What to Do About Root Rot in Pothos? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Treatment Methods

Pothos is an excellent foliage plant, also known as devil's ivy, golden pothos, golden vine, etc. It is a large evergreen climbing plant of the genus Epipremnum, native to tropical regions, often climbing over rocks and tree trunks in rainforests. It has strong twining ability and well-developed aerial roots, and can be grown both in soil and in water. Now let's take a look at what to do about root rot in pothos!

Causes of Root Rot in Pothos

1. Temperature too low: Pothos is a heat-loving plant, with an optimum growing temperature of 15-25°C, and in winter it must not drop below 10°C for it to survive the winter safely. When the temperature is too low, root growth is inhibited, making root rot likely.

2. Overwatering: Pothos likes water, but that does not mean it should be watered heavily. Watering simply provides moisture for the plant's growth. When watered too much, the soil becomes oxygen-deficient, the roots cannot get oxygen, and rot occurs.

3. Pathogen infection: When growing pothos, infection by pathogens is unavoidable. In a hot and humid environment, the plant is very susceptible to fungal attack.

4. Poor water quality: If the water used for pothos is dirty, it contains a large amount of bacteria. When the roots remain in this kind of environment for a long time, they cannot get enough nutrients, and root rot easily occurs.

What to Do About Root Rot in Pothos?

1. Root rot in soil-grown plants: Root rot in soil-grown pothos is usually caused by waterlogging, and at this point what you need to do is give the pothos a new home. Prepare fresh soil with more large-particle material such as peat, cut off the rotted roots, wash them clean, and replant. If the original plant is truly beyond saving, you can only take cuttings from the stems and leaves and replant them.

2. Root rot in water-grown plants: Severe root rot in water-grown pothos is definitely caused by the owner being too lazy to change the water. When the roots gradually turn to mush and give off a bad smell, a perfectly good potted plant is ruined. But it is not a big deal: take the pothos out and cut off the rotted parts. Also be sure to wash the bottle clean and disinfect it while you are at it. Change the water and restart the water culture.

How to Grow Pothos

1. Light: Pothos is not strongly heliotropic. However, in autumn and winter in the north, to make up for the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, the light intensity should be increased. At the same time, when the temperature is low, open windows as little as possible, because the leaves can be frostbitten in a very short time.

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 is easily frostbitten when it is too low. A room temperature of around 20°C is fine. If heating equipment is running, the pothos leaves should not be too close to it. Keeping the indoor temperature above 10°C is enough for it to get through winter safely.

4. Fertilizing: Because pothos grown indoors absorbs nutrients less abundantly than outdoors, it is recommended to fertilize once every half month. You can buy fertilizer specially made for pothos on the market, or ask the flower shop owner to help choose a fertilizer.

5. Watering: When watering pothos, do not pour the water directly into the pot. Instead, first pour the water in slowly, wait for it to seep down, and then spray evenly, waiting for the water to penetrate. In addition, you should also spray water on the places where aerial roots grow, to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by overly rapid evaporation.

6. Shaping: Shaping and pruning of pothos is carried out in spring. When the stems and vines have covered the moss pole and the tips extend about 20 cm beyond the pole, cut off 40 cm of the stem tips of 2-3 of the plants. After the cut-back stems sprout new buds and new leaves, cut off the stem tips of the remaining plants.

7. Pests and diseases: Pothos plants are very prone to problems with 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 cotton swabs, or picked off by hand.