A monstera cutting takes about 2 to 4 weeks to grow its first roots. That is the normal monstera rooting time for a healthy cutting kept warm and in bright light. The catch is that the first two weeks look like nothing is happening at all.
This is where most beginners trip up. You stare at the jar, see no change, and assume the cutting is dead. So you fuss with it, or you toss it out. But the node is busy under the surface, and monstera cutting roots almost always show up right after that quiet stretch ends.
What you can do during those first slow weeks is set the cutting up right. Each leaf node should have a small brown bump called an aerial root or a node nub. That bump is the spot new roots push from, so keep at least one node below the waterline. A bare stem with no node will sit there for months and never root.
Here is the full schedule so you know what each stage should look like.
Weeks 1 to 2
Little visible change. Keep water clean or medium lightly moist in bright, indirect light.
Weeks 2 to 4
Roots emerge from the node. Wait until they reach an inch or two before potting.
Months 2 to 3
A new leaf unfurls, confirming the cutting has become a growing plant.
Winter Cuttings
Rooting still works, but add about 2 to 3 hours of supplemental light each day.
These numbers track with research too. Plant guides from the University of Minnesota put roots at roughly 2 to 4 weeks and a first new leaf at about 2 to 3 months. The leaf stage is the slow part. So do not panic when your new leaves timeline stretches past a month with no fresh growth up top. Roots come first, and the plant builds those before it spends energy on a leaf.
Three things drive how fast it all moves. Warmth keeps the node active, so a spot around 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C) roots faster than a cold windowsill. Bright, indirect light feeds the cutting without scorching it. And a clean medium stops rot, which is the main reason cuttings stall or fail. Cold, dark, and dirty water are the three things that drag the whole process out.
Winter slows things down because the days are short and the light is weak. The cutting still roots, but you should add about 2 to 3 hours of grow light each day to keep pace. A cheap clip-on LED a foot above the jar does the job fine. Without that extra light, a December cutting can take twice as long as a summer one.
Now the part that matters most. Leave the cutting alone. Every time you pull it out to check, you snap off tiny new root tips and reset the clock. If you root in water and it turns cloudy, swap in fresh room-temperature water so the node does not sit in bacteria. Once a week is plenty for a water change, and you should rinse the jar each time.
Wait for roots to reach an inch or two before you pot up. Shorter roots break the moment they hit soil, and the plant sulks for weeks while it regrows them. Longer is fine too, so there is no rush to move it. When you do pot up, use a chunky, well-draining mix and water it in so the new roots make contact with the soil right away.
Give it time, keep it warm and bright, and your cutting will become a real growing monstera by month three. The plant is not stalled during those quiet early weeks. It is just doing the work where you cannot see it yet.
Read the full article: Monstera Propagation Made Simple
