Indoor plants: don't repeat our mistakes!

You aren't born a gardener—you become one. Like all plant lovers, the Monstera team has had its share of setbacks. Our beginner's blunders, our oversights, and the most unfortunate accidents have claimed a few victims. To help you avoid the same mishaps, we've decided to share with you our worst mistakes when it comes to our indoor plants.

Confusing the pot with the planter

Holes are essential for draining excess water

Before becoming an expert on watering schedules and hardiness zones, Boris, the founder of Monstera, made a few blunders. The worst? Using pots without drainage holes for repotting. Within a few weeks, his plants died—their roots suffocated. The substrate looked more like soup than soil, and there wasn't enough oxygen for the root system to breathe.

So to make sure you don't make the same mistake, we always recommend using a pot with drainage holes when repotting. If nothing is specified, that means you need a pot with drainage holes. A few rare species prefer an airtight container. When that's the case, the Monstera app will tell you and usually explain why.

Terracotta pots and small plastic pots are sold with drainage holes. Large plastic containers often have pre-formed holes that you'll need to drill yourself with a drill. No holes? That's not a pot—it's a planter. You can slip your pot with drainage holes inside it. But be careful! Don't let water pool at the bottom—it could cause the roots to rot.

Giving Your Plants Too Much Sun

Too much sun can kill your plants – Photo by Jens / Pixabay

Wondering what sunburn looks like on a plant? Come take a look at my Money tree. Its green leaves show discoloration—and even holes —from an afternoon spent under sun that was a bit too strong.

For my Pachira, the damage is purely cosmetic. Its leaves, which have become almost transparent, give it a slightly rebellious look and don't hinder its growth. But for Boris's alocasia zebrina, things took a turn for the worse during a big spring cleaning.

Left out in the garden for a few hours, the elephant ear plant got scorched by the sun. The thick leaves burned and fell off in the days that followed. Fortunately, the tubers survived. After a few weeks (in the shade), new leaves sprouted.

Sunlight and fresh air help boost the growth of our houseplants. But the light outdoors is much stronger than behind a window. If you decide to take your pots outside, always follow the recommended exposure for each variety (shade, partial shade, or sun). And remember that, aside from cacti and succulents, no plant can tolerate direct sunlight in the middle of summer—not even in Lille or Brittany.

Camille’s Dieffenbachia —our UX designer—also couldn't handle the northern summer sun. Placed under a skylight in the middle of July, it lost all its leaves. After being moved to a less sunny spot, the plant regained its strength. A year later, this fast-growing plant has regained its former glory.

Exposing Our Houseplants to Drafts

Fire burns, water wets, and cold air can kill your plants – Photo via Rawpixel

Plant lovers definitely shouldn't do housework. My poor Peperomia Watermelon unfortunately can't speak for itself, but I'm sure it regrets that November morning when I aired out the living room while I was vacuuming.

For half an hour, it was exposed to a temperature below its hardiness limit. The consequences were immediate. The stems and leaves began to wilt, droop, and turn black. After two weeks, my Peperomia argyreia, which had been 15 centimeters tall, had turned into a mass of stunted, blackened leaves.

This anecdote illustrates, in an extreme way, how much tropical varieties dislike the cold. Always find a spot for them that's sheltered from drafts. And if you're airing out a room, temporarily move them to a room that stays nice and warm.

Using Too Much Fertilizer

You don't have to measure out the fertilizer drop by drop. But it's best to stick to the recommended doses – Photo via Rawpixel

Fertilizer is a tool to be handled with care. Used properly, it accelerates your plants' growth. But be careful not to overdo it! My Pachira aquatica (yes, that one again) fell victim to an accidental overdose. Just a few minutes after I applied the fertilizer, brownish spots appeared on its leaves.

Fortunately, that's as far as it went. The shrub, in addition to its “sunburn,” now has brown streaks on a few leaves. It continues to grow (it's a real fighter) and doesn't seem to hold it against me.

I could have spared it this ordeal if I'd taken the time to read and follow the manufacturer's instructions. If it says half a cap per 5 liters of water, dilute half a cap in 5 liters of water. Also follow our recommendations. Sometimes you need to halve the prescribed dose. The application instructions specify this on the care guide when necessary.

Worried about making a mistake? Check out our article to learn how to fertilize your plants like a pro. Otherwise, you can opt for fertilizer sticks or pellets. The amount is released according to the plant's needs, and the risk of over-fertilizing is lower.

Accidentally Poisoning Our Houseplants

Luckily for me, poisoning plants isn't a crime—Photo via Pxhere

Household cleaning isn't the only enemy of plants. DIY projects can also be fatal to them. I almost killed a Maranta kerchoveana and a Calathea rufibarba while installing hardwood flooring. No, I didn't bury those poor things under a floorboard. I just left them out in the open for a few hours, near a trash can containing leftover stripping solution.

The lingering odor and toxic fumes got the better of their foliage. The leaves began to lose their patterns and turn yellow. As soon as I noticed, I moved the victims to a safe place, but the damage was already done. In the days that followed, the leaves continued to lose their color and dry out.

The Goeppertia rufibarba may not recover. Two weeks after the incident, it has become completely dry. Only one leaf, which hasn't emerged yet, appears green. The Maranta leuconeura 'Kerchoveana' is faring better. It's no longer turning yellow, and new leaves are sprouting.

To avoid the same mishap, don't do DIY projects—keep your plants away from chemicals. If the smell bothers you, there's a good chance your plants are feeling unwell, too.