A Detailed Guide to Pothos Care and an Introduction to Its Varieties
Pothos Care Methods, Pothos Variety Introductions, Common Pothos Care Problems. Pothos is a houseplant that modern people love to grow. It is shade-tolerant and prefers scattered light. It comes alive on contact with water; whether grown in a pot or propagated by rooting a few stem cuttings in water, it grows well. Because of its tenacious vitality, it is known as the "flower of life." With proper care, its leaves grow large and green, and it looks very beautiful. At the same time, pothos can also absorb impurities and has a very strong air-purifying function. Kept at home for a long time, it can effectively remove formaldehyde and dust from the home, and can also absorb radiation particles produced by electronic products. It is an evergreen climbing plant with great ornamental and practical value. So how should pothos be grown to thrive? Let's take a look at pothos care methods and common pothos care problems!
I. Pothos Care Methods
As mentioned above, pothos can grow whether in a pot or in water. So in the process of growing it, besides the growing method, what other factors should be noted? First, let's learn about pothos care methods.
1. Two Ways to Grow Pothos
Soil culture: Pothos is easy to grow. For soil culture, the preparation work is choosing soil suitable for pothos growth. The soil should be as fertile as possible, since most of the pothos's nutrients come from the soil. Try to get some soil from a field, mix in some animal manure, and put some fine crushed dead leaves into the soil. Pothos likes soft soil; the dead leaves and manure serve to increase soil fertility and make it soft and breathable.
Water culture: Hydroponic pothos is one of the very good indoor decorative hydroponic plants, a climbing vine foliage flower. Its stems are slender and soft, and its leaves are delicate and elegant. Hydroponic pothos is extremely shade-tolerant and can be placed in a bright indoor spot in all four seasons. In a dim indoor room, it should be moved every half month to a brighter environment for a period of recovery, otherwise the internodes tend to lengthen and the leaves become smaller.
2. Light and Temperature for Pothos
Light: The original growing condition of pothos is in forests shaded by towering trees, so its heliotropism is not strong. But in the autumn and winter in the north, to make up for the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, its light exposure should be increased.
Temperature: In the north, with a room temperature above 10°C, pothos can safely overwinter; with a room temperature above 20°C, pothos can grow normally. Generally, households have no problem reaching this temperature. What needs attention is avoiding too large a temperature difference, and also making sure the leaves do not get close to heating equipment.
3. Methods and Techniques for Water and Fertilizer Management
Watering: In autumn and winter, the amount of watering should be strictly controlled according to room temperature. Before heating is turned on, the temperature is lower and the plant's soil evaporates more slowly, so watering should be reduced, with the amount controlled at 1/4-1/2 of the original. Even after heating is turned on, watering should not be too frequent. When watering, pour less into the pot; water should seep through the coir. In addition, water should also be sprayed at the places where aerial roots grow on the coir column, to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by too-rapid evaporation. In winter, water that has been left to sit for a day is better, because water that is too cold easily damages the roots. When growing in water, the water amount must not be too much; just submerge the roots. Too much water easily rots the stems and leaves.
Fertilizing: In the autumn and winter in the north, plants mostly grow slowly or even stop growing, so fertilizing should be reduced. Before winter begins, mainly apply liquid inorganic fertilizer by watering and spraying, about once every 15 days. After winter begins, fertilizing is mainly foliar spraying, applied mainly through the stomata on the leaf surface; the fertilizer is absorbed through the stomata on the leaf surface, and the fertilizer effect can act directly on the leaf surface. Foliar fertilizer should be a special-purpose fertilizer; ordinary inorganic fertilizer is not easily absorbed by the leaf surface. The Beida Huahuashen series and Japan-made Hua Yifan and others can all be used as foliar fertilizer.
4. Pothos Propagation Methods
Pothos is usually propagated by cuttings. In late spring and early summer, select a robust pothos vine and cut 15 cm to 30 cm long branches. Remove the leaves from the 1st to 2nd nodes at the base, being careful not to damage the aerial roots, then insert them into plain sand or coal cinders to a depth of 1/3 of the cutting. Water thoroughly and place in a shaded spot. Spray water on the leaf surface every day or cover with plastic film to retain moisture. As long as the environment is kept no lower than 20°C, the survival rate is above 90%.
II. Precautions for Growing Pothos
1. Shaping and Pruning Pothos
As a foliage plant, if pothos is to grow beautifully, shaping and pruning are an indispensable part. When potting pothos, plant 4-5 plants per pot or insert cuttings directly, and set up a coir column in the middle of the pot so that the pothos can twine upward. Shaping and pruning are done in spring. When the stems and vines have climbed all over the coir column and the tips extend about 20 cm beyond the coir column, cut off the stem tips of 2-3 of the plants by 40 cm. After the cutback sprouts new buds and new leaves, then cut off the stem tips of the remaining plants.
For potted plants whose whole plant or lower half has lost leaves due to winter cold damage or other reasons, you can cut back half of the stems and vines by 1/2, and cut back the other half of the stems and vines by 2/3 or 3/4, so that the cut points are staggered in height. In this way, the new leaves that grow below the cut points can quickly cover the coir column.
2. Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow
Generally, newly bought pothos has an adaptation period of about 1 month in a new environment, and yellow leaves at the bottom are normal. However, remember: do not directly peel off yellow or dead leaves. Cut them off from the middle of the petiole. This avoids excessive water loss and additional wounds caused by direct peeling, which would otherwise cause the upper leaves to also turn yellow.
Although pothos is not afraid of shade, a very dark environment can also cause yellow leaves, so you can periodically move it to a place with good light. At the same time, it must not be exposed to harsh sun. Excessive exposure under strong light will not only cause yellow leaves and leaf drop, but can also cause the whole plant to die. In summer, avoid strong light exposure.
3. Common Pothos Diseases
The more common diseases of pothos include: anthracnose, root rot, and leaf spot. These three are all common plant diseases, and all of them harm the plant's leaves, seriously affecting ornamental value. When caring for the plant, be sure to observe carefully. If disease spots appear on the leaves, clean them up promptly and spray pesticide promptly.
III. Common Pothos Varieties
Now that we have learned the related care methods for pothos, next we will introduce several common pothos varieties. After reading this, you can choose a suitable pothos according to your own preferences!
1. Green-leaf pothos: The leaves are entirely green, with no patterns or mixed colors.
2. Yellow-leaf pothos (golden pothos): The leaves are light golden yellow, and the leaf blades are relatively thin.
3. Variegated pothos: Variegated pothos refers to pothos leaves with patterns of various colors. Based on pattern color and characteristics, 3 variants have been discovered.
4. Silver pothos (E.a. 'Marble Queen'): The leaves have milky white patterns and are sturdier than the original variant.
5. Golden pothos (E.a. 'Golden Pothos'): The leaves have irregular yellow stripes.
6. Tricolor pothos (E.a. 'Tricolor'): The leaf surface has green and yellow-milky white patterns.
7. Star-point vine: The leaf surface is velvety green, covered with silver-green patches or spots.
Common Questions About Pothos Care
1. A question from Juedi de Chongjing
The office pothos
The office plant looked quite lively when we bought it, but why is it getting more and more wilted? It kept raining in Beijing a while ago, and I did not water much, only sprayed the leaves a few times. When it first arrived, I put it in the sun.
I'm really afraid they will die. What exactly is going on?
Answer: Although it is early summer now, the weather is already very hot, and moving it directly outdoors into the sun will make it wilt. Moreover, after several cloudy days, suddenly exposing it to sun makes leaf wilting normal. Before the pothos leaves turn yellow, move it indoors for care. Another reason the leaves are soft is lack of water. You must not have watered it for a long time, so the leaves are a bit dehydrated. Water the pothos and spray it often, and it will slowly recover.
2. A question from okLongTimeNoSee000
Pothos cuttings and small seedlings
The pothos cuttings have sprouted new buds, and I cut off the old leaves. Is that right?
Answer: From the picture, the old leaves are growing normally and do not need to be cut off. Keeping the old leaves can help with photosynthesis and accumulate nutrients, so the new leaves will grow faster. But if the old leaves have already wilted or even rotted, cut them off immediately.
3. A question from Yiyi
How to make hydroponic pothos grow vines
Help, how can my pothos grow vines? I have grown it for two or three months, and I only see it sprouting, not growing into that vine-like look. Please help, everyone, how can I make it grow vines?
Answer: First you need to know that hydroponic pothos itself grows very slowly. After only 3 months, growing vines is a bit difficult. However, you can put the container in a bright place, such as in front of a window, and change the water frequently or add nutrient solution, which can speed up the pothos's growth. If you still think it grows slowly, you can switch to soil culture.
Detailed answer: How to grow pothos so it grows fast!
4. A question from LittleXuanXuan883
How to grow pothos so it won't die
I just got my third pot. I killed two pots. Please, experts, give me some guidance.
Answer: The branches and leaves are too dense, and the ventilation and light penetration for the leaves are poor. Especially now that summer has arrived and the weather is hot and stuffy, it is very easy for it to suffer pests and diseases. You can divide it into two pots, or cut a few branches for water culture. In addition, do not water too much; too much water easily causes root rot.
5. A question from Celadon74
Can pothos be grown in a flowerpot with a small hole?
May I ask all you experts, can pothos be grown in a flowerpot with only one small hole at the bottom?
Answer: Yes. Pothos does not have very high requirements for the flowerpot. As long as you water correctly, not to mention a pot with a small hole, even a flowerpot without a hole can grow pothos well. When watering, be careful not to water too much!
6. A question from summer66shuai
Water overflows as soon as I water the pothos
The pothos is grown in a plastic pot. Every time I water even a little, it overflows, and the pot cannot hold water. What should I do?
Answer: It is because of the soil. In newly bought pothos, the soil component in the flowerpot is relatively small, and most of it is sawdust and bran-like material, which cannot hold water. When the weather turns cool, you can take the plant out of the pot and add some soil. In addition, this kind of white plastic flowerpot has poor breathability and also cannot hold water. When changing the soil, change the flowerpot as well.
7. A question from Queenajay
I have never grown flowers. I am fostering an extra-large pothos for my teacher. These past two days I suddenly noticed the leaves are a bit yellow. Looking closer, I found mold in the soil, and then the leaves I pulled off became like this. Did I kill it? How can I remedy it now? It is my advisor's flower! Right now I really feel like dying. Please give me some advice on what to do now. Thank you!
What to do if pothos roots become moldy
Answer: The moldy roots are because too much water was given. As long as you control the water, let it dry and wet alternately, strengthen ventilation, and avoid strong light, it can recover.
8. A question from CoffeeLoves
I watered it last night and it has been sitting on the balcony ledge. At noon today I moved the flowerpot and found many small white nematodes, about one millimeter long, crawling at the place facing the hole at the bottom of the pot. How should this situation be handled?
Answer: Pull out the whole pothos plant, pour boiling water over the pot soil, and the insects will become natural fertilizer! Also, you can buy insecticide to drench the roots.
9. A question from WeiJieLovesSha
If roots grow like this, how long do the roots need to be before I can plant it in soil?
Pothos rooting
Answer: This flower friend has grown the pothos very well. For pothos in this condition, even if it has not grown roots, it can still be planted into soil! I hope all pothos lovers can grow pothos as robust as this flower friend's!
10. A question from CrazyGirl1024
I suddenly found many bean-like holes on the leaves. When I opened them up, almost every leaf had them inside. There were more on the tender leaves. What is going on and what should I do?
What to do if pothos leaves have holes
Answer: This is because insects have appeared. Scale insects will chew holes like this in the leaves. Use a liquid made of laundry detergent mixed with water or tobacco shreds soaked in water, then dip a toothbrush in these liquids and brush carefully to remove them. Do not be afraid; you can also remove them directly by hand. After the insect eggs and such are gone, clean up the severely chewed leaves.
11. A question from sundyCat
Why do the newly grown leaves look scorched?
What to do if pothos leaves look scorched
Answer: It seems to be poor development. The buds produced during formation developed abnormally. It is also possible that the selected mother branch had a defect (not an internal gene issue), for example the branch had a wound. It's okay. When it splits next time, it will be normal!
12. A question from IHaveNothingToSay
I have grown pothos for almost two years. Why can't it grow vines like yours? It only grows leaves and does not grow longer. Is it because the variety is different?
Why is the pothos not growing vines
Answer: Pothos is a large climbing plant. If it only grows leaves and not vines, it may be lacking fertilizer. I suggest the flower friend change to a larger flowerpot, then water more and apply some flower fertilizer, such as compound fertilizer or Aolv fertilizer. After fertilizing, the vines will slowly grow out.
13. A question from ClangingBloomingRose
I bought it a month ago. Before, it was still standing upright. Recently it has wilted like this. I spray a little water every two days and keep it inside the balcony. Basically it only gets ten minutes of sun at six in the morning. How did it become like this!!!
What to do if the pothos has wilted
Answer: First, let me explain that spraying water and watering are not the same. Spraying water only sprays water onto the leaves or stems, while watering means pouring water into the pot soil. This flower friend has only sprayed water for such a long time since buying it, so this phenomenon of the whole pothos plant wilting appeared. What to do is: water thoroughly, avoid direct strong light, and after the plant absorbs water, it will slowly recover!
The above is an introduction to pothos care methods and pothos varieties, and it also answers common questions when growing pothos in daily life. I hope it is somewhat helpful to pothos lovers.