How do you know when a monstera needs water?

Check the soil, not the calendar. Push a finger or a wooden skewer 1 to 2 inches into the mix: if it is still moist or damp at that depth, wait; if it is dry, water thoroughly. A wooden skewer left in the pot comes out clean and dry when it is time and damp with clinging soil when it is not. The leaves also signal thirst by drooping slightly, but soil-checking catches it before the plant is stressed.

Can you overwater a monstera?

Easily, and it is the most common way monsteras are harmed. Overwatering shows as yellowing leaves, soggy soil, a musty smell, and black or mushy spots — and left unchecked it leads to root rot, which can kill the plant. The fix is to water only when the top 1 to 2 inches are dry, always use a pot with drainage holes, and never let the pot sit in standing water in the saucer. When in doubt, wait a day and check again.

Should you water a monstera from the top or bottom?

Top watering is standard and fine: water thoroughly until it runs out the drainage holes, which flushes the whole root ball and carries away excess salts, then empty the saucer so the pot never sits in water. Bottom watering — setting the pot in a tray of water to soak up from below — is a useful occasional alternative that encourages deep roots and avoids wetting the crown. Either works; the key is watering fully and then letting the top of the mix dry before the next round.

Why are my monstera's leaves turning yellow?

Yellow leaves on a monstera most often mean overwatering — soggy soil suffocates roots. Feel the mix: if it is wet and the yellowing lower leaves are soft, cut back watering and check that the pot drains. Less commonly, yellowing comes from underwatering (soil bone-dry, leaves also crisp), too little light, or normal aging of the oldest leaf. Overwatering is the first thing to rule out because it is both the most common cause and the most damaging if ignored.

How often should you water a monstera in winter?

Less often than in summer. Growth slows in the shorter, cooler, lower-light months, so the plant uses less water and the soil stays moist longer — often every 2 to 3 weeks or more instead of weekly. Keep checking the top 1 to 2 inches rather than following a set interval, because homes vary. The single most common winter mistake is watering on the same schedule as summer, which leaves the mix soggy and invites root rot when the plant is barely drinking.

How Often Should You Water a Monstera? (Not on a Schedule)

Written & researched by Elena Marsh Gardening & Landscaping Editor

Updated October 2026

Three-quarter view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in warm late-afternoon light

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Water a monstera roughly every 1 to 2 weeks, but only when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil have dried out — soil moisture, not a fixed schedule, is what decides. Check by pushing a finger or wooden skewer into the mix: if it is still damp below the surface, wait; if it is dry, water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom, then empty the saucer. The interval speeds up with more light, warmth and a smaller pot, and slows down in low light, cool rooms and winter. Overwatering, not underwatering, is the usual killer.

How do you check if it needs water?

The reliable method takes ten seconds. Push a clean finger into the soil to the second knuckle, about 1 to 2 inches, or leave a wooden skewer in the pot and pull it out to read it — dry and clean means water, damp with clinging soil means wait. When you do water, water fully: pour until it runs out the drainage holes, which wets the entire root ball and flushes built-up salts, then tip out whatever collects in the saucer so the roots never sit in standing water. A monstera would rather dry out briefly than stay wet, so when unsure, wait a day and check again.

Low-angle view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in warm late-afternoon light

What changes the interval?

The 1-to-2-week guideline shifts with conditions, sometimes a lot. Use it as a center point and let these factors move it.

Condition	Effect on watering
More light, warmth, active growth	More often — closer to every 7–10 days
Low light, cool room, winter	Less often — every 2–3+ weeks
Small pot or fast-draining mix	More often (dries quickly)
Large pot or moisture-holding mix	Less often (stays wet longer)
Dry indoor air / heating or AC	Somewhat more often

This is why a single schedule fails — the same plant that wants water weekly in July may want it every three weeks in January. Always confirm with the soil.

Wide view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in bright midday sun

Overwatering versus underwatering

Both leave signs, and telling them apart prevents the wrong fix. Overwatering shows as yellowing leaves, soggy soil, a musty smell, and black or mushy spots — and it leads to root rot, the leading cause of monstera death. Underwatering shows as drooping, crispy brown leaf tips and edges, and soil so dry it pulls away from the pot's sides. The trap is that a wilting, yellowing overwatered plant can look thirsty, prompting more water and faster decline. When leaves yellow, feel the soil first: wet means back off, bone-dry means water. A pot with drainage holes and a mix amended with perlite or bark makes overwatering far harder.

Wide environmental view of a person's hands wiping the leaves of a large indoor plant beside a bright window, in soft overcast light

The right pot and mix make it forgiving

Watering frequency is easier to get right when the setup drains well. Monsteras want a chunky, airy mix — standard potting soil loosened with perlite, orchid bark or coco coir — that holds some moisture but lets excess drain fast, mimicking their epiphytic roots. The pot must have drainage holes; a decorative cachepot with no holes is where root rot starts. With good mix and drainage, an occasional overwatering flushes through instead of pooling, and the top of the soil dries at a readable pace, so your finger check actually tells you something. Fix the drainage and the frequency mostly takes care of itself.

The bottom line

Water every 1 to 2 weeks as a rough rhythm, but check the top 1 to 2 inches every time and water only when it is dry — then water thoroughly and drain fully. Watering ties directly to light and to potting, so see how often to water houseplants for the general rules and how to save an overwatered plant if it has gone too far. For a mix that drains right, our best potting mix roundup helps. Note: monstera is toxic to cats — see toxic houseplants for cats.

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How Often Should You Water a Monstera?