Successful monstera propagation comes down to one thing: your cutting must include a node. A cutting with a visible node roots fast, but a bare leaf with no node will never grow roots no matter how long you wait. Get the node right and the rest is easy.
The node is that raised bump on the stem where a leaf and an aerial root meet. Inside it sits the axillary bud, the small store of cells that forms both new roots and new shoots. A leaf alone has none of that tissue, so it just sits in the jar and rots.
To propagate monstera, find a healthy section of stem that has at least one node and one leaf. Use a clean, sharp blade and cut 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) below the node. That extra bit of stem protects the bud and gives the new roots a place to push out from.
Always sterilize your blade first. Wipe it with rubbing alcohol or dip it in boiling water for a few seconds before you cut. A dirty knife spreads rot and disease, and that is the fastest way to lose good monstera cuttings before they ever root.
Once you have your cutting, you can root it in plain water or in a moist medium. Perlite and sphagnum moss both work well for this. Plant experts at the University of Minnesota Extension share a simple way to do it. You cut clean below the node, and then you set the piece in water or medium in bright, indirect light. Roots usually show in about 2 to 4 weeks.
Water rooting lets you watch the roots grow, which makes it great for beginners and easy to track. Medium rooting skips the move from water to soil, so the roots adjust to dirt from day one. Both work for monstera propagation, so pick the one that fits how much you want to fuss over your plant.
Locate the raised bump where a leaf and aerial root meet the stem. This node is the only spot that grows new roots.
With a sterilized blade, cut 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) below the node so the node stays whole on the cutting.
Place the node in clean water or moist medium in bright, indirect light, and wait about 2 to 4 weeks for roots.
Once roots are an inch or two long, move the cutting into a snug pot of well-draining soil and water gently.
Keep one healthy leaf on the cutting so it can still feed itself, but trim off any extra leaves that would drain energy. If you root in water, change it every few days to keep it fresh and clear. Cloudy water starves the roots of oxygen and slows the whole stem cutting node down.
Watch for white roots to form near the node over the coming weeks. Wait until they reach an inch or two before you move on, since short roots break easily during transplant. Strong roots mean the cutting can drink and feed on its own once it hits soil.
Pot up into a snug container of well-draining soil and water it gently to settle the roots. A pot that is too big holds wet soil around the roots and invites rot. Keep the soil lightly moist for the first couple of weeks while the plant adjusts to its new home.
Give the fresh pot bright, indirect light and skip fertilizer for a month while the roots settle in. New growth is the clear sign your monstera propagation worked, so watch for a tightly rolled leaf to unfurl. Do this and one small cutting turns into a full, leafy monstera you grew yourself.
Read the full article: Monstera Propagation Made Simple
