Okay, so I’ve been messing around with my monstera, you know, the big-leafed dude everyone’s got in their living room. I heard some things about how they handle cold temperatures, and I got curious. Wanted to see what the fuss was all about. Let me tell you, it was a bit of a rollercoaster.
First, I did what any normal person does and looked for info. Turns out, people are all over the place on this. Some say, “Oh, they’re fine down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit!” Others are like, “No way, 60 is the limit!” I thought, “Well, I’m just gonna have to try it myself.”
So, I took one of my smaller monsteras – didn’t want to risk my big mama – and decided to start slowly. I put it in a cooler room, where it was around 65 degrees. Checked it every day, like a nervous parent. It was doing okay, no big changes. Then, I got a little bolder.
- Dropped it to 60. Still fine.
- Then 55. The leaves started looking a bit…sad. Not quite as perky.
- Finally, I went for 50. That’s when things got a bit dicey.
After a few days at 50, the edges of the leaves started to get a little brown. And they felt cold, man, like really cold. Not like the rest of the plant. I was starting to get worried. It was like watching a friend slowly get sick. I also noticed that the soil stayed wet for much longer. That’s not good for these guys. They don’t like wet feet.
At this point, I said, “Alright, enough’s enough.” I brought the little guy back into the warmer part of the house. Took a few days, but it started to perk up again. The browning stopped, and the leaves felt more normal. Whew, close call.
My Takeaway?
These plants are tougher than they look, but they definitely have their limits. I wouldn’t push it below 55 if you can avoid it. And if you do experiment, go slow, and watch them like a hawk. It’s also super important to let the soil dry out more between waterings in colder temps.
So yeah, that’s my monstera cold adventure. Hope it helps someone out there. Just remember, plants are living things. Treat them with respect, and they’ll usually bounce back. But don’t push them too hard, okay? We all have our limits.
