It has been about four months since I started my own home garden with simple plants, like chili, basil, and tomatoes, all grown from seed. By now, I’ve found my pace. My intuition has caught up too, which means my overthinking capacity finally has some room to breathe. My thinking space feels lighter these days.

And of course, because of that, I went looking for something new to overthink.

Why My Indoor Space Was Begging for a Houseplant

All of my plants live out on the balcony from spring until maybe early autumn. Which means that during summer, my indoor space has no greenery at all. And that feels a little bleak. I’ve noticed I spend most of my time on the balcony because I’m surrounded by nature there, wrapped up in my own little jungle, and I’ve started craving that same atmosphere inside the house.

Buying a Monstera on Impulse (Very Unlike Me)

Then one day, during a casual grocery run at the supermarket nearby, I instinctively wandered over to the plant corner. And there, on pure impulse, I bought a Monstera.

Let me be clear: this is not my character at all. Before I buy anything, include a plant, I always do my literature (and video) study first. I check whether I actually have the capacity to take care of it. But this time, I didn’t. By the time I walked out with that Monstera, I had no idea what kind of pot it should move into, how big that pot needed to be, or what soil mix it required (I was one hundred percent sure I had none of it at home). Everything had to be bought, and the plant had to be repotted, so my Monstera could have a proper place to live.

Repotting a Monstera in a Hurry: My Soil Mix Shortcut

So I did an express version of my usual research. I tried my best to give this plant the most decent move-in I could manage. I bought a terracotta pot, coconut-coated stick for plant support, and a soil mix suitable for Monsteras the next day after I bought the plant. But I was in a hurry, and my patience ran out somewhere between the checkout line and my front door. I potted it without orchid bark for aeration, without perlite or pumice for drainage, and without coco coir or chips to retain moisture in a way that wouldn’t invite root rot.

I realized I made a mistake by not giving the Monstera a perfect home, yet I didn’t have the heart to let it stay in that flimsy nursery pot any longer.

Watering a Monstera Less to Prevent Root Rot

My compromise: watering it far less frequently to keep root rot at bay. Hopefully this setup lasts as long as possible, since Monsteras only need repotting about once a year or so. I swear the next time I repot it, I will give it the proper soil environment it deserves. And hopefully, despite my imperfect soil, I still get that chance.

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So that’s how an ordinary grocery run ended with a new roommate. My Monstera now sits in its terracotta pot, in soil I already know is far from ideal, and every time I walk past it I feel a small pinch of guilt followed by a much bigger flicker of joy.

For now, I water sparingly, inspect the leaves for complaints, and daydream about the dramatic split leaves to come. Next repotting day, I’ll arrive prepared: orchid bark, perlite, coco coir, the whole buffet. Until then, little Monstera, please hang in there. We’re both still learning.