Monstera Dubia Complete Plant Care Guide

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Monstera Dubia is a plant known for its shingling pattern and laying flat on trees. It’s been a wishlist plant of mine for a long time and I happily snagged it up at a plant auction for $65.

Monstera Dubia main care directions.

Water. Monstera Dubia are resilient plants. Water when the top two inches are dry and give your plant a mist any time you water.
Light. Monstera Dubia’s thrive in bright indirect sunlight but can tolerate lower light conditions. South, east, or west facing windows is a great spot for this plant.
Fertilizer. Fertilize your plant during the active growing season (March through October) with a diluted non-organic 20-20-20 fertilizer. If using an organic fertilizer like a 2-2-2, you don’t have to worry about diluting the fertilizer.
Humidity. Monstera Dubia’s can live in a variety of humidity condition. Mine lives in regular household humidity of 25%.

Monstera Dubia main care tips.

Light

Monstera Dubia will grow quickly in bright indirect sunlight conditions. These plants grow right before your eyes when given the right conditions.

A great spot for this plant would be near a south, east, or west facing window. North facing windows get the least amount of sun and wouldn’t be a great spot for Monstera Dubia.

If your house doesn’t get sufficient lighting, plant grow lights are a great option. I use T5 Barrina plant grow lights and run them on a 13 hour timer every day.

All plants need light from either sunlight or grow lights. Plus, plants grow a lot quicker and fuller when they receive adequate sunlight.

Water

Like I mentioned earlier, Monstera Dubia are hardy plants and the watering routine doesn’t need to be perfect. I mist and water my plant once a week.

Use your index finger to check the plants soil. If the soil feels dry, it’s time to give your plant a good soak. You can also use a moisture meter which is a tool that will tell you if the soil is dry, moist, or wet.

People often kill their plants because they give them way too much water. Plants typically need way less water than people think, which is why using a moisture meter is a great idea.

Soil

Monstera Dubia thrive in basic houseplant soil but you want the soil to be able to retain moisture. An easy soil recipe is 50% soil, 25% perlite and 25% orchid bark.

If you don’t want to make your own soil, you can purchase pre-made potting mix. Fox Farm Ocean Forest is a great blend of high quality ingredients perfect for any houseplant.

You can also place your Monstera Dubia in lechuza pon like I did below.

Temperature

Monstera Dubia plants thrive in homes with temperatures of 60°F to 80°F (15°C to 26°C). Make sure to not place this plant in cold drafts or near doors.

Fertilizer

Fertilize your Monstera Dubia when the plant is actively growing. For me, it’s almost year round since I live in a place that doesn’t really experience winter. I currently fertilize my plants using Dyna Grow 9-3-6.

You can also fertilize your plants using a slow release granule fertilizer like Earth Medicine’s organic microbial fertilizer or an organic or synthetic fertilizer.

If you are using a non-organic also known as a synthetic fertilizer, it’s recommended to dilute the recipe in half because of how strong the N-P-K ratios are. If you are using an organic fertilizer, you typically do not have to worry about diluting the recipe because the N-P-K ratio is so low.

You can also use a fertilizer like Blue Butterfly with a NPK ratio of 6-4-5. You’d mix a small spoonful of this fertilizer into a gallon of water and use this water to feed your plants.

Humidity

Monstera Dubia’s can live and thrive in a variety of humidity conditions. The person I bought my Dubia from had the plant growing in normal home humidity conditions which is around 30%.

I keep my plant in humidity conditions if 60%+ because that’s where I keep most of my plants for ease and convenience.

If you need help raising the humidity for your plant, here are my best tips.

Put high humidity plants together in a group. When you group high humidity plants around each other, this creates a humid microclimate. The plants will continue to release moisture around each other through transpiration.
Place your plant in a bathroom that gets daily high humidity.
Place a pebble tray underneath your high humidity plants. I purchased small rocks at a hardware store and placed them on a planter tray. Place your planter on the tray. Put enough water in the tray until it hits the planter bottom and the water will evaporate around the plant.
Get a high-quality humidifier and run it daily near your houseplants.
Invest in a DIY Ikea cabinet. Join the Ikea Greenhouse Club to learn how to set up your Ikea greenhouse.
Place high-humidity plants in your bathroom. I place certain high humidity plants in my shower and they’re thriving.

Propagation

Propagating a Monstera Dubia is relatively easy. All you do is cut off part of the stem that has a couple of nodes on it. Place the nodes in clean water and make sure the nodes are under the water line.

Make sure your cutting is getting fairly bright light and it will propagate faster. Once roots appear about a month or two later, you can place your cutting in soil or your preferred substrate.

Common Questions

Are Monstera Dubia rare?

You won’t find a Monstera Dubia at a big box store like Lowes or Walmart. Some speciality plant shops carry Monstera Dubia’s, but not all of them. I found mine for sale in a Facebook plant group.

How much is a Monstera Dubia?

Monstera Dubia’s tend to go for $75. Typically people buy them when the plant is already shingling on a plank of wood.

How do you care for Monstera Dubia?

To make sure your Monstera Dubia thrives, place your plant in bright indirect sunlight. This plant doesn’t need high humidity to thrive but you may find it grows faster when you give it higher humidity in the 60% range.

Fertilize your plant in the active growing months (which is when new leaves are growing) and pause fertilization when you do not see any active growth.

Are Monstera Dubia fast growers?

Monstera Dubia’s are typically very fast growers.

Do Monstera Dubia climb?

Monstera Dubia are known for their shingling traits and you’ll often find them crawling up a wooden plank or moss pole. You’ll notice the leaves get larger as the plant grows in height.

Is Monstera Dubia easy to care for?

Monstera Dubia are quite hardy plants and are easy to care for. This plant can live in normal household humidity (around 30%) and thrive. This plant likes bright indirect sunlight and doesn’t need to be water on a strict schedule.

Are Monstera Dubia’s poisonous?

Yes, this plant is toxic to both animals and humans.

Why is my Monstera Dubia yellow?

If your Monstera Dubia is yellowing, this may mean the plant is lacking nutrients and needs fertilizer. You can use an organic or non-organic fertilizer to feed your plant.

If using a non-organic fertilizer, make sure you cut the fertilizer dosage in half as a high fertilizer NPK ratio can hurt your plant.

Why is my Monstera Dubia leaves curling?

If your Monstera Dubia plant’s leaves are curling, this can mean a variety of things. Your plant may be suffering from underwatering, overwatering, or cold drafts.

Make sure your plant is in a spot that isn’t drafty (so not near vents, doors or windows). Use a moisture meter to aid your watering needs.

Make sure there are no pest pressures on your plant by taking an up close look at your plant. Some people even find a magnifying class to be helpful for spotting pests.

Is the Monstera Dubia toxic to pets?

Yes, this plant is toxic to pets and humans. You can get more information on toxic and pet-friendly plants at ASPCA here.

Common pests

Monstera Dubia aren’t known for getting many pests. This plant is relatively easy going and as long as you use some type of preventive, your plant will be just fine.

To help prevent any pest infestations on your plant, here’s what to do.

If possible, inspect your plant before purchasing at the plant store. If you’re buying a plant online, inspect your plant away from your other plants.
Regularly check your plants for pests. This is also a great time to clean your plants.
Cut off dead leaves.
Use a natural pest preventative like a soap + water mixture (1 capful of Dr. Bronners into 1 spray bottle) or a pesticide like Bonide Systemic Granules. If spraying your plant with any kind of pesticide, make sure to keep your plant away from bright light for a day as this can burn the leaves if placed in sun.

If you find a plant that has pests on it, quarantine the plant away from your houseplants and clean the plant with an organic or nonorganic insecticide.

I use Bonide Systemic on my plants as a preventative and find it’s incredibly effective at getting rid of pest pressures, particularly fungus gnats. All you do is sprinkle Bonide granules on top of your plants soil and the granules work into the soil.

Common issues

Brown spots: If your Monstera Dubia has brown spots, this may be due to the plant getting over fertilized. Remember to dilute your fertilize if you’re using a non-organic fertilizer with a high NPK ratio. An example of a high NPK ratio is 20-20-20.

Yellowing leaves: If your Monstera Dubia has yellow leaves, this can be due to underwatering, overwatering, heat stress or drafts.

Curly leaves: If your Monstera Dubia has curling leaves, this can mean the plant needs more water. Make sure to give your plant a good drink and don’t let it dry out for too long.

Key Points To Remember

Monstera Dubia thrive in well draining moist soil near bright indirect sunlight. When this plant gets adequate sunlight and humidity, it’ll grow faster.

This is an easy going plant that doesn’t ask for too much but gives a lot in it’s unique appearance.