How to Grow Pothos? Indoor Growing Methods and Precautions

Pothos is an evergreen vine with yellow variegation on its green leaves, very glossy. You can place it in a study or on a high windowsill, letting its trailing stems hang down gracefully like an emerald relief. This makes full use of the space and adds a lively, colorful green accent to the room, full of charm. Today, the editor will share with you what the growing methods and precautions for pothos are.

Environment Selection

1. For potted pothos, choose fertile, loose, well-draining leaf mold soil, preferably slightly acidic. Pothos is extremely shade-tolerant and can be placed year-round in a bright indoor spot. In dim indoor areas, it should be moved every half month to a brighter environment for a period of recovery, otherwise internodes tend to elongate and leaves become smaller.

2. Pothos prefers a hot and humid environment. The overwintering temperature should not be lower than 15°C. The potting soil should be kept moist, and the leaves should be misted frequently to raise air humidity and promote the growth of aerial roots. During the vigorous growing season, apply liquid fertilizer once a month. For plants kept indoors for a long time, the leaves at the base of the stems tend to drop, reducing their ornamental value. In May and June when temperatures warm up, pruning and renewal can be done together with cuttings to encourage new shoots from the base of the stems.

3. Hydroponic pothos grows relatively fast and is easy to cultivate and manage. During cultivation and management, mist the plant more in summer and add nutrient solution once every 10 days to keep the leaves green. For potted seedlings, when the plant grows 30cm up the support pole, it should be cut off; when 30%-50% of the lower leaves have dropped, the plant should be discarded and replanted. The green-column potted form is an ideal plant for courtyard gateposts and wall greening, and its leaves are also excellent as foliage in flower arrangements. Plant or directly insert 4-5 plants per pot, and set a palm pole in the middle of the pot so that the hydroponic pothos can twine upward. Shaping and pruning are done in spring. When the stems have covered the palm pole and the tips exceed it by about 20cm, cut off 40cm of the stem tips of 2-3 of the plants. After the cut stems sprout new buds and leaves, cut off the stem tips of the remaining plants.

4. Pothos develops best when grown in loose, organic-rich, slightly acidic to neutral sandy loam. Repot once every three years. Pothos is a shade-loving plant, avoiding direct sunlight and preferring scattered light; it is fairly shade-tolerant, and receiving four hours of scattered light is usually optimal.

Propagation Methods

Pothos is usually propagated by cuttings and stem layering. In late spring and early summer, select a robust pothos vine and cut 15cm to 30cm segments. Remove the leaves from the basal 1 to 2 nodes, being careful not to damage the aerial roots, then insert into plain sand or coal cinders to a depth of 1/3 of the cutting. Water thoroughly and place in a shaded spot. Mist the leaves daily or cover with plastic film to retain moisture. As long as the environment is kept at no less than 20°C, the survival rate is above 90%.

Pothos can also be propagated by water rooting of terminal buds. The method is: cut a tender, robust stem section 20-30cm long and insert it directly into a bottle of clean water, changing the water once every 2-3 days. It can take root and survive in just over 10 days.

Growing Methods

1. Light: Pothos originally grows in forests shaded by towering trees, so its heliotropism is not strong. However, in the northern autumn and winter, to compensate 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 sunbathe. At the same time, when temperatures are low, open windows as little as possible, because leaves can be frostbitten in a very short time.

2. Temperature: In the north, pothos can overwinter safely at room temperatures above 10°C, and can grow normally at room temperatures above 20°C. Most homes can reach this temperature without much difficulty. Note that large temperature differences should be avoided, and leaves should not be placed near heating equipment.

3. Humidity: This refers to the moisture content of the air in the plant's growing environment. While ensuring normal temperature, increasing humidity is extremely beneficial to plant growth. Humidity can be increased in the following ways. Place the plant near a humidifier, running it for more than 5 hours a day, so the plant can enjoy the mist from the humidifier; use a sprayer set to the mist setting to spray the leaves, stems and aerial roots several times a day; keep a moderate amount of water in the saucer under the pot, using its evaporation to increase local humidity around the plant; gently wipe the leaf surface with a cold damp towel or toilet paper, or apply it lightly to the leaf surface for a short time (1-2 hours per day); cover the plant with transparent plastic film to create a mini-greenhouse effect, supplementing the plant's moisture through evaporation from the soil, for no more than 2 hours a day, as too long will affect the plant's ventilation and photosynthesis.

4. Water: Water daily to keep the soil moist, but avoid waterlogging that breeds mosquitoes. In autumn and winter, the amount of watering should be strictly controlled according to room temperature. Before heating is turned on, temperatures are lower and the soil evaporates more slowly, so watering should be reduced, with the amount controlled to between 1/4 and 1/2 of the original. Even after heating is turned on, watering should not be too frequent; water less into the pot and let water seep through the palm fiber. In addition, mist the areas where aerial roots grow on the palm pole to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by excessively fast evaporation. Water used in winter is best left to sit for a day beforehand, as water that is too cold can damage the roots.

5. Fertilizing: In the northern autumn and winter, plants mostly grow slowly or even stop growing, so fertilizing should be reduced. Before winter begins, mainly apply liquid inorganic fertilizer, about once every 15 days. After winter begins, fertilizing should mainly be foliar spraying, absorbed through the stomata on the leaf surface, so the fertilizer effect acts directly on the leaves. Foliar fertilizer should be a specialized fertilizer; ordinary inorganic fertilizers are not easily absorbed by the leaves. Beida Huhuashen series and Japan's Hua Yifan can both be used as foliar fertilizers.

6. Pothos pole: Pothos does not set seed. It can survive from plants bought at flower shops or from tender, robust tip cuttings taken from friends and relatives. After the tip cuttings sprout, a pothos pole can be added. The pothos pole provides fixed support for the growth of pothos and also supplies necessary moisture. Usually, place the pothos pole into the pot, bury it slightly with soil, fix it with wooden sticks arranged in a triangle, then bury it with soil. Since plants will still grow, the soil should not be too much. Insert sprouted pothos seedlings into the soil. Generally speaking, the denser the pothos seedlings in the pot, the better it looks after growing out; about 4-5 plants should be planted per pot. Use string to tie the seedlings on one side and secure them to the palm pole on the other, watering toward the palm pole to keep it moist. After some days, the aerial roots of the pothos will take root and grow inside the palm pole. The best time to add the pothos pole is at the turn of spring and summer; winter temperatures are low and seedlings are easily damaged, so when adding the pole, pay attention to maintaining the right temperature.

7. Shaping: Plant or directly insert 4-5 plants per pot, and set a palm pole in the middle of the pot so that the pothos can twine upward. Shaping and pruning are done in spring. When the stems have covered the palm pole and the tips exceed it by about 20cm, cut off 40cm of the stem tips of 2-3 of the plants. After the cut stems sprout new buds and leaves, cut off the stem tips of the remaining plants. For potted plants that have lost leaves on the whole plant or the lower half due to winter cold or other reasons, cut half of the stems back by 1/2 and the other half by 2/3 or 3/4, so that the cut points are staggered in height; in this way, the new leaves growing below the cuts can quickly cover the palm pole.

Pest and Disease Control

1. Pothos anthracnose

Pothos anthracnose mostly affects the middle section of leaves, and can also affect flowers. Initially, wet reddish-brown or dark brown small pustule-like spots appear on the diseased area, with a faded green halo around the spots. After expanding, they form long oval or elongated patches, with dark brown edges and a yellow-brown interior, along with concentric ring patterns formed by dark spots converging. Because its spots are dark brown, it is also called black spot disease or dark brown disease. It can repeatedly infect plants during the growing season.

① There are many pesticides that can control anthracnose, such as mancozeb, carbendazim, thiophanate, and tante-ling, all of which have certain control effects.

② Germany's “Sporgon” at 1500 times dilution is a specific remedy for treating anthracnose.

2. Root rot

3% carbofuran granules can be used.

3. Leaf spot disease

80% amobam at 500 times dilution, or 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times dilution, can be sprayed for control.

Precautions

1. Pothos likes moisture. During the growing season, watering should keep the potting soil constantly moist. In summer, while watering thoroughly, also pay attention to frequently misting the leaves. Whether to water every day is affected by many conditions, such as the amount of potting soil, plant size, pot material, care environment, and so on. Water consumption varies greatly, so it should be handled specifically according to the above principles.

2. Pothos must not be watered with rice-washing water. Although rice-washing water contains many nutrients that can be used, it must be composted, fermented and decomposed before use; otherwise, it will not only easily breed pests, but in serious cases can also cause root rot.

3. Pothos is quite shade-tolerant and can be kept indoors year-round in home cultivation. If placed outdoors, attention should be paid to shading, especially in summer, to prevent direct strong light, otherwise new leaves will become smaller, leaf color will become dull, and leaf edges will easily be scorched.

4. It is a fact that pothos is toxic, but keeping it at home is no problem, because as long as you do not consume the sap of pothos, it will not cause poisoning. Although the sap of pothos is toxic, it is only mildly toxic. During cultivation, even if you touch the leaves of pothos, as long as you do not directly eat them, it will not affect your body. In addition, many people today grow pothos hydroponically. If you touch the water it is grown in, as long as you do not drink it, there is generally no harm.

The odors of household cleaning detergents and cooking fumes are also killers that harm human health. Placing or hanging a pot of a vine plant such as pothos in the corner of a kitchen or bathroom door can effectively absorb chemical substances in the air.

Growing Methods and Precautions for Pothos Growing Methods and Precautions for Pothos

Pothos is usually grown indoors in pots, placed in studies, living rooms, offices and other places. It can bring a beautiful visual impression and help purify the environment. Among large vine plants, pothos, like spider plants and ivy, has a powerful air-purifying effect. Because pothos can absorb benzene, formaldehyde and other substances from the air, it is widely planted indoors. Moving plants from outdoors to indoors is difficult, so next let us learn about the growing methods and precautions for pothos.

The Most Complete Growing Methods and Precautions for Pothos_ Growing Methods and Precautions for Hydroponic Pothos

Pothos, a large evergreen vine, is a flower suitable for indoor placement. To help the many potted plant lovers solve the problem of how to grow pothos, below we have compiled the most complete growing methods and growing precautions for pothos. Welcome to read!

Growing Methods for Pothos

The growing methods and precautions for pothos should mainly be analyzed and handled from the following 5 aspects. As long as the requirements of the following 5 aspects are met, you will certainly grow very good pothos.

1. For home indoor pothos growing, choose loose, well-draining soil for potting, and pothos is suited to slightly acidic soil.

2. Temperature: The suitable temperature for growing pothos is 20 to 30 degrees, and it should not go below 15 degrees at the lowest. Around 10 degrees it will freeze to death. Of course, most homes have growing temperature conditions suitable for pothos; it is just that in winter you need to pay attention to keeping it warm. If the climate is too cold, you can keep pothos warm by reducing window opening.

3. Light: Because pothos originally grew in dark primeval forests and is shade-loving by nature, its light requirements are not strong. Therefore, when growing pothos, it is usually enough to place it indoors where it can see sunlight. You can also take it into the sun at noon to sunbathe for a while so it can carry out photosynthesis better, then bring it back indoors. Although pothos is very shade-tolerant, it cannot be kept in a dark place for a long time; at least about every half month it should be exposed to strong light.

4. Water: When growing pothos, do not water too much. At most, spray water at its roots. As long as the soil is kept moist. If waterlogging occurs, it will breed mosquitoes and other pests, seriously affecting the growth and ornamental effect of pothos. In summer, watering can be appropriately increased. The principle is to keep the potting soil moist but not waterlogged. In winter, watering should be restrained, once every two or three days is enough. When indoor heating is on, watering can be appropriately increased; when indoor temperature is too low, reduce watering. When watering is not possible, you can spray water on the leaves to cool the plant.

5. Fertilizer: For fertilizing pothos, ordinary inorganic fertilizers are difficult to absorb, so specialized fertilizer must be used, such as Beida Huhuashen and Japan's Hua Yifan. Because pothos growth slows in winter, fertilizer should be reduced. During the growing season of pothos, fertilization can be appropriately increased. When fertilizing, liquid fertilizer spraying can be used as the main method.

What makes the growing methods for pothos different from those for other plants is that because it has aerial roots on its stem nodes, it is very easy to keep alive. Cuttings are generally used for propagation. In particular, 15°C to 25°C is the stage of its fastest growth. The growing methods and precautions for pothos summarized here are all very practical. Growing some pothos at home adds beauty and purifies the air, so isn't that killing two birds with one stone?

Growing Precautions for Pothos

In the growing methods for pothos, special attention should be paid to temperature, because pothos is native to the Indonesian archipelago and likes warmth, so it is easier to grow in a relatively mild-temperature environment. For potted pothos growing methods, choose fertile, loose, well-draining leaf mold soil, preferably slightly acidic. In this way, potted plants can be grown more successfully. Pothos is a good helper for purifying air and can absorb benzene, trichloroethylene, formaldehyde and other substances from the air. In a newly renovated room, choosing pothos is simply the best option.

Propagation Methods for Pothos

Pothos can be propagated by cuttings and stem layering, that is, in late spring and early summer select a robust pothos vine and cut 15cm to 30cm segments. Remove the leaves from the basal 1 to 2 nodes (do not damage the aerial roots), then insert into the growing pot soil. After burying the soil and watering, first place it in a shaded spot. After that, for a period of time, mist the leaves daily or cover with plastic film to retain moisture. The room temperature must not be lower than 20°C. The survival rate is generally above 90%.

Common Problems and Solutions in Pothos Growing:

1. Causes of yellowing pothos leaves

Many friends have discovered yellowing pothos leaves during indoor pothos growing. So why do pothos leaves turn yellow, and what should be done when pothos leaves turn yellow? The editor will analyze and provide the most practical solutions for everyone here.

What to do when pothos leaves turn yellow

Main causes of yellowing pothos leaves

Overall, if pothos leaves turn yellow, in hydroponic cultivation it is mostly because there are bacteria in the water, while in soil cultivation it may be because the roots are rotting. Relatively speaking, hydroponic pothos has a greater probability of yellow leaves than soil-grown pothos. The specific factors for yellowing pothos leaves are mainly three aspects: improper watering, imbalanced light, and incorrect fertilizing. Below, the editor will analyze in detail the conditions of the three major factors that cause yellowing pothos leaves.

1) Improper watering: Both overwatering and underwatering can cause water-related yellowing in pothos. If the leaf surface is dark yellow and lusterless, and newly grown tips shrivel and stop growing, it may be overwatering. If leaf tips or edges become withered and dry, new leaves grow normally, but old leaves turn yellow and drop, then it is insufficient watering.

2) Sunlight: Pothos likes shade. Strong light exposure will cause the leaf tips and leaf edges of the plant to wither, and yellow patches will appear on the sun-facing part of the leaves. Conversely, if placed in a dark environment for a long time, the leaves cannot get enough sunlight and cannot form chlorophyll, which will also cause pothos leaves to turn yellow, and light should be supplemented in time.

3) Fertilizer yellowing: Too much fertilizer or too high a concentration when growing pothos, or even a lack of fertilizer, can cause pothos leaves to turn yellow. When too much fertilizer is applied, the pothos leaf surface is thick and lusterless, and the leaves look unrelaxed, while old leaves turn yellow and drop. This can be reduced by flushing. When fertilizer is lacking, the leaf color becomes lighter, appearing pale green or yellow, and fertilizer should be supplemented in time; in severe cases, the potting soil should be changed.

2. Solutions for yellowing pothos leaves

The solution for yellowing pothos leaves should be adjusted according to the cause of the yellowing. Because pothos can be propagated by cuttings, and each node has a leaf bud, a single node can be taken for planting and will grow. Therefore, when the leaves of the pothos being grown turn yellow severely, you can remove the rotten roots, pick off the yellow leaves, and replant cuttings. Note that in hydroponic culture, the water should be replaced with fresh water. You can also cut off the vine sections whose leaves have not yet turned yellow and replant them. During planting, bury two to three nodes; for hydroponics, also two to three nodes, and change the water once every three to four days (boiled cold water is best). Just after planting, it must not be exposed to direct strong light. It can be placed in a weaker-light location, and in about 20 days the newly planted pothos will take root and grow.

Growing Methods and Precautions for Hydroponic Pothos

1. First, select good pothos stems. Healthy, strong stems with aerial roots are good subjects for hydroponics. After cutting off such stems with aerial roots and placing them in clean water, they can quickly adapt to the hydroponic environment and grow water roots in about ten days. Note that the part of the stem placed in water must not have leaves, otherwise leaves soaking in water can easily affect water quality.

2. In the first few days of hydroponic pothos, pay attention to changing the water: change it once 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, add nutrient solution about once every ten days, and you can also spray some diluted nutrient solution water on the leaves, which can make the leaves green and glossy.

3. Hydroponic pothos needs sufficient scattered light for its leaves to spread out and remain green. Usually it is best to place it where there is enough scattered light. If the environment where it is kept is too dark, it can be moved about every ten days to a place with sufficient scattered light to receive several hours of light, which can also maintain the glossiness of the leaf color.

4. The root system of hydroponic pothos should be cleaned and trimmed regularly. If the roots are too long, they should be cut shorter in time to avoid loss of nutrients.

5. Pothos itself likes a warm and humid environment. In dry seasons, mist the leaves frequently to increase environmental humidity and also 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.

Precautions:

1. The water for hydroponic pothos is a very key part. Tap water, well water, clean river water and so on can be used, but the water should be left to stand for one or two days before use.

2. Hydroponic pothos should be guaranteed a water change every 2-3 days, along with simple nutrients. Pothos has high ornamental value, with vines hanging naturally. It can purify the air and make full use of space, adding lively lines and bright colors to a dull cabinet surface.

What Effects Does Growing Pothos Have

Placing pothos in the bathroom can absorb odors very well

There are many effects of growing pothos at home, mainly reflected in ornamental value, removing odors, and absorbing harmful gases such as formaldehyde.

First, pothos has good ornamental value because of its delicate leaves and slender, soft stems. It can also add vitality and energy to a room, making it a very good indoor plant decoration. Besides its role in ornament and beautifying the environment, pothos is also good at absorbing indoor formaldehyde. Its vines hang naturally, effectively purifying the air and absorbing most harmful gases such as formaldehyde and benzene indoors.

In addition, pothos also has the title of odor absorber. Because pothos has well-developed aerial roots, it has a strong ability to absorb odors such as cooking fumes and detergents produced in family life. Many families place the pothos they grow in the bathroom to purify the air.

Besides the above effects, growing it can also effectively enhance the interests and personal qualities of family members, thereby bringing more harmonious enjoyment to family life.

About Pothos Pots