How to Know When to Water Your Monstera (And How Often)

Water your Monstera when the soil is almost completely dry — not on a schedule, not every week, and definitely not when the top inch is dry.

Monstera are rainforest plants.

They don’t want to sit in constantly moist soil and they don’t want to go weeks without water. What they want is a good drink, then a chance to dry out properly before you water again.

Here’s everything you need to know — from how to check if it’s time, to how much to give, to what happens when you get it wrong.

How to tell when your Monstera needs water

The most reliable way to check is to stick your finger as far as you can into the soil. If it feels dry at that depth, it’s time to water. If it still feels damp, leave it another day or two and check again.

A few other signs your Monstera is ready for water:

• The pot feels noticeably lighter than it did after you last watered
• The soil has pulled away slightly from the edges of the pot

Don’t look to the leaves to tell you when to water – if you wait until droopage happens it’s a wee bit too dry (it’ll recover, it just isn’t ideal).

A moisture meter can also help if you find the finger method unreliable — they’re cheap and take the guesswork out of it entirely. Aim for a reading of 2–3 before watering.

FYI moisture meters are terrible in chunky soil, BUT chunky soil is unlikely to retain much water so it doesn’t really matter.

What you want to avoid is watering on a fixed schedule — “every Sunday” doesn’t account for the fact that your plant dries out faster in summer than in winter, in a terracotta pot vs a plastic one, or when it’s sitting in a bright spot vs a darker corner.

How often should you water a Monstera?

In summer, most Monsteras need watering every 7–10 days. In winter, that stretches to every 2–4 weeks. But these are starting points, not rules — the soil is always the real guide.

A few things that affect how quickly your Monstera dries out:

• Pot material — terracotta dries out significantly faster than plastic or ceramic
• Pot size — a pot that’s too big holds excess moisture and slows drying time
• Light levels — more light = faster growth = more water use
• Season — plants slow down in winter and need much less water
• Humidity — drier air means the soil evaporates faster
• Soil mix — a chunky, airy mix drains and dries faster than dense potting compost

Track when you water and check the soil 5–7 days later. After a few cycles you’ll have a feel for your specific plant’s rhythm — and you can stop guessing.

How much water does a Monstera need?

Water thoroughly until it drains freely from the bottom of the pot — then stop. You want the entire root ball to get a drink, not just the top layer of soil.

A small amount of water poured on top just moistens the surface and never reaches the roots. This is one of the most common Monstera watering mistakes — the plant looks watered but the roots are actually dry.

After watering, empty the saucer after 30 minutes. Leaving your Monstera sitting in standing water is a fast track to root rot.

The best way to water a Monstera

Water slowly and evenly around the base of the plant until water flows from the drainage holes. Give it a moment, then check the saucer and empty it if needed.

A long-spouted watering can makes it easier to get the water to the soil rather than all over the leaves. Getting water on the leaves isn’t a disaster, but it’s not ideal — it can encourage fungal issues if the leaves stay wet for a long time in a poorly ventilated space.

Room temperature water is best. Cold water straight from the tap can shock tropical plants — not enough to kill them, but enough to cause stress over time.

Top watering vs bottom watering — which is better for Monstera?

Both work, and I’ve used both on my Monsteras. Top watering is quicker and easier for most people. Bottom watering (sitting the pot in water for 20–30 minutes and letting the soil absorb from below) does a better job of evenly saturating the whole root ball — and it’s particularly useful if your soil has dried out so much it’s started to pull away from the pot edges.

The main drawback of bottom watering is that it doesn’t flush out mineral salts the way top watering does. If you bottom water consistently, give your Monstera a proper top water every month or so to flush the soil through.

My personal approach: top water most of the time, bottom water when the soil has dried out unevenly or I want to make sure the roots are getting a thorough drink.

Signs your Monstera is overwatered

Overwatering is the most common Monstera killer. The plant doesn’t drown from too much water in one go — it suffers when the roots sit in consistently wet soil and can’t get the oxygen they need.

Signs to look for:

• Yellowing leaves, especially lower ones
• Soft, mushy stems at the base
• Soil that stays wet for more than 2 weeks
• Fungus gnats (they love wet soil)
• A sour or musty smell coming from the soil
• Black or brown mushy roots if you check the root ball

If you suspect overwatering, stop watering immediately and let the soil dry out completely before watering again. If the roots are already rotting, you’ll need to unpot, trim the affected roots, and repot into fresh dry soil.

Signs your Monstera is underwatered

Underwatering is easier to recover from than overwatering, but it still stresses the plant and slows growth. The good news is Monstera are fairly forgiving — they’ll usually perk back up once you give them a proper drink.

Signs your Monstera is underwatered:

• Leaves drooping or looking limp (this can also be overwatering, so check the soil first)
• Dry, crispy leaf edges
• Soil that’s bone dry and pulling away from the pot edges
• Slow or no new growth
• Water running straight through the pot without being absorbed (very dry soil becomes hydrophobic)

If the soil is so dry that water runs straight through, try bottom watering to let the soil slowly rehydrate, then return to your normal watering routine.

Can you use tap water on Monstera?

Yes — tap water is fine for most Monsteras in most places. They’re not as fussy about water quality as some people suggest.

If your tap water is very hard (high in minerals), you might notice brown leaf tips over time as salts build up in the soil. If that’s happening, switch to filtered water or rainwater, or flush the soil through with a thorough top watering every month to wash out the mineral build-up.

Leaving tap water to sit overnight before using it used to be recommended to let the chlorine evaporate — but modern water treatment often uses chloramine instead of chlorine, which doesn’t evaporate. If chlorine sensitivity is a concern, a water filter is a better solution than leaving it to sit.

How long can a Monstera go without water?

A healthy, established Monstera can go 2–3 weeks without water in normal conditions — longer in winter when growth slows down. If you’re going on holiday, a well-watered Monstera in a plastic pot in indirect light should be fine for 2 weeks without intervention.

Younger plants and those in terracotta pots will dry out faster and may need attention sooner. If you’re going away for longer than 2 weeks, it’s worth asking someone to check in — or investing in a self-watering pot or drip system.

What affects how much water your Monstera needs?

No two Monsteras have exactly the same watering needs — even in the same house. Here’s a quick reference for what makes your plant drink more or less:

• More light = more water (the plant grows faster and transpires more)
• Warmer temperatures = more water
• Terracotta pot = more water (porous, dries out faster)
• Larger, more established plant = more water
• Chunky, well-draining soil mix = more frequent watering (dries faster)
• Winter / low light = much less water (growth slows or stops)
• High humidity = slightly less water (soil evaporates more slowly)

Get into the habit of checking the soil rather than following a calendar, and you’ll rarely get it wrong.

The bottom line on watering Monstera

Check the soil, not the calendar. Water thoroughly when it’s nearly dry. Empty the saucer. Repeat.

Once you stop watering on a schedule and start responding to what the plant is actually telling you, Monstera care gets a lot easier. They’re forgiving plants — they just need you to pay attention to the soil.

If you’re still finding Monstera care tricky, grab my Plant Survival Kit — it’s got a watering tracker, seasonal care reminders, and everything else you need to keep your plants alive without thinking too hard about it.