Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

otorongo
Posts: 1434
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:12 pm
Location: sub-subtropical London

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by otorongo »

My Monstera survived this past winter outside virtually unscathed, but the spring sun killed all the leaves :( They were a beautiful deep green until mid April, then the cloud ended and the sun burned them.

If you want to grow it outside, you need a spot that is reliably shaded year round, because reliably sunny just isn't an option in this country. The dullness of winter will always UV-sensitize the plant, so you need to keep it in shade for the rest of the year.

I also had 2 other monsteras last year, both burned to death in the March sunny spell.

So yes, it is cold hardy in well protected spots in the mildest parts of the country, but it's not sun-adapting, and that's the biggest challenge in growing it up here.
stevieboy1

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by stevieboy1 »

I think I'd mabe like to grow one round the back of the tiki hut I'm building if it would suvive so the sun wouldn't get to it as it would be shady there. Or even grow one to have as a nice house plant I could then stand out in the warmer months along side my shady fence. I've got a fence that goes right down one side of the garden that's always shady as the sun is always behind it so doesn't get any sun along there. So in going to need real shade living tropical looking things for along there any suggestions??

Regards
Steve ;-)
otorongo
Posts: 1434
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:12 pm
Location: sub-subtropical London

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by otorongo »

Mind you, my location is exceptionally mild (almost central London) and the plant was in a very sheltered corner, so I don't think it saw anything below -2. But growing it in a pot in shade in the warmer months and bringing it inside for the frosty season should work for you. With some overhead cover, mild frosts shouldn't be a threat either.

In frost-free locations with less seasonal sunlight variation it grows well in full sun. In fact, in Mexico they grow it in full sun for fruit crops, though grown as an ornamental it looks better when grown in shade. I've also seen it grow in full sun in Tenerife, Madeira, Gibraltar and Sicily.
stevieboy1

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by stevieboy1 »

Cool I do want one but not seen any around here for sale cheap. From what I've been told no point tryi g from seed as the seed just won't be viable and Likley not to grow :-(
Ive been told there quite easy to get from a cutting??

Regards
Steve ;-)
Kristen

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by Kristen »

stevieboy1 wrote:Cool I do want one but not seen any around here for sale cheap. From what I've been told no point tryi g from seed as the seed just won't be viable and Likley not to grow :-(
Not sure how quickly they will get to the point of having large leaves if grown predominantly outside?

You might get one that has been a houseplant and has "outgrown its home" off eBay?

I had no idea that they were somewhat frost tolerant until last year, and mine (always in the house until then) was outside last summer, in heavy shade, and has been in frost-free conservatory for the winter, as it had definitely achieved "outgrown its home" status!
Sal73

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by Sal73 »

Stevie
you can pick one up for £5 at homebase
got one 3 years ago and managed to produce giant leaves in one season

Image

untill the winter come and die down to the ground ,
all that happen in my greenhouse , the plant is still alive but never managed to
reach the same size again .

also , I`ve managed to find monstera fruit for sale in my local asian shop
but the guy doesn`t order them anymore due of the toxic power if they are not proper ripened .
stevieboy1

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by stevieboy1 »

Wow that looks great in your garden there:-)
I have looked in homemade B&Q etc but only seen large ones I can't afford :-( but I'm getting a cutting In the post to try rooting hopfully soon and fingers and toes crossed I can get it going am grow it in to a giant plant :-)

Regards
Steve ;-)
otorongo
Posts: 1434
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:12 pm
Location: sub-subtropical London

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by otorongo »

I had monsteras outside over the winter.

No winter damage, but the sun is starting to get to them... One is already very tatty on the sunny side. I could plant them in shade, but then they wouldn't get much heat. I think the ideal siting is on a sunny side but behind some other plants for shade.

My indoor monstera is so vigorous that I can treat them as annuals anyway, it produces 'offsets' which root themselves and by the spring I can remove one or two and plant them out. Even if they die, be it from the sun or frost, I'll have free replacements next season icon_thumleft

The most sheltered outdoor one is quite big now and seems to have grown through the cooler months also. No damage on that one as it doesn't get much sun.
multim

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by multim »

I think the word 'hardy' is really 'FOOLHARDY'! In some of the very few favoured and sheltered locations in the UK they may survive quite well for some time until we have a stinker of a Winter such as '09-'10.
otorongo
Posts: 1434
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:12 pm
Location: sub-subtropical London

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by otorongo »

Well it's surely not hardy to -20C :lol: But in the mildest parts of the UK you can find a spot where you can grow it, at least until the next Dec 2010. Considering how quickly it grows indoors, if you have an indoor mother plant to take (rooted) cuttings from, it's worth giving a try... a lot of fun and nothing to lose!

The sun damage is not obvious immediately, it may take 2 weeks before you even notice it, which makes it a bit tricky to acclimate to the sun.
stevieboy1

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by stevieboy1 »

I've got a cutting someone sent me rooted well and put out two new small leaves its potted up on my landing now. I'm hoping it will grow into a giant in time but will see how it goes. It hasn't grown at all over winter but now the weather is starting to look better hopefully it will start moving again. I may try rooting a cutting down the line and try planting it in a part sun mostly shady corner right by the house and see how it goes but that will be a long way of down the line. For now I'm just happy to have the small one growing in the landing :-)

Kind regards
Steve ;-)
otorongo
Posts: 1434
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:12 pm
Location: sub-subtropical London

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by otorongo »

I got mine for 6 quid at B&Q, now I have 4 plants the size of the original, one inside and 3 outside.

The best way to take cuttings is to cut off branches that are already rooted, so you don't have to root them yourself. If you grow a backup plant indoors it will produce lots of opportunities for taking already rooted cuttings icon_thumleft It puts out aerial roots from random places on its stems (usually close to the base), which grow into a proper root system upon touching the soil.
stevieboy1

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by stevieboy1 »

I have seen the odd one for sale for around £6 in morrisons but never have the money to get another. I would like another may be at some point when i can afford one lol. :lol: :roll:

Kind regards
Steve icon_thumleft
GREVILLE

Re: Monstera Deliciosa Swiss Cheese Plant hardy?

Post by GREVILLE »

My current plant was rooted while still attached to the parent by tying a small plastic bottle full of water to the stem and dropping an ariel root inside it. The roots grew on in a few weeks and I cut off the top with attached root and very carefully potted up a new plant......very carefully because water grown roots are very brittle and break easily.

The plant stays outside April to October in it's pot in a shady bed and tied in to a stem of a tall Paulownia. It's hardy enough to have been left out till the end of the year probably just avoiding freezing.

Just as well I took the cutting as the parent plant disappeared from being overwintered at my local school some years ago.
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