Pothos Propagation

Pothos propagation is super easy, you just need to make sure you get a node or two in….

So, how do you propagate pothos cuttings? It is one of the easiest and quickest plants to propagate, we run through soil and water methods in our pothos propagation guide.

One of the most important things is to know what the nodes look like and what they do. The plant stems are made up of little sections with a slightly wider knuckle that joins the sections. This knuckle is the node. The plant branches out from these, and roots from them, as well as the leaves. These are important for propagation as a cutting needs at least one node, and ideally two: one with with leaves coming from it and one for the roots.

Pothos Propagation In Water

What you’ll need for pothos water propagation: Clean knife / scissors. A pothos plant with some medium length vines. A jar/glass of water (filtered and left overnight).

Step by step how to propagate pothos cuttings in water:

Step 1: find the part of the plant that you want to cut: look for a stem with a few nodes (the parts where leaves or branches grow from) and make sure it has a few leaves.
Step 2: trim the leaves from the bottom two nodes as this is where roots will grow, but leave some leaves at the top of the cutting. There may already be some roots as pothos often grow them along the nodes, these are good, you can leave them on the cutting.
Step 3: put the cutting in the jar of water so that the bottom 2 naked nodes are under water and no leaves are submerged (as they could rot).
Step 4: wait for the roots to grow (which could take 1 or 2 months depending on the time of year).
Step 5: you can keep the cutting in water or you can pot it up in a well draining soil mixture and pot.

Pothos Propagation In Soil

To propagate a pothos in soil:

Step 1: Using a sharp knife take a cutting with at least 3 or 4 nodes, and a few leaves at least on the top nodes.
Step 2: Trim any leaves from the bottom two nodes, leaving leaves on the top nodes.
Step 3: Get a good pot with a drainage hole, full of well draining potting compost and insert the cutting in the hole with the two bottom nodes in it. (You can also put the cuttings in with the mother plant using this method to make the mother plant more bushy and fuller).
Step 4: Roots should grow over the next 3 months and then the plant’s foliage should grow as normal.

Pothos Propagation In Sphagnum Moss

The most successful way to propagate pothos is in sphagnum moss, you get a lot of air to the roots, and it is easy to keep the roots moist without overwatering. The chance of rot is reduced considerably too. Just take some cuttings and root them in moist moss, keeping them huid and with some indirect sunlight to encourage them to root well.

Pothos Propagation In Perlite Or Leca

You propagate pothos in a cup perlite or leca. You can then cover the cup in a bag as it will keep the cutting humid, but leave a slight air hole to avoid rot. You just need some water in the bottom of the cup that will wick up and keep the leca or perlite moist but not wet and around the node, which will encourage rooting.

Pothos Propagation FAQs

Common issues with pothos propagation are light and heat – these plants like bright but indirect sunlight and higher household temperatures. If they are not propagating quickly it could be that they need moving somewhere brighter and warmer.

How Long Does It Take For Pothos To Root In Water?

I takes one to two weeks for a pothos to start to develop roots in water. You should start to see them developing roots in a few days. They will take longer to root fully, up to 2 months.

How Long Do Pothos Take To Propagate?

Pothos grow quickly and you’ll have a fully rooted plant in under 2 months. Maybe even one.

Can You Put Pothos Cuttings Directly Into Soil?

Yes you can put pothos cutting and trimmings directly into soil – you can even add them to the mother plant to make it bushier. Remove leaves from the lowest node where the roots will grow from (see the Soil Propagation steps earlier in this guide).

What Soil Is Best For Pothos Cuttings?

Pothos is susceptible to root rot, so you want a well draining potting compost. Ideally a peat based mixture with some perlite too.

Can You Propagate Pothos From A Leaf?

To grow pothos from a cutting you need at least one node from where the roots will grow. The good news is that pothos have a lot of nodes close together so even small cuttings should root.

Does Pothos Grow Faster In Water Or Soil?

In the long run pothos grown in soil will grow quicker that those in just water, although they will definitely survive and grow well in water alone. I have quite a few around my apartment just in water jars.

Pothos Propagation Root Rot

If your pothos gets root rot you can take a cutting just in case of more rot. If plant is in a jar of tap water and you get rot, you can change the water and make sure there are no leaves touching the water as this can cause rot.

Do Pothos Cuttings Need To Callus?

You can reduce the chance or rot if you let your cuttings callous over for a few hours after cutting them and before putting them in the rooting medium. If the wounds where you cut the plant are open you increase the chance of rot, they will heal in a couple of hours, then you can plant them.

Will Pothos Propagate Without Leaves?

Ye you can propagate just the node by burying them very shallowly in soil or sphagnum moss and keeping it moist but not soaking wet.

Why Is My Pothos Propagation Turning Yellow?

The most common reason for yellowing in root rot from over watering. It can also be due to underwatering, so make sure you check the soil and then treat accordingly. You can cut off the affected leaves, and then water the plant regularly but do not over watering it.

How To Propagate Pothos Fast?

You can get pothos to root faster by giving it all it need in terms of light, humidity and water. As long as it’s humid, moist and bright it should root quickly.