How to Care for Pothos?

Pothos is one of the best rambler houseplants that is very easy to maintain at home, especially for beginners in the field of flowers and plants, and it grows and stays healthy in any situation. Continue reading this article in TooPlant in order to learn more about how to grow and care for Pothos.

Introduction of Pothos (Devil’s Ivy)

Before addressing how to care for Pothos, please allow us to give you a brief introduction about this houseplant.

Pothos has been one of the most popular houseplants since ancient times and plays a major role in oxygenation and purification of air from toxins and negative energies. Pothos is very fast growing and alone can turn a room into a forest in a short time. As much as they like indirect, bright sunlight, they grow well in low light. They can also live in a glass of water or a pot of dry soil.

In this article, we want to provide you with information about how to care for a Pothos plant, so stay tuned with Tooplant.

How Many Types of Pothos Are There?

There are different types of Pothos that differ in the color, amount of light and appearance of their leaves. Now you are familiar with different species of Pothos:

Types of Pothos and their caring methods

Types of Pothos are as follows:

1. Satin Pothos

The beautiful silver effect on the leaves of Satin Pothos makes it a special and beautiful indoor plant. This Pothos is a great choice for shelves and almost any environment. Satin Pothos is an air purifier that cleans the air of pollutants such as formaldehyde and carbon monoxide.

2. Golden Pothos (Devil’s ivy)

Golden Pothos is undoubtedly one of the most prominent houseplants. Its attractive green leaves, which are beautifully combined with yellow and gold, in addition to its stylish and unique appearance, give it the ability to harmonize with the environment. In a way that grows in almost any environment and fills the space with its beauty.

You know it’s a rambler plant, so you can use it to cover a private window or even put it on a bookshelf. Another name for this plant is Devil’s ivy! Because this particular type of Pothos can grow even in very dark areas without being seen by anyone. But it is better to put it in a place where neither he nor you are bothered!

Care for Pothos

In this part, we will focus on the most important aspects which you need to take into consideration while treating this houseplant. The best methods of how to take care of pothos plant include as follows:

Pothos Light Requirements: What light is best for Pothos?

Light is among the first important issues to care for Pothos. Pothos grows well in high but indirect sunlight but can grow well in low to moderate light. However, in low light, the growth rate of the plant also slows down. So, make sure you sufficiently provide the pothos light requirements.

Pothos also grows in fluorescent light bulbs, which sets it apart from most house plants (which grow only in sunlight).

It is better to rotate your plant once in a while. So that all parts of it receive equal sunlight. This improves the photosynthesis process of the plant.

Above, we tried to discuss all the details related to pothos light requirements since it plays a significant role in order to care for pothos plants.

Pothos Watering: How often should you water a Pothos?

In the rest, concerning the tips of caring for a Pothos, we muse say that do not over-water the Pothos. Drowning causes the plant to die. Therefore, watering is another important aspect in order to care for Pothos. If there is a lot of light on the plant, water the Pothos when the soil moisture is almost halved. But if there is little light, reduce the amount of water. In this way, to care for Pothos, watering is considered to be of great significance.

Pothos Soil: What is the best soil for a Pothos plant?

Intending to care for Pothos plant, the other crucial matter is soil. Different soils can be used to maintain and grow Pothos. You just need to make sure that the soil has proper drainage so that the water can easily leave the plant pot. It is recommended to use prepared soils suitable for indoor plants for Pothos. You can easily buy these soils from flower shops. The best soil for this houseplant consists of 2 parts soft, soil-free sand, 1 part peat, 1 part compost or rotted leaf soil plus some rotted organic manure. The soil pH should be between 6 and 7. Therefore, this plant does not like acidic soils.

Thus, it can be said that, soil is another basic and important issue so as to care for Pothos.

Pothos Temperature Tolerance

Now, we come to temperature which is assumed to be principal to care for Pothos in addition to light, watering and soil that are mentioned above. If you live in a temperate climate, you can keep this plant outdoors and use it in the green space. But in the apartment, the best temperature for the growth of this plant is 15-25 degrees Celsius. In cold winters, open air is harmful for Pothos and in lower temperatures, it is possible for the Pothos to die. If the leaves turn black, it is better to move the plant to a warmer place.

Pothos Humidity: Does Pothos like humidity?

Moisture is another thing which we need to inevitably pay attention to when talking about how to take care of pothos plant. This houseplant grows better in moist environments, so you can provide the moisture it needs by placing a container of water next to the plant pot.
Pothos plant needs a relative humidity of more than 50% of the air. To provide relative air humidity, you can spray the plant with water every day. If you want to supply the humidity of Pothos with spraying, it is recommended to spray the leaves of the plant 3 times a week.

In winter, you can also spray it with warm water to provide moisture to this plant. If the tips of the leaves turn brown, it is due to dry air, which can be solved by spraying water on the plant.

Therefore, please do not forget to take humidity into consideration in order to care for Pothos in the best way.

Pothos Fertilizer: What is the best fertilizer for a Pothos?

When you want to care for Pothos, one of the important questions that may come to your mind is “what is the best fertilizer?” In what follows, we will address how to fertilize this plant:

To improve Pothos growth, add liquid fertilizer every two weeks in spring and summer.

How to Choose the Best Fertilizer for Pothos?

In what follows, concerning the methods of caring for a Pothos, it is better to know that Pothos does not need much fertilizer to grow. But since potting soil does not have enough nutrients, it is necessary to fertilize houseplants.

You can use a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer for it every 2-3 months during the growing season. Liquid fertilizer is the best choice. Dissolve this fertilizer in half the recommended concentration in water and add it to the soil while watering the plant. Autumn and winter are not good times to fertilize Pothos, as it is resting and growing these days.

Be careful not to over-fertilize the indoor plant, as this will cause salts to accumulate in the soil and burn the roots over time. Fertilize the house plant when it is not in a stressful situation. A plant that is completely dry or submerged in water should receive fertilizer at another time and after returning to normal conditions.

As a result, we could say that fertilizer is regarded as one of the fundamental issues when someone wants to care for Pothos.

Pothos Toxicity: Is Pothos poisonous to humans and pets?

In order to care for Pothos, toxicity is considered to be a major issue because it directly relates to your health especially children and pets. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Pothos is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. So, If the Pothos plant is eaten, it can cause digestive problems. To find answer to the question “is Pothos safe for cats and dogs?” we must say that Pothos is poisonous to dogs, cats and humans. Therefore, you need to be careful and keep it out of reach of children and pets.

Pothos Repotting: How to repot Pothos?

Determining the right time to repot the Pothos is very simple. Read the below steps in order to learn how to repot Pothos:

It is necessary to repot the Pothos plant whenever you see the roots of the plant coming out from the bottom of the pot. Be careful that Pothos grows better in small pots, so choose a new pot just a little bigger than the previous one so that the growth of your plant does not decrease.

You may ask yourself why Pothos grows better in a small pot? You should know that in large pots, most of the plant’s energy is consumed due to rooting, and for this reason, the growth of the plant will be completely stopped for some time.

In the above section, we sought to provide you with the necessary information on how to repot Pothos point by point, hoping that it could be useful.

Pothos Pruning: How to prune Pothos?

Another thing to keep in mind when caring for a Pothos is pruning it. There are two types of pruning that you should do when your Pothos is overgrown. The first one is encourage branching. If you cut the stem right next to a node, you will create new growth, usually in the form of several branches. You can do this for any branch of any length. Another type of pruning is removal cut. This is the best option for Pothos that has grown a bit too much.

To prune, use clean and sharp shears or knives to make a cut just below a node. If your goal is to encourage bushy growth, prune near the crown to create shorter stems from which new leaves emerge.

If you want to cut a very long branch, make the cut wherever you prefer. Then take a step back and look at the overall shape of the plant. Sometimes you get overwhelmed with pruning when you are close to the plant and lose the overall look.

These plants are very hardy and they enjoy pruning. So feel free to prune as much as necessary, but be sure to leave at least two nodes above the soil line on each stem for the plant to regenerate from.

Pothos Propagating: How to propagate Pothos?

When you want to care for Pothos, another important question that may come to your mind is “how to propagate it” and specially “how to grow pothos in water”. This houseplant is easily propagated by separating cuttings and planting them in soil or water. Follow the procedure below to prepare Pothos cuttings:

Select about 15-10 cm from the stem and cut just below the knot. Ideally, these cuttings should have at least 4 leaves and two knots.

In continuation of the explanations related to how to propagate pothos in water, you need to know that pothos can be propagated in both water and soil. But once the rooting process begins, it will be very difficult to change the growth environment. If you put the cuttings in water, the plant should stay in the water until it grows. The same is true of soil. In other words, let the young plant grow a little in the initial environment and do not move it quickly.

In the above section, we sought to provide you with the necessary information on how to propagate a pothos point by point, hoping that all your questions have been resolved.

Benefits Of Pothos For Health

Pothos is an air purifier that cleans the air of pollutants such as formaldehyde and carbon monoxide.

Caring for Pothos: Common Problems With Pothos

After a description of taking care of a Pothos, we will explain the problems and their solutions:

Why Are Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow?

As “Pothos plant yellow leaves” is one of the common problems that you may face when you want to care for Pothos, we will try to describe the reasons and the ways to solve it in details. 7 Common causes for yellowing leaves on Pothos include the following:

1. Improper fertilization

All plants need fertilizer for better growth, and Pothos is no exception. But sometimes you may decide not to fertilize Pothos, especially if you have planted it in suitable soil. However, if you notice the yellowing of your Pothos leaves, you may have applied too much or too little fertilizer to the plant.

If you plant your Pothos in a pot with normal soil, the soil will not be able to provide all the nutrients it needs to grow, and the plant will need fertilizer to grow healthily. The way is simple, fertilize the plant once every three months when it grows!

2. Inadequate lighting

Not all plants need a lot of sunlight to grow, and Pothos is one of them. As you know, Pothos is a houseplant and, like all house plants, needs a moderate amount of light. But it can grow very well in low light. If it is exposed to too much direct sunlight, its leaves will start to turn yellow or show signs of sunburn.

3. Bad weather

Pothos can grow in an environment with a temperature between 21 and 32 degrees and the minimum tolerable temperature for it is 10 degrees Celsius. Placing Pothos outdoors may expose it to cold weather, resulting in yellowing of the leaves.

4. Excess moisture

In the rest of the methods of caring for a Pothos, we must say that overwatering can cause yellow Pothos or root rot. If you constantly water the plant in high quantities, the soil will always remain wet and will cause the whole plant to rot. Accumulation of food, fluids and minerals in the leaves will weaken them and cause them to turn yellow. If you do not improve the watering, the leaves will dry out and fall on you!

5. Improper watering

Undoubtedly, Pothos needs water. But the issue is whether it is high or low. If the leaves turn yellow, you should check your watering pattern. If the roots of the plant did not rot and you did not water the plant too much, the problem is probably lack of water.

Overwatering of the houseplant causes damage to the roots. This prevents the roots from properly delivering the nutrients and fluids from the soil to different parts of the plant, which will eventually lead to the yellowing of the leaves.

Thus, if you are faced with the yellowing of Pothos leaves, there is no need to worry because you can easily solve the problem by watering properly.

6. Spider mites

Spider mites are another culprit for the yellowing of Pothos leaves. Spider mites are a serious threat to most plants, and the worst thing about them is that they are very small and not easily seen. Especially if you just take a look at the plant.

If the Pothos is attacked by these mites, its leaves will turn yellow, rough and fragmented. In this case, spray lukewarm water on all parts of the plant to get rid of them. Then, spray water and soap solution on the plant. Do this every two weeks.

7. Fungal infection

This occurs due to overwatering of the plant. If you water the indoor plant before the soil dries, the soil will always be wet, thus forming an ideal substrate for fungal growth.

Fungal disease can deprive the plant of essential nutrients, which can eventually cause root rot. Under these conditions, while the leaves turn yellow, they may wither completely. Regular spraying of water on the plant can also attract fungi to the house plant, which will lead to yellowing and wilting of the leaves.

In the above section, we sought to provide you with the necessary information on yellowing of Pothos leaves point by point, hoping that all your questions have been resolved.

Yellowing of the leaves is not always a bad sign!

Like any other houseplant, older Pothos leaves may turn yellow or fall off. This is done to provide more space for the young leaves to grow. Therefore, if the leaves of the Pothos turn yellow, those that are not near the end of the stem indicate that this process is normal. So do not worry if you notice yellowing of the leaves. Especially if you checked all the above and found that everything is in order.

Examine the plant to see if the yellow leaves are closer to the bottom of the plant. If so, it’s perfectly normal and you do not need to take action. Yellowing of old leaves is very common in most indoor plants, sometimes old leaves fall off and new foliage grows.

The Basic Issues To Care For Pothos

In what follows, concerning the methods of caring for a Pothos, we will address some basic Issues to care for this houseplant:

Can A Pothos Live In Water?

Sometimes the presence of soil causes a little clutter, uncleanness and neglect of proper watering of the plant. That’s why it is not bad to sometimes use plants in the water! Pothos is a tropical plant that can also take root in water and grow well. All you need for this is a cheap glass pot, a little water and liquid fertilizer.

This process does not require expensive tools and equipment or special fertilizers, and beautiful Pothos can be easily grown through it.

1. To start, you need to choose a clean and transparent pot. Even jars of jam are good for this. The clear pot helps you to easily see the root changes.
2. Fill the container with clean water. Tap water is usually suitable because most house plants can grow well in it. But if the tap water in your area contains high amounts of chlorine, it is better to pour it into an open container and let it stand overnight. Do this before each watering of each indoor plant.
3. Add fertilizer. Add a few drops of fertilizer to the water before placing the cuttings in the water. Any type of liquid fertilizer is suitable for Pothos houseplants.
4. Put the plant in a pot. Now you can place your cuttings in the water. Make sure that the cut parts are completely surrounded by water. After a few weeks, you will see lovely roots on the cuttings. At this time, the roots grow taller and the cuttings are ready to grow new Pothos.
5. Change the water every 2-3 weeks. Water loses its oxygen over time, so we recommend emptying old water every 2-3 weeks and pouring fresh water into the pot.
6. Make sure the roots are below the water surface. Some of the roots or some of them grow upwards, which of course is good and useful. But most roots must be covered with water. It is easy and does not require any skills! Just look at the surface of the water and pour enough water into the pot to cover the roots.
7. Fertilize every 4-6 weeks. Dilute the fertilizer to a quarter of the recommended strength. (One part fertilizer in three parts water) Add this diluted fertilizer to the pot every 4-6 weeks.
8. Eliminate algae whenever necessary. You may want to use special chemicals to kill the algae, but these substances can cause serious damage to the Pothos. It is better to use an old toothbrush or a small cloth and remove the algae from the pot by rubbing. You can also wash the pot thoroughly. In this case, transfer the plant to another pot filled with fresh water and clean the main pot well.

Why is my Pothos droopy?

To find answer to the question “why is my Pothos droopy?” we must say that there are various reasons for this, and the most important ones are mentioned below:

Pothos Cutting

Cutting can be one of the reasons for Pothos leaves drooping. After planting the cuttings in the pot, it takes time for the plant to adapt to the new conditions. Therefore, for a while, its leaves droop and fall.
At this time, you should water the plant less and provide the necessary light for the plant. Just let time solve everything. Pay attention that this is in cases where the cuttings have roots.

Overwatering

Another reason for Pothos leaves drooping is overwatering. This plant does not need constant watering, and if you water it too much, its leaves will turn yellow and fall, and its stem will turn black.
The best way to determine when to water the plants is to put your finger in the soil of the plant. If you don’t feel moisture, it means it’s time to water the plant. If you can correctly determine the time of watering, there will be no problem for your plant. Pothos needs more water during the growing season, but in general, let the soil surface dry and then water it.

High Temperature

An increase in the temperature of the environment in which the plant is kept is another reason for the Pothos leaves drooping and falling. To solve the problem, move the plant to a cooler place. Spray some cold boiled water on the leaves and wait for the plant to balance in the cool temperature. Pothos grows well at a temperature of 15-30 degrees.

Diseases or Pests

Depending on what disease the plant is infected with or what insect attacked it, it has different side effects for the plant. One of the symptoms of disease or insect attack is drooping of the leaves.
Examine the plant carefully. If you see brown spots, holes or small insects on the leaves, you must think about treating the plant.

There are various poisons on the market to kill plant insects. But you can easily wipe the leaf with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or make an environmentally friendly insecticide by mixing 1 teaspoon of liquid soap in 1 liter of water.

In the above section, we sought to provide you with the answer to the question “why is my Photos droopy?” hoping that all your questions have been resolved.

What Are the Common Pothos Problems?

After a description of taking care of a Pothos, we will explain the problems and their solutions:

– The cause of yellowing is overwatering or lack of underwatering.

– Excessive dryness of the Pothos, which causes the stems and leaves of the plant to fall off and drought.

– If the green leaves are pale, move the flower to a brighter environment.

– If the leaves are pale and the light intensity is high, move the flower to a lower light environment.

– The presence of white sores on the plant, ie Pothos, is infested, and use pesticides.

– There were many brown spots on the leaves, ie watering the plant, between each watering the surface of the pot should be dry.

– If the leaves wrinkle, which means it is very cold, move the plant to a warmer place.

Why Does My Pothos Keep Dying?

If your Pothos has fallen leaves or is withering; Most likely a little dry. Insufficient watering is one of the main reasons for this. The way to prevent it is quite simple, just touch the soil surface with your finger a few centimeters and if it is dry, water the plant.

Checking the weight of the pot is also a good way, if the pot was too light and easy to lift, it means the plant does not have enough water.

Sometimes, despite proper watering, the pot is very dry. This is because drainage is very fast and the plant does not have a chance to absorb water. In this case, it is better to put the plant in water for a few hours to be well watered and absorb the required water from below.

Infographic Of How To Care For Pothos

In this article, we tried to explain to you in an infographic the essential tips on how to take care of Pothos plant, so that you can briefly and usefully learn the methods of caring for this plant.

In The End

In this article, we tried to provide you with the necessary information about the methods of caring for a Pothos.

However, if you have any questions regarding this indoor plant or you need to get advice from our houseplant experts, please share your questions with us through the comments section below.