The Monstera deliciosa, commonly known as the Swiss Cheese Plant, is beloved for its dramatic, deeply fenestrated foliage. While a vigorous climber in its native Central American habitat, its rapid, sprawling growth often translates indoors, quickly outgrowing its designated area. When the plant begins to dominate a room, intervention is needed to manage its size and shape. Fortunately, several strategies can be employed to immediately reduce its bulk and control its future expansion.
Pruning for Immediate Size Reduction
Targeted pruning is necessary for an immediate reduction in the overall footprint of an overgrown plant. Before making any cuts, sterilize your pruning shears with rubbing alcohol to prevent introducing pathogens. Focus on removing older, less attractive foliage and any excessively long, “leggy” vines that stretch far from the main stem.
Locate a stem node, which is a small, raised bump on the vine where a leaf or aerial root emerges. Make your cut just above this node; this ensures the remaining segment retains a viable growth point. For significant size reduction, you can remove an entire stem down to the base. However, do not remove more than 25 to 30 percent of the plant’s total foliage in a single session to avoid excessive stress. The best time for heavy pruning is during the active growing season of spring or early summer, allowing the plant to quickly recover and seal the wounds.
Utilizing the Cuttings
Do not discard the healthy sections of vine and leaf removed during pruning, as they offer a perfect opportunity for propagation. A viable cutting must include at least one node, as this is where new roots and subsequent growth will emerge. Ensure the cutting also has one or two healthy leaves attached to facilitate photosynthesis while the new roots develop.
There are two primary methods for rooting these cuttings. The simple water propagation method involves submerging the node in a container of water. While easy to monitor, roots developed in water can struggle when transitioning to soil. An alternative is using sphagnum moss, which retains moisture while providing superior aeration, often resulting in faster and more robust root development. Nest the cutting’s node into the moist moss within a sealed environment to maintain high humidity until a strong root system forms.
Adjusting Care Routines to Slow Future Growth
Controlling the plant’s metabolic rate through cultural adjustments offers a long-term solution for size management. One effective method is restricting resources by maintaining the plant in its current container, even if it is slightly root-bound. For severe overgrowth, employ root pruning: remove the plant, trim approximately one-third of the root mass, and repot it back into the same container. This process temporarily halts above-ground growth while the roots regenerate, maintaining a more compact size.
Another major control lever is fertilizer, particularly those high in nitrogen which actively promote foliage growth. During spring and summer, reduce the frequency or strength of your feeding regimen, or eliminate it entirely. Cease fertilization altogether during autumn and winter when growth naturally slows. While Monstera plants thrive in bright, indirect light, slightly lowering the intensity of light exposure will result in a slower rate of photosynthesis and less vigorous growth.
Providing Vertical Support for Space Management
Monstera plants are natural hemi-epiphytes, climbing trees in the wild to reach better light. This is why they sprawl horizontally when unsupported indoors. Providing a strong vertical support, such as a moss pole or a coco coir pole, effectively manages the plant’s space by encouraging upward growth instead of outward spread. Insert the support structure deep into the potting mix, ideally when repotting, to ensure a stable anchor for the heavy vines.
Guide the plant’s thick, specialized aerial roots and attach them directly to the moist pole, mimicking their natural habit of latching onto tree bark. Use soft ties, such as plant Velcro or cotton string, to gently secure the main stems without constricting them. Keeping the moss pole consistently damp encourages the aerial roots to penetrate the material. This stabilizes the plant and promotes larger, more mature foliage while keeping the plant’s profile narrow and vertical.