Pothos: Acidic Soil, Complete Guide to Growing Methods and Precautions

Pothos, which is what everyone commonly hears called pothos, is a very beautiful and useful plant. It not only beautifies our home environment, but also effectively absorbs formaldehyde and other harmful gases from the air. Such a plant naturally makes many people want to grow it, so how do you grow pothos? Below are the growing methods and precautions for pothos carefully selected by the editor; let's take a look together.

I. How to grow pothos: understand its habits

Pothos is a shade-loving plant, so it is very suitable for growing indoors. And because it likes warm, humid environments, it needs frequent watering during cultivation, and warmth must be maintained in winter. To avoid water accumulating in the pot, choose a growing medium with good drainage. So as for how to grow pothos, you just need to meet its growth habits.

II. Growing methods and precautions for pothos

1. Soil

For potted pothos, how do you grow it? First, of course, is choosing the soil. According to pothos's habit of liking humid environments, you should choose a fertile, loose, well-draining, slightly acidic leaf mold soil.

2. Light

In the growing methods and precautions for pothos, light is naturally an indispensable part, but also one that needs attention. Because pothos likes shade, it cannot receive light for long periods, and the light cannot be too strong, otherwise the leaf edges will be scorched.

Precautions: Pothos cannot stay in a completely shaded environment for long periods, because too much shade will make the beautiful markings on the leaves disappear. When growing indoors, it is best to place it by a window, but avoid direct sunlight. Generally, receiving four hours of diffused light gives the best growth and development for pothos.

3. Temperature

Plant growth is closely related to ambient temperature. Pothos likes warm environments; the suitable growing temperature is 21-27°C during the day and 14-18°C at night. If you want it to grow well, you should pay attention to temperature regulation.

Precautions: Pothos is not cold-tolerant and can only overwinter safely above 10°C. So in winter, you should take good warmth measures, open windows as little as possible, and avoid freezing the pothos leaves. In addition, to avoid too great a temperature difference, keep it away from air conditioning.

4. Watering

How do you grow pothos? Watering is naturally essential. Pothos likes humid environments, so watering should be frequent, but not excessive; just keep the potting soil moist. When you notice the potting soil turning pale, water thoroughly. In winter, when room temperature is lower, pothos enters a dormant state, so water less and just keep the potting soil from drying out.

Precautions: Do not water pothos too much, otherwise it will cause water to accumulate in the potting soil, leading to root rot, yellowing leaves, and similar problems.

5. Fertilizing

Having covered watering, let's look at fertilizing, which is also very important in the growing methods for pothos. Before winter begins, mainly apply liquid inorganic fertilizer by watering or spraying, about once every 15 days; after winter begins, pothos mostly grows slowly, so reduce fertilizing and mainly spray the leaves.

6. Pest and disease control

During the cultivation of pothos, due to factors such as proper care, the plant will inevitably suffer from pests and diseases, which affects its ornamental value. So when pests or diseases are found, treat them promptly. Besides regularly wiping the leaves, you should spray relevant pesticides. As for which pesticides to spray, there is a detailed introduction in the pest and disease control section for pothos; those interested can take a look.

How to grow pothos: growing methods and precautions for pothos

Pothos is usually grown in pots indoors, placed in studies, living rooms, offices, and similar places. It can bring a beautiful visual impression and purify the environment. Among large climbing plants, pothos, like spider plants and ivy, has a powerful air-purifying effect.

   Pothos is a shade-loving plant, mostly potted as a climbing foliage flower. It likes warm, humid environments and requires loose, fertile, well-draining soil. Because pothos can absorb benzene, formaldehyde, and other substances from the air, it is widely grown indoors.

   In spring, summer, and autumn, pothos can be placed near an east- or north-facing windowsill; in winter, it can be placed at a south-facing window
   If it is kept for a long time in an environment with overly dim light, it will not only cause the trailing stems to grow leggy, with longer internodes and a sparse plant shape, but the yellow-white striped markings on the leaves will also become smaller and paler, and the markings may even disappear completely and fade to green. If grown outdoors, pay attention to shading; especially in summer, be careful to prevent direct strong light, otherwise new leaves will become smaller, leaf color will be dull, and leaf edges will easily be scorched. The suitable growing temperature for pothos is 20°C-30°C, and the winter room temperature should not be lower than 15°C.
   Pothos likes humidity
   During the growing season, watering should keep the potting soil moist; do not let the potting soil dry out, otherwise it easily causes yellow leaves and a poor plant shape. If too much water causes water to accumulate in the potting soil, it easily causes root rot and withered leaves; especially when winter room temperature is low, pay even more attention to controlling watering. In summer, while watering thoroughly, also pay attention to frequently spraying water on the leaves. In winter, when the climate is dry, also spray-wash the leaves once every 4-5 days with warm water to wash off dust on the leaves, helping keep the leaves bright and green.
   For potted pothos, choose fertile, loose, well-draining leaf mold soil
   Slightly acidic is best. Pothos is extremely shade-tolerant and can be placed year-round in a bright indoor spot. In dimmer indoor areas, it should be moved every half month to a brighter environment to recover for a period, otherwise internodes easily lengthen and leaves become smaller. Pothos likes hot, humid environments; the overwintering temperature should not be lower than 15°C, the potting soil should stay moist, and the leaves should be sprayed frequently to raise air humidity, which helps aerial roots grow. Pothos is usually propagated by layering and stem burial. In late spring and early summer, select vigorous pothos vines, cut 15 cm to 30 cm stems, remove the leaves from the basal 1 to 2 nodes, 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, place in a shaded spot, spray the leaves daily 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%.

   Precautions for growing pothos
   Temperature
   In winter, pothos can overwinter safely above 10°C, and generally can grow normally above 20°C. Therefore, ordinary home environments are quite suitable for pothos growth. Pothos's original growing conditions are in forests shaded by towering trees, so its positive phototropism is not strong. But in the northern autumn and winter, to supplement the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, its light exposure should be increased. The method is to place pothos in the best-lit indoor spot, 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 an extremely short time.
   Light
   Pothos does not have strong positive phototropism, so when growing it, place it in a relatively well-lit indoor spot, and at noon you can put it in the sun for a while. In the north, with room temperature above 10°C, pothos can overwinter safely; with room temperature above 20°C, pothos can grow normally. Ordinary households generally have no problem reaching this temperature; note that large temperature differences should be avoided, and also make sure the leaves do not get close to heating equipment.
   Water
   When growing pothos, do not water too much; you can spray water at the rooted areas, which can reduce the evaporation rate of water. 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 begins, temperatures are lower and the plant's soil evaporates more slowly, so reduce watering; the amount should be controlled to between 1/4 and 1/2 of the original. Even after heating begins, watering should not be too frequent; water less into the pot and let water seep through the coir. In addition, also spray water at the places where aerial roots grow on the coir pole, to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by overly fast evaporation. For winter watering, water that has been left to stand for a day is better; water that is too cold easily damages the roots.
   Fertilizer
   When fertilizing pothos leaves, because ordinary inorganic fertilizers are hard to absorb, special fertilizer needs to be used. 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 or spraying, about once every 15 days. After winter begins, fertilizing is mainly by leaf spraying, mainly through the stomata on the leaves; fertilizer is absorbed through the stomata on the leaves, and the fertilizer effect can act directly on the leaf surface. Foliar fertilizer should be a special fertilizer; ordinary inorganic fertilizers are not easily absorbed by leaves. The Beida Hu Hushen series and Japan-produced Hana Ichiban can both be used as foliar fertilizer.

   After reading this, do you find that pothos is also very easy to keep alive? Hurry and get started, and add some spring color to your home.

How to grow pothos: precautions for growing pothos

Pothos is what we often call pothos, and it is often grown indoors to remove formaldehyde. To make the pothos we grow live longer and healthier, there are many precautions we need to pay attention to when growing pothos. Below, we explain the growing methods and growing precautions for pothos, hoping to help everyone.

I. Growing methods for pothos

1. Physiological characteristics

It likes warm, humid environments and requires loose, fertile, well-draining soil. 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 dimmer indoor areas, it should be moved every half month to a brighter environment to recover for a period, otherwise internodes easily lengthen and leaves become smaller. Pothos likes hot, humid environments; the overwintering temperature should not be lower than 15°C, the potting soil should stay moist, and the leaves should be sprayed frequently to raise air humidity, which helps aerial roots grow. During the vigorous growth period, apply liquid fertilizer once a month. For plants kept indoors for viewing long-term, the leaves at the base of the stems easily fall off, reducing ornamental value; in May and June, when temperatures turn warmer, pruning and renewal can be carried out together with cuttings to encourage new shoots from the basal stems.

2. Temperature

In winter, pothos can overwinter safely above 10°C, and generally can grow normally above 20°C. Therefore, ordinary home environments are quite suitable for pothos growth. Pothos's original growing conditions are in forests shaded by towering trees, so its positive phototropism is not strong. But in the northern autumn and winter, to supplement the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, its light exposure should be increased. The method is to place pothos in the best-lit indoor spot, 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 an extremely short time.

3. Light

Pothos does not have strong positive phototropism, so when growing it, place it in a relatively well-lit indoor spot, and at noon you can put it in the sun for a while. In the north, with room temperature above 10°C, pothos can overwinter safely; with room temperature above 20°C, pothos can grow normally. Ordinary households generally have no problem reaching this temperature; note that large temperature differences should be avoided, and also make sure the leaves do not get close to heating equipment.

4. Water

When growing pothos, do not water too much; you can spray water at the rooted areas, which can reduce the evaporation rate of water. 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 begins, temperatures are lower and the plant's soil evaporates more slowly, so reduce watering; the amount should be controlled to between 1/4 and 1/2 of the original. Even after heating begins, watering should not be too frequent; water less into the pot and let water seep through the coir. In addition, also spray water at the places where aerial roots grow on the coir pole, to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by overly fast evaporation. For winter watering, water that has been left to stand for a day is better; water that is too cold easily damages the roots.

5. Fertilizer

When fertilizing pothos leaves, because ordinary inorganic fertilizers are hard to absorb, special fertilizer needs to be used. 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 or spraying, about once every 15 days. After winter begins, fertilizing is mainly by leaf spraying, mainly through the stomata on the leaves; fertilizer is absorbed through the stomata on the leaves, and the fertilizer effect can act directly on the leaf surface. Foliar fertilizer should be a special fertilizer; ordinary inorganic fertilizers are not easily absorbed by leaves. The Beida Hu Hushen series and Japan-produced Hana Ichiban can both be used as foliar fertilizer.

II. Precautions for growing pothos

1. After the frost-damaged leaves of pothos turn yellow and fall off, it will sprout again, so there is no need to worry too much when growing it.

2. Newly bought pothos generally has an adaptation period of about 1 month; yellow leaves at the bottom are normal, but remember: do not directly peel off yellow or dead leaves; cut them off from the middle of the leaf stalk. This can avoid the yellowing of upper leaves caused by direct peeling.

3. When growing pothos, provide appropriate ventilation.

4. If the leaves of pothos are severely yellow, be sure to control watering and place the pothos in a well-ventilated, bright spot.

5. When pothos grows very long and climbs over the top of the pole, cut it off, or turn the head around and make it climb downward; do not let it grow at will.

III. The value of growing pothos

Pothos is an evergreen climbing plant, with yellow patches on its green leaves, very shiny. It can be placed in a study or at a higher spot by a windowsill, letting its trailing stems hang down gracefully, like emerald reliefs. This not only makes full use of space, but also adds a lively, brightly colored green decoration to the room, full of charm. In addition, it can be grown in water as a delicate small decoration for the room.

1. Ornamental value of pothos: it has strong twining ability and well-developed aerial roots. It can be allowed to climb onto a cylinder tied with coir and placed in an entrance hall or hotel, or it can be grown as a hanging form and placed in a study or on a windowsill. It is a flower relatively suitable for indoor placement. This not only makes full use of space and purifies the air, but also adds a lively, brightly colored green decoration to a dull cabinet surface, extremely full of vitality, adding charm to the room. Its flower language, "watching over happiness," also increases its ornamental appeal.

2. Greening effect of pothos: pothos not only has strong vitality, but when placed indoors, its air-purifying ability is no less than that of ivy and spider plants. Pothos can absorb benzene, trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, and other substances from the air. According to environmental scientists, a newly renovated home should be ventilated more, and at the same time use some and then place a few pots of pothos, and basically it can reach the standard for moving in, which shows that AQ air-purifying spray water has quite strong ability. Newly laid flooring very easily produces harmful substances. Because pothos can simultaneously purify benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde from the air, it is very suitable for placement in newly renovated rooms.

3. Green purifier: pothos is a relatively common green plant, with long branches draping down and swaying beautifully, very able to make a space full of vitality. Pothos also has an extremely strong air-purifying function, and has the reputation of being a green purifier. Pothos can convert formaldehyde into substances such as sugar or amino acids during metabolism, and can also decompose benzene emitted by copiers and printers, and can absorb it as well. So whether in a home or an office, it is a great air purifier.

IV. The health secrets of pothos

Pothos is an extremely good plant for purifying formaldehyde and ammonia, and placed near a computer it also has a relatively good anti-radiation effect. However, its sap is toxic, so children should avoid touching it.

The above are the growing methods and growing precautions for pothos that we have explained for everyone. Is everyone clear now? For more home decoration knowledge, please pay attention.