Pothos is a beautiful plant that grows well indoors. How To Propagate PothosIt has long leaves, and its flowers bloom from spring through fall. This perennial vine is native to Australia and New Zealand, though they grow all over the world.
If you find that you can’t keep a plant alive no matter what you do, maybe it’s time to switch up the plants you keep!
As a chronic plant killer myself, it can be demoralizing to bring a new plant into your life only to have it give up the ghost as soon as it’s under your care for too long!
Pothos, unlike many other plants, is incredibly low maintenance and isn’t fussy about lighting conditions or the kind of fertilizer you use on it.
It’s a great plant to have in your home if you are looking for an easy way to get some green into your life, without the effort of a high-maintenance house guest!
Pothos is also known as the Christmas creeper or the Christmas vine. The name comes from the Greek word Pothos meaning “to suffer”. It was once thought to bring good luck to those who planted them.
How To Grow Pothos
You can propagate Pothos easily using cuttings. Simply take a cutting from the stem and place it in water until roots form.
Then transplant into a pot filled with soil. Plant your new plants outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.
How To Grow Pothos: Potted Pothos will grow best if you keep them moist but not soggy. If it gets too dry, the leaves may wilt.
Watering should be done regularly during the growing season. You can use a soaker hose or mist the foliage with a spray bottle.
How To Grow Pothos Indoors: Pothos can be grown indoors year-round. It does best when temperatures are between 60°F and 75°F (15°C – 24°C).
During the winter months, you can move it outside for a few hours each day to get some sunlight, or you can even invest in a light and heat lamp.
How To Propagate Pothos Plants
Before you begin, you’ll need to gather up some supplies to get you started!
What Will I Need To Propagate Pothos?
- Jars of freshwater
- Sharp Scissors
- Potting Soil- perlite or general potting medium
- Medium-sized plant pot
- Clean hands
- Rooting hormone (optional)
How To Take A Successful Pothos Cutting
The first thing you’ll have to do when you have a lovely, healthy Pothos plant, is to take a cutting for propagation.
Take a cutting by first removing any dead or damaged parts of the plant. Then carefully trim off the bottom half of the leafy part of the plant.
Make sure you don’t remove more than 1/3rd of the leafy part.
Finally, snip off the tip of the plant where it meets the main root using sharp scissors.
Cut this section at an angle so that you leave a small piece of the root attached to the cutting.
You’re looking to cut your pothos right by a node in your plant (the point where two branches meet) or just above a bud. You want to make sure you don’t cut into the nodes themselves.
What To Do With Your Cutting
There are two different methods for propagating a Pothos plant. First, you can try using just water and a glass jar. The second method is planting them into the soil directly.
What you choose to do is up to you, though your plant may end up stronger and more hardy if you plant it directly into the soil.
Water Propagation Method
Take your cutting from the stem of your Pothos and place your cuttings in a small container filled with water for at least two weeks before you want to begin planting, making sure that the leaves are all above water and the root node is submerged properly.
You can keep it in a glass jar or similar environment, that way you’ll easily be able to see what is going on with your plant, and how much your roots are growing.
Place your lovely new jar of cuttings in water in indirect light. It should be a nice bright spot, but make sure it’s not in direct sunlight as this can damage the growth of your plant.
Around a month into your Pothos sprouting roots, you’ll want to transfer your Pothos cutting into the soil.
The longer you leave it in the water, the harder it will be for your plant to adapt to the new soil environment once transferred. Leaving them in water for a prolonged period of time can also lead to root rot.
Place your cuttings gently into a plant pot with some soil, and lightly press in your roots system, being careful to not damage it.
Give it a good water and leave it be until you see a decent amount of growth, which should occur after a few weeks or so.
Remove the cutting from the smaller, starting pot and repot it in a larger pot. Be sure to add more potting mix to the bottom of your plant’s new home.
Your Pothos will need a decent amount of light and regular watering throughout the growing season, but is pretty hardy, unlike many other plants.
RELATED: 30 Interesting Plants That Start With C (Including Pictures)
Soil Method
This preferred method of growing a Pothos cutting starts pretty much the same as the first method.
Begin by taking your Pothos cutting and removing the first leaf around the root node that you cut to.
You can then dip the ends of your cutting in a root growth hormone supplement that will help it to grow with more speed and vigor.
Be sure to coat the root node well with your mixture to allow it to absorb properly into your plant.
Pop your cutting directly into a potting mixture of half peat moss and half sand or perlite. This will let it drain well whilst you’re growing out your roots.
Keep your soil mixture well moisturized and place your Pothos in a nice sunny room, again that is out of direct sunlight.
Maintaining Your Pothos Propagation
You can do this multiple times with one plant, as long as you are letting it rest and keeping enough of the original parent plant and leaves alive every time!
You will find that soon enough you can have a whole room filled with these lovely airy plants, perfect for the budding botanist in you, and great for bedroom décor!
If you want a bushier-looking plant, you can regularly trim your Pothos, cutting it back to soil level multiple times, as this is a good way to encourage it to grow additional shoots!
Alternatively, you can let your singular strand of Pothos leaves grow around your room, as long as you give it some support such as hooks or places to grow from, it should be able to keep on growing up to 30 feet in length, sometimes more.
There are many different varieties of Pothos plants, including the Golden Pothos, the Black Pothos, and the Red Pothos; each has its unique characteristics and uses.
The best thing about propagating Pothos is that they are very easy to care for and maintain, making them an excellent choice for beginners who want to get started with indoor gardening.
Pothos is a wonderful addition to any garden, especially if you live somewhere where there isn’t much natural greenery.
They are very versatile and can be used as either houseplants or outdoor plants, depending on what you prefer.
They are extremely easy to grow, requiring little maintenance and no special fertilizers.
Final Thoughts
With a little bit of care, you can create a whole host of healthy plants to fill up your home with. Pothos is a great choice if you want bang for your buck and don’t necessarily think you are the most green-fingered person.
They are also a great option if you are looking for something that doesn’t require too much attention, and are relatively inexpensive to buy. As you can propagate them many times, they also make great gifts.
We hope you found this guide useful, and it has inspired you to give propagating your Pothos plants a go, it’s pretty simple!
Editor’s Recommendations
Watermelon Peperomia: The Best Steps For Successful Propagation
Philodendron Prince of Orange: The Best Care, Watering, and Propagation Guide
Dying Money Tree: Important Steps and Tips To Revive Your Plant
