Why are my Monstera Aerial Roots Shrivelling Up & Fixes


A monstera on the article Why are my Monstera Aerial Roots Shrivelling Up

Aerial roots are roots that grow above the soil surface. A monstera plant utilizes aerial roots to collect more water, oxygen, and nutrients as these elements are abundant at the soil surface.

But if these roots are not present, your plant will be lacking in several ways.

There are numerous reasons why the aerial roots of your monstera plant are shrivelling up but the primary cause of this problem is dehydration and physical damage.

Other causes include nutrient deficiency, pest attack, an immature monstera and fungal attack. Paying close attention to this problem will help you identify its effect on your plant.

As you keep reading, you will discover the reasons why the aerial roots of your monstera is shrivelling, how to fix this problem, and precautions you can take to ensure that it never happens in the future.

Why are my Monstera Aerial Roots Shrivelling Up?

A monsteraOut in the wild, monstera is known to be a dependent plant.

They utilize aerial roots to help them climb past other plants to receive sunlight and in some cases, they utilize these roots to absorb nutrients, water, and oxygen from the soil surface.

Below are some reasons why these roots dry out in your monstera plant.

1) Physical Damage

The aerial roots in this indoor plant are often small and any external pressure applied to them can cause them to break or bend. When these roots get damaged physically, they turn black and eventually fall off.

2) Dehydration

Just as a monstera needs water, so does every part of it. If your monstera plant is lacking water, you will begin to observe some symptoms of this problem and one of these symptoms is the aerial roots drying up as they are also dehydrated.

3) Nutrient Deficiency

Macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium are important for the well-being of the aerial roots.

They receive these nutrients by directly absorbing them from the soil, so when your soil mix lacks the required nutrient, your aerial roots will wilt.

These small roots will not be the only part of the plant affected by lack of nutrients, the leaves and main root will also fail.

4) Attack of Pests and Diseases

If they are pests present on your monstera plant then you should eliminate them as they can damage the whole plant.

Pests attack aerial roots by piercing them and sucking the sap out of them, after this is done, these small roots are now lacking water and nutrients so they start to shrivel.

5) Immature Monstera

Every part of a young monstera tends to be fragile and the aerial roots are no exception.

The aerial roots of an immature monstera plant will dry up as a result of the simplest environmental factor or external pressure.

6) Fungal Attack

Aerial rot is a fungal attack on the aerial roots of your monstera and it is caused by too much moisture in the air or overwatering your monstera plant.

Fortunately, aerial root rot can be identified easily by their soft and squishy look as well as the bad odor they emit after some time. This can also be as a result of the main root of your monstera root rotting.

How to Stop Aerial Roots from Shrivelling Up on Your Monstera

The key to fixing this problem is to identify the cause of the problem.

This will help you solve each problem individually and not only do you keep your aerial roots healthy, but you also keep the main root of your monsteras plant healthy.

1) Avoid Physical Contact

Since the aerial roots of this plant can be bent and broken easily, it is recommended that you keep put a reasonable distance between any object that can cause physical harm to your aerial root.

2) Water your Plant

As these roots absorb water from the soil surface it is advised that you hydrate your plant if it lacks water, this way the aerial roots will not dry up.

This process is also important to ensure that your plant as a whole receives the appropriate amount of water.

3) Fertilize your Plant

A monsteraThe aerial roots of a monstera plant receive nutrients just as the main plant does, if the aerial roots are lacking the required nutrients it indicates that the whole plant lacks nutrients.

You should apply fertilizer to your monstera plant during spring to keep the aerial roots from wilting.

The fertilizer to be used should contain both macro and micro minerals as they are both essential to the well-being of this plant.

4) Eliminate Pest 

Pests and diseases suck out the elements in your aerial root, there is also a possibility that these pests are spread out throughout the rest of the plant.

Eliminate these pests using the recommended pesticide or you can consider using neem oil as a natural alternative to controlling these pests. Fixing this issue early will be helpful to prevent any further complications.

5) Train Monstera Roots

Instead of watching the aerial roots of a young monsteras plant wilt, you should train them to seek support by climbing or you can place them in the soil where it has access to water, nutrients, and oxygen to keep them healthy.

This training is important to help these small roots adapt to changes without any damage.

6) Treat Aerial Rot

To treat aerial root rot, use a sterilized sharp tool to cut out the affected roots.

This is important to prevent the rot from spreading to the main root because when the main root is affected, it can cause severe damage and possibly the death of your plant.

How to Prevent Aerial Roots from Drying Up

If you want to prevent this problem before it happens there are steps you can take to ensure that the aerial roots of your monstera remain safe and healthy.

Regular Check-Up

Checking your monstera plant regularly will help identify a problem before the effects become serious. You can check for any abnormal exhibition by this plant as well as pests as they can be spotted easily.

Constant Care Routine

This involves creating an environment for your monstera to thrive in.

You will need to create a steady routine concerning the amount of water, light, fertilizer, and humidity this plant receives. Learn more about the ideal humidity for your monstera plant.

Periodic Pest control

You can apply a natural solution for controlling pests to prevent their invasion. The solution used should not be harmful to your monstera plant and it should be used periodically.

Preventing Aerial Root rot

You can prevent aerial root rot by monitoring your watering habits to ensure that you don’t overwater this plant.

You should also use a soil mix with a good drainage system and a pot with holes at the bottom. Maintaining the humidity in the room is also helpful in preventing aerial root rot.

Should I Cut the Shrivelled up Aerial Monstera Roots Off?

A monsteraIt is important that you do away with the wilted aerial roots of a monstera plant, this should be done immediately in a case of aerial root rot.

This is because the rot can spread from the top roots down to the main root which lies below the soil.

Cutting off the shrivelled aerial roots is also important to help your plant redirect energy to create new ones, although these wilted roots will fall on their own, cutting them will save some time.

Final Thoughts

While the aerial roots of your monstera plant don’t seem important, they can affect the well-being of the main root system which is why you should be concerned when they start to shrivel up.

Hopefully, this article has enlightened you on the causes of aerial roots drying up, how to fix this problem, and some precautions that can be employed to ensure that it doesn’t reoccur.

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