Welcome to the Monstera plant world!
As the proud owner of this stunning tropical beauty, you must be looking forward to seeing it grow and bloom at best. It can, however, be discouraging to find that the new leaves on your Monstera are turning black.
Why is my new Monstera leaf turning black, you say?
Root rot due to overwatering is the leading reason for Monstera leaves turning black. Another possibility is improper lighting, as Monstera plants require bright, indirect light to thrive. It’s also likely that your plant isn’t getting enough nutrients. Or it could also be a symptom of pests or diseases.
Monstera plants are well-known for their unique leaves, which may grow up to three feet long.
However, fresh leaves may sometimes develop discoloration or black patches. Monstera leaves turning black is a typical problem that many plant owners have, and determining what’s causing it can be challenging.
In this post, we will look at each of the possible causes that can turn a fresh Monstera leaf black. We’ll also offer practical advice on how to avoid it from occurring in the future.
Whether you are an experienced Monstera plant owner or just getting started, you will find helpful information to assist you in keeping your plant healthy and growing here.
So, let’s get started and answer, “Why is my new Monstera leaf turning black?”
If you want some ideas on how to fix black spots on Monstera, keep on reading! You will be able to enjoy the beauty of your Monstera plant for years to come with a bit of patience and care.
Let’s begin!
Why Is My New Monstera Leaf Turning Black?
Monstera plants are valued for their lush, green leaves, but when these leaves turn black, it is a cause for concern.
It’s critical to understand the causes behind new Monstera leaves turning black and how to fix them if you want your Monstera to thrive.
Below are some typical reasons for black Monstera leaves:
1. Improper Watering
Watering, whether too much or too little, is one of the most common causes of black Monstera leaves.
The right amount of water is necessary for your Monstera plant’s health, and the soil’s characteristics should determine the watering frequency. If your plant’s leaves are becoming black, it could be due to either underwatering or overwatering.
Your plant should get enough water so that only the top inch of soil dries out every 2–3 days.
Overwatering
Overwatering is a typical problem with houseplants that is easily solved by watering your plant only when necessary.
Check the soil to see whether your plant is being overwatered. Musty-smelling dirt, excessively moist soil, or standing water at the bottom of the decorative planter all suggest an overwatering problem.
Overwatering is more likely if your plant’s pot lacks drainage holes, as excess water cannot drain out.
To avoid overwatering, water your plant only when the top few inches of soil have dried up, and make sure that any excess water drains before reintroducing it to its decorative container.
If your plant’s pot lacks drainage holes, it’s easy to overwater it, and the risk of root rot increases.
NOTE: Soil can become hydrophobic and stop absorbing water, leading you to believe that your plant is adequately watered when it is not. In such instances, you must take extra precautions to ensure that your plant receives sufficient water, and you may need to change the soil.
As we’ve mentioned previously, examine the soil at the top, middle, and bottom of your plant to see if it is suffering from improper watering.
Underwatering
In the case of underwatering, the soil becomes compact and remains bone dry.
Underwatering causes the plant to conserve water and, consequently, reduces the flow of water to the leaves, which causes the leaves to dry out and become brittle. As a result, the leaves can turn black, curl up, wilt, and die.
If the plant’s container always feels light, it means you’ve been underwatering your Monstera.
To remedy underwatering, you’ll need to water the plant deeply.
The best way to do this is by sub-irrigation or bottom watering. It involves placing your plant pot in a container or tray filled with water and letting it absorb the water from the bottom drainage holes.
It ensures proper moisturization. However, do not let the plant sit in the water tray for too long.
2. Soil Conditions
Soil conditions might also have an impact on the health of your plant.
The condition of the soil can make or break your plant.
Monstera plants require soil that drains well and has adequate aeration. A Monstera-specific soil can give your plant all the necessary nutrients and conditions to thrive and grow lovely green leaves.
So, to maintain your Monstera plant’s health, pay attention to the soil requirements and ensure that the soil gets just the right amount of water, as compact and waterlogged soil may cause your Monstera to turn black at the base.
Also, confirm that the soil provides the required nutrients for your plant to grow and, if necessary, consider replacing the soil.
If you don’t have a proper potting mix for your Monstera, here’s how to make the best potting mix for indoor plants.
3. Lighting
Lack of natural and filtered sunlight could also cause black Monstera leaves.
If the leaves on your plant are going black or yellow, it’s time to reconsider its location in your home to ensure it’s getting enough light.
If your Monstera plant does not get adequate light, it will hinder the photosynthetic process of the leaves. That causes an accumulation of waste in the leaves, turning them black. It also causes tissue damage, which causes the leaves to turn yellow.
Provide your plant with bright, indirect sunlight for at least a few hours daily. In that way, you’ll be able to keep your Monstera leaves out of trouble caused by light deficiency.
With careful care and attention, these difficulties can be avoided and resolved.
You can help your plant survive and enjoy its gorgeous green leaves by ensuring it gets enough light.
4. Temperature Fluctuations & Humidity
Monstera plants are pretty sensitive to temperature fluctuations, so it is vital to maintain a consistent and optimal temperature for the plant to flourish.
These tropical plants require a climate comparable to their original home, so they cannot tolerate extreme heat or cold.
If you don’t provide them with these optimal conditions, hurting the plant’s general health and growth, the leaves will turn black and finally die.
Look at these two scenarios:
- Cold shock is a typical issue with Monstera plants when you subject them to freezing conditions. To avoid cold shock, keep the plant warm, especially if transporting it to a cold place. Keep your home warm if you live in a cold climate, and avoid placing your plant near drafty windows or doors.
- On the other hand, heat stress is a big worry for Monstera plants. They are not meant to thrive in areas with temperatures that are constantly exceeding tropical temperatures. Therefore, you should maintain a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid heat stress. This can be achieved by keeping the plant out of direct sunlight or transferring it to a cozy location.
In addition to temperature changes, humidity also causes the Monstera leaves to turn brown or black.
Monsteras love humidity! Low humidity levels can cause the Monstera leaves to dry out. That can lead to damage and discoloration of the leaves, turning them black sometimes. Tropical plants are more adapted to a humid climate.
To combat this issue, use a humidifier or sprinkle the leaves with a spray bottle every few days, especially if your home’s air is dry.
You can also place your monstera pot on a pebble tray filled with water and keep all the tropical plants together near your bathroom or kitchen where the moisture levels are greater than in the other areas of the house.
5. Overfertilization
Over-fertilization is another typical issue resulting in black patches on the Monstera plant’s leaves.
Although fertilizer provides more nutrients to the plant, over-fertilizing can be fatal.
If you suspect over-fertilizing is the problem, stop fertilizing and ensure the plant gets enough water. If you use liquid fertilizer, don’t worry; with appropriate care, your plant will recover.
Leaching can help you in this regard:
- Water the soil thoroughly to flush out excess fertilizer.
- Make sure the water runs out of the bottom drainage holes.
- Repeat this process several times.
However, make sure you let the soil dry in between watering.
Also, once you’ve fixed your overfertilized soil, fertilize your plant to a minimum.
6. Root Rot
Various diseases can cause the Monstera plant’s leaves to turn black, some of which are curable, while others might catch you off guard and swiftly destroy the plant.
One of the most frequent illnesses in houseplants, root rot, can be fatal if not detected in time. It is essential to provide sufficient care and a suitable atmosphere for the plant to develop in order to avoid infections.
To prevent root rot, plant owners must understand the necessity of regular watering procedures and monitoring the health of their plants. Root rot is a disease caused by either overwatering, poorly draining soil, or planting in a container with inadequate drainage.
This disease can kill your plants, yet it is entirely avoidable.
- To see if your plant has root rot, carefully remove the plant and dirt from its container.
- To loosen the soil and release the roots, use your fingers.
- Check for rot by rinsing the roots in clean water.
- If you discover any rotting roots (they will look black/brown and mushy), cut them off, sterilize the other roots in diluted hydrogen peroxide, and repot the plant in a fresh potting mix.
As a general rule of thumb, wait for the top few inches of the soil to dry before watering your plant again. Within the first 24 hours, this will assist in stopping fungal or bacterial root infection.
Click on this link if you want to learn the proper stepwise guide on how to diagnose and treat root rot.
7. Pests & Bugs
Pests are a typical issue for plant owners because they can harm your plants and cause the leaves to become black.
To protect your plants from pests, check the leaves for symptoms of bugs and treat your plant with neem oil if you detect any.
If the cause of your plant’s black spots is a disease or bug, it may infect other plants too. To reduce this risk, separate your Monstera from the rest of the plants and use a disinfectant to clean any pruning shears before using them on other plants.
Also, if you observe a lot of gnats flying around, you can set up a gnat trap and apply neem oil to keep additional pests away from your plant and your home.
Furthermore, any damaged or diseased leaves must be discarded and not left in the plant’s soil.
In conclusion, pests and bugs are preventable and can be avoided by proper watering procedures, monitoring the health of your plants, discarding damaged leaves, and avoiding them from spreading to other plants.
Now, it’s time to look at why the leaf edges turn black.
Monstera Leaves Are Turning Black at the Edges!
The appearance of black edges on Monstera leaves can be alarming.
However, remember that this is usually a solved problem that only requires some detective work. Don’t be concerned; there are techniques to restore your plant to its old glory.
Take a closer look at the affected leaf and ask yourself a few questions to get to the root of the problem.
Is the edge crumbling and dry? If the edge is dry and crumbly, and the soil appears dry as well, it indicates that your plant is not getting enough water or that the surroundings are too dry. This leads to compact soil due to underwatering.
Is the plant’s soil completely dry, or does it take a long time to dry? If the soil takes a long time to dry up, your plant may be getting too much water, leading to overwatering, waterlogging, and potential root rot.
Is there a yellow ring surrounding the blackened area? A yellow ring surrounded by a blackened area could signify a bacterial or fungal infection. If you see such discoloration on your Monstera, you must take appropriate measures like proper watering, ensuring good drainage, and using a fungicide.
With this knowledge, you can take the necessary measures to resurrect your Monstera.
Don’t be afraid to take action; the sooner you solve the issue, the faster your Monstera will recover.
What Are the Black Spots on My Monstera Leaf?
Black spots on your Monstera plant’s leaves can be frightening, but they are usually caused by over- or under-watering.
Overwatering can encourage mold growth and root rot, both of which can result in black spots on the leaves.
Underwatering, on the other hand, will cause the leaves to dry up and eventually turn black.
So, how to fix black spots on Monstera?
In both cases, you must change your watering schedule to ensure the plant receives adequate water—not too much, not too little.
Pests, such as gnats, can attack your plant and cause harm to its leaves, causing black spots in some cases.
To avoid this, check for bugs regularly and set up gnat traps.
You can also use neem oil to keep other pests away from your plants.
How to Fix Black Leaves on a Monstera Plant?
Why is my new Monstera leaf turning black?
Now that you have the answer to that question, you might be thinking, how to fix these black leaves?
Following the guidelines below, you can safeguard your Monstera’s health and longevity.
1. Plant Positioning
It is vital to position your Monstera plant in an area of your home that receives indirect sunlight.
While direct sunlight may not hurt the plant right away, it is advisable to avoid it.
Prolonged exposure to bright and direct sun can cause sunburn and make the leaves black and crispy.
After you’ve relocated the plant, please closely check it for a week or two to see how it reacts. If the leaves begin to turn yellow or brown, you will need to relocate the plant again to a better place.
2. Maintain Proper Humidity & Temperature
Monstera plants are native to tropical areas and flourish in similar conditions. To grow this plant in your home, keep the temperature between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity at reasonable levels.
To maintain proper humidity levels, use a humidifier or mist the plant on a regular basis. You should be able to identify the ideal misting schedule for your plant after two to three weeks.
3. Get Rid of Black Spots
Unfortunately, black Monstera leaves do not heal on their own.
You can safely remove a section of the leaf if only a portion of it is damaged.
If the entire leaf has turned black, remove it immediately (especially if it is caused by some disease or pest infestation) to prevent the problem from spreading to the rest of the plant.
To remove any infected leaves, use a clean, sanitized pair of pruning shears.
4. Ensure Well Draining Soil
A well-draining soil according to your Monstera plant’s demands will benefit it.
A good mix of peat moss, perlite, and potting soil is excellent.
- To evaluate the drainage of your soil, thoroughly water it and mix it to verify there are no dry pockets.
- Wring off as much moisture as possible before adding the soil into the pot.
- Next, pour some water into the pot and notice the time required for the soil to absorb it.
The soil should absorb the water in 20–30 seconds. If it takes less time, the soil will not retain enough moisture for the plant to utilize correctly, and if it takes more time, the plant may get infected with root rot.
Following the above suggestions will give you the optimum environment for your Monstera plant to grow well. It’s critical to remember that the key to keeping your plant healthy is to monitor it frequently and make any required changes to its care.
That’s all!
Conclusion
Why is my new Monstera leaf turning black? As you have come along this far, you already know the answer to your question.
After reading this article, you can easily detect the problem related to your Monstera plant and find effective measures to work on it.
- Before the problem spreads through the whole plant and kills those beautiful leaves, keep the infected plants away from others!
- Watch how much you are watering your Monstera, as watering is the most crucial aspect of Monstera plant maintenance. The plant prefers uniformly moist soil and cannot tolerate dryness.
- Also, check if proper sunlight is available for your Monstera.
I hope you find this article helpful.
If you have any other queries, let us know in the comments below.
Regards!