If you want your Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum) to develop as swiftly as those you’ve seen in publications and on the internet, you’ll need some aid. Fortunately, you’ve arrived to the correct place because I’ve got some excellent advice for you. This post will show you how to grow Pothos more quickly while also ensuring that your plant is vibrant and healthy.
How can you get Pothos to grow faster? You may accelerate the growth of yourPothos in six ways:
Simply follow the above six steps and your Pothos will blossom into a lovely focal point in your decor. We’ll go over why Pothos are popular houseplants and look at each of the six techniques to grow a Pothos plant quicker in the sections below.
Check out my book “Houseplants Made Easy” if you want to learn how to cultivate gorgeous houseplants that will last year after year.
How do I make my pothos grow thicker?
Pothos should be pruned frequently to keep it full and prevent it from growing lanky. To assist pothos grow fuller faster, feed it twice a month with a balanced fertilizer and provide adequate lighting and water. Stake your pothos as well to provide support and encourage the development of larger leaves.
If you like a fuller appearance, continue reading for advice on how to give your Pothos a fuller, bushier appearance.
Why is my pothos slow growing?
The Pothos plant is a notably tough specimen that can flourish even in the most inhospitable conditions. It does, however, require frequent water, sun or artificial light, sufficient nourishment, and air circulation, just like any other plant. Pothos plants that are stunted may be suffering from a variety of problems, both cultural and pest-related. Even a beginner gardener can save the plant if the most prevalent causes are addressed.
Pothos plants have waxy, heart-shaped leaves that are glossy green or variegated. The growth of young Pothos leaves differs slightly from that of adult leaves. These smooth juvenile leaves are several inches (8 cm) long and smooth. Mature leaves can grow up to 3 feet (91 cm) long and form oval or heart shapes with holes in the midrib.
Although most indoor plants do not produce leaves of that size, leaves develop in a similar manner. Pothos plants with foliar issues have limited leaf growth, poor color, and are frequently wilted. The plant’s overall health may be harmed, and it may be unable to develop new growth. Foliar productivity is usually enhanced by adequate light and fertilizer.
Pothos Problems with Water
Pothos plants that are stunted are commonly caused by a lack of water. These tropical plants prefer filtered light, high humidity, and temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (21-32 C.). Plant growth is slowed under temperatures that are higher or lower than those listed.
How long does it take pothos to grow?
Pothos plants develop quickly. They are one of the fastest-growing houseplants, making them a rewarding plant to own. When you consider how easy it is to care for pothos plants, there isn’t much you won’t like about this plant.
During the growing season, you can expect your pothos to grow at a rate of 12 inches per month (or 30 cm per month in metric) with adequate care.
This growth rate is based on typical conditions found in most homes. Temperature, humidity, and light levels in the space on average. If you make the environment even better for the plant, it will grow even quicker and produce even more.
Each year, you may expect a couple of feet (meters) of new growth because the growing season begins in the spring and ends in the fall. Impressive, to say the least.
Some varieties of pothos grow more quickly than others. In general, the slower the plant grows, the more variegated it is. The plant’s green components keep it in shape and help it flourish. They provide it what it needs, therefore the more green places there are, the more efficient the process will be. Because the white section of the leaf lacks chlorophyll, it is unable to photosynthesise.
Step 1: Prune Correctly
I have to start pruning my pothos on a regular basis to get it to branch and grow fuller. But it also meant that I had to prune properly.
- Take a few steps back and examine your pothos as a whole. As your plant grows taller, this phase becomes even more critical.
- Make a mark on the vines that you want to cut. Colored elastics or plastic ties can be used. Just be careful not to injure the stems when marking them.
- Only approximately a third of the overall stems and leaves should be pruned. You can prune less, see how your plant develops, and then prune again.
- Clean the blade or shears you’ll be using and make sure they’re sharp so you can make quick, clean cuts.
- Remove any vines that don’t have leaves or are beginning to trail downward.
Step 2: Support Your Pothos
To give my pothos plant extra support, I staked it. You might be wondering how staking the plant is beneficial.
When you stake a trailing plant like a pothos, you’re giving it support and encouraging it to produce bigger, closer-together leaves.
It’s advisable to start staking your devil’s ivy when it’s still young; it’ll help your plant grow fuller in the long run.
What can you use to stake your pothos? For my first pothos, I utilized a bamboo cane; other keen gardeners use moss poles, trellis, or anything similar.
Step 3: Add Fertilizer
When my pothos began to grow leggy, I recognized it might be suffering from a nutrient lack. So I began applying a balanced fertilizer once or twice a month to help address the soil’s nitrogen deficiency.
Because a concentrated dosage of fertilizer can burn your pothos’ roots, follow the manufacturer’s directions for diluting it.
Step 4: Consider Warmth and Humidity
Because they are native to tropical and subtropical locations, tropical plants like the pothos demand warmer weather and humidity.
Your pothos will thrive best if you provide a warmer climate with temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and at least 50% humidity.
Step 5: Water Properly
It is recommended that you water your pothos using the soak-and-dry method. I only water my plant when the earth is absolutely dry, then I soak it in water, and then I water it again when the soil is entirely dry.
It’s also vital to examine the soil and pot in which my pothos is planted when watering it properly. All of my pothos are kept in pots with a wide drainage hole on the bottom.
Step 6: Provide Enough Sunlight
Because my first pothos didn’t get enough sunshine, it expanded and looked for it. As a result, the leaf nodes began to stretch out further and wider.
The solution was simple. I simply placed my pothos closer to a window so that it could get about 10-12 hours of sunlight per day.
Do not place your pothos next to a window. If your window faces south or west, it should be a few feet away, while east and north-facing windows should be much more away.
Make sure your plant gets no more than 3-4 hours of direct sunlight per day. The remainder of the day, use filtered light to avoid sunburning your plant’s leaves.
Should I mist my pothos?
Plants with fuzzy leaves, such as African violets and Tolmiea, should not be misted since water on their leaves can cause permanent spotting. A humidity tray can be used here. Fill a tray, plate, or bowl halfway with water and pebbles, river stones, or other similar items. Place the plant on top, making sure the water does not come into contact with the pot. Succulents, dragon tree (Draceana marginata), fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata), yucca, pothos, ponytail plant (Beaucarnea recurvata), cissus, and spider plant are examples of plants that don’t require a lot of water.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee is not only a necessary part of the day, but the grounds also supply crucial nutrients to your plants.
Coffee grounds have a higher nitrogen content than potassium and phosphorus, making them more acidic. Combine coffee with compost or liquid plant fertilizer to get a balanced ratio.
NOTE: During the dormant stage (winter), some pothos lovers sprinkle a little amount of coffee grounds on the plant to guarantee it is ready for spring.
Only attempt this if you have a lot of expertise with pothos plants.
Compost
For individuals who don’t like the scent of good compost, inorganic fertilizers are usually the most popular. Organic plant lovers, on the other hand, may be hesitant to use them.
Compost is a great source of nutrients for plants, but the release of nutrients isn’t evenly distributed.
It’s fine to enrich indoor Pothos with a little compost. However, it should not be used in place of a balanced-release fertilizer.
Granular Fertilizer
Granular fertilizer is intended for use with plants in the outdoors. These granular fertilizers come in the form of pellets that you place directly in the soil.
They discharge all of its nutrients at once, which is bad for an indoor plant like pothos.
This form of fertilizer is best avoided for plants in a hanging basket or tiny container.
Liquid Fertilizer
The most common type of fertilizer for pothos is liquid. It’s simple to dilute and apply liquid houseplant fertilizer when watering.
Liquid fertilizers should be diluted by 1/4 to 1/2 the specified directions, whether purchased as a liquid or powder. Use a diluted solution. Pothos chemical burns can occur if the concentration is too high inside.
How Often To Fertilize Pothos Plants?
During the growing season, apply this sort of fertilizer to potted plants once a month. For a pothos, it is by far the most effective solution.
Our choice for the finest fertilizer for pothos is a balanced liquid fertilizer.
Slow-Release Fertilizer
During each watering, it has an unique coating that releases a little amount of nutrients.
If you feed a plant in the early spring, it will continue to acquire nutrients every time you water it.
Sadly, it’s just another awful choice for pothos. The NPK release ratio is unbalanced.
What does an overwatered pothos look like?
For pothos and other houseplants, overwatering is a typical issue. Waterlogging your plant stresses it out and damages its roots, causing them to decay. Root rot in potted plants is caused by a combination of factors, including overwatering and poor drainage. Your plant’s roots will rot if there isn’t enough water to drain away from them.
Pothos that has been overwatered will begin to become yellow, and the leaves will eventually brown. Their leaves will also feel soft and floppy, and you may notice brown stains or water blisters on them. If you give your plants more water than they can use, the water will become stagnant, and your plant may begin to stink. Excess water will also fill the air pockets in the soil with molecules. This reduces the amount of oxygen available to your plant’s roots, causing your pothos to suffocate. The roots that have been deprived of oxygen will eventually die and decompose. Root rot develops in this manner.
Do pothos like coffee grounds?
If used correctly, coffee grounds can be beneficial to pothos. Because of their high nitrogen content, coffee grinds can significantly aid in the growth and protection of your pothos plant.