Do you own or dream about owning a Monstera Thai Constellation? This gorgeous variegated variety of the monstera is a true asset to every living room and a dream for plant enthusiasts! Now that you own one, or maybe think about acquiring one, you may require some advice on how to take care of your Thai.

The good news is that your Monstera Thai Constellation is a fairly easy plant to take care of. Yes, it requires some attention and the right amount of water, but the most important piece of advice is probably to take it easy on your Monstera. Too much water is probably the number one cause of death for these variegated beauties: you will find our advice on taking proper care of your Monstera Thai Constellation in this article.

At GrowJungle, we offer various variegated monstera’s, including the Monstera Thai Constellation. Take a look at our current Monstera Thai Constellations. Should you have any specific questions about the care your plant requires or about GrowJungle in general, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

Points to discuss

• Watering your Monstera Thai Constellation
• Using fertiliser to feed your Monstera Thai Constellation
• Your Monstera Thai Constellation and light
• The right conditions for your Thai Constellation
• To repot or not to repot?
• Keep an eye on your pets

Finding the right balance is key when it comes to water management for your Monstera Thai Constellation. It requires some water, but over-watering it is likely to cause root-rot or issues with fungi. Under-watering it may cause the plant to dry out, but this is less likely to kill your precious plant than over-watering.

The right amount of water depends on variables like the size of the plant and the type of soil you use. Our advice is to use the top half of the soil as your guide. When the top half is dry, it is time to slightly water your plant. The soil should not be fully wet, but slightly moisturised. By using a simple water measuring device, you can check the water level at the roots. Your Thai Constellation will probably need to be watered about once per week, but always check the top half of the soil. Does it feel dry? Water it - modestly. If it feels wet, wait.

Thai Constellations are known for growing fairly slowly. This means that you do not want to use too much fertiliser and find the right balance between fertiliser and water. Basically, the best advice about fertilisers is similar to water: don’t overdo it. The plant needs to be fed, but too much fertiliser or using a fertiliser at full strength can cause fertiliser burn*. Your Monstera Thai Constellation does not require a specific or tropical fertiliser: most well-balanced fertilisers will provide it with just the right amount of nutrients. The fertiliser should be diluted to about half strength. 

The general advice of fertilising your Thai is to feed it about once per month during spring and summer. This is the period in which the Thai will grow the most and therefore requires food. When it gets colder, the plant will grow much slower and it doesn’t need the same amount of nutrients.

* Fertiliser burn occurs when you use too much fertiliser or the wrong mix of fertiliser and water on your plants. This may provide the plant with an excess of salt or ammonia, damaging its ability to photosynthesise. Ultimately, a fertiliser burn can cause visible burn marks on the leaves.

The best temperature to keep your Monstera Thai Constellation is around 20 to a maximum of 30 degrees. During the winter period, your plant will be fine when the temperature drops a couple of degrees.

There are a few things to consider. The Thai Constellation does not like draughts and sudden temperature changes. Do you keep your home cool with an air conditioner during the summer heat? Consider moving your Thai to a place outside of the draught and keep the temperature changes to a minimum. As for humidity: your Thai should probably be fine indoors. It typically does not require a special humidifier to keep the humidity on the right level, but be on the lookout for brown spots. Crispy edges at the leaves or brown spots can be a sign that the plant requires a higher humidity.

When your Thai grows, it will at some point require a larger pot - usually around every 2 years. This depends on your plant’s age, the conditions you keep it in, the fertiliser you use and other variables, but after about 2 years it will probably be time to switch to a larger pot.

It is recommended that when repotting to a larger pot, you pick one that is just a little bit bigger. Only go up by just a couple of centimetres. A bigger increase means more soil that holds more water, which may cause the plant’s roots to rot. Moreover, a bigger pot will give the roots too much space to grow: the plant may divert all its energy to growing roots instead of its stem or leaves.

Besides the plant growing, there are other reasons that may cause you to have to repot, such as poor soil. When you feel that the soil does not provide enough energy or nutrients, carefully take out the plant and change the soil. Did you just receive a new Thai or are you planning on getting one? After receiving your Thai, wait for about a month or so before you repot it. This gives the plant and its fragile roots plenty of time to adjust to its new environment.

Variegated plants, like the Monstera Thai Constellation, require more light than plants with all-green leaves. This is because only the green leaves can photosynthesize, which plants need to survive. Your Thai has less green leaves - so it simply requires more light.

We suggest positioning your plant in a place with a lot of bright light - but not too much direct sunlight. Your Thai can handle some direct sunlight, but only on the green leaves and not too much of it. The white speckles should not be placed in direct sunlight though, as there is a risk of sunburn. We recommend turning your Thai Constellation about 90 degrees every month or so. Like most plants, it will grow towards the light. By slightly rotating it monthly, you make sure that it will keep its original shape.