Can Pothos Take Direct Sunlight? A Full Guide to Care Tips
Pothos is an excellent foliage plant, with strong twining ability, well-developed aerial roots, colorful leaves, evergreen all year round, and long trailing branches. It can be allowed to climb on a cylinder made of palm fiber or on tree trunks for greening, placed in entrance halls and hotels, or grown as a hanging plant in studies, on windowsills, walls and fences. It can also be used as ground cover under tree shade. Now let us take a look at whether pothos can take sunlight!
Can pothos take sunlight?
Pothos can take sunlight, but you need to choose the right time period for it. Pothos is extremely shade-tolerant and can be placed year-round in a sunny spot indoors. In a room with dim light, it should be moved every half month to a brighter environment to recover for a period of time, otherwise the internodes tend to lengthen and the leaves become smaller. In winter, to make up for the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, its light exposure should be increased. The method is to place the pothos in the brightest spot indoors, or move it to a sealed balcony at noon to take sunlight. At the same time, when the temperature is low, open the windows as little as possible, because in a very short time the leaves may be frostbitten.
How should pothos be watered properly?
When watering pothos, be careful not to pour water directly into the pot. Instead, first pour the water in slowly, wait for it to seep down, then spray evenly and wait for the water to penetrate. In addition, water should also be sprayed where the aerial roots grow on the palm pole, to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by too-rapid evaporation. When watering, be sure to water thoroughly at one time and keep the soil moist. In the north, pothos can overwinter safely when the room temperature is above 10°C, and it can grow normally when the room temperature is above 20°C. 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 roots of the pothos.
How should pothos be grown properly?
1. Light: Pothos does not have a strong tendency to grow toward light. But in autumn and winter in the north, to make up for the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, light exposure should be increased. At the same time, when the temperature is low, open the windows 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 this should not exceed two hours.
3. Temperature: Pothos is very sensitive to temperature, and it is easily frostbitten when the temperature is too low. A room temperature of around 20°C is enough. If heating equipment is used, the pothos leaves should not be too close to it. Keeping the indoor temperature above 10°C allows it to pass through winter safely.
4. Fertilizing: Because pothos grown indoors absorbs nutrients less abundantly 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 a fertilizer.
5. Watering: When watering pothos, do not pour water directly into the pot. Instead, first pour the water in slowly, wait for it to seep down, then spray evenly and wait for the water to penetrate. In addition, water should also be sprayed where the aerial roots grow, to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by too-rapid evaporation.
6. Shaping: Shaping and pruning of pothos is carried out in spring. When the stems and vines have covered the palm pole and the tips extend about 20 cm beyond the palm pole, cut off 40 cm of the stem tips of 2 to 3 of the plants. After new buds and new leaves sprout following the cutting back, then cut off the stem tips of the remaining plants.
7. Pests and diseases: Pothos plants are very susceptible to problems from pests and pathogens. Typical pests affecting pothos include mealybugs, red spider mites, scale insects and so on. Mealybugs are usually the most common, and can be controlled with alcohol, removed with a cotton swab, or picked off by hand.