Mini Monstera Propagation Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Propagation is a great way to spread the joy of indoor plants such as the mini monstera with your friends and family. This guide will fully explain how to propagate the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma so you can grow more mini monstera plants from the plant you already have.
How to propagate the mini monstera? To propagate the mini monstera, select a healthy cutting with at least one leaf node. Trim a 1/4th an inch below the leaf node. Select your growth medium, provide adequate lighting and moisture, and wait for your cutting to grow roots!
Whether you’re interested in propagating Rhaphidophora tetrasperma in water, soil, or even using sphagnum moss, this guide will explain how it’s done. I’ll also discuss mini monstera cutting care and go over the timeline for when roots will sprout, so keep reading!
How to Select Mini Monstera Cuttings
When propagating any indoor plant species, the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma or otherwise, selecting the right cutting is everything.
Thus, before I get into mini monstera propagation methods, I thought it would be only fitting to describe how to select a cutting.
First, let me briefly explain what a cutting is. It’s a plant stem. The stem should still be attached to the plant and thus living when you propagate it.
If you propagate a dead stem that you found in the mini monstera’s pot, nothing will happen.
The live stem can have a few leaves attached if you really want. You may have to remove the leaves when planting the cutting though, just an FYI.
The stem should be healthy and green, no brown or decaying bits here.
Most importantly, your mini monstera stem must have at least one leaf node.
A leaf node is a large, swollen bump on a stem where new growth will emerge. That growth is critical in allowing a new Rhaphidophora tetrasperma to grow from the cutting.
When you find a suitable leaf node, measure 1/4 inch underneath the node and then cut using pruning shears or gardening scissors. You should also trim diagonally.
The angled cut increases the surface area of the cutting, which might make it easier for it to take in more water.
Propagate Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma Using Cuttings
You found a few cuttings on the mini monstera that you think would be perfect for propagation. That’s very exciting!
Next, you have to decide which growth medium you want to use for your cutting. There’s no wrong answer here. It just comes down to your preferences and what you have available.
In Water
Your first propagation method for mini monstera is water.
Many indoor gardeners find water an appealing growth medium for plant cuttings, especially those who haven’t propagated plants before.
It’s considered a lot easier to tend to a cutting grown in water. Also, once those first roots emerge, you’ll be able to see it happen. That’s arguably the best part.
So what do you need to grow a Rhaphidophora tetrasperma in water? A glass or jar filled with warm or lukewarm water.
If you can use filtered water, then great. If tap water is all that you have available, it should suffice.
Fill the jar or glass full of water enough that you can submerge at least one leaf node. More than likely, the glass shouldn’t have to be full to the top.
As the days go by, you may notice that the water begins to take on a slimy or murky consistency.
Whenever you see the water turn cloudy or dirty, it’s time to dump the water and refill.
Be careful as you drain the water, as you don’t want to create too much upheaval around your young mini monstera cutting, especially if roots have taken hold.
In Soil
Your next option for propagating the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is to use potting soil, like the same potting soil you already grow your mini monstera in.
This option is appealing since it’s familiar. Indoor gardeners who are new to propagation can feel confident working with a growth medium they’re already well-versed in.
You don’t need a whole pot for a mini monstera cutting. Instead, you might use a mini pot or even a container filled with potting mix for now.
Keep in mind you will move the mini monstera cutting, so this is not its permanent home by any stretch.
You need as much potting soil as required to cover the first node of the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma cutting. Bury the cutting under the dirt.
You might want to use a small trellis or even a chopstick at this point if your cutting doesn’t want to stay upright on its own.
That’s really about it for this method, as you don’t have to worry about replacing murky water.
Of course, you can’t see the cutting as it progresses. You’ll just have to hope it’s growing.
Using Sphagnum Moss
Although perhaps unconventional, sphagnum moss is a third growth medium at your disposal when propagating mini monstera.
Unlike peat moss, which is dead, sphagnum moss is very much still alive. The moss is quite fibrous and excellent at retaining water.
You’d use sphagnum moss as a growth medium the same way you would traditional potting soil in that you insert the cutting so at least one node is buried in the moss.
You might have to prop up the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma cutting to start when using sphagnum moss as well.
What Kind of Care Do Mini Monstera Cuttings Require?
You’ve got your mini monstera cuttings in the growth medium of your choice. To encourage the cuttings to grow, you need to provide some level of care.
Here’s what to do.
Lighting
A mature Rhaphidophora tetrasperma grows best in bright, indirect light, so unsurprisingly, so too do the cuttings.
You can provide bright, indirect light by placing a curtain over a northerly or easterly-facing window.
Avoid southerly and westerly-facing windows, as the light from these windows is far too harsh.
Keep an eye on the cutting as the days and weeks progress, looking for any signs of duress that would indicate the light is too strong.
A mini monstera cutting is a lot weaker than a full-grown plant. Too much sunlight could fry the cutting.
You’d have to start all over again, which is very unfortunate.
Moisture
If you’re growing the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma cutting in a glass or jar or water, then you don’t have to worry about moisture.
As I said before, make sure you’re changing the water when it gets funky, which will be about once a week.
For growth mediums such as potting soil and sphagnum moss, you will need to provide moisture yourself.
The key is not to overdo it. Mini monstera is susceptible to root rot as it is, and that’s for a full-grown plant.
A cutting cannot survive a deluge of water by any means.
Just keep the soil or the sphagnum moss lightly moist. For the moss especially, a little bit of water goes a long way considering that sphagnum moss is highly water-retentive.
How often to water the cutting depends on the time of year you’re growing it, the climate, and the region you call home. When the soil feels dry, add a bit of water.
Humidity
The Rhaphidophora tetrasperma likes humidity between 50 and 60 percent at least.
To create humid conditions for your growing cutting, take a plastic zippy bag, open it up, and put it over the cutting for a few hours every day.
Too much time with the bag will prevent air from getting in, which could kill the cutting, so don’t forget to remove the bag.
How Long Does It Take Mini Monstera Cuttings to Grow Roots?
You’re very eager for the mini monstera cutting to finally grow roots, as that will prove you’re on the right track. How long will this take?
Assuming you’re providing the above care facets for the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma cuttings as often as needed, then it should be about 30 days before the roots take hold.
You’ll be able to clearly see the roots grow if propagating the mini monstera in water.
For those growth mediums where you can’t see the roots, you can still test for their presence.
With a light but firm grip, give the mini monstera cutting a slight pull. You don’t want to rip it out of the soil, but you just want to feel if it’s resisting.
If it is, then congratulations. Roots have latched onto the soil or sphagnum moss.
When Can I Move My Mini Monstera Cuttings to a Bigger Pot?
Going back to my point from earlier, the Rhaphidophora tetrasperma cutting will not stay in its container or glass of water forever. It will eventually become far too big for that.
Rather than wait a predetermined amount of time to gauge when to move the mini monstera cutting, you should track the cutting’s growth.
Once the cutting has two to three inches on it, you can safely remove it and put it in a soil bed.
Yes, this is regardless of whether you were growing the mini monstera in water or sphagnum moss before. It now needs potting soil for this next exciting stage of its life.