The Latest Pothos Watering Guide: How Often to Water?
Pothos, also known as devil's ivy, golden pothos, golden vine and so on, is a large evergreen climbing plant of the genus Epipremnum. It grows in tropical regions and often climbs on rocks and tree trunks in rainforests. It not only has high ornamental value, but can also effectively absorb formaldehyde and other harmful gases from the air, which is why it is so popular. However, improper watering during cultivation can cause yellow leaves, root rot and other problems. Let's take a look below at how often pothos should be watered!
How Often Should Pothos Be Watered?
During the growing season, the principle for watering pothos is to keep the potting soil moist at all times. Remember never to water it with rice water. Although rice water contains nutrients that can be used, it must be composted, fermented and fully decomposed before use; otherwise it will not only easily breed insects, but in serious cases can also cause root rot. In summer, when temperatures are higher and pothos grows vigorously with a large water demand, it needs watering about every 2 days. In autumn and winter, the amount of water should be controlled according to the indoor temperature. When the room temperature is below 10 degrees, the soil of the plant evaporates more slowly, so watering should be reduced to once every 4 to 5 days. After heating is turned on, watering should also not be too frequent, once every 3 to 4 days.
How Should Pothos Be Watered Properly?
When watering pothos, be careful not to pour water directly into the pot. Instead, first slowly pour in the water, wait for it to seep down, then spray evenly, and wait for the water to penetrate. In addition, water should also be sprayed at the places where aerial roots grow on the moss pole, to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by overly rapid evaporation. Be sure to water thoroughly at one time and maintain soil moisture. In the north, when the room temperature is above 10°C, pothos can safely overwinter; when the room temperature is above 20°C, pothos can grow normally. When watering in winter, first let the water sit indoors for a day, and water only after it is basically the same as room temperature, so that the water is not too cold and damages the pothos roots.
How Should Pothos Be Grown Properly?
1. Light: Pothos does not have a strong tendency toward the sun. However, in the north during autumn and winter, to supplement the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, the light intensity should be increased. At the same time, when temperatures are low, windows should be opened as little as possible, because in a very short time the leaves may be frostbitten.
2. Humidity: Pothos grows faster in environments with higher air humidity. It is recommended to maintain indoor humidity. You can use a humidifier to increase air humidity, or cover the plant with a transparent plastic bag to create a mini greenhouse effect, but it should not exceed two hours.
3. Temperature: Pothos is very sensitive to temperature. If the temperature is too low, it is easily frostbitten. A room temperature of about 20 degrees is sufficient. If heating equipment is used, the leaves of the pothos should not be too close to it. Keeping the indoor temperature above 10 degrees is enough to get through winter safely.
4. Fertilizing: Because pothos grown indoors absorbs less nutrients than outdoors, it is recommended to apply fertilizer once every half month. You can buy fertilizer specially made for pothos on the market. Or ask the florist to help choose fertilizer.
5. Pests and diseases: Pothos plants are easily affected by pests and pathogens. Typical pests affecting pothos include mealybugs, red spiders, scale insects and so on. Mealybugs are usually the most common, and alcohol can be used to kill them, remove them with a cotton swab, or take them out by hand.
6. Shaping: Shaping and pruning pothos is done in spring. When the stems and vines have covered the moss pole and the tips exceed the moss pole by about 20 cm, cut off 40 cm of the stem tips of 2 to 3 of the plants. After new buds and new leaves sprout following the pruning, then cut off the stem tips of the remaining plants.