself.

Monstera Subpinnata 2
Monstera Subpinnata – via Etsy

Propagation methods

a)      Propagation by seeds

Monstera Subpinnata seeds to be sown are harvested in a warm and well-lit place. The first seedlings should appear within 30 days. The first leaf blades are juvenile, and they have no slits. 

The first adult foliage is formed at 5 to 8 months. After two years, the bush will have no more than four adult leaf blades and up to 5 juvenile ones. Seedlings dive first, planting in individual pots, and then they are transplanted every year.

b)      Propagation by cuttings

Monstera Subpinnata cuttings can be practiced during the period of its active growth: in spring and summer.  To do this, a stem cutting with 2-3 leaves is cut from the bush and placed in water. 

You need to cut the cutting below the aerial root, from which the roots then develop. The cutting takes root quickly. Within two weeks, the roots already have time to grow well.

Diseases and pests

More often, improper conditions lead to plant disease. The lack of light is manifested by crushing and falling leaves and twisting the stem. 

Waterlogging is indicated by yellowing and rotting the leaves, and drops of moisture may appear on them. Also, the leaves begin to turn brown and dry with a lack of moisture.

You will not have any problems with the pests. But the most negligent owners can expose the plant to attack by scale insects and spider mites, whose presence is not so easy to notice. 

Try wiping the Monstera Subpinnata leaves with soapy water if you still find pests. If this does not help, you will have to apply an insecticide treatment like fitoverm or actara.


Conclusion

Monstera Subpinnata is a unique plant that looks different compared to its relatives. This is because of the pinnated green leaves. The leaves start to be small spaced from one another.

When the plant grows, its leaves get longer and bigger. They end up being thicker and can grow 8 inches wide and 12 inches long.