What to Do When Hydroponic Pothos Leaves Turn Yellow? Causes and Solutions

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a large evergreen climbing plant of the genus Epipremnum. It is very easy to grow and survives as soon as it meets water. Because of its tenacious vitality, it is called the “flower of life.” However, newly purchased pothos, whether grown hydroponically or in soil, needs a certain adaptation period, otherwise the leaves easily turn yellow. Let us take a look below at what to do when hydroponic pothos leaves turn yellow!

Causes of Hydroponic Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow

1. Sudden environmental change: Generally, newly purchased pothos needs about 1 month to adapt to a new environment. Yellow leaves at the bottom are normal, but remember not to peel off yellow or dead leaves directly. Cut them off from the middle of the petiole. This avoids excessive water loss and added wounds from direct peeling, which would cause the upper leaves to turn yellow as well.

2. Unsuitable light and temperature: Pothos prefers a high-temperature, humid, semi-shaded environment and is not cold-tolerant. The overwintering temperature should not be lower than 10°C. It is sensitive to temperature and should avoid direct sunlight in summer; under strong light, the leaves easily wither and yellow and drop off. In winter, it can grow well under bright indirect light indoors, and during the growing period it has relatively high water requirements.

3. Poor water quality: Yellow leaves on hydroponic pothos may be caused by bacteria in the water. If it is grown in tap water, it may be due to a high bleaching powder content in the water. Pothos itself is not tolerant of low temperatures. Prolonged low temperature combined with too much water can cause root rot, leading to insufficient water supply to the roots. In the end, the leaves at the base begin to turn yellow, and the leaves at the top lose their luster.

What to Do When Hydroponic Pothos Leaves Turn Yellow?

1. Sufficient sunlight: Hydroponic pothos should be placed in a spot with plenty of indirect light, and during the growing period, water should often be sprayed on the leaf surface. Spraying 0.2% monopotassium phosphate can help restore the bright patterns on the leaves. Use a larger cultivation container (with a larger water surface) as much as possible, and if conditions permit, oxygen can be added to the water.

2. Suitable temperature: In northern China, hydroponic pothos can safely overwinter at a room temperature above 10°C, and it can grow normally at a room temperature above 20°C. Generally, households can reach this temperature without much problem. What needs attention is avoiding too great a temperature difference, and also making sure the leaves are not close to heating equipment.

3. Reasonable fertilization: Too much fertilizer, too high a concentration, or a lack of fertilizer can all cause pothos leaves to turn yellow. When too much fertilizer is applied, the leaves become thick and lack luster, and the leaf surface looks unrelaxed; old leaves turn yellow and drop off. This can be reduced by flushing with water to reduce the fertilizer. When fertilizer is lacking, the leaf color becomes lighter, appearing pale green or yellow, and fertilizer should be supplemented in time.

4. Change the water at the right time: Change the water for hydroponic pothos once a week. If conditions permit, adding some maifan stone or small stones will effectively reduce the occurrence of yellow leaves. When changing the water, rinse the roots well and cut off diseased roots. Do not put in too much water; just enough to cover the roots is fine. When growing in water, it is recommended to wrap the pothos roots together with soil and sawdust in a cloth, then place it in the water.

How to Grow Hydroponic Pothos

1. First, choose good pothos stems. Healthy, strong stems with aerial roots are the best choice for hydroponic growing. After cutting off such stems with aerial roots and placing them in clean water, they can quickly adapt to the hydroponic environment, and water roots will grow in about ten days. Note that the part of the stem placed in the water must not have leaves, otherwise the leaves soaking in the water can easily affect water quality. In addition, you can also select a potted plant with a good plant shape, wash the soil off the roots, cut off excess old roots, and place it in clean water; it will also root easily.

2. In the first few days of hydroponic growing, pay attention to changing the water. Change it every two or three days with water at the same temperature as the room. After water roots grow, change the water once a week. After new leaves grow, you can add nutrient solution once about every ten days, or spray some diluted nutrient solution water on the leaves. This can make the leaves green and glossy.

3. The root system of hydroponic pothos should be cleaned and trimmed regularly. If the roots are too long, cut them short in time to avoid nutrient loss. If the roots rot and become sticky, also clean them in time, cut off the rotten roots, soak them in potassium permanganate solution for disinfection, and then resume care. In the first few days after resuming care, do the same as at the beginning of hydroponic growing: change the water every two or three days, and after growth has fully recovered, change the water once every ten days.

4. Hydroponic pothos needs sufficient indirect light for its leaves to spread out and stay green. Usually, it is best to place it where there is enough indirect light. If the environment is too dark, you can move it about every ten days to a place with enough indirect light for a few hours of light, which can also maintain the glossiness of the leaf color.

5. Pothos itself likes a warm and humid environment. In dry seasons, water should often be sprayed on the leaves, which increases environmental humidity and also helps clean the leaves. In winter, the place where it is placed should be away from heating, and attention should be paid to preventing cold damage. Hydroponic leaves are delicate and very sensitive to temperature changes, so try to keep room temperature normal and avoid large temperature differences.

6. Like potted pothos, hydroponic pothos also needs regular pruning. Cut off overly long and messy stems to maintain a well-arranged appearance. The roots need to be cleaned at intervals. After the root system grows long, the roots need to be trimmed. If there are rotten roots, cut them off so that the pothos can absorb nutrients better.