How to Propagate a Monstera (Water Propagation, Step by Step)

Look along a healthy stem for a node. That's the slightly swollen band where a leaf meets the stem. Right next to it you'll usually spot an aerial root, a brown nub or short root reaching out into the air.

This is the part that grows new roots once it hits water, so it has to be on every cutting you take. No node, no new plant. A stem trained up a moss pole or trellis makes these easy to spot.

Position sharp pruners just below the node and make one clean cut. A single decisive snip heals faster than a crushed or ragged cut, and it gives the cutting a wide surface to root from.

Cutting below the node keeps the node and aerial root attached to your new cutting. That's the whole point. Wipe your blades with rubbing alcohol first so you don't pass anything nasty between plants.

Give the cutting a once-over. You want at least one leaf, one node, and ideally an aerial root you can see. One good leaf per cutting is plenty. Too many leaves and the cutting loses water faster than it can drink.

Strip off any lower leaves that would end up sitting under the waterline. Submerged leaves rot and foul the water, which slows everything down.

Stand the cutting in a clear glass jar or vase of water. Keep the node and aerial root under the surface and the leaf up in the air. A clear container lets you watch the roots come in without pulling the cutting out and disturbing it.

Set the jar somewhere bright but out of scorching direct sun. Filtered water or tap water left out overnight both work fine.

Swap the water once a week. Fresh water carries the oxygen the cutting needs and stops it from turning slimy at the base. Top it up if the level drops between changes.

Give it a few weeks. You'll start to see pale new roots pushing out of the node and the aerial root. This is the slow part, so leave it be and let the roots do their thing.

Once the new roots are a couple of inches long and starting to branch, lift the cutting out and take a look. Short single roots aren't ready yet. You want a small handful of roots that can grip soil and pull up water.

Rushing a cutting into a pot before it has enough root is the most common way to lose one, so let it build a decent root system in water first.

Move the rooted cutting into a chunky, well-draining aroid mix. Nestle the roots in, then firm the mix gently around the base so the cutting stands up on its own. Add a moss pole if the stem needs something to climb.

Water it in well and let the excess drain away. Keep it somewhere bright but out of harsh direct sun for the first couple of weeks while it settles into soil.