When s hould I cut off damaged Monstera leaves?

The strongest reason why you should cut off damaged Monstera leaves are that many causes of damage are contagious and can spread from leaf to leaf. Infection, rot, and pests have a much easier time developing on damaged leaves as dead and dying leaves have little to no natural defense against these problems.

Fungi and bacteria easily feed off the remaining nutrients in damaged and dead leaves of even robust foliage such as Monstera.

You may spot mold and other issues beginning to form on dying leaves and so removing the affected tissue will prevent these problems from spreading throughout the plant.

But, of course, not all damaged leaves have these problems. In that case, should you still cut them off? 

The answer lies in the Monstera’s growth and development. Dead leaves cannot photosynthesize and help the plant gather energy or resources. Dying and damaged leaves are also likely to demand more energy from the plant than they are able to contribute back.

Cutting off severely damaged leaves will allow the plant to focus its resources on the healthy parts of the plant so they can flourish and so no energy is wasted on leaves that are long gone and cannot be rehabilitated.


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