Pothos Plant Care
Plant Care,  Pothos

Pothos Plant Care

Pothos are one of the toughest plants around and very easiest to care for, they will do well in most areas of your home. The key to pothos care is to keep the soil moist, it is better for it to dry out than be overwatered.

Pothos Plant Care Summary

Light needs:Medium and low light.
Watering needs:Check them weekly and water is almost dry.
Fertilizer:Use a balanced fertilizer every month in the hotter growing months.
Soil:Well draining general potting compost
Humidity:50-70%, they will tolerate low to high humidity but like high.
Temperature:18°Cto 23°C (64-73°F)
Where to buy:Try our list of Rare Plant Shops
Other names:Epipremnum aureum, Devil’s Ivy
Common issues:Overwatering, too much sunlight

Pothos Plant Care Intro

So you’ve got a pothos, a very popular, easy to care for and pretty, tropical vine plant that is low-cost too. You’ll love it! It grows quickly and is easy to propagate too. I have a lot o pothos in jars of water, propagating around my flat at any given moment. They look great as hanging plants, as well as tied to a moss pole.

In general, to care for a pothos you don’t need to do too much, they are very easy to care for plants that thrive in most homes…

See also: Pothos Propagation, Neon Pothos Care, Cebu Blue Pothos, Scindapsus Treubii Moonlight, Glacier Pothos, Epipremnum Pinnatum, Heartleaf Philodendron Care, Can Pothos Grow Outside, Why Is My Pothos Drooping.

Pothos Light Needs

Pothos like medium and low light settings but not in direct sunlight. They are not fussy in this regard though and will do well in almost all light conditions.

However lower light areas may result in the plants getting a bit ‘leggy’ or even losing some of their color. What I do is rotate two similar plants – I have one pothos in a low light bathroom and one near a window in a bedroom and I change them round when I water them to keep the color and variegation bright.

If your pothos does get leggy you can cut the stems off and propagate them back in with the mother plant, for more on this see our article Pothos Propagation.

How Often to Water Pothos 

As with most houseplants – don’t over water them! Other than this pothos are not fussy.  Water them once they almost dry out, which should be every 2 weeks or so when it’s cold and every week in the hotter months. But check them weekly, if the soil is still wet then leave it.

For more on pothos see our pothos category with all our pothos care guides.

Pothos Fertilizer

It is recommended to use a balanced fertilizer every month or so in the hotter growing months. Personally I rarely feed my pothos and they do just fine. I would recommend using an overly-diluted feed the first few times you feed them, and then increase the dose gradually so that they do not get fertilizer burn.

Pothos Soil 

I use a well draining general potting compost for my pothos. I use an aroid soil mix for mine to make sure they have great drainage. You can mix your own, see our guide here: Philodendron Soil, which will work well for a pothos. The biggest killer of plants like these is root rot from sitting in soggy soil so a well draining soil mix will really help.

Pothos Humidity

Aim for 50-70%, they will tolerate low to high humidity but like high. They are tolerant of most household conditions but are best at 60% or so in the daytime.

Should You Mist Pothos?

Pothos are quite hardy and they survive low humidity, but as a tropical plant it does like humidity, you can spray them when watering if you like. 

Pothos Plant Care

Pothos Temperature

Pothos like most normal household temperatures, 18°C to 23°C (64-73°F) is great for it during the day. Try to keep them above 10°C (50°F) at night and in the winter.

Pothos USDA Zone

They can grow outside in zones 10-12.

Overwatered Pothos

When a pothos is over-watered it droops. Which a is a bit confusing as it does this when it is under-watered too. You want to firstly established if it is overwatered by checking if the soil is wet, if it drooping and the soil is wet and you haven’t watered it recently then it is overwatered.

I would take a couple of cuttings of healthy stems at this point just in case the plant rots. Then take the plant out of its pot and shake off as much soil as gently as possible. Remove as much soil as you can, being careful not to damage the roots. Then leave it to dry for a day or so. Then plant the plant back up in dry soil and hope for the best, if not, then you have your cuttings.

Where To Buy Pothos 

You can buy Pothos at almost any plant shop. There are loads of different types on Esty too, have a look at https://www.etsy.com/market/pothos

Other Names for Pothos 

Epipremnum aureum, Devil’s Ivy

Golden Pothos Care

The golden pothos is a variety of pothos with a particular variegation – it has yellowy dashes on it’s leaves. It should be treated as any other pothos, but beware that the variation means it may burn more easily in direct sunlight. Other than that this plant should thrive in almost any household temperatures or humidity level.

We also have an article on Neon Pothos Care you might like.

Pothos FAQs and Common Issues

Pothos plant care common issues are overwatering (as with any houseplant) and too much direct sunlight. If your pothos gets any mealy bugs, spray and wipe the leaves with a solution of dishwasher soap and water, the same strength you would use in your sink. Do this twice a week and the bugs will soon leave. 

Do Pothos Like To Be Root Bound?

Pothos are ok to be a bit root bound, but give the roots space if you can to get the best growth out of the plant. I would always give the plant plenty of root space so it can grow well. Crowded roots can lead to root too, as they when they get really tight they can stop water draining through the plant and then it can lead to rot.

Do Pothos Flower?

Pothos grown indoors as a houseplant does not flower. But they can flower in the wild.

Can Pothos Stay In Water?

You can grow pothos in water. Root a cutting in water and then just keep it there!

Why Do Pothos Leaves Turn Brown?

Pothos leaves brown for a number of reasons, most commonly de to to over and under watering. If the plant is overwatered the leaves get soggy and some will brown and fall off, and if the plant is underwatered the leaves can dry out and turn brown.

When Are Pothos Cuttings Ready To Plant?

When the cutting is well rooted and then putting out new leaf growth you can pot it up into soil, this should be bout 2 months after taking the cutting, depending on the environment.

Where Are Pothos Native To?

Pothos are native to South East Asia.

Is Pothos Toxic To Cats?

If ingested, pothos is toxic to cats. Seek vets advice.

Is Pothos An Ivy?

Although called Devils Ivy, pothos is not an ivy, it is an epipremnum.

Pothos Leaves Curling

For more info on pothos leaf curling see our guide: Pothos Leaves Curling.

When Should I Repot A Pothos?

Pothos can become rootbound so its a good idea to plant it up a size every year or so.

Tip: I check all my plants at Easter time and look at the roots, then pot them up a size if they are starting to get crowded. This way they will have room to grow over warmer growing months.

What Types Of Pothos Are There?

There are many types of pothos…

Golden Pothos

The most popular type of pothos is the golden pothos, a green leaved variety with some yellow dashes.

Marble Queen Pothos

The marble queen is a beautifully variegated pothos with a really nice patterning almost like a monstera thai constellation.

Neon Pothos

As it’s name suggest this pothos has neon green leaves. See our article, Neon Pothos Care, for more info.

N-Joy Pothos

Then-joy pothos is white and green with large areas of distinct white variegation.

Manjula Pothos

The manjula pothos is similar to the n-joy with bigger areas of variegation but it is not pure green and white, there is more speckling like the golden pothos.

Why Are The Leaves On My Pothos Plant Turning Yellow?

Pothos leaves can turn yellow and fall off if the plant is overwatered, underwatered or irregularly watered. The best thing to do is to water your plants once a week but only do it if the soil is dry.  

Pothos Plant Care

What Does An Overwatered Pothos Look Like?

The plant will have yellow or yellow and brown leaves. The soil will probably be wet to the touch too. The best thing to do is take the plant out of it’s pot and remove all the soil. Let it dry for a day and pot it up in loose potting compost and do not water it for a while. If the plant is big enough, take some cuttings too, just in case!

How Do I Make My Pothos More Full?

To make a pothos fuller you can take cuttings from it in water and once they have a root system, add them back in to the original pot so that it is much busier. I always take cuttings form a pothos a month or so before I repot it so I can add them in. 

Do Pothos Like Coffee Grounds?

A pothos will thrive in most conditions, but they really like a few coffee grounds dug into the compost or water the plant with (cold) black coffee occasionally. You need to be careful not to over do it. For more on using coffee to feed houseplants see our Houseplants That Like Coffee article

Other Articles You Might Like

You might like our article on Water Propagation, as well as our other articles on Pothos, especially Neon Pothos Care.

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