Pothos Care Tips: How to Grow It Fast and Strong

Pothos is probably the most common flowering plant we see, because pothos is relatively easier to manage than other plants, and it also has a strong ability to absorb harmful gases from the air. So whether at home or at the office, many people like to grow a few pots of it.

The editor also bought a few pots to grow a few months ago. About 2 months ago, the editor discovered that among these pots of pothos bought at the same time, one had actually grown to close to 2 m in height, while some had barely grown at all. So what caused this difference?

During this period, the editor deliberately analyzed this and experimented with the pothos that had not grown, and found that the pothos that had remained unchanged also began to grow like crazy. Below I will introduce the specific reasons and care methods in detail. Let's take a look together!

Finding the Secret of Pothos Growing Like Crazy

First, these pots of pothos were purchased on the same day and were from the same batch from the seller, so it definitely was not a problem of different varieties causing such a large growth difference.

Second, in terms of management, the same method was used as well. The editor used the method of soil culture + self-watering pot for care, that is, the method of placing one pot inside another pot below. This method is more suitable for lazy people. As long as there is water in the self-watering pot, basically you do not need to bother with it for 1 month, and you do not need to worry about overwatering. For the method of making a self-watering pot at home, you can click here to view it (just replace the small bottle in it with a large bottle).

In terms of potting soil, the same soil mix was used throughout: ordinary nutrient soil + garden soil + coconut coir + perlite. No fertilizer was applied during this period, so it was not a problem with the potting soil either.

Then the only thing left is the care location and environment. This pot of pothos that grew like crazy was placed on a small corner table near the south balcony, the place in the entire room that could receive the strongest and longest-lasting indirect light, but was not exposed to direct sunlight. Could this be the reason?

The editor deliberately moved another pot to the same location. After a week, it was found that the pothos that had barely grown before had already begun to grow like crazy. Later, other pothos that had not been growing much were also placed in other environments with the same indirect light exposure, and the final result was also that their growth was much better than before. Now these pothos that have been moved to a different environment have almost all grown to more than 1 m long, and the stems are thick and strong.

After analysis, pothos grows fastest in an environment that is moist and not short of water, with strong indirect light and long periods of indirect light. In addition, everyone is recommended to use the self-watering pot method to grow pothos. It is really so worry-free. Everyone should try it too!

A Common Plant, How to Grow Pothos So It Grows Fast

Many people like to grow some green plants at home to decorate the room. Growing pothos is very good, but sometimes you see other people's pothos grow like crazy in a few days, while your own has shown no movement for several months. What exactly is the reason? In this issuePlant Feng Shuiwill introduce the care tips for pothos.

Pothos cultivation is divided into two types: soil culture and water culture. So how do you grow pothos quickly in each of the two methods?

How to Grow Soil-Cultured Pothos So It Grows Fast
Why is it that other people's pothos seems to have taken some immortal elixir and grows so long and so fast in a few months? Actually, it is not a problem of variety. It is just that you have not noticed the small details in the care process. Do the following four points, and your pothos is guaranteed to grow rapidly.

1. Give It More Sun to Grow Into a Full Pot
Succulent lovers look forward every day to their succulents filling out the pot. Actually, pothos can do this too. If pothos is to fill out the pot, it needs more sun. For outdoor cultivation, block the midday sun to avoid harsh sunlight, and let pothos enjoy sunbathing the rest of the time! For indoor cultivation, it is best to place pothos by the window. Except for the midday sun in midsummer, it can receive sunlight at any time. However, it should be taken outside from time to time to enjoy the pure taste of sunlight.

2. Spray Water to Keep It Healthy
For long-term outdoor cultivation, water once every 1-2 days in summer, and in other seasons just water when the potting soil dries out. Pothos has fleshy roots. A small amount of water shortage will not cause problems, but too much watering will cause root rot and affect growth. When there is plenty of sunlight outdoors, you can spray water several more times, mainly to clean the leaf surface indoors and avoid dust accumulation.
For indoor cultivation, water after the potting soil has completely dried, and after growing it for a period, take it outdoors, water it thoroughly once, grow it there for a few days, then move it back indoors. As for spraying water, do it when ventilation conditions are good or during the high-temperature season in midsummer, and try to avoid it at other times.
Watering and sunlight should be coordinated with each other. As long as both are relatively sufficient, there is no problem with pothos growing taller rapidly.

3. Repot and Loosen the Roots
The flowerpot for pothos should not be too large or too deep. It is not that however large a pot you give it, it will grow that large. When the crown diameter of the pothos exceeds 1.5 times the diameter of the pot opening, it needs to be moved into a pot one size larger. Only with a comfortable space of appropriate size can pothos grow quickly.
In addition, when repotting there is also a little trick: loosen the root system of the pothos with a wooden stick. If you do not loosen it, it will affect the combination between the soil and the roots and hinder nutrient absorption. In a poorly ventilated environment, it may also cause root rot.

4. Let Rain Moisturize the Leaves
When it rains, especially during thunderstorms, you can take the plant outdoors and let it get rained on for a while. Receiving the nourishment of rainwater can clean the leaves very thoroughly, and rainwater contains many trace elements that promote the growth of pothos. However, if the pothos was just watered the day before, do not leave it in the rain too long, so as to avoid water accumulation in the potting soil and root rot.

How to Grow Water-Cultured Pothos So It Grows Fast
Compared with soil culture, water-cultured pothos grows relatively slowly. No matter how well you care for it, it is not as good as soil culture. However, water-cultured pothos is simple to care for and is the easiest method for lazy people. So how can water-cultured pothos be made to grow faster than expected?

1. The Water Amount Must Not Be Too Much
Water-cultured pothos must not have all its roots submerged in water. 1/3 of the root system should be exposed outside, and the leaves must not touch the water, so as to avoid rot affecting water quality. Do not change the water too often; once every half month is enough. During that period, just add water when there is less water.
In addition, for water-cultured pothos you should choose a wide-mouthed container, so that the branches and leaves have enough space to grow, and the water surface has enough contact with the air so that oxygen is more abundant.

2. Trim the Roots and Give It a Sunbath
Each time you change the water, promptly cut off the softened old roots (many flower lovers overlook this), which can save part of the nutrients. In addition, place the pothos somewhere it can get sun, let it see more sunlight, and ensure air circulation.

3. Stop Keeping Fish
Keeping fish in the container of water-cultured pothos is partly for beauty, and the organic matter produced by the goldfish can provide nutrients for the pothos and can also prevent green algae in the water. However, goldfish consume oxygen in the water, and the pothos grows slowly because of insufficient oxygen.
So if you want water-cultured pothos to grow fast, it is better to take the fish out.

4. Use Nutrient Solution
Adding nutrient solution is a way to promote the growth of pothos, but it is not suitable for long-term use. Each time you change the water, add 2-3 drops to the water. When adding nutrient solution, green algae may appear in the water-culture container, so when changing the water, clean the container thoroughly.

How to Grow Pothos So It Grows Fast and More Vigorous

Pothos is a plant afraid of strong light, so it needs to be placed in a shady place. In home cultivation, the placement location needs to be considered. If it is placed under strong light, after a period you will see the leaves of the pothos turn yellow, and some leaves may even dry up directly. So avoid placing it on windowsills and balconies exposed to direct sunlight.

Actually, any plant needs ventilation, and pothos is no exception. Practice has shown that if the place where pothos is placed is not ventilated for a long time, you will see that the leaves of the pothos become dull and lack vigor, with the leaves drooping. If it is placed in a ventilated place, the leaves will be upright and strong.

Vining plants like pothos need a relatively large amount of water in daily life. The long vines need the nourishment of water, so we can spray some necessary water on the leaves of the pothos. Do not spray too much; persist in spraying once every day.

You cannot be too diligent in watering pothos. We all know that watering any plant too frequently can easily have negative effects. Look at how many examples there are online. The cause of death for almost all household flowers and plants is mostly excessive watering. Although pothos is a shade-loving plant, it also cannot be overwatered. The principle to stick to is to water only after it dries, and water thoroughly at one time.

If any plant has no sunlight, it cannot carry out photosynthesis, and plant growth will be slow. So at the appropriate time, move the pothos to a different position and place it under ventilated weak light, letting it fully carry out photosynthesis to guarantee the nutrients for the growth of the pothos.

To make pothos grow faster and better, appropriately adding fertilizer is necessary. Fertilizer can be bought at the flower market. Fertilize according to the fertilizer instructions to guarantee the growth needs of the pothos, supplement sufficient nutrients, and make the pothos grow more vigorously.