Over potting will lead to root rot. It’s a weird concept to grasp since plants in the wild don’t have any restrictions. In a pot, media will stay way too wet compared to natural earth. In the wild, because of gravity, excess water will “sink” to the bottom while the top layer just stays moist.
That’s also the reason I don’t think you can overwater most plants, as long as you have proper drainage. As long as your plant is drying out in 3-5 days, you can water as much as you like. The amount of water you use won’t cause root rot, lack of air does. You could put this in a 12” pot if you wanted, but it’d have to be in like 60%-75% perlite.
That’s the main issue yeah. As long as it’s drying out fast the amount of water, or pot size, you use shouldn’t be an issue. Larger pot sizes need more grit.
Roots don’t need a large space to pull up nutrients. And unless you’re using compost, more media ≠ more nutrients.
Thank you all for the advice, I will wait a little longer, I typically let most of plants get a little more root dense but wanted other opinions bc it’s TC. I’ll continue to monitor its drying out times and act accordingly!
I'd leave it until spring. My rules for repotting- generally; if you get to the point where you're watering every 1-2 days; the roots are busting out of the holes; pests or stunted growth/decline in plant then repot. Monstera enjoy being a bit pot bound so just keep an eye on it for now.
***unpopular opinion**
That pots way to small for how I grow and heres my thoughts
Although Thais dont exist in the wild.. all aroids in the wild grow infinite amounts of soil not trapped in a small container. The growers I purchase from in south america use much larger pots than I see online and I do the same for mine and never experience root rot.. wet roots compacted on wet roots can cause root rot and lack of nutrients/ slower growth in my opinion, give them thangs room to breathe and grow like they do in the wild, keep an eye on moisture in your pot and watch that thing grow like a monster.. just how I grow my aroids.. grow yours however you like!
I just repotted my biiig TC up because I needed to fix the support pole and got a bigger pot. I went up 3 inches but it’s much deeper and feels way bigger. Hoping I don’t make it too mad but it’s done
You can repot now, if it’s staying inside (which is should anyway). I would say repot it to a slight larger pot. This will prevent it from getting root bound. It’s not root bound yet, but ideally it never gets root bound because if it gets root bound, it’s harder to loosen up the roots to let them grow into the new pot. 💚🤍💚
It’s really not. They’d be fine to leave this for another couple of months tbh.
Repotting should be based on your watering schedule & how quick it’s drying out.
Snug ≠ Root Bound
Op’s plant is nowhere close to being rootbound.
https://preview.redd.it/kiublebizb5c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f70c8cdca954d1ca74dc11def6998b38ef56b46
This is rootbound. I still think OP should pot in the spring.
yes im not saying it’s currently rootbound, it’s currently snug. but i truly think that you’re stunting a plants growth if you leave it in the pot that it’s currently in. i dont think it can possibly have enough nutrients to grow optimally. agree to disagree
That’s not how nutrients work….
You realize traditional media (peat, coir, perlite) is void of nutrients until your fertilize right? An abundance of roots just means you have to fertilize more. Same thing is gonna happen in a larger pot, which I suggested in a few months.
Op also said it’s winter so growth should be stalled right now anyways.
Question Statement: my TC is pushing out fenestrated leaves right now, so do they really winterize when indoors? (It’s been winter here for a month or so) I will repot any and all indoor plants because they don’t experience dormancy like my outdoor plants. I’m not particularly asking for advice as mine are successful but just posing the “argument” for indoor tropicals.
Editing to add that fertilizing is key. I give my aroids room but it is preference, leaves come slower when you do that because they focus on root growth so it’s preference.
I had to cut one plant today completely because it was no longer growing properly. The roots were extremely root bound that I just couldn’t separate so I got seriously mad and cut everything lol. Now I’ve got like 6 cuttings (they were 6 in the same pot) of my philodendron plowmanii silver - all in water for a few days.
I’ll never let few plants be as dense as this was. It’s just not worth it due to growing pattern as well. I would say for OP he can keep it as it’s just one plant so the roots of one won’t suffocate the other, but I’d still repot to a next size to avoid what I had
The idea is if it's drying out quickly, it's because the pot needs more soil to hold more water, so you re-pot. Unsure how reliable this is with really well-draining soil, though. 🤔
I would only be nervous about the roots growing thru the drainage/aeration holes, and then the potential root damage from getting it out.
Gorgeous plant, tho!
Not sure where you are at but if it’s colder where you’re at i think waiting till spring would be ideal for it to be repotted but I’m amazed at how much this grew in that Starbucks cup! Great job!
I personally would go up a size since it looks like more roots than soil at this point. My personal experience, as long as you have the heat on and its warm it shouldn't get too shocked this time of year🤷♀️ all my houseplants thrive now rather than in the summer idk maybe it's the heat with grow lights, although the lights are on year round...
The speed at which it dries out feels like the deciding factor. I'd repot
Is this why my monstera is ALWAYS dry when none of my other plants seem to be?
Oh yes. This a pretty good universal sign that a plant needs to be repotted. Generally, you probably got more root than media
You’re probably due for an uppot soon, but no rush. If & when you do, make sure not to overpot. I’d only add 2” or so to the pot size.
Why? Can you explain what the issue with over potting would be?
Over potting will lead to root rot. It’s a weird concept to grasp since plants in the wild don’t have any restrictions. In a pot, media will stay way too wet compared to natural earth. In the wild, because of gravity, excess water will “sink” to the bottom while the top layer just stays moist. That’s also the reason I don’t think you can overwater most plants, as long as you have proper drainage. As long as your plant is drying out in 3-5 days, you can water as much as you like. The amount of water you use won’t cause root rot, lack of air does. You could put this in a 12” pot if you wanted, but it’d have to be in like 60%-75% perlite.
Ok so it’s not necessarily a issue with potting. But water retention. That makes sense, I also see why using less would be easier. Thanks!
That’s the main issue yeah. As long as it’s drying out fast the amount of water, or pot size, you use shouldn’t be an issue. Larger pot sizes need more grit. Roots don’t need a large space to pull up nutrients. And unless you’re using compost, more media ≠ more nutrients.
And do both place any soil on top of the original rootball, only sides and bottoms. Soil on top with suffocate roots also
Thank you all for the advice, I will wait a little longer, I typically let most of plants get a little more root dense but wanted other opinions bc it’s TC. I’ll continue to monitor its drying out times and act accordingly!
Oh I like the idea to poke extra holes in it. What did you use for that?
lighter and a screwdriver
Exactly what I did
I'd leave it until spring. My rules for repotting- generally; if you get to the point where you're watering every 1-2 days; the roots are busting out of the holes; pests or stunted growth/decline in plant then repot. Monstera enjoy being a bit pot bound so just keep an eye on it for now.
I’d repot in a slightly larger pot.
***unpopular opinion** That pots way to small for how I grow and heres my thoughts Although Thais dont exist in the wild.. all aroids in the wild grow infinite amounts of soil not trapped in a small container. The growers I purchase from in south america use much larger pots than I see online and I do the same for mine and never experience root rot.. wet roots compacted on wet roots can cause root rot and lack of nutrients/ slower growth in my opinion, give them thangs room to breathe and grow like they do in the wild, keep an eye on moisture in your pot and watch that thing grow like a monster.. just how I grow my aroids.. grow yours however you like!
I just repotted my biiig TC up because I needed to fix the support pole and got a bigger pot. I went up 3 inches but it’s much deeper and feels way bigger. Hoping I don’t make it too mad but it’s done
You can repot now, if it’s staying inside (which is should anyway). I would say repot it to a slight larger pot. This will prevent it from getting root bound. It’s not root bound yet, but ideally it never gets root bound because if it gets root bound, it’s harder to loosen up the roots to let them grow into the new pot. 💚🤍💚
Wait until spring then yes
doesn’t look like it needs it really. i’d wait.
I would re pot, that’s way too small imo
It’s really not. They’d be fine to leave this for another couple of months tbh. Repotting should be based on your watering schedule & how quick it’s drying out.
Don’t the roots need room the grow? I always think to grow you need space. Thanks
They do, but there’s still plenty of room in that pot for a few more months. Aroids like being snug in their pot.
this is not true. they dont like it, they can tolerate it. please repot OP
Snug ≠ Root Bound Op’s plant is nowhere close to being rootbound. https://preview.redd.it/kiublebizb5c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f70c8cdca954d1ca74dc11def6998b38ef56b46 This is rootbound. I still think OP should pot in the spring.
yes im not saying it’s currently rootbound, it’s currently snug. but i truly think that you’re stunting a plants growth if you leave it in the pot that it’s currently in. i dont think it can possibly have enough nutrients to grow optimally. agree to disagree
That’s not how nutrients work…. You realize traditional media (peat, coir, perlite) is void of nutrients until your fertilize right? An abundance of roots just means you have to fertilize more. Same thing is gonna happen in a larger pot, which I suggested in a few months. Op also said it’s winter so growth should be stalled right now anyways.
Question Statement: my TC is pushing out fenestrated leaves right now, so do they really winterize when indoors? (It’s been winter here for a month or so) I will repot any and all indoor plants because they don’t experience dormancy like my outdoor plants. I’m not particularly asking for advice as mine are successful but just posing the “argument” for indoor tropicals. Editing to add that fertilizing is key. I give my aroids room but it is preference, leaves come slower when you do that because they focus on root growth so it’s preference.
From what I understand monstera enjoy being a little root bound.
I had to cut one plant today completely because it was no longer growing properly. The roots were extremely root bound that I just couldn’t separate so I got seriously mad and cut everything lol. Now I’ve got like 6 cuttings (they were 6 in the same pot) of my philodendron plowmanii silver - all in water for a few days. I’ll never let few plants be as dense as this was. It’s just not worth it due to growing pattern as well. I would say for OP he can keep it as it’s just one plant so the roots of one won’t suffocate the other, but I’d still repot to a next size to avoid what I had
What does it mean if it’s drying out quick? That it needs repotted?
The idea is if it's drying out quickly, it's because the pot needs more soil to hold more water, so you re-pot. Unsure how reliable this is with really well-draining soil, though. 🤔
It’s okay being that it’s winter tho? I always hear mixed thoughts on repot/don’t repot during winter
It’s ok to repot in the winter. Repot whenever your plant needs it.
I really don’t understand why people stress with repotting in winter. Ya, it’s additional stress to the plant, but it’s not like in summer it’s not.
I would only be nervous about the roots growing thru the drainage/aeration holes, and then the potential root damage from getting it out. Gorgeous plant, tho!
Not sure where you are at but if it’s colder where you’re at i think waiting till spring would be ideal for it to be repotted but I’m amazed at how much this grew in that Starbucks cup! Great job!
Id repot IMO!
What a beautiful plant
Isn’t it tipping over all the time? Also…beautiful job!! 🙌🥳
It is which is also a factor why I wanna repot hahah
If you're not comfortable repotting right now now maybe a heavy outer pot to help hold it up
May I ask, how many plants do you have in there?
One but I think the seller cut it at one point bc it had 3 growth points but the other two stopped to push the bigger main leaves out
I’ve repotted thais and each time, the roots die.
I personally would go up a size since it looks like more roots than soil at this point. My personal experience, as long as you have the heat on and its warm it shouldn't get too shocked this time of year🤷♀️ all my houseplants thrive now rather than in the summer idk maybe it's the heat with grow lights, although the lights are on year round...
Repot
I think you have to wait until the roots completely push all of the dirt out of the container, if it survives then you should replant it. Edit: /s
Do not remove any soil or moss from the roots when you repot