How to transplant pothos properly? A detailed guide to the latest transplanting methods
Pothos is also known as devil's ivy, golden pothos, golden vine, etc. It is a large evergreen climbing plant of the genus Epipremnum, growing in tropical regions, often climbing on rocks and tree trunks in rainforests, with strong twining ability and well-developed aerial roots. Because of its tenacious vitality, it is called the “flower of life.” It can be grown in soil or hydroponically. Now let's take a look at how to transplant pothos properly!
Potting soil cuttings
Pothos does not bloom easily, so cuttings are generally used for propagation. Because pothos has aerial roots at the stem nodes, the survival rate of cuttings is very high. The usual cutting method is to insert stem sections with aerial roots directly into plain sand or vermiculite, to a depth of 1/3 of the cutting, water thoroughly, place in a shaded spot, mist the leaves daily or cover with plastic film to retain moisture, with an ambient temperature no lower than 20°C.
Transplanting temperature
Keeping pothos as a potted plant at home is relatively easy. First, a pot of pothos should contain at least 4 established seedlings. The potting soil should be loose, fertile and rich in organic matter, which helps it take shape. Second, the temperature in winter must not be lower than 10°C, otherwise yellowing and leaf drop easily occur, and it should grow in an environment with relatively strong scattered light. If it is kept in too dark a place for a long time, the internodes will become thin and weak, and the leaves will also become thinner, paler and lose their luster.
Transplanting season
In late spring and early summer, cut 15 cm to 30 cm pothos stems, remove the leaves from the basal 1 to 2 nodes, and pot them directly in growing medium, with 3 to 5 stems per pot. Water thoroughly, place in a cool, ventilated spot, and roots and buds will form in about one month. Because potted pothos is limited by the potting soil, after being grown for too long the plant easily ages, and the leaves become smaller and fall off. Therefore, after 2 to 3 years of cultivation, it must be repotted or pruned and renewed.
Water propagation transplanting
Water propagation transplanting is another relatively common pothos transplanting method. The environmental requirements are similar to potting transplanting. When transplanting, cut tender, strong stems into 20 cm to 30 cm sections, insert them directly into a bottle filled with clean water, change the water once every 2 to 3 days, and they can take root and survive in a little over 10 days.
Precautions
1. In spring, summer and autumn, it can be placed near an east- or north-facing windowsill, and in winter it can be placed at a south-facing window. If it is kept in too dark an environment for a long time, it will not only cause the trailing stems to grow leggy, with longer internodes and a sparse plant shape, but the yellow and white streaks on the leaves will also become smaller and paler, and the markings may even disappear completely and fade to green.
2. Pothos likes moisture. During its growing season, it must be watered often to keep the potting soil moist and avoid dryness. Otherwise, the branches and leaves of the pothos will turn yellow and the plant shape will be poor. If too much water is given and water accumulates in the pot, it easily causes root rot and withered leaves. Especially when the winter room temperature is low, even more attention must be paid to controlling watering.
3. When pothos is grown outdoors, attention must be paid to shading. Especially in summer, direct strong light must be avoided, otherwise new leaves will become smaller, the leaf color will be dull, and the leaf edges will easily be scorched. The suitable growing temperature for pothos is 20-30°C, and in winter the room temperature should be lower than 15°C.