Hey houseplant friends! Did you know that you can enjoy growing new Monstera Deliciosa houseplant babies indoors all year long? I’ll walk you through step-by-step instructions on how to propagate Monstera deliciosa (aka the swiss cheese plant) from cuttings. 

The Beatles always knew we’d get by with a bit of help from our friends. Today, I will teach you how to propagate your Monstera deliciosa in just five easy steps! 

Propagating plants is a fun and inexpensive way to grow my houseplant collection! Plus! It is a fantastic way to share this super popular plant with my family and friends.

With this easy water & root cutting propagation method, you can grow hundreds of Monstera plants for free!

The good news . . . Propagating your Monstera is not as hard as you might think. You do not even need to have a “green thumb” to propagate a Swiss Cheese Plant! Ready to get started? I’m SO excited to show you How to Propagate Your Monstera deliciosa via the water method to grow new plant babies successfully! 

Looking to buy a Monstera? The Sill and Etsy are great places to buy plants and have them shipped directly to your home.

The Water Propagation Method for Monstera Deliciosa

Can you propagate Monstera deliciosa in water? Yes! And, I believe water propagation is the easiest way to propagate Monsteras! There are a few ways to propagate houseplants, but I prefer the water propagation method! It is easy to turn simple stem cuttings into a brand new plant! I love propagating my houseplants in water because it is easier (and more exciting for me) to monitor how the roots develop on the cuttings.

What You Need for Propagating Your Monstera Deliciosa Houseplant

For water propagation, you will need:

• parent plant
• clean room temperature water
• a glass vase or jar
• a sharp, sterilized leaf pruner (or a sharp knife or clean sharp shears work just fine)
• Optional: If you want your Monstera plant to propagate quicker, you could purchase a rooting hormone, but if you have a few weeks to spare and aren’t in any hurry, you do not need it. 

How to Propagate Monstera in Water

In my opinion, water propagation is the easiest method of propagating Monstera cuttings. The Monstera deliciosa is a low-maintenance tropical plant from the Araceae family. They are just as easy to grow as they are to propagate. 

Step 1: How to Take A Monstera Cutting

• The propagation process is straightforward. First, use a sterilized, sharp knife, pruning scissors, or trimming shear to cut a mature leaf or stem from the parent plant. When cutting from the mother plant, make sure your cutting includes a small stem or root node.
• I like to snip a small stem about ¼ inch below the node. If you are taking a cutting from a mature Monstera, you may notice some aerial roots coming from the same stem as the node. Aerial roots are a great sign that node would make an excellent choice for your cutting when propagating. If you can, cut beneath nodes with one or multiple aerial roots. As seen in the picture below, you can see the small brown node above the long aerial root. That is why I chose that stem cutting for my propagation.

Step 2: Fill Your Glass Vase with Water & Soak Your Cutting

• Fill the glass vase halfway with clean water and place it in a room with indirect sunlight. Carefully position the Monstera stem cutting in the vase or jar, making sure the cutting remains upright. 
• I have mine in our southeast-facing bay window amongst all of our other plants, so it was exposed to semi-diffused bright indirect light.
• If you choose to use a rooting hormone, you can dip the root cutting into rooting hormone or a little to the water to promote new growth.

Step 3: Refresh Your Cuttings

• Rinse the cutting and supply the glass vase with fresh water once a week. You will start seeing new roots coming out from the nodes in about three to four weeks.
• The cuttings will get a gross film on them (very scientific, I know), so when you change the water every few days, you will want to gently scrub away the muck before placing them back in the vase. Remember always to use room temperature water, so you do not shock your cuttings. 
• Pro Tip: Don’t use water that contains chlorine because it is not suitable for young plants.
• Keep in mind that the leaves on the Monstera cutting may initially limp because they cannot absorb water, but they will start to flourish when roots start developing and are established.
• I waited until my new roots were about 4-5 inches long before moving them into a growing pot. The root growth time will vary depending on the light, temperature, and the cutting itself. 

Step 4: Plant Your Cutting

• Once the Monstera’s roots have developed and are 4-5inches long, you can transfer the cutting to fresh soil in a new pot. I like using Nature’s Care Organic Potting Soil and adding Organic Perlite. I like doing an 80/20 mix of potting mix to perlite. 
• After it is in your growing pot, give it room temperature water and wait patiently for new growth. You will see small changes within a few weeks as your plant starts to mature. Pro Tip: I continued to water ours every day for the first week and then started only watering when the top 2 inches of soil was dry. 

Step 5: Just Let It Grow, Let It Grow!

• Continue to water and monitor the growth of your monstera plant. We noticed new leaves sprouting within a few weeks. Be ready to transfer it to a bigger (and more beautiful) planter in a few weeks.
• I have a popular blog post about caring for your Monstera plant: Here.
• Here is the Montera just three months after I propagated and re-potted it! Isn’t it so big and beautiful! Look at those leaf splits!!!

Monstera Propagation FAQS

When is the best time to propagate Monstera Deliciosa cuttings?

The best time to propagate Monstera plants is during the growing seasons: spring and summer. This is a great time to take monstera cuttings because the plant will likely thrive and have plenty of healthy stems to choose from. The spring and summer months also have the longest hours of daylight, so you will easily be able to provide your cutting with ample sunlight.

How long does it take a monstera deliciosa to root in water?

You should start to see roots developing after about 2-3 weeks of taking your cutting and placing it in water.

What are the signs my cutting is not doing well?

• If it’s been more than two months and you do not see any roots forming from your new cuttings, your cutting is probably not going to root. Take a new cutting and try again.
• If your cutting is rooting but is turning black and mushy, that means your cutting is rotting. Take a new cutting and try again. Pro Tip: Root Rot can not only happen to your cuttings, but it can also happen once your cutting has been planted. Be careful not to overwater your Monstera plant once it is potted. 
• If your water is full of algae and grim, it is time to change your water. Remember to refresh your cutting’s water every three days.

Where can I cut Monstera for growth?

You’ll want to cut directly below a node or aerial root. A node is an area on the stem where a new leaf is growing, and an aerial root is a small root that grows out of the stem. Both of these areas are great places to take cuttings because they have high chances of successful growth.

When can you propagate a Monstera houseplant?

You may propagate Monstera at any time! It is acceptable to clone your Monstera as long as the plant is actively growing. If you don’t have enough natural light during the winter, you may require additional lighting for your plants to develop (I have a blog post all about artificial lighting for plants HERE). In the worst-case scenario, it could take longer for your cutting to mature in the cold season.

Can you propagate a Monstera leaf?

Yes! If you want to propagate a Monstera leaf, you’ll need to cut the stem about an inch below the leaf. Place the cutting in water and wait for it to develop roots (this could take weeks or months). Once the roots are a few inches long, you can pot your new plant in soil.

Keep in mind that not all Monstera leaves will propagate successfully. If the leaf is too big, it might not have enough energy to grow roots and a new plant. Also, if the leaf is old or damaged, it might not be able to develop properly.

Can you propagate Monstera leaf without node?

You can, but it is not a good idea since the Monstera plant will not develop into a new Monstera plant with stems or more leaves. It will always be just one leaf. The node houses all of the genetic information needed to create a new plant, therefore maintaining it is critical for propagation.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like reading:

• 10 Easiest Houseplants to Propagate
• 6 Solutions to Common Monstera Problems
• How to Get the Best Leaf Splits on Your Monstera
• My Recipe for the Best Houseplant Soil

Have you propagated a Monstera? How did it go? What were/are your struggles?

Please send me an email or follow me on HouseFur on Instagram!

MORE PROPAGATION POSTS YOU WILL LOVE Propagating Your String of Pearls Houseplant: Easy How-to Guide Learn How to Propagate Heart Leaf Philodendron in Water 10 Easiest Houseplants to Propagate: How-to Guide How To Propagate a Rubber Tree How to Propagate Dieffenbachia Dumb Cane in Water How to Propagate String of Dolphins