What fertilizer is best for keeping potted pothos alive and thriving? Remember these fertilizing precautions

Pothos is a shade-loving plant that enjoys diffused light and is fairly tolerant of shade. It survives as soon as it touches water, and because of its tenacious vitality it is called the “flower of life”; it is a beautiful flowering plant very well suited to indoor pot cultivation. So, what fertilizer is best for keeping potted pothos alive and thriving? What precautions are there?

What fertilizer is best for keeping potted pothos alive and thriving?

Potted pothos is sensitive to temperature, and in summer it should be kept out of direct sunlight; under strong light its leaves easily turn yellow and drop, so in summer it must be shaded when outdoors. In winter it grows well under bright diffused indoor light, with sturdy stem nodes and brilliant leaf color. During the growing period it has high water requirements; besides replenishing water in the potting soil as normal, you should also frequently spray water on the leaves, and for column-and-vine cultivation you should spray more water on the coir pole so the coir absorbs enough water for the aerial roots winding around the stem to take up. You can apply a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer once every 2 weeks or spray a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution weekly, to make the leaves emerald green and the markings more vivid.

What precautions are there for potted pothos?

1. Light

For indoor cultivation it can be placed beside a window, but direct sunlight must be avoided. Too-strong sunlight will scorch the leaves of pothos, while too much shade will make the beautiful markings on the leaf surface disappear; generally, receiving four hours of diffused light gives pothos the best growth and development. Therefore pothos can be placed in a sunny spot indoors in all four seasons. In a dimmer indoor room, it should be moved every half month to a brighter environment to recover for a period, otherwise the internodes tend to lengthen and the leaves to become smaller.

2. Temperature

In the north, pothos can safely overwinter at a room temperature above 10°C, and can grow normally at a room temperature above 20°C. Ordinary households have little trouble reaching this temperature; note that you should avoid too large a temperature difference, and also take care that the leaves do not come close to heating equipment.

3. Humidity

This refers to the water content of the air in the plant's growing environment. Under the condition of ensuring normal temperature, increasing humidity is extremely beneficial to the plant's growth.

4. Soil

Pothos likes moisture; during the growing season, watering should keep the potting soil moist at all times, and the potting soil must never be allowed to dry out, otherwise it easily causes yellow leaves and a poor plant shape. If watered too much and causing waterlogging in the potting soil, it easily causes root rot and withered leaves; especially in winter when the room temperature is low, you must be even more careful to control watering. In summer, while watering thoroughly, also remember to spray water on the leaves frequently. The winter climate is dry, so you also need to spray-wash the leaves once every 4-5 days with warm water, washing away the dust on the leaf surface to help keep the leaves glossy and emerald green.

5. Pests

For potted pothos anthracnose, there are many pesticides that can control anthracnose, such as mancozeb, carbendazim, thiophanate, carbendazim-type specialty products, etc., all of which have a certain control effect. The German-made “Shibaogong” 1500-times solution is a specific remedy for treating anthracnose.

Main values of pothos

1. Adsorption of impurities

Pothos can absorb benzene, trichloroethylene, formaldehyde and the like from the air. According to environmental scientists, a newly renovated home should be ventilated well and then have a few pots of pothos placed in it, and basically it can reach the standard for moving in; newly laid flooring very easily produces harmful substances. Since pothos can simultaneously purify benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde from the air, it is very suitable for placing in a newly renovated room.

2. Air purification

Pothos also has an extremely strong air-purifying function and enjoys the fine name of "green purifier". In its metabolism, pothos can convert formaldehyde into substances such as sugar or amino acids, and can also break down the benzene emitted by copiers and printers, and can absorb it as well.

3. Ornamental value

Pothos has strong twining ability, well-developed aerial roots, variegated leaf color, and is evergreen in all four seasons; its long branches drape down, making it an excellent foliage plant. It can be allowed to climb on a column made of coir or on tree trunks for greening, placed in an entrance hall or hotel, or trained into a hanging form and placed in a study, on a windowsill, on a wall or on a wall enclosure; it can also be used as ground cover under tree shade. It is a flowering plant fairly suitable for indoor placement.