Why Your Monstera Has Yellow Leaves

Is your Monstera showing yellow leaves, and you're not sure why? Many reasons could cause this, but the good news is that lots of them can be solved quite easily.

Overwatering

If the soil seems too wet and you didn't recently water the plant, it's probably because of too much water.

Overwatering is like the plant getting too much of a good thing. It makes the roots sick and stops them from sucking up the water and good stuff the plant needs.

The Solution

These plants like their soil to be a bit damp but not soaked, like in their natural homes.

First, check how often you water your Monstera. Never water it if the top bit of soil is still wet. Let the soil dry out at least 2 inches before giving it more water.

If many leaves are turning yellow your plant might need a new home.

Take your plant out of its pot and clean off the old soil. Cut off any mushy roots, keeping the healthy parts and put your plant in fresh soil and a new pot.

Underwatering

If the soil doesn't feel super wet, check if it's dried out too much. Look for clues like soil pulling away from the pot's sides or a much lighter container than usual.

When your Monstera gets too little water, the leaves can turn yellow, looking a bit sad with wilting or curling.

The Solution

Fixing this is easier than dealing with too much water. Making sure the soil is fully soaked when you do water can help your plant.

If some leaves are super yellow, you might need to say goodbye to them because they might not turn green again.

But if the soil is packed tight, it might not soak up water easily. Dry soil pushes water away, so try poking some holes or water your plant from the bottom.

Temperature

Changes in temperature might cause your Monstera's leaves to go yellow, especially if it's close to a window. These plants prefer steady, warm temperatures similar to what we like indoors.

The solution

To help your Monstera, place it in a warmer spot, away from chilly windows in winter. Trim off the yellow leaves and try to keep all other care conditions the same for your plant to recover.

Light

If your Monstera doesn't get enough light, its leaves might start turning yellow. These plants adore bright, indirect light for happy growth.

If your Monstera lives in a spot with tiny or north-facing windows or it's blocked from getting light, its leaves could start turning yellow after a while.

The solution

Find a brighter place with indirect light. But be careful—sudden changes in lighting might cause more yellowing and could even lead to burnt, crispy leaves.

How to shift it? Try moving the plant to a brighter spot, then let it hang out there for a bit longer every day for about a week. This helps your plant get used to the new light without getting stressed out.

Fertilising

Fertilising is like giving vitamins to your Monstera, but too much of a good thing isn't good at all! If your plant turns yellow soon after getting fertilised, it might mean you've given it too much.

Extra fertiliser builds up salt in the soil, which can hurt the roots and leaves by kind of "burning" them.

The solution

To help, flush out the soil with filtered water and stop fertilising for a few months.

After that make sure to follow the instructions on your fertiliser pack and don't use more than it says.

Soil mix

Your plant might not like the soil mix it lives in. This can cause its leaves to turn yellow, and unfortunately, your plant won't just fix this problem on its own.

They need a mix that keeps just the right amount of water and lets extra water drain out. If the soil mix isn't right, it can mess with the moisture in the soil and might smother the roots, turning the leaves yellow.

The solution

The only way to help is by repotting with a better soil mix. When you're repotting, try using a light and airy houseplant soil mix.

Drainage holes

Drainage is super important for all plants, especially Monsteras.

If the pot doesn't have drainage, excess water can gather around the roots, causing root rot that's really tough to fix.

Repotting in a new container with proper drainage can stop the root rot from spreading and prevent more leaves from turning yellow.

The solution

Get your Monstera into a pot with plenty of drainage holes. If your plant has suffered from overwatering, trim the roots and change the soil.