Monstera plant leaves turning yellow?
For an indoor monstera, yellow leaves usually mean the roots are staying too wet, though one oldest lower leaf yellowing slowly can be normal.
Answer what you can see
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The causes in full
Overwatering or poor drainageMOST COMMON
How to tell
Check for soil that stays wet for days, a pot with no drainage hole, water sitting in an outer pot or saucer, or brown mushy roots with a sour smell.
What to do
If the soil is soggy or wet, or still damp while the top 2 inches of soil are not dry, withhold water until the top 2 inches of soil are dry. Empty standing water, make sure the pot drains freely, and repot into fresh chunky houseplant mix if roots are brown and mushy.
Underwatering or a dry root ballCOMMON
How to tell
The pot feels very light, the mix is dry two inches down or pulling away from the pot, and leaves may droop before yellowing.
What to do
If the top 2 inches of soil are dry, water slowly until water runs from the drainage holes. If the root ball is bone dry and pulling from the pot, and the top 2 inches of soil are dry, soak the pot for about 20 minutes, then let it drain fully.
Too little lightCOMMON
How to tell
The plant is in a dim corner or too far from the window, growth is slow and weak, and the soil stays damp for a long time after watering.
What to do
Move it closer to a bright window but out of harsh direct sun through glass. If the soil is damp and the top 2 inches of soil are not dry, withhold water until the top 2 inches of soil are dry.
Direct sun, heat, or cold draught shockLESS COMMON
How to tell
Look for yellow or bleached damage mainly on the window-facing side after hot sun through glass, or sudden limp yellowing after the plant sat by a cold window, heater, or draughty door.
What to do
Move the plant out of direct hot glass sun and away from heaters, cold windows, and draughts. Water only if the top 2 inches of soil are dry.
Spider mites or thrips pestsLESS COMMON
How to tell
Check the undersides of leaves and where the leaf stem meets the main stem for fine webbing, tiny moving specks, silvery scratches, black dots, or many tiny yellow speckles.
What to do
Separate the plant, rinse and wipe both sides of the leaves, then treat with a labelled insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, repeating as the label says. Do not use dish soap as a substitute.
Fertiliser salt or leaf-spray burnRARE
How to tell
Suspect this if yellowing began soon after feeding, using a leaf shine or spray, or cleaning the leaves, especially with white crust on the soil or yellow-brown tips and patches.
What to do
Stop fertiliser and leaf sprays for now. If the top 2 inches of soil are dry, flush the pot with plain water through the drainage holes; if they are not dry, wait until the top 2 inches of soil are dry before flushing.
Will it recover?
Yellow monstera leaves usually will not turn green again; the goal is to stop more yellowing and get healthy new growth, though leaves drooping from thirst may perk up after correct watering.
Stopping it happening again
Keep the pot draining freely, give bright indirect light, avoid hot glass sun and cold draughts, check for pests regularly, and water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry.
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