How to Grow and Care for Pothos (2023)

FAQs

How to Grow and Care for Pothos? ›

Water your Pothos every 1-2 weeks, allowing soil to dry out between waterings. Expect to water more often in brighter light and less often in lower light. Some signs of overwatering include yellowing leaves and black stems, while underwatered plants will wilt and their potting mix will dry out.

Water your Pothos every 1-2 weeks, allowing soil to dry out between waterings. Expect to water more often in brighter light and less often in lower light. Some signs of overwatering include yellowing leaves and black stems, while underwatered plants will wilt and their potting mix will dry out.

Place your golden pothos in an area with bright, indirect light or low light. North- and east-facing windows are best to encourage healthy growth. This plant's leaves can become sunburnt when placed in direct sunlight.

So, while pothos plants don't necessarily require deep pots, choosing a pot that's the right size for your plant is still essential. A pot that's too small can restrict the growth of the roots, while a pot that's too large can cause the soil to stay too moist for too long.

Pothos plants live for an average of five to 10 years, but with proper care, these hardy houseplants can live for much longer. Giving your plant the proper environmental conditions and basic maintenance can help increase its lifespan.

All pothos varieties need to climb. Letting your plant trail or hang will inevitably lead to smaller leaves, wider internodes, and bare stems after a few years, regardless of your growing conditions. Climbing also allows pothos to enter their mature stage.

Pothos. Like jade plants, Pothos can also be prone to leaf spots from splashing water. Bottom watering prevents spots and ensures good soil hydration.

Pothos Growing Requirements

Take note that you can only grow pothos outdoors year-round if you live in a climate that does not typically drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. So, for the vast majority of the US, gardeners will need to bring this heat-loving plant indoors once the temps start to drop.

Do pothos like tall or wide pots? ›

The best pot for a Pothos should be large enough to give the roots room to grow. At the same time, it should be small enough that the soil doesn't massively outweigh the roots.

Without repotting, the plant can become root-wrapped, which means the roots will grow around the inside of the pot and become increasingly more tangled and compacted because they have no room to branch out!

If you want to skip the water step altogether, you can also propagate pothos directly in soil. This method is pretty reliable as well although slightly less common. For this method, it's best to use rooting hormone, and you will also need a pot and some well-draining soil mix.

If you want to make your pothos fuller from the top, simply take your pruning shears and cut off the stems that are growing out and down so new leaf growth starts to branch out from the top of the plant. When pruning your pothos, cut just below a leaf node.

To prune, use a sharp, clean pair of scissors or secateurs to make a cut just below a node. If your goal is to encourage bushy growth, prune close to the crown to create lots of shorter stems from which new leaves will emerge. If you want to shorten up a long vine, snip it off wherever you prefer.

Propagating pothos is a great way to multiply one plant into many new ones. With either soil, water, or by division, even beginners can enjoy new devil's ivy plants without much effort.

The Pothos

The pothos is a great indoor plant for the bathroom. They're small enough that they won't get in your way as you step out of the shower. But, they stand out enough to make a statement. The golden pothos is ideal for the bathroom because they're very hardy and forgiving.

Pothos will naturally outgrow their pots over time. The roots will become cramped and rootbound if you do not repot your plant into a larger container as it grows. Repot your pothos plant into a larger pot every one to two years.

Remove about one-third or more of the old potting mix surrounding the plant's roots. As it grew, your plant removed some or all of the nutrients in the current mix, so you'll want to give it fresh potting mix or soil. Pour a layer of fresh potting soil into the empty planter and pack it down, removing any air pockets.

In summary, the best soil for pothos plants should be well-draining and rich in nutrients. By using a mixture of peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and compost, you can provide your pothos with the perfect growing environment.

Should I trim roots when repotting pothos? ›

Roots packed tightly in a pot don't take up nutrients efficiently. To promote good nutrient absorption, trim the roots and loosen up the root ball before replanting. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears for this job, removing as much as the bottom third of the root ball if necessary.

As with any plant, watch leaves for signs of the plant's well-being: if the leaves are glossy, green, and perky, the plant is happy; if they're wilting or turning brown, you're not watering enough.

While pothos leaves can survive submerged in water for short periods of time, they do best when they are grown above water so that they can receive the air circulation that they need.

Most often yellowing occurs due to over or underwatering. If you see a combination of yellow and brown on the same leaf, it is likely due to overwatering. If you're noticing yellow leaves, along with some brown crispy spots on additional leaves, then the cause could be underwatering.

Here's how to soak-water your Pothos:

Place your plant in your sink or tub without the saucer. Fill your basin up with about 3-4″ of water. Make sure the water isn't hot! Allow your plant to soak up water through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot for at least 45 min.

Give your Pothos a drink only when the top 2 inches of soil are dry to the touch. Adding water when the potting mix is already wet will smother the roots and may cause rot. It's best to water a Pothos thoroughly, soaking the entire soil mass with room-temperature water.

Pothos plants prefer medium indoor light, but can live in low light. Too much direct light can turn their leaves yellow, while a lack of light will make their beautiful leaves turn pale.

The Pothos plant, with its green, heart-shaped leaves, is ideal for the bedroom because it purifies the air from harmful toxins, especially formaldehyde.

What temperature is too cold for plants outside? The answer to this question differs across plant types. Sanseveria, for instance, is a pretty tough plant species, able to withstand temperatures as low as 40°F. Conversely, a Pothos plant does not do well with temperatures under 65°F.

How do I know when my pothos needs repotting? ›

On average, most pothos plants should be repotted every 1 to 2 years. Roots growing from the pot's drainage holes and circling the bottom of the pot are signs that your pothos is ready for repotting.

It has been observed that pothos, when expanded on any kind of support like rope or pole, bears large-sized leaves. Due to the fact that in their native environment, these plants climb up over the neighboring trees, obtaining enough sunshine and air flow that causes big growth.

All types of Pothos plants, or Epipremnum aureum, do best in well-drained soil. Compacted soil or mixtures without enough air pockets keep the plant's roots too wet, leading to root rot on many indoor plants. Soil and soil-free mixtures with peat moss, vermiculite, or perlite are best.

Moss poles vs trellis

It does work, to some extent, to grow a pothos on a trellis. However, the primary benefit of the moss pole is that it gives climbing plants something to dig their roots into. A moss pole is, of course, also similar to the bark and moss it would encounter in nature.

When a pothos suffers from slowed growth or has a greatly increased water requirement and has grown in the same container for several months or years, it could potentially be overcrowded or root-bound. Take advantage of the pot bound plant and practice some pothos propagation.

Pothos roots are much easier to work with (and less prone to breakage) when the roots are hydrated and flexible. Water the pothos Plant before transplanting it into a new pot. You can water it a day or two before, or even 15-60 minutes before.

New roots will sprout from the nodes submerged in water after 7-14 days or so. You can place the cutting in soil once your plant roots are an inch or two long, or you can grow pothos in water only. If you decide to let it grow in water, pick a good quality liquid fertilizer to feed your plant.

Pothos plant propagation can be done in water or soil, but once it begins, the plant has difficult switching to the other growing medium. If you place the cutting in water, the plant should remain in water once it grows larger. The same goes for a cutting propagated in the soil.

It's Not Getting Enough Light. The main reason your pothos is getting leggy is insufficient light. Pothos needs bright indirect sunlight to thrive. If it's growing in a shaded location, the plant will start sending out long vines in search of a better light source.

Pothos will tolerate low to high light, although golden and variegated varieties will revert to green in very low light conditions, so jade pothos are best for true low light situations. Direct sunlight will burn leaves quickly.

Should pothos be in soil or in water? ›

Pothos plants don't actually have to be planted in soil; they do very well just placed in a container with water. If you do decide to plant them in soil, any potting mix is fine. Be aware that a plant that's gotten used to being in just water may not do too well if transferred to soil.

To keep your pothos from falling over, you will need to tie it to its trellis or stake. Velcro plant ties are ideal for the job because they're easy to put up or remove, and because they're wider, they won't cut into the stems.

Using nutrient-rich coffee grounds can significantly improve Pothos plant growth by enhancing soil acidity and providing essential nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.

They do well in bright, indirect light as well as low light and can be grown in dry soil or in vases of water. They will thrive in nutrient rich soil, but do almost as well in nutrient poor soil. Pothos plants make a great addition to your bathroom or office because they can tolerate low light.

The Pothos

The golden pothos is ideal for the bathroom because they're very hardy and forgiving. They don't need much attention to survive. So they're the perfect plant for those who can be a little forgetful. Not only are these plants lovely to look at and easy to care for, but they also have air purifying powers.

Pothos plants also tend to droop slightly when they're thirsty, which is a great reminder if you sometimes forget to water!

Underwatering makes foliage dry, crispy, and brittle. Overwatered leaves feel soft and limp. We'll get into more detail about these indicators below, along with a few other important diagnostic factors. And we'll explain how you can treat your plant's issues and get it healthy once again.

Pothos can handle a variety of lighting conditions and temperature fluctuations, so you can enjoy its beauty without stressing over its care. Plus, it feels perfect in high-humidity environments, making it one of the best plants for the shower.

Pothos. Pothos plants are arguably one of the easiest plants to grow and actually thrive on low light and neglect. These plants serve to purify the air of formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide while also helping eliminate odors. Pothos can also help alleviate eye irritation after long days of staring at screens.

It's best to fertilize your Pothos every 4-6 weeks during the growing season. A half-strength dose is often enough, especially for plants growing in low light. We recommend a liquid fertilizer with a 3:1:2 NPK ratio, but natural sources of nutrition like compost also work well.

Do pothos like big pots or small pots? ›

The best pot for a Pothos should be large enough to give the roots room to grow. At the same time, it should be small enough that the soil doesn't massively outweigh the roots. The more potting mix is in the container, the longer it takes to dry out.

Plant pothos in a general well-draining potting mix (or a soilless mix). If you have it on hand, feel free to mix in a few handfuls of perlite or coco coir to increase the drainage capacity of your potting mix. Pothos does well in a hanging basket to show off the vines, or in a regular pot placed on a plant stand.