What are the propagation methods and cultivation techniques for pothos (Epipremnum aureum)?

What are the propagation methods for pothos?

Cuttings method

Usually pothos is propagated by cuttings. In late spring and early summer, select healthy pothos vines, cut 15 cm to 30 cm stem sections, 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 cinder, with 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 no lower than 20°C, the survival rate is above 90%.

The specific steps of the cuttings method are as follows:

1. Cutting selection and treatment

For cuttings, choose healthy, pest-free semi-lignified stems, cut into 10-13 cm lengths, cut the lower end at a slant, keep 2-3 leaves at the upper end and cut each leaf in half to reduce water evaporation and help the cutting survive.

2. Cutting medium

The cutting medium should be loose, breathable, well-draining loam or sandy soil rich in humus; vermiculite is best, as it speeds rooting and gives a high survival rate. Before inserting, sterilise the soil with 2% formalin or 5% potassium permanganate.

3. Cutting method

Dip the lower end of the prepared cutting quickly in ABT rooting powder or indolebutyric acid, then insert it into the prepared medium, burying 1/2 of it, water thoroughly so the cutting makes close contact with the medium, then cover with plastic film.

4. After-planting care

(1) After inserting, keep the soil moist and the air temperature relatively high. Soil moisture of around 50% is suitable, while air humidity of 80%-90% is best.

(2) In the early stage of rooting, keep the shade frame at about 80% shade; this prevents direct strong sunlight while ensuring enough diffused light for the leafy cuttings to photosynthesise, which favours rooting.

(3) With the above treatment, roots generally form after about 20 days; the film can then be removed and light increased. On sunny summer days, still pay attention to misting the leaves and shading, and in winter protect against cold. About 10 days after rooting, the plants can be moved into pots for normal care.

What are the propagation methods for pothos? What are the cultivation techniques for pothos?

What are the cultivation techniques for pothos?

I. Pot cultivation

Pot cultivation of pothos is fairly simple.

Each pot should contain at least 4 established seedlings. The potting soil should be loose, fertile and rich in organic matter to encourage good form.

Pothos needs to grow in a relatively warm environment (winter room temperature must not fall below 10°C, otherwise yellowing and leaf drop easily occur) with fairly strong diffused light. If kept in deep shade for a long time, the internodes become thin and weak, and the leaves become thinner, paler and lose their gloss.

In late spring and early summer (April-August), cut 15-30 cm stem sections and remove the leaves from the basal 1-2 nodes,

pot them directly in growing medium, 3-5 stems per pot, water thoroughly, place in a cool, ventilated spot and keep the potting soil moist; in about one month they will root and sprout, and within the same year they grow into plants with ornamental value.

II. Care

1. Light

The original growing conditions of pothos are forests shaded by towering trees, so it is not strongly heliotropic. But in northern regions in autumn and winter, to make up for the lack of temperature and photosynthesis, its light exposure should be increased.

Method: place the pothos in the brightest spot indoors, or move it to a sealed balcony to sunbathe at noon. At the same time, when temperatures are low, open windows as little as possible, because the leaves can be frostbitten in a very short time.

For indoor cultivation it can be placed by a window, but avoid direct sunlight. Too strong sunlight scorches pothos leaves, while too much shade makes the beautiful markings on the leaves disappear; generally, receiving four hours of diffused light gives the best growth and development. Therefore pothos can be placed in a bright spot indoors all year round. In dim rooms, it should be moved every half month to a brighter environment to recover for a while, otherwise the internodes lengthen and the leaves become smaller.

In spring, summer and autumn, pothos can be placed near an east- or north-facing windowsill, and in winter by a south-facing window. If kept long-term in an environment that is too dim, not only will the trailing stems become leggy, the internodes longer and the plant shape sparse, but the yellow-white stripes on the leaves will also become smaller and paler, or even lose their markings entirely and fade to green. If grown outdoors, pay attention to shading, especially in summer when strong direct sunlight must be avoided, otherwise new leaves become smaller and dull in colour, and the leaf margins are easily scorched.

2. Temperature

In the north, pothos can overwinter safely at a room temperature above 10°C, and grows normally at a room temperature above 20°C. Ordinary households can generally reach this temperature without much trouble; note that large temperature differences should be avoided, and also make sure the leaves are not close to heating equipment.

3. Humidity

This refers to the water content of the air in the plant's growing environment. While normal temperature is maintained, increasing humidity is extremely beneficial to plant growth.

Humidity can be increased by the following methods. Place the plant near a humidifier, running it for more than 5 hours a day, so the plant can enjoy the mist it sprays; use a sprayer set to the mist setting to spray the leaves, stems and aerial roots, several times a day; keep a suitable amount of water in the saucer under the pot, so its evaporation raises the local humidity around the plant; gently wipe the leaf surface with a cold wet towel or toilet paper, or apply it lightly to the leaves for a short time (1-2 hours a 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 aeration and photosynthesis.

4. Water

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 of the plant evaporates more slowly, so watering should be reduced, with the amount controlled at between 1/4 and 1/2 of the original. Even after heating is turned on, watering should not be too frequent; pour less into the pot and let water seep through the coir. In addition, spray water on the places where aerial roots grow on the coir pole, to reduce insufficient root water uptake caused by too-rapid 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. When growing in water, the water level must not be too high; just enough to submerge the roots is fine, as too much water easily rots the stems and leaves.

5. Soil

In winter, it grows well under bright diffused light indoors, with sturdy stem nodes and brilliant leaf colour. During the growing period it has relatively high water requirements; besides normally replenishing water to the potting soil, also mist the leaves frequently, and for plants trained as a column climber, spray more water on the coir column so the coir absorbs enough water for the aerial roots winding around the stem to take up. Apply a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertiliser once every 2 weeks, or spray a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution weekly, to make the leaves emerald green and the markings more vivid.

Pothos likes moisture; during the growing season, watering should aim to keep the potting soil moist at all times, and never let the potting soil dry out, otherwise leaf yellowing and poor plant shape easily result. If overwatering causes waterlogging in the pot, it easily causes root rot and withered leaves; especially when winter room temperatures are low, watering must be controlled even more carefully. In summer, while watering thoroughly, also mist the leaves frequently. The winter climate is dry, so the leaves should also be washed with warm water every 4-5 days to remove dust from the leaf surface and help keep the leaves glossy and emerald green.

6. Fertilising

In the autumn and winter of the north, plants mostly grow slowly or even stop growing, so fertilising should be reduced. Before winter sets in, mainly apply liquid inorganic fertiliser by watering or spraying, about once every 15 days. After winter sets in, fertilising is mainly by foliar spraying, absorbed through the stomata on the leaves, so the fertiliser effect acts directly on the leaf surface. Foliar fertiliser should be a dedicated product; ordinary inorganic fertilisers are not easily absorbed by leaves. Beida Huhuashen series and Japan's Hana Ichiban, among others, can all be used as foliar fertiliser.

7. Shaping

Plant or insert 4-5 stems directly per pot, and set a coir pole in the middle of the pot so the pothos can wind upward. Shaping and pruning are done in spring. When the stems have climbed all over the coir pole and the tips extend about 20 cm beyond it, cut 40 cm off the stem tips of 2-3 of the plants. When new buds and leaves sprout after this cutting back, then cut the stem tips of the remaining plants. For potted plants that have lost leaves over the whole plant or the lower half due to winter cold or other reasons, cut back half the stems by 1/2 and the other half by 2/3 or 3/4, staggering the cut heights, so that the new leaves growing below the cuts can quickly cover the coir pole.

8. Yellow leaves

Pothos bought in winter has generally been exposed to cold, so it quickly shows yellow leaves indoors; after these cold-damaged yellow leaves have all dropped, new leaves will grow again around Spring Festival.

Newly bought pothos generally needs about a month to adapt to a new environment, and yellow lower leaves are normal, but remember: do not strip off yellow or dead leaves directly; cut them off from the middle of the petiole, to avoid excessive water loss and extra wounds from direct tearing, which would cause the upper leaves to yellow as well.

Although pothos is not afraid of shade, a very dark environment can also cause yellow leaves, so it can be moved periodically to a brighter spot; at the same time it must not be scorched, as excessive exposure to strong light not only causes yellow leaves and leaf drop but can also kill the whole plant.

Potting soil that is too dry or too wet, both conditions cause metabolic disruption and root damage, leading to yellow leaves and leaf drop.

Lack of fertiliser and malnutrition can also cause yellow leaves; at this point fertiliser should be replenished in time.

Beer can be used appropriately as fertiliser: mix beer with water at a 1:1 ratio and spray it on the stems and leaves.

Excessive additional fertilising also easily burns the roots, causing leaves to yellow and wither; the fertiliser can be diluted with water so the nutrients are washed away with the water flow.

Propagation methods for pothos What are the propagation methods for pothos

Pothos grows in tropical regions, often climbing on rocks and tree trunks in rainforests; it has strong twining ability and well-developed aerial roots, and can be grown hydroponically. Pothos is usually propagated by cuttings. Let us take a look at the propagation methods for pothos below!

Pothos layering propagation method

Pothos layering is the propagation method with the highest success rate: press the creeping stems of the pothos into the soil, and once aerial roots have grown, they can be cut off and divided.

Pothos water cuttings propagation method

Pothos can also be propagated by rooting terminal buds in water: first cut a tender, sturdy stem section 20-30 cm long and insert it directly into a bottle of clear water, changing the water every 2-3 days; roots and survival come in just over 10 days. Because potted pothos is limited by the potting soil, after too long in cultivation the plant easily ages, with leaves becoming smaller and dropping. Therefore, after 2 to 3 years of cultivation it must be repotted or pruned and renewed.

Pothos cuttings propagation method

Pothos is usually propagated by cuttings. In late spring and early summer, select healthy pothos vines, cut 15 cm to 30 cm stem sections, 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 cinder, with 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 no lower than 20°C, the survival rate is above 90%.

1. Cutting selection and treatment: For cuttings, choose healthy, pest-free semi-lignified stems, cut into 10-13 cm lengths, cut the lower end at a slant, keep 2-3 leaves at the upper end and cut each leaf in half to reduce water evaporation and help the cutting survive.

2. Cutting medium: The cutting medium should be loose, breathable, well-draining loam or sandy soil rich in humus; vermiculite is best, as it speeds rooting and gives a high survival rate. Before inserting, sterilise the soil with 2% formalin or 5% potassium permanganate.

3. Cutting method: Dip the lower end of the prepared cutting quickly in ABT rooting powder or indolebutyric acid, then insert it into the prepared medium, burying 1/2 of it, water thoroughly so the cutting makes close contact with the medium, then cover with plastic film.

4. After-planting care

① After inserting, keep the soil moist and the air temperature relatively high. Soil moisture of around 50% is suitable, while air humidity of 80%-90% is best.

② In the early stage of rooting, keep the shade frame at about 80% shade; this prevents direct strong sunlight while ensuring enough diffused light for the leafy cuttings to photosynthesise, which favours rooting.

③ With the above treatment, roots generally form after about 20 days; the film can then be removed and light increased. On sunny summer days, still pay attention to misting the leaves and shading, and in winter protect against cold. About 10 days after rooting, the plants can be moved into pots for normal care.

How to propagate pothos Propagation methods and precautions for pothos

There are more and more pothos growers, so how much do you know about pothos propagation methods? What precautions are there for propagating pothos? Propagating pothos by simply pulling it out of a clump and planting it with roots is wrong. Next, let us introduce the propagation methods and precautions for pothos in detail.

I. Propagation methods for pothos

1. Layering: simply put, this is the clumsiest propagation method, but also the one with the highest survival rate, and it is fairly simple. First, insert the creeping rhizomes of the pothos into the soil, and use your hands or a tool to cover and press them down completely; after some time the rhizomes will grow aerial roots, and then after trimming or cutting them off with scissors, propagation is complete.

2. Cuttings: Usually pothos is propagated by cuttings. In late spring and early summer, select healthy pothos vines, cut 15 cm to 30 cm stem sections, 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 cinder, with 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 no lower than 20°C, the survival rate is above 90%.

3. Water cuttings: Actually, everyone has probably heard that lucky bamboo can be propagated and grown in water, and pothos can do the same. First choose a complete pothos with roots, stems and leaves, fill a bottle with clear water and put it in. Then change the clear water regularly, generally once every 3 days; repeat this for about half a month and you can see the pothos propagation succeed.

II. Precautions for pothos propagation methods

1. Ventilation: The most easily overlooked aspect. Pothos likes shady, humid environments, and such environments are often poorly ventilated; poor ventilation easily causes yellow leaves and weak growth.

2. Watering: Pothos should be watered frequently, and water-grown pothos should have its water changed regularly, preferably once every 7-10 days. For soil-grown plants, water should be poured onto the stem column, and the aerial roots will also promote pothos growth.