This is intriguing. My now-quite-big monstera (aka split leaf philodendron) needed repotting a couple of months ago, which I did – with the help of Don. Several leaves on the bottom had yellowed and died, which often happens with plants at certain times of the year. But I must admit, this plant is very special to me (it was found in the sale area of Terrain and I nursed it back to health) so I was worried. I though it might be root-bound. After the repotting, I started to notice the beginnings of new stems, which was a good sign. All in all, 6 new stems/leaves appeared!
Here’s the interesting part: usually, once a monstera gets mature, the new leaves have several splits in them. When a monstera is young, the leaves are either whole, without splits, or have one split. Out of the 6 new leaves, 4 were whole, and 2 had a split. I’m not sure why. Did repotting it have an effect on the leaves themselves? If I’d kept it in the smaller pot, would they have had several splits?
I don’t know. But I’m glad I repotted it – it was getting very top heavy. This is why I find all plants – indoor and outdoor – so fascinating. I also repotted my parents’ sansevieria – it definitely needed it as the roots were breaking through the pot – and I’ve since read that they only bloom when they’re more root-bound. Since mine has bloomed for the past 3 years, it will be interesting to see if it blooms this year.
Don is at the Farmers Market today. We both woke up way too early, so we had a lot of time to chat before he took off. Sleep is erratic lately. Ah, well, nothing I can do about it, except stay in the moment.
Another lovely day, partly cloudy – though it’s sunny at the moment – temps in the seventies. I plan to yank some weeds and water the plants. I thoroughly cleaned both bathrooms yesterday. I don’t know why I hate doing it so much, but I’ve decided I need to create a bathroom cleaning schedule, so that big cleans like yesterday’s aren’t so big. I have this app I use called Wunderlist, which is a great way to create reminders. I’m going to add ‘bathroom cleaning’ to the list. Anyway, I felt a great sense of accomplishment once I finished, so there’s that.
Hope you’re having a nice weekend.
Happy Sunday.
I have no answers about the leaves but what I do know is that this is one drop-dead gorgeous plant and isn’t it wonderful to know that something you have saved from doom is looking pretty glorious?
Up to my eyeballs in tomatoes here and my Sunday will be more prepping pasta sauce, tomato tarts, gazpacho and more. I hope I’m not sick of them by the time I finish!
Good luck with those tomatoes! And yes, I love this plant and I’m so happy it’s thriving! Thanks Jeanie.
I am doing a lot of repotting too. I have a birds nest sanseveria that is popping out a new one on the side and is distorting the pot. I may have to separate them into different pots. My problem is finding pots to put them into.
It’s tricky. I have the same problem. Good luck, Jan!
I have some leaves with splits and some without. My daughter was caring for mine while I moved in the spring. It seemed to do better for her than for me. Often when new leaves form they will not be split, but will split as they mature. Low light can also cause the leaves not to split. When I took the plant back I think I put it into a place where it was not receiving enough light and the leaves began to turn brown. I have moved it and I’m hoping that it does better. Yours is so beautiful and green. xo Laura
The light isn’t super bright in this little corner, but it’s right next to a window so it should be okay. My leaves didn’t turn brown as much as they yellowed and dropped – which is happening on another plant of mine right now, but with this one, I know it happens once a year and I just let it happen. Thanks, Laura!
I’m down to only four houseplants, mainly because of where I’m keeping them, in my shower. That’s the only place into which my cats can’t get. They are houseplant chewers. I need to repot all three, but will do so when I return. Off to the U.K. tomorrow (already…I’ve waited months and now it’s here), first stop Edinburgh.
Have a wonderful trip, Wendy! You’ll love Edinburgh!
to wendy …
safe travels and have a great time!
kathy in iowa
Thx, Kathy in Iowa!
sorry … i am no help with plants. whatever you’re doing must be working because that plant looks healthy and happy!
i agree with your cleaning plan, especially the unpleasant chores … better to do them more often when the task is easier than do them less often and when a bigger job.
have a few things i need to do today, but taking a break first. :)
hope don has nice weather for being outside and enjoys great sales today.
hope you are having a nice day.
and sleep better tonight!
kathy in iowa
I hope you’re having a lovely Sunday, Kathy!
There’s something so satisfying in knowing everything is clean. But also a bit tiring to do all at once. I’ll have to check out your app – I put calendar reminders all the time on my phone, but somehow my new phone doesn’t remind like my old phone did.
So nice to see some beautiful green and then the staircase corner, which is one of my favorite areas of your house – bare wood, painted wood, charming souvenirs of life – and best of all your sweet dog at the foot of the stairs.
Bon voyage, Wendy!
Happy day to all
Thank you, Martha! Good luck with your taxes!
Enjoy your Sunday and the cooler weather.
Marilyn
Thank you, Marilyn. I hope you’re enjoying it, too!
I’m looking forward to houseplants again, once we get the house in order in this next year. As we’ve cleared out for the home improvements, I’ve found a lot of ceramic pots I’d set aside which I’ll keep indoors. I want to introduce simple plants to start; pothos, spiders; maybe a bit of ivy and a fern, plus I’m crazy for succulents. (I can tend to kill house plants; don’t have your green skills, Claudia! I need ‘easy’.) Plants are really important on the inside of the house because they’re not just lovely, they create good oxygen, just making the air we breathe so much better indoors, sort of (from what I’ve read) neutralizing the toxins. But do you ever have the little moths that begin to bother a houseplant; is it because I’ve over-watered? I don’t like those things indoors!
There’s ‘my’ cabinet in today’s photo; I love the egg cup cabinet. Could there BE a more perfect find? See how the bit of green-blue is picked up here and there on the wall, with the lamp, the one solid-color cup, etc. I love that kind of flow; you’ve got decorating DOWN, Claudia! It’s nice that the lamp even gives you light as you go up the stairs.
Are you two finding it at all hard to navigate stairs with the inevitable aches & pains of age? I know you’re quite agile and do a lot of physical work but, man, I’m having trouble when my back/hip is bad, going up and down the steps inside and outside of the house (raised foundation; we have one room slightly sunken, at garage level, although we’re all on one floor otherwise). Sometimes I think there’s merit to a slab foundation, although we had one in our first house (bought it just before we got married; fixer-upper) and the inspector (and we) missed the fact that the concrete slab was actually cracked in one place, which made for a very dank room, so I guess I shouldn’t complain about my solid-redwood pier & beam. But steps for creaky humans; ugh.
When our knees are acting up, yes. Sometimes, I just have to go up slowly. But most of the time, I’m okay. And if my back is bad, yes. I just take it slow – there’s no hurry!
Spider plants and philodendrons are especially good at neutralizing toxins. I’m sure there are more, but since I have both of those plants in my house, there the one’s I remember.
It is hard to tell accurately but from the photo, the top half of your plant gets less light than the bottom. Inadequate light is the main reason for leaves not splitting. The plant also contains oxalic acid which makes all parts poisonous. Only once, have I seen it flower and that was at the Belle Isle Conservatory in Detroit. Your plants always thrive because you truly are blessed with a green thumb. My husband keeps the air on constantly. How do you protect your plants from the cold air? I have lost several houseplants this summer because he keeps it so cold in the house.
Actually, the top half gets more light than the bottom. It may appear the opposite but that most likely has to do with the time of day I took the picture. I’m not expecting it to flower. I was talking about the sansevieria flowering, which is a different plant. The monstera is actually doing well and having six new leaves within 3 weeks time was pretty amazing!
As for the air, we have window air conditioners and the one that cools the downstairs is in the kitchen. That’s why I moved all of the bigger plants, including the monstera which was expose to more light there, out of the kitchen. They need more warmth. I keep them near the windows in the living room, where they get more light and more warmth.
Thanks, Nancy!
I love your stairway art display. So fun!
Thank you, Kay!