Water droplets on Monstera leaves are a common sight for its owners, but if you have just recently added a swiss cheese plant to your collection, it can be both confusing and alarming for you.
So…
Why is my Monstera leaves dripping water?
Monstera leaves dripping water is very common. During the nighttime, if the moisture level in the soil is high, the water is forced to enter the root system and this, in turn, creates pressure inside it which forces xylem sap (soil nutrients mixed in water) to seep through leaves.
Today, I will tell you about everything related to guttation in Monstera and things you should or should not be worried about.
Table of content
Why is your Monstera dripping water?
Is it normal for Monstera to sweat?
How do you stop Monstera leaves from dripping water?
Guttation vs Dew. What’s the difference?
Why is my Monstera dripping water?
Your monstera is sweating because of a process called guttation which is quite normal in tropical plants like swiss cheese.
So, what exactly is the process of guttation in monstera?
During the daytime the plant releases water in the form of water vapor (not visible to human eyes) through its leaves, this process is called transpiration.
But, it cannot perform transpiration at night, because the stomata which were responsible to allow water vapor to pass through, close during the night.
And, when the moisture level of soil during nighttime is high, the water along with the nutrients of soil is soaked up by the root system, as they have low levels of water.
This forced suction by the root system creates pressure inside it, which in turn forces the leaves to secrete xylem sap, which is basically water mixed with soil nutrients.
This is the reason why your Monstera leaves are wet in the morning.
When it dries up, it leaves a white mark on the leaves.
Does your monster have white marks on it?
Now, you know the reason behind it as well.
Is it normal for Monstera to sweat?
Yes, it is pretty normal for Monstera to sweat.
But if the water dripping from the leaves is getting out of control and falling all over the floor, you might be giving way too much water to your plant during nighttime.
If it doesn’t show you any signs of overwatering like yellowing or droopy leaves, there is nothing to worry about.
Although there is one thing, which can cause trouble while your swiss cheese drips water, is high levels of nitrogen (fertilizer) in the soil.
As the leaves secrete xylem sap ( water mixed with soil nutrients), too much nitrogen will burn the leaves, so if you see that the leaves are getting burnt from the exact part where droplets occurred.
You will need to leach down your plant by running a lot of water into it, this will remove the excess amount of nitrogen from the soil.
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How do you stop Monstera Leaves From Dripping Water?
To stop Monstera from weeping, all you need to do is to stop overwatering it or simply speaking, maintain a low level of moisture in its soil.
So, that the water level in the soil is not enough to go through the process of guttation.
Only water it when the soil top a few inches of soil feels dry to touch.
If you keep its soil moist all the time, you will see your monstera sweating more severely which might lead to root rot.
Although, make sure you don’t keep your swiss cheese plant under-watered in the process.
Guttation Vs Dew. Are they the Same?
Many times, people get confused between guttation and dew, as they both look pretty identical.
But the process is fairly different.
Dew is produced through condensation when the moisture level in air is high, it converts into water droplets and settles on the leaves.
Dew only consists of water and happens because of an external process.
On the other hand, guttation is a process that happens internally and the outcome of this is not just water but xylem sap which is water mixed with soil nutrients as well.
Dew won’t leave a white mark after it dries up but xylem sap will do.
So, if you are getting confused if your plant is going through guttation or it is just dew, look for the white marks on the leaves.
Wrapping Up
I hope this article has helped you clear your mind as to why your Monstera was weeping.
Do share your Monstera dripping story with us.
