I used to water my monstera every Sunday without thinking about it. That habit worked fine in summer, but winter taught me otherwise. Once the days got shorter, the soil stayed wet far longer than I expected, and that’s when yellow leaves started showing up.
Photo by Teona Swif
What finally worked for me was ignoring the calendar entirely and paying attention to the soil instead.
What I look for before I water
I never trust the surface of the soil anymore. It can look dry while the roots are still sitting in moisture.
Here’s my routine now:
- I push my finger 2 to 3 inches into the pot
- If the soil feels cool or sticks to my skin, I wait
- If it’s dry and crumbly at that depth, I water
Most winters, that ends up being about every 10 to 14 days in my apartment, sometimes longer if the room stays cool.
What changed my watering schedule the most
A few things made a bigger difference than I expected:
- Soil weight: My monstera in heavier soil needs water less often
- Pot size: The more root-bound plant dries faster
- Indoor air: Once the heat comes on, everything dries out quicker
I noticed brown edges on the leaves before I ever noticed dry soil. That’s when I realized humidity mattered just as much as watering.
Mistakes I stopped making
These are the habits that caused me the most trouble:
- Watering weekly out of routine
- Letting water sit in the saucer
- Trying to fix dry air by adding more water to the soil
Now, if the air feels dry, I deal with the air, not the roots.
What winter care looks like for me now
When I get it right, my monstera doesn’t grow much in winter, and that’s fine. The leaves stay firm, the color holds, and nothing smells off in the soil. That’s how I know it’s happy enough to make it through winter and explode with growth in spring.
