I just noticed this, what should I do? Sorry for the vague question but I can't find any good articles on what this is.
Everything I find starts the same way "top 8 reasons for brown leaves". Then says too much water, not enough water, too much light not enough light too much fertilizer not enough, wrong kind of fertilizer and so on and so on. That isn't helpful! Do I just have to guess? Why is all plant knowledge basically voodoo?
I'm tempted to take a cutting so I have a spare to try again if it all goes wrong, but the plant only has 5 leaves, so I'm stressing out.
Please do not cut off the leaf. Removing a leaf before it is completely brown inhibits it's growth. Plants relocate mobile nutrients from older/dying leaves to newer ones. Be patient and let the plant do its thing.
Browning in the middle of the variegation is usually due to a drastic change in light. This causes what is essentially a sunburn.
A few tricks from way to many decades growing them. They like direct morning or evening sunlight for 3-4 hours. Watering - completely saturated the pot then allow it to dry out (I water mine only once a month or two). Fertilizer - they do best with a fertilizer with a 3:1:2 NPK ratio. You can give them a bit extra K when they are putting out a new leaf.
Do not move the plant if possible. Rotating them is a great way to mess them up and get sunburn.
Thank you so much. I wasn't going to remove the brown leaf, but some healthier ones higher up. I'll hold off doing that as well though.
I think it must be too much light then, in which case I know where its new home will be for 3-4 hours light. I have to move the plant tomorrow, as there is some decorating taking place.
All other things you say seem to be in order.
With a smaller plant you definitely do not want to remove heathy leaves. In general never remove more than 10% of the leaf area at any one time. If the newer leaves are smaller then the spot you have it is definitely too dark.
And to answer your original question, "Why is plant knowledge voodoo?".
There literally hundreds of thousands of plant species. Each of those species is adapted to different environmental conditions. The requirements the species need are further modified by its interactions with micro-orgsnisms. So the answer to most questions about growing them requires an significant depth of theoretical and practical knowledge on the subject.
A large portion of humans quickly revert to mythology when any topic becomes slightly complicated.
Update on this. There are 3 out of 7 leaves with this sunburn now. I really think the plant is going to die, so I was going to gamble on taking a cutting from the healthy part and letting the rest die.
I really appreciate your help so far. Do you still think the plant will recover if I leave it alone? I'm really disappointed in myself for doing this, the stress of moving during decorating must have been the cause.
The plant will adapt in time. Monsteras are tough but a bit dramatic at times.
I forgot mine outside when I lived in an area that seldom frosted. It frosted hard (22F). I thought I had lost it. It came back from one little piece of stem.
Just call it the diva it is and let it grow out of it.
Thanks. I'll leave it alone and give you an update when I know one way or the other. I really hope it settles back to its best self.