How to Propagate Pothos? A Detailed Guide to the Soil-Culture Cutting Process
Cuttings are nothing new to flower lovers; many flowers are propagated by cuttings, and pothos is generally propagated by cuttings too. Its cutting method is very simple, but for beginners growing flowers for the first time, it still needs to be mastered and understood. Below is the editor's detailed guide to the soil-culture pothos cutting process.
1. Preparing the Soil
Before cutting, you need to prepare the soil substrate needed for its growth. Pothos thrives in a fairly loose environment, so generally you can choose vermiculite, perlite, sandy soil, leaf mold, and so on. Mix them evenly, then put the mix into a flower pot.
2. Selecting Branches
The branches used for cuttings must ensure a survival rate, so generally choose branches that are healthy and free of pests and diseases; usually just cut off their tips.
3. Treating the Cutting Branches
Use scissors to cut the branches used for cuttings into sections, one after another. Each section should retain two to three leaves below, and it is best if it has one bud node.
4. Carrying Out the Cuttings
Once the branches are trimmed, you can carry out the cuttings. Generally, insert them directly into the soil, leaving one third of the cutting exposed. You can cover the surface with a layer of plastic film, and at the same time the soil needs to be watered thoroughly.
5. Care Tips After Cutting
After pothos cuttings are done, the soil needs to be kept moist. You can use a small spray bottle to water frequently to prevent the soil from drying out. After cutting, the plants have weak resistance, so do not expose them to direct sunlight. Place them in a cool, warm place to grow for a period, which can promote the plants' growth. When the pothos leaves gradually sprout and the branches gradually grow to a healthy, robust state, you can move the flower pot into the sun.
The above is the detailed guide to the soil-culture pothos cutting process compiled by the editor of Huinong Network. Just from the steps you can see it is very simple and practical. Flower lovers who want to propagate their own pothos should get moving right away.
A Detailed Guide to Soil-Culture Pothos Cultivation Methods!
Pothos comes alive upon contact with water. Because of its tenacious vitality, it is called the “flower of life”. Its trailing green branches and leaves are very easy to please, and even just drinking water makes it feel happy. The flower language of pothos is “watching over happiness”. You can place one or two pots of pothos at home; the colors are bright and full of vitality, and they can both decorate the room and purify the air, adding a happy touch to life. Today we will briefly introduce the soil-culture pothos cultivation methods.
Soil-Culture Pothos Cultivation Methods - Potting Soil Requirements:
Potted pothos should use fertile, loose, well-draining leaf mold, preferably slightly acidic. Pothos is fairly shade-tolerant and can be placed in a sunny spot indoors in all four seasons. In darker indoor areas, it should be moved every half month to a brighter environment to recover for a period; otherwise, the internodes tend to lengthen and the leaves become smaller, affecting its ornamental value.
Temperature Conditions:
In the north, 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 have no problem reaching this temperature, but be careful to avoid too large a temperature difference, and also make sure the leaves do not get close to heating equipment, so as to avoid wilting or even death.
Light Conditions:
In the autumn and winter in the north, to supplement the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, the light exposure for pothos should be increased. Place it in the brightest spot indoors, or move it to a sealed balcony at noon to bask in the sun. At the same time, when the temperature is low, open the windows as little as possible, because the leaves may be frostbitten in a very short time.
Fertilization Method:
In autumn and winter, pothos grows slowly or even stops growing, so fertilization should be reduced. Before winter begins, mainly use liquid inorganic fertilizer by watering and spraying, usually once about every 15 days. After winter begins, fertilization should mainly be 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.
Watering Method:
Water daily to keep the soil moist, but do not let water accumulate and breed mosquitoes. In autumn and winter, the amount of watering should be strictly controlled according to room temperature. Before heating, the temperature is lower and the plant's soil evaporates more slowly, so watering should be reduced, with the amount controlled between 1/4 and 1/2 of the original. Water used in winter is best left to stand in the sun for a day before watering.
Shaping and Pruning:
Plant or directly insert 4—5 plants per pot, and set up a moss pole in the middle of the pot so that the pothos can twine and grow upward. Shaping and pruning are carried out in spring. When the stems and vines have climbed all over the moss pole and the tips extend about 20 cm beyond the moss pole, cut off 40 cm of the stem tips of 2—3 of the plants. After the shortened stems sprout 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 freezing or other reasons, you can shorten half of the plant's stems and vines by 1/2, and shorten the other half of the stems and vines by 2/3 or 3/4, so that the cut openings are staggered in height. In this way, the new leaves growing below the cut openings can quickly cover the moss pole. During the process of pruning and shaping, note that branch thinning should be done in moderation.
A Detailed Guide to Large-Scale Potted Pothos Propagation and Pest and Disease Control Cultivation Techniques
Nowadays people like to grow some green plants and flowers at home or in office environments, and especially the vigorous pothos is the first choice. In recent years, with the increased demand for potted pothos, there are no small number of flower farmers engaged in large-scale cultivation of potted pothos. But potted pothos is not so easy to grow on a large scale. Below, the editor will talk with you about potted pothos propagation and pest and disease control cultivation techniques.
1 Site Selection
Choose a site that is flat, has sufficient light, is well ventilated, drains well, and is free from flooding, with a fence around it for separation and protection. The seedling area is made up of a windproof and rainproof shade shed with a shading rate of 65%, with a level ground, accounting for 20%-30% of the total site area, located at the southeast corner of the site. The production area is made up of a shade shed with a shading rate of 70%-80%, with a level ground, clean and free of weeds, accounting for 70%-80% of the total site area.
2 Preparation of Potting Materials
2.1 Flower Pots
The specifications should be determined according to the target height of the cultivated product. Generally, for a pole height of 130 cm, choose a flower pot with a diameter of 20 cm and a depth of 25 cm; for a pole height of 150 cm, choose a flower pot with a diameter of 25 cm and a depth of 30 cm; for a pole height of 200 cm, choose a flower pot with a diameter of 50 cm and a depth of 55 cm.
2.2 Cultivation Substrate
Choose a substrate that is loose and breathable, retains fertilizer and water, and can hold the pole and plants in place. It is commonly made by mixing coconut coir, peat soil, pond mud, and perlite in a ratio of 25%, 25%, 45%, and 5%.
2.3 Support Poles
Use plastic round pipe poles wrapped with 1-2 layers of palm fiber or other materials (the lower 15-20 cm does not need wrapping). There are generally 3 specifications: pole height 130 cm with pipe diameter 8 cm, pole height 150 cm with pipe diameter 10 cm, and pole height 200 cm with pipe diameter 27 cm.
3 Seedling Propagation
3.1 Propagation Methods
Cut cuttings from mother plants that are robust, have leaves wider than 8 cm, and are free of disease spots; the length is generally 10-15 cm. When selecting cuttings from the top shoots, at least 2 fully opened leaves should be retained. There are 2 propagation methods: cuttings and layering.
3.1.1 Cutting propagation. It is best carried out in June. Cut 20-30 cm long branches, remove the leaves from the 1-2 basal nodes, and pot them directly with cultivation soil, 3-5 plants per pot. Keep the soil and air moist. In an environment above 25°C and semi-shade, they can take root and sprout in about 20 d, gradually growing into new plants.
3.1.2 Layering propagation. Bury the middle part of vines close to the ground into the soil layer, and draw the tail end and tie it to the support pole. Strengthen water and fertilizer management, and after it takes shape, cut it away from the mother plant. This propagation method can increase the survival rate and save cultivation time.
3.2 Seedling Raising
3.2.1 Field seedling raising. After machine-plowing and loosening the seedling site, spread 30% organic fertilizer to improve the soil and make beds. The beds are 100 cm wide, 30 cm high, and 6 m long, with a bed spacing of about 40 cm. Insert robust and already disinfected cuttings into the beds, with a plant and row spacing of about 15 cm x 25 cm. When planting, expose 1 bud node and 1 leaf.
3.2.2 Potted seedling raising. Choose a plastic pot with a diameter of 25 cm and a depth of 30 cm, fill it with substrate, and set up a central pole about 50 cm high. Select robust and already disinfected cuttings and plant them evenly around the central pole, 8-10 plants per pot.
4 Planting Time
In the Guangdong area, planting can be done from March to November, with April to September being the most suitable and giving the highest survival rate.
5 Field Management
5.1 Light Management
Pothos does not need strong light to grow. In summer, methods such as sprinkling water and shading should be used to avoid scorching. In winter, the shade net should be pulled open to increase light exposure accordingly, so as to avoid frost damage, and at the same time raise the temperature to promote leaf photosynthesis.
5.2 Water Management
After planting, the substrate humidity in the pot should be maintained above 60%; when it falls below 60%, water (spray) immediately. When watering (spraying), pour from top to bottom along the top of the pole so that the substrate is soaked through. In winter, the temperature is lower, and the plant's transpiration and soil evaporation rates are slower, so the watering frequency should be reduced, and it is enough to keep the soil moist.
5.3 Fertilization Management
Spring, summer, and autumn are the growing seasons for pothos, so fertilizer should be applied frequently and lightly. Apply 1 time every 10-15 d a compound fertilizer with a relatively high nitrogen content by drenching, at a concentration of 0.2%-0.3%; solid fertilizer can also be broadcast, with a broadcasting amount of just 5 g for a flower pot with a diameter of 10 cm. In winter, pothos grows slowly or even stops growing, so fertilizer should be applied less, and it is suitable to apply a compound fertilizer with relatively high phosphorus and potassium content, once every 25-30 d.
5.4 Plant Management
5.4.1 Vine guidance. When the seedling buds have grown 2 leaf nodes, vine guidance is needed. Press the rooting side of the vine closely against the surface of the support pole and fix it with bamboo sticks, so that the rooting side grows aerial roots that fix onto the support pole. Vine guidance needs to be carried out from time to time.
5.4.2 Topping. When the seedlings are 30 cm tall, they should be topped and pinched. Top and remove excessively tall branches that differ in height by more than 10 cm, to prevent uneven growth.
6 Pest, Disease, and Freeze Damage Control
Pothos pest, disease, and freeze damage control should focus on prevention. When diseased plants or residual plants are found, they should be promptly cleaned up and deeply buried. Use tap water or well water for irrigation, and reasonably arrange the layout of various varieties in the flower field to minimize repeated infection and mutual spread of pests and diseases.
6.1 Control of Main Diseases
6.1.1 Soft rot. Also known as Philodendron soft rot, it is the most common disease in pothos cultivation, often causing petiole and stem rot, leading to wilting and death. In the early stage, water-soaked spots with blurred edges appear on green tender stems or petioles, then rapidly expand upward, downward, and horizontally; afterward, the tissues inside the tender stems and petioles begin to soften and rot, giving off a foul odor. When the lesion encircles the petiole for 1 full circle, the upper part bends over and turns yellow. It is prone to occur and spread in environments that are not ventilated, stuffy and hot, and highly humid. Control methods include ventilation, cutting off diseased parts, and chemical spraying. In the early stage of disease, you can spray 77% Kocide micronized wettable powder at 500 times dilution, 14% copper ammonia complex aqueous solution at 300 times dilution, 72% agricultural streptomycin soluble powder at 400 times dilution, or Zhimeimycin at 4 000 times dilution for control, spraying 1 time every 10-15 d, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.
6.1.2 Perforated leaf spot. This disease mostly occurs in warm, highly humid, rainy, and poorly ventilated growing environments. In the early stage of disease, brown spots appear on the leaf surface, and after expansion they merge into nearly round, irregular large lesions. In the later stage, the center of the leaf spot often perforates, and a small number of granular small black dots grow on the remaining diseased tissue at the edge of the spot. Control methods include promptly cutting off diseased leaves when found, paying attention to water control in all four seasons, and chemical protection. In the early stage of disease, spray 12% copper green milk oil at 600 times dilution or 70% copper oxychloride wettable powder at 1 000 times dilution for control, spraying 1 time every 10 d, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.
6.1.3 Anthracnose. This disease mostly harms the middle section of leaves and can repeatedly infect throughout the entire growing period. In the early stage of disease, small reddish-brown or dark brown pustule-like spots appear, with a faded green halo around the spots. After expansion, they become long elliptical or long strip-shaped lesions, with dark brown edges and a yellow-brown interior, and there are ring-shaped patterns formed by the gathering of dark spots. When diseased plants are found, use carbendazim, chlorothalonil, or 70% thiophanate-methyl at 800-1 000 times dilution for control, spraying 1 time every 10-15 d, for 2 consecutive sprays.
6.1.4 Root rot. This disease mostly occurs during the cutting seedling stage and can reduce the survival rate. At the initial onset, the cut surface of the cuttings appears wet and rotten, with no callus tissue, and gradually spreads upward, showing brown or dark brown rot; the roots also gradually turn brown and rot. In the later stage of disease, the epidermis of the diseased part is easy to peel off, and white mycelium appears on the diseased part. The aboveground part's new leaves first wilt, and then the whole plant wilts and droops. After cutting, using drip irrigation to maintain moisture is the main measure to prevent and control this disease. After 2-3 d of cutting, promptly irrigate with 50% Genfuling or 50% Genfujing at 800-1 000 times dilution, so that the liquid medicine penetrates to the damaged root and stem parts. According to the condition, it can be used 2-3 times consecutively, with an interval of 7-10 d. For those with severe root damage, use it together with a root-promoting regulator for a better recovery effect.
6.2 Control of Main Pests
6.2.1 Scale insects. They occur 2-3 generations per year and often gather on vines and the undersides of leaves. Adults and nymphs suck the sap of vines and leaves with their needle-like mouthparts, causing branches and leaves to wither, or even the whole plant to die, and they can induce sooty mold, causing great harm. Because scale insects have a shell and strong pesticide resistance, they are difficult to control; chemical control should be carried out at the peak hatching stage, before the shell has formed. When scale insects are found on individual branches or leaves, they can be gently brushed off with a soft brush, or combined with pruning, cut off the pest-infested tips and leaves and burn them in a centralized manner. You can evenly spray 40% omethoate or 50% dichlorvos at 1 000 times dilution for control, spraying 1 time every 10-15 d, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.
6.2.2 Spodoptera litura. The larvae bite and eat leaves. Young larvae gnaw the lower epidermis and mesophyll of leaves, leaving only the upper epidermis as transparent spots. After the 4th instar, they enter a feeding frenzy, biting entire leaves and leaving only the main veins; when the damage is severe, they can eat all the leaves over a large area. At the initial occurrence, you can use 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate or 40% Supracide at 1 000 times dilution for spot treatment or alternating full spraying for control, spraying 1 time every 7-10 d, for 2-3 consecutive sprays, spraying evenly and sufficiently; the control effect can reach more than 95%.
6.2.3 Aphids. Aphids use piercing-sucking mouthparts to absorb large amounts of sap from leaves and branches, deteriorating the nutrition of leaves and branches, causing growth to stagnate or be delayed, and in severe cases causing deformed growth. They can also induce sooty mold and spread many plant viruses. Yellow sticky traps can be used to trap and kill them: choose 1 piece of hard cardboard or wooden board 25 cm long and 20 cm wide, stick yellow paper on it, then coat the yellow paper with 1 layer of yellow oil to make a trap board, insert the trap board among the flower pots, and use aphids' attraction to yellow to stick the aphids on the trap board and trap and kill them. Chemical control can also be used: at the young nymph stage, use 1.8% abamectin at 2 000-3 000 times dilution or 10% imidacloprid wettable powder at 2 000 times dilution for control, focusing the spray on the growing points and the undersides of leaves, spraying about 1 time every 10 d, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.
6.2.4 Red spider mites. These pests have very strong reproductive capacity and prefer high-temperature, dry environments. They can reproduce 1 generation in as little as about 5 d. They mostly gather on the undersides of leaves, spinning silk webs and causing damage. In the early stage of damage, leaves lose green color and leaf edges curl upward, leading to withering and falling off, and in severe cases the plant dies. Usually observe carefully; when leaf color is abnormal, carefully check the underside of the leaves. When individual leaves are damaged, remove the pest-infested leaves; when more leaves are affected, spray pesticides as early as possible. Commonly used pesticides include propargite, dicofol, dimethoate, fenvalerate, and so on, spraying 1 time every 7-10 d, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.
6.3 Freeze Damage Prevention
Pothos is afraid of cold and is not tolerant of freezing. During cultivation, if frozen, the leaves will scorch or droop, and after freezing they will turn black until death. When the temperature in early spring or winter is below 12°C, plastic film must be covered on the top and around the shed for insulation, and ventilation openings should be set up to prevent pothos from freeze damage.