Why Are Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow?

Pothos has always been one of people's favorite indoor green plants, with vigorous vitality and easy cultivation, but pothos can also develop yellow leaves, so what causes pothos leaves to turn yellow? Let's find out together!

1. Direct scorching sunlight

Some plants like plenty of sunlight, but pothos must avoid strong light exposure. Giving it appropriate scattered light every day is enough; it can even be kept year-round in a bright, shaded environment, and as long as there is lamplight every day it can still grow. If the sunlight is strong and it is exposed to scorching sun, its leaves easily turn yellow, and it is also prone to sunburn, with leaves becoming scorched. Especially in summer, it must be kept indoors to avoid leaves turning yellow due to overly strong sunlight.

2. Lack of fertilizer

Pothos does not have a very large demand for fertilizer, but long-term lack of fertilizer also easily causes yellowing. Of course, over-fertilizing also easily causes leaf burn. To ensure that pothos can maintain good, rapid growth, you can give it a diluted organic liquid fertilizer once every 2-3 weeks during the growing season.

3. Temperature fluctuations

Pothos likes moderate temperatures and should be kept warm. The most suitable care temperature is between 15-25 degrees. If you keep pothos in a place below 5 degrees, yellow leaves easily appear, and in severe cases it is also prone to frost damage. Timely cut off the yellow leaves and move it to a warm place. Avoid keeping it at the air outlet of a heater or air conditioner; it is best kept in a location with stable temperatures year-round.

4. Root rot

If leaves turn yellow and the roots and stems turn black and rot, then the pothos has been infected with root rot. This is a fungal infection. If the soil is wet or waterlogged for a long time, it easily causes root rot, and compacted soil also easily causes root rot. When signs of root rot appear, you must repot in time: pull up the pothos roots and stems, cut off all the rotten roots, then soak them in potassium permanganate or carbendazim solution, and replant them in new potting soil. Root rot must be dealt with promptly.

5. Spider mites

Spider mites are very small and almost invisible to the naked eye. They like to hide under the leaves, and by the time they are discovered they have already multiplied in great numbers. This is usually caused by dry air and muggy heat. At this time, promptly cut off the diseased leaves and increase environmental humidity and ventilation to avoid dry air. After discovering spider mites, you can water them with warm water or soapy water diluted with water. In severe cases, you will need to spray pesticide, such as the common pyridaben.

6. Natural yellow leaves

Pothos under normal care can also develop yellow leaves, that is, some old leaves appearing at the base of the roots and stems. The leaves naturally turn yellow slowly and then gradually wither. This is normal metabolism in the plant's growth process, belonging to the process of the plant consuming nutrients and continuously growing. In this case, you just need to promptly remove the withered leaves; there is no need to worry too much.

The above are the 6 main causes of pothos leaves turning yellow. Everyone needs to identify the cause and treat the root problem accordingly in order to grow pothos well.