Monstera leaves folding downward. Also, Hi!

[Ellie Potts]

Hi everyone! I keep a lot of houseplants-more then fish nowadays (college dorm rules)-and have been trying to find a forum as good as this one is for fish, for plants. I can't find discords nearly as active! Anyways, it finally hit me that I should give this forum a go considering there is a plant section.
I currently have a monstera, various pothos, an orchid, succulents (aloe, and the standards), a bromeliad, a ZZ plant, a snake plant, and lots of propagating cuttings that were gifts.

My beautiful Monstera del. is my favorite plant, although recently two of it's new leaves have been folding downwards as they unfurl, which has been concerning me. Any idea why? It's like they don't have the strength to hold themselves up.

 

[Colin_T]

Picture of the plant?

Is it living in damp conditions?
How much light does it get?
How often do you fertilise it?

 

[GaryE]

I'm a relative newb with indoor plants. I bought my daughter a Monstera, and took cuttings to see if I could root them. I got two plants off it, and both are now quite large given they are less than a year old. I would say they have about 30 inches in height, and one has many leaves (the other has five large leaves). I got folded over leaves, two of them, one one of the plants. They would unfurl, and do what you're describing.
I decided I was overwatering, but also moved them to more light. They are still in very ambient lighting, but from two windows, east and west.
I haven't had any more 'collapsed leaves' since then. So either the good leaves coming are random luck, or one or both of my reforms took root. I have also questioned if winter in Canada, with it's shorter photoperiod may have had something to do wit it. The jury's out there.
That may not help but if you don't get suggestions from someone more experienced, it may give you directions to explore.

 

[Ellie Potts]

Picture of the plant?

Is it living in damp conditions?
How much light does it get?
How often do you fertilise it?

You do plants too?!?! cool

I'll put pictures when I'm back at my dorm. I water whenever the top 2-3 inches are dry, soil drains fast. I water with fish tank water and add tiny splash of fertilizer in the spring/summer. Probably about once a week. Here are some pictures of the plant that I have saved. The leaf is one that it put out before the two deformed ones.

Again, I'll put pictures of the sickly leaves later today, just don't have any on me.

 

[Naughts]

You do plants too?!?! cool

I'll put pictures when I'm back at my dorm. I water whenever the top 2-3 inches are dry, soil drains fast. I water with fish tank water and add tiny splash of fertilizer in the spring/summer. Probably about once a week. Here are some pictures of the plant that I have saved. The leaf is one that it put out before the two deformed ones. View attachment 316313View attachment 316314
Again, I'll put pictures of the sickly leaves later today, just don't have any on me.

The new leaf in the second picture has lovely fenestration (holes) which indicate the light is now sufficient. If it is too hot and dry this could cause curling.

 

[Ellie Potts]

The new leaf in the second picture has lovely fenestration (holes) which indicate the light is now sufficient. If it is too hot and dry this could cause curling.

Yes, the plant put out two new leaves rapidly after it started getting warmer and I placed the grow light. They are both beautiful with lots of fenestrations, good color and shape. The one it put out after this one is even bigger and I've spent more time then I should have just staring at it, smug and smitten. Perhaps the following two are punishment for my excessive pride.

Here's a picture of the most recent healthy leaf, and then the two sick ones
It should be noted that the second picture has a leaf with some brown edges. Before it finished unfurling a few of the fenestrations started to turn brown, so I cut off that part.

 

[Naughts]

Yes, the plant put out two new leaves rapidly after it started getting warmer and I placed the grow light. They are both beautiful with lots of fenestrations, good color and shape. The one it put out after this one is even bigger and I've spent more time then I should have just staring at it, smug and smitten. Perhaps the following two are punishment for my excessive pride.

Here's a picture of the most recent healthy leaf, and then the two sick ones
It should be noted that the second picture has a leaf with some brown edges. Before it finished unfurling a few of the fenestrations started to turn brown, so I cut off that part.

View attachment 316325View attachment 316326View attachment 316327

I too fell in love with my monster when I got it home and it enjoyed it's new environment, rewarding me with lime green lush growth. They are definitely a statement plant

I wonder if the growlight Is too hot/ intense. I don't have experience with growlights but would be inclined to raise it away from the plants a bit.
That is if you are satisfied that the room itself is not excessively hot and dry.

 

[Ellie Potts]

I too fell in love with my monster when I got it home and it enjoyed it's new environment, rewarding me with lime green lush growth. They are definitely a statement plant

I wonder if the growlight Is too hot/ intense. I don't have experience with growlights but would be inclined to raise it away from the plants a bit.
That is if you are satisfied that the room itself is not excessively hot and dry.

I don't think that the room is hot and dry. I'll try and raise the light some and see if it helps

 

[StevenF]

We would like to assume fertilizer provides all the elements a plant needs for good growth. However in reality most fertilizer don't have everything a plant needs for good growth. Now you plants can get some elements from the soil. but you stated your soil is fast draining. Which might mean it is mostly sand.with little nutrient value. You might want to replant with compost added to your soil. The damage to your plants might be an indication of a calcium or magnesium deficiency. Hard water typically has a lot of calcium and magnesium. But given your location your water might be soft with little to no calcium or magnesium. Most fertilizers don't have calcium. and many don't have enough magnesium. It also might be helpful to mi in some bone meal into the soil. Also some garden fertilizers only have nitrogen, potassium and Phosphate (NPK). But that is only 3 of the 14 nutrient plants need.IF your fertilizer is just NPK replace it with one that also has iron, manganese, zinc, and copper.