Marike Stucke

August 19, 2023, 3:40 am | Read time: 3 minutes

Climbing growth, large, perforated leaves, and a lush green that seems to come straight from the rainforest: The Monstera is an especially attractive plant that almost everyone has had in their living room at some point. If you want to bring in (another) Monstera or delight friends with a Monstera baby, you don’t necessarily have to buy one at the garden center. The Swiss cheese plant is a grateful houseplant for propagation.

Propagating Monstera–3 Methods at a Glance

There are essentially three proven methods to propagate the Swiss cheese plant and turn one into several:

1. Propagation via Cuttings

This method is one of the most popular because it is the simplest. A shoot is cut from the mother plant, which can root in water or directly in soil. Here’s how:

• First, select a healthy shoot that is ideally just forming new leaves and is thus in the growth phase. The shoot should be about four to six inches long and have at least two leaves.
• To detach the shoot, use a sharp knife or a sharp, clean pair of scissors. Cut directly below a leaf node. This will develop roots most quickly in water or soil.
• Rooting in water: Place the cut shoot in a glass of water so that the lower leaf node is completely covered. Place the glass in a bright spot where the cutting receives only indirect sunlight. Change the water regularly. After just a few weeks, enough roots should have formed so that the cutting can be planted in a pot.
• Rooting in soil: Alternatively, the shoot can be placed directly in moist potting soil. Ensure that the leaf node is embedded in the soil to support root formation. The soil should always be slightly moist. Increased humidity can be achieved with a simple, transparent plastic bag placed over the entire plant and the top of the pot. After a few weeks, the cutting will be rooted, and the mini Monstera will begin to grow.

2. Propagation via Air Layering

Air layering is a slightly more advanced method, but it is very effective for obtaining a new Monstera plant without initially damaging the mother plant:

• First, select a healthy and flexible branch of the Monstera to be used for propagation.
• Carefully notch the bark of the branch at the point where it should develop roots. Now wrap moist moss around the notched area and cover it with plastic wrap. Regularly mist the moss with water using a spray bottle to ensure the developing roots have enough moisture.
• When misting, regularly check if roots have already formed. This can take several weeks or even months.
• Once some strong roots have developed, the branch can be carefully cut below the air layer and planted in a pot with soil.

3. Propagating Monstera via Division

This method of propagating Monstera plants is particularly effective when the plant is already very large and has developed many stems:

• Carefully remove the entire plant from the pot and remove dead roots and plant parts.
• Then gently separate the root ball with your fingers. Each section should have a stem with its roots so that each new plant can grow anew.
• Plant each new Monstera in a new pot with soil and water generously. After just a few weeks, the propagated Swiss cheese plants should be well established.