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Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro is this guide's pick for monstera deliciosa: a liquid concentrate whose label lists calcium, magnesium and micronutrients alongside nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It is one good option, not the only one. Penn State Extension recommends a balanced houseplant fertilizer for monstera, and Clemson HGIC recommends a balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 for foliage plants, which Jack's Classic below matches. This pick is based on the manufacturer's stated formula and on the cited sources; the products here have not been tested hands-on.

Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro 9-3-6
Best for
Foliage plants; label lists Ca and Mg
Format
Liquid concentrate
Schedule
Every 2 weeks in season (Penn State)
Jack's Classic 20-20-20 All Purpose
Best for
Balanced feeding (Clemson example)
Format
Water-soluble powder
Schedule
Follow label
Maxsea All-Purpose 16-16-16
Best for
Heavy feeders
Format
Seaweed powder
Schedule
Follow label
Last verified May 2026. Prices and availability vary.

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What monstera actually need nutritionally

Monstera deliciosa is a fast-growing foliage plant that produces large leaves during active growth (spring through early fall in most indoor environments). The cited extension sources keep the fertilizer advice simple:

  • Penn State Extension advises fertilizing monstera every two weeks through the growing season and monthly through the winter with a balanced houseplant fertilizer.
  • Clemson HGIC calls a complete fertilizer (one that contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) an excellent choice for indoor plants, and recommends a balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 for foliage plants and a higher-phosphorus one such as 15-30-15 for flowering plants.
  • Iowa State Extension notes that most indoor plants don't need much fertilizer and recommends mixing all-purpose fertilizers at half or quarter the label strength.

Any complete houseplant fertilizer used this way will feed a monstera. Foliage-Pro differs mainly in what its label adds: calcium, magnesium and micronutrients.

The pick

1. Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro 9-3-6 — Best overall

Why it's the pick here: Dyna-Gro's product sheet says Foliage-Pro "contains all 6 essential macronutrients and all 10 essential micronutrients," including 2.0% calcium and 0.5% magnesium. That is a convenience rather than a requirement: Penn State's monstera guidance calls for a balanced houseplant fertilizer, and a balanced product works too.

Best for: Tropical foliage plants — monstera, philodendron, pothos, alocasia, anthurium, hoya.

What the label offers:

First, the formula. The 9-3-6 analysis has three times as much nitrogen as phosphorus. That is the manufacturer's formulation, not an extension requirement: Clemson HGIC and Penn State both recommend balanced fertilizers for foliage plants and monstera.

Second, calcium and magnesium. Dyna-Gro's product sheet gives calcium at 2.0% and magnesium at 0.5%. Clemson's indoor-plant guidance asks only for a complete N-P-K fertilizer, so these are an extra rather than a requirement.

Third, micronutrients. The listing includes iron, manganese, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and boron.

The 8-oz bottle (ASIN B003SUT6VS) is the standard size. Because the concentrate is diluted in water before each use, a small bottle makes a large volume of fertilizer solution.

How to use Foliage-Pro on monstera

Use Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro at quarter strength to half strength during the growing season. Iowa State Extension recommends mixing all-purpose fertilizers at half or quarter the label strength for houseplants, and Penn State Extension advises fertilizing monstera every two weeks through the growing season. Here's the specific protocol:

Dilution: Stay within Iowa State's quarter-to-half-strength range: the weaker mix in spring and fall, and half strength during peak summer growth when the plant is visibly pushing new leaves.

Timing: Apply as a soil drench, not a foliar spray. Water first until runoff starts, then apply the diluted Foliage-Pro solution as the second pass. This prevents applying fertilizer to dry soil, which concentrates salts at the root zone.

Winter: Cut back. Penn State suggests monthly feeding through the winter for monstera, and Missouri Extension notes that plants do not need fertilizer in winter when no new growth is apparent. Monstera growth slows under indoor light in winter, and fertilizing a plant that isn't growing just builds up nutrient salts. Return to the full schedule when new leaves start unfurling in spring.

The flush: Occasionally flush the pot thoroughly — running plain water through until it runs clear from the drainage holes, then waiting for the pot to dry before resuming fertilization. Missouri Extension notes that occasional watering from the top helps wash out salts. Clemson HGIC notes that dilute water-soluble fertilizers reduce the potential for fertilizer burn, but the flush is still good practice.

2. Jack's Classic 20-20-20 — Water-soluble alternative for mixed collections

Why consider it: Jack's Classic 20-20-20 is a balanced formula — the type Penn State recommends for monstera, and the exact analysis Clemson HGIC gives as its example for foliage plants. It carries more phosphorus than Foliage-Pro, and its listing describes chelated micronutrients. A good pick for monstera on its own or alongside flowering tropicals.

What to skip

Several popular fertilizer products come up in monstera circles. They aren't this guide's picks, for the reasons below:

Miracle-Gro All Purpose (24-8-16): A complete fertilizer, which is what Clemson's indoor-plant guidance asks for, so it isn't wrong for monstera if diluted as Iowa State suggests. It isn't the pick here only because this guide prefers Foliage-Pro's label, which lists calcium and magnesium.

Jobe's Organics Houseplant Spikes: Slow-release granular spikes sound convenient but create uneven nutrient distribution — a hot zone near the spike and deficiency elsewhere in the pot. For a chunky aroid mix, where water moves through quickly, the spike near the drainage area often leaches nutrients before the roots at the top of the pot benefit.

Fish emulsion: Organic, effective, but smells bad enough indoors that it's not practical for apartment use. Outdoors it's a legitimate option; inside a closed apartment, run the other direction.

Bloom booster formulas (high P): Clemson HGIC suggests higher-phosphorus formulas, such as 15-30-15, for flowering plants and a balanced fertilizer for foliage plants, so a bloom formula isn't the match for a foliage plant like monstera.

Fertilizer timing and leaf size

A common question from newer growers: "Will fertilizing make my monstera fenestrate faster?" Partially, but light is a larger variable than fertilizer.

NC State's Plant Toolbox notes that only mature leaves develop the holes. A young plant in low light will not fenestrate regardless of fertilizer.

What fertilizer does reliably: increases leaf size, improves leaf color (darker, glossier green), and speeds overall growth rate during the active season. A well-fertilized monstera in adequate light pushes new leaves more frequently and at larger final sizes than an unfertilized one.

If your monstera isn't fenestrating, move it closer to a window before increasing fertilizer. See also best grow lights if natural light is limited.

Fertilizing monstera in different soil types

In chunky aroid mix: Fertilize at the frequent end of your schedule during the growing season. The fast-draining substrate doesn't hold nutrients between waterings the way dense soil does, so more frequent application at lower concentration is better than less frequent at higher concentration.

In standard potting mix: The denser substrate retains nutrients longer. Fertilize less often and flush thoroughly from time to time to prevent salt buildup.

In self-watering pots: Reserve fertilizer for manual top-watering sessions, not through the reservoir. Adding fertilizer to the reservoir concentrates it unpredictably as the plant draws water up.

Reading the signs: what nutrient deficiency looks like on monstera

Before adjusting fertilizer, it's worth being able to recognize what deficiency actually looks like versus overwatering or root rot. The symptoms are different and so are the solutions.

Nitrogen deficiency shows as general light-green or yellow coloration across older (lower) leaves first. New leaves emerge pale rather than the dark glossy green of a well-fed plant. Growth slows noticeably. The whole leaf yellows uniformly rather than between veins.

Magnesium deficiency is the trickier one: leaves yellow between the veins while veins stay green (interveinal chlorosis). This is a classic symptom that often gets misread as overwatering. The key difference is that overwatered leaves tend to yellow at the margins and feel soft, while magnesium-deficient leaves yellow in the interior pattern with normal texture. A fertilizer that supplies magnesium, such as Foliage-Pro (0.5% on its label), addresses that shortfall.

Calcium deficiency is less common but shows as distorted, crinkled new growth and weak stems. The new leaves unfurl with irregular edges or fail to fully expand. Dyna-Gro's product sheet lists 2.0% calcium for Foliage-Pro.

Overwatering (not a fertilizer issue) shows as yellowing with soft, mushy stems and roots that smell like rot. Check the roots before blaming nutrients — if the root mass is brown and soft rather than firm and white, drainage and watering frequency are the fix, not fertilizer.

The new leaf signal: how to tell if your fertilization is working

A practical way to judge fertilizer effectiveness on monstera is to watch new leaf development. A well-fertilized monstera in adequate light should keep producing new leaves through the growing season.

If you've been fertilizing correctly and still don't see improvement: check light levels. Fertilizer amplifies good conditions; it doesn't compensate for inadequate light. A monstera in a dark corner will not fenestrate regardless of fertilizer. Move it closer to a window before increasing fertilizer concentration.

Frequently asked

How often should I fertilize my monstera?

During the growing season (spring through summer), Penn State Extension advises fertilizing monstera every two weeks; Iowa State Extension recommends mixing all-purpose fertilizer at quarter to half the label strength for houseplants. In winter, cut back: Penn State suggests monthly feeding, and Missouri Extension notes that plants showing no new growth in winter do not need fertilizer, since it builds up as salt residue without being used. Return to the full schedule when you see the plant pushing new growth.

Can I use Foliage-Pro on other aroids and houseplants?

Yes. It's sold for foliage plants, and the same quarter-to-half-strength dilution applies to heartleaf philodendron, golden pothos, anthurium, ZZ plant, and hoya. A balanced houseplant fertilizer works for these plants too. Succulents and cacti are the exception: they are fed far more sparingly.

My monstera leaves are yellowing — is this a fertilizer problem?

Usually not — overwatering is the far more common cause of monstera yellowing. Yellow leaves with normal green veins typically indicate magnesium deficiency or nitrogen deficiency. Yellow leaves with mushy stems or dark roots indicate root rot from overwatering. Before blaming fertilizer, check soil moisture with a moisture meter and check root health. If roots are white and firm but leaves are yellowing with normal veins, a fertilizer that supplies magnesium, such as Foliage-Pro, can address a magnesium shortfall.

Sources