Question
I have a large swiss cheese plant. It is currently approx 7 feet tall. I am having problems maintaining its health, and keeping it under control. In the three years that I have owned it I have cut it back once, I tried repotting the tops of the stems that I removed off but they did not take. The plant currently seems top heavy and has got very straggly. The moss stick is only about 4 feet high, I have supported the rest with bamboo cane although the plant is top heavy and leaning. Any suggestions???

Answer
Hi Alex,

Monstera deliciosa becomes a rather ungainly plant as it ages and grows. In nature, it is a vining plant that travels along the damp rain forest floor and climbs the damp bark of trees. It is not a plant that wants to stay put in a pot!

The only way you can manage its extensive growth is to prune it back sharply. Of course, new growth grows upward from whatever point on the stem you make the pruning cut. Thus, you have to prune it back pretty far or it will soon be right back where it was before you pruned.

Try rooting the cuttings in water before moving them to a small terra cotta pot with a porous potting mix.

Sometimes it is possible to wind the lengthy stems around the central supports in a tight spiral. This makes the plant look more full and keeps the new growth from taking over your home.

Even after your Monstera is cut back, it may still lean. You may have to reposition the stakes and/or the rootball itself inside the pot in order to return it to a vertical position.

Beyond that there are no other real options for keeping a Monstera in check.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.
   
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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