Pothos - How to care for these easy and gorgeous houseplants
Whether you’re a beginner, expert, or even a botanist who works in a plant conservatory, the chances of you running into a pothos plant is near 100%! Considered to be one of the absolute easiest houseplants on the market, Pothos are sure to bring a sense of freshness and serenity into any living space. Native to the tropical regions of Asia and even some parts of Australia, one of the greatest things about this plant (and there are many things to love!) is that it can live and thrive in about any kind of condition in your home – provided that you care for them properly.
Lighting
Pothos can handle a wide range of lighting conditions. Although they really do prefer bright indirect light, pothos is definitely one of those plants that can even thrive in lower light conditions. Bottom line is: the more light you give your plant, the faster your plant will grow.
Water
Pothos is very forgiving with missed waterings! The frequency of how often you should water a pothos plant depends on how much light you are giving it: the more light you give, the more often you should water your plant. Always let the soil of pothos plants dry out completely, all the way down through the pot. You can check this by sticking your entire finger into the soil: if it feels like the Sahara desert, then water it! if it feels like you’re sticking your finger in a good moist cake, then leave it alone. Of course, you can avoid getting your hands dirty by using a handy-dandy moisture meter! When watering your pothos plant, keep watering the soil until water leaks out of the drainage hole(s) at the bottom of the pot, or use the bottom watering technique (see our Instagram Stories!).
Fertilizing
Pothos plants aren’t heavy feeders when it comes to fertilizing! Fertilize every 2 months during the spring and summer months with a balanced, all purpose fertilizer, like GOOD DIRT, available at the shop!
Growth Pattern
Pothos is very well known for its vining growth pattern. Sometimes it just seems like they just won’t stop growing! If you prefer to let your leaves hang down, be sure to prune them back every now and then – it will help your plant become bushier and more lush. But if you prefer the long vining look of it, that is OK too! In their native habitat on the forest floor, pothos plants will cling onto trees and then climb up in the crevices in the tree bark. If you want to mimic this, you can have your pothos plant climb up a moss pole and watch their leaves grow GIGANTICALLY HUGE! You can also propagate pothos by cutting below the node and placing it in either water or soil!
Temperature/Humidity
A pothos plant will prefer to stay in a room or environment above 65°F (18°C). However for most people, this is not a concern – as long as you feel comfortable in your home, your plants will too! Just be sure to avoid placing your pothos in a drafty spot like in front of an air vent. For humidity, your pothos will definitely appreciate a humid environment, but it is not required. The best way to increase the humidity of a room is to use a humidifier. If you don’t have one, then misting your pothos will work too!
Not-edible!
All parts of the plant are toxic to pets and humans, so please use caution and don’t allow your babies or fur babies to eat this plant
Our Favorites
Here at Wild Island Collective, we carry quite a few different varieties of pothos… Here are some of our favorites:
· Jade Pothos – Leaves are all emerald green solid color
· Golden Pothos – Green leaves with speckles of gold!
· Marble Queen Pothos – Striking white variegation on green leaves
· Neon Pothos – Super bright neon yellow-green leaves
· Silver Satin Pothos – Thick leathery green leaves with an exotic pattern
See you soon, plant friends!