Can I Cut the Roots from My Monstera? Things Need to Know

There are several plants that grow more than simply roots beneath the soil’s surface, particularly climbing plants like Monsteras. These plants also expand aerial roots, which grow higher up on the plant and above the surface, even though that extra growth is a perfectly acceptable and healthy aspect of a Monstera’s growth routine.

If you’ve never seen these extra roots in your plant before, it might be challenging to know how to care for them, particularly as they get longer and more chaotic. However, these roots are not harmful to anyone, but you can cut them or trim them to give your plant a fine structure.

We will talk about what to do with Monstera aerial roots to maintain a healthy and strong Monstera plant. We’ll also discuss aerial root Monstera cuttings, but before that, we’ll look into whether these roots are harmful or not.

Are Monstera Aerial Roots Harmful?

Monstera Aerial Roots Aren’t Harmful to anyone. Thick brown aerial roots may give your Monstera a rough appearance, which you may not enjoy, but they won’t damage your plant. They also provide support to the plant. They can prevent falling over a fence or moss pole by curling around it.

While some fans may choose to chop off or train aerial roots to return to the soil for a more refined appearance, others may enjoy the different, jungle-like atmosphere they present.

If your Monstera tries to step into your brand-new entertainment centre, it’s essential to keep those roots under control because they may attempt to crawl your walls or furniture, damaging paint and coatings.

Can you cut aerial roots off Monstera?

Sure, you can. Cutting off your Monstera Deliciosa’s aerial roots won’t harm the plant, and they will quickly regrow. When cutting the air roots, just be careful not to damage the Monstera root stem. Yet, stay calm and cut them off.

How to cut:

Cut through the root with neat and sharp scissors or pruning shears. It doesn’t really matter where you cut; the plant should be okay either way.
Cutting near the stem is the safest option if you want to ensure that the plant stays healthy. The mother plant will be able to heal the damage more quickly.
Although cutting all of the aerial roots at once can be bad, it shouldn’t be too difficult if your plant is healthy.

Trim Monstera Roots

Trimming is a common method of growth management for Monsteras since they grow quickly and can become uncontrolled as new leaves unfold. Removing older leaves and roots keeps the plant neat and enhances airflow, preventing it from growing too quickly and taking over your house.

Pruning in the right spots can help boost growth if your Monstera has gotten stressed and seems thin and unwell. When a plant is pruned back, it gets the boost to grow new leaves at the cut, which results in more stems and leaves.

Trimming can help avoid insect and disease issues. Once pests and illnesses have entered your Monstera, you must act quickly to prevent the infection from passing on to the rest of your houseplants. The first step to fixing the problem and helping in your plant’s recovery is trimming.

How to Care for Aerial Roots?

There are obviously things you can do to control aerial roots, and they need very little attention because they are merely an extra to the main plant. If you choose not to trim the aerial roots and they are becoming lengthy to handle, you may just place them in and bind them to the stems or the pole.

Another option is to direct the roots into the pot’s soil. As soon as they reach the upper soil layer, the roots will spread out and use the extra water they find there to support the plant. The bulk of roots in the pot is increased by this method, and perhaps a repotting will be required sooner rather than later.

Repotting Monstera With Aerial Roots

Rapidly growing Monsteras are houseplants that require repotting every year under the correct settings. This becomes difficult when their aerial roots cover a fence or other structure. Here are some tips on repotting:

Add fresh potting soil to the new pot until it is about one-third full.
Slowly turn the pot onto its side and place the aerial roots and leaves on top of a protective cover to avoid damage.
Gently stroke the root ball with your fingertips to release the roots and get rid of old soil. Take care not to damage or break any of the roots.
It is easier to manage a large, mature plant when you bring in help to support it.
Always carefully remove the root ball from the pot, careful not to drag on the lower stems of the plants.
Attempt to cover everything with a light sheet. Fill the potting soil over the root ball and use the sheet to hold up the root ball and aerial roots.

To promote the growth of a Monstera plant, repotting involves choosing a little larger pot, using soil that drains well, and making sure the plant receives enough water.

Wrap Up

For air plant species, aerial roots are a significant and natural feature. In order to maintain the health of the plant, it is best to either let them alone or support them with poles or other structures. Cutting and trimming are safe if the plant is doing well and you apply the proper methods.

If you follow the simple guidelines presented here, you should see an almost instant improvement in the health and appearance of your plant.