Variegated Monstera deliciosa/

Hi Stan, that's what I am trying first is to increase water supply and humidity to see if it make a difference. It is planted above my native clay soil in a mix of bark, peat moss, perilite and good soil. The interesting thing is that the friend who I got it from lives inland with much less humidity and water and his plants, even the neglected ones do fine. He had one in a pot where it was neglected without water and the leaves looked fine. He has also had some in his nursery in riverside freeze all the leaves off and come back the next year looking great. Mine should love the location it's in compared to those. I'm thinking of creating a water feature in that location to keep the humidity up.
Thanks for all the input.
 
Another possibility is if you water or mist frequently - just little bits at a time - then the salts build up. Without a good deep drenching and rinsing periodically, this salt build up will create tip burn.
 
I always give it a good flush when I water it. Going to create a daily watering schedule to see if that makes a difference. Still wondering about my water supply quality how to test it and how to make it better.
Any ideas?
 
mwardlow said:
I always give it a good flush when I water it. Going to create a daily watering schedule to see if that makes a difference. Still wondering about my water supply quality how to test it and how to make it better.
Any ideas?
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Most places that sell fish for aquariums or ponds will test your water for free. Just tell them that you are thinking about building a pond or starting an aquarium and they will probably test for you. I know PetCo does. For your problem, pay attention to the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).
 
A two year later update. What happened since then? Its grown. Only,within months of planting it..I walked up to it since it seemed to droop fast. There,I saw that the base of the plant was gone. Gophers had eaten the stem to an inch or two above ground. It was a hovering plant!. What I've done since is to take an old dead tree fern trunk (Dicksonia antarctica) and lean it up against the vine. Seems to help. The leaves though havent grown as large as expected. Not sure if it ever will. I hope next year I see some large growth.
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My first pic was June 2014. Today November something,2016-
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Ah,I forgot I posted in June. lol. Oh well,more dramatic photo.
 
I've got 2 Monstera deliciosa albovariegata that I've had for several years now. They may not get quite the stature of the non-variegated form, but they do get quite large. This one was my smaller one until it just decided to take off and grow like crazy. It's in maybe 3 to 4 hours of sun a day here in Houston, TX (think super hot and super humid!). The other is in full shade which may be why it is growing a little more slowly (though, it's getting pretty large as well). This pic was from early September when we were still in the mid-90's F. It's potted, but very well rooted into the ground (not to mention my house) by now from a plethora of air roots that I couldn't move it now without butchering it. It's hard to get a sense of scale, but the leaves are pretty darn huge - the largest leaves are 32"-34" across. This is not the M. deliciosa var. borsigiana variety that does stay considerably smaller in stature but is a more robust grower.
 

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That's awesome looking Carter. It has the look of a Pothos- a vine that does not do much in California. Variegated Monstera's sort of fill that void. Those huge leaves and big stems make a dramatic statement. Even the fruits will be swirled.

Like I might have mentioned,mine was growing fast..then I saw that the bottom 2" of stem was gone!..it was all now growing on maybe at the time 3 aerial roots that lucky enough had touched ground. A Gopher had struck. The cats days ago caught one huge gopher. The same? I doubt it.
Now the problem is-- I kick myself too- Its climbing a very plain jane Privet. The Monstera is in a spot that faces the right direction to admire. But its already run out of room to go up. My King palm would be better...but then you would be looking at the back of the Monster most of the time. Small yard blues,lol.
btw,I guess I can live with smaller leaves of this type I have. I do have the all green in the same yard. The two Monstera's are not even seen as the same species.
 
Has it been FOUR YEARS??. Well,I want to move it...where i have it? I cant even see it well. And leaning on a Privet isn't very accurate to natural habitat! I wonder if I really need to dig up much soil? I have a feeling these things have all their nutrients in the stems..as long as I don't kill aerial roots I guess no problem? Probably put it under the King palms and let it climb those trunks. Its been a slow grower..healthy but in this spot I have it..stays on the too dry side. Never bone dry..but less then best. King palms get liberal amounts of water. Photos when done.
 
Ok..it turns out its not Monstera deliciosa variegated. Its Monstera borsigiana. Is that a different species or cultivar name I haven't nailed down. But,the M. borsigiana acts different..much more viny and faster..with smaller foliage. How to tell the two apart? The base of the leaf- where it meets the stem on this variegated plant is smooth. On all Monstera deliciosa's variegated they are wrinkled. Like M. 'Thai constellation' or the part yellow.
Oh..and the variegated Monstera's have over the last year gotten red hot and hard to find. I might have helped that.ha.
Still,if you find one affordable? Most likely its the M.borsigiana.
 
It took five years. But I got ripe fruit from it and it was sweet. Like a mild pineapple with banana overtones
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and the texture of a moist banana.
 

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Oh man,that really looks good. Where did you get that?
btw- I find that M.borsigiana HATES direct sun in California. The white portions burn. Since re adjusting the main stem to the shady side of the Ash tree trunk..much less burn and a little larger leaves.
 
Stan said:
Oh man,that really looks good. Where did you get that?
btw- I find that M.borsigiana HATES direct sun in California. The white portions burn. Since re adjusting the main stem to the shady side of the Ash tree trunk..much less burn and a little larger leaves.
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It came from a collector friend of mine. It took years of begging to and trading work to get it. I get ton's of fruit of my other monstera out front but this one has never produced.
Yours looks great Stan.
 
I asked because somebody in internet world is dying to get a cutting of your plant! I get it. They are like the polar opposite of Pothos..a vine you can get at any HD.
Thanks,And may yours climb so tall,nobody could ever reach it!
Or razor wire..
 
June leaves are largest ever. So,maximum size is still a question. When this vine gets older then I can say what they can do.
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Hadn't checked in on the boards in months..covid just threw me and society way off.
Looking fantastic mward. Yes,a bigger plant than M.borsigiana and probably almost impossible to get a yellow variegated M.deliciosa.
One thing I would advise...fertilize! Monsteras love it and react fast. Even my plain green in my back yard is now sending some really big 3' leaves and wide. I've fertilized them three times already and even the variegated perks up on it.
 
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