Pothos

Chances are if you’re already a plant parent, you probably have a Pothos variety somewhere in your home. These are great beginner plants due to their hardiness but if you want yours to be a real eye-catcher, you will want to make sure it’s receiving the proper care.

• Soil

It comes as a surprise to most that Pothos is one of few common houseplant varieties that can live in either soil or just a vase of water. Any Pothos you will find at Chicago Plants will be soil-based, however, and it is not recommended to switch between soil- and water-based substrates so only convert to a water medium if dealing with propagations - we will address this further below.

As far as a purely soil-based substrate is concerned, Pothos will survive in any standard potting soil. At Chicago Plants, we prefer Fox Farms Ocean Forest but really any quality soil mix will do.

• Watering

Although Pothos can live in water as their medium, if they are living in soil, they so not want to sit around in soggy soil or root rot may become a problem. As you would for most plants, wait until the first inch or two of soil is dry before watering your Pothos.

• Sunlight

Pothos tolerate low light better than most houseplants and will adapt to almost anywhere you put them as long as it’s not in direct sunlight. Since only their leaves photosynthesize, make sure the plant is oriented such that the leaves are exposed to the sunlight source and not just the vines.

• Fertilization

This is a naturally fast-growing plant so not much attention needs to be paid to a regular fertilization schedule. During its growing months, you can fertilize every other month at half-strength but this is entirely your preference.

FAQ’s

• Pet friendly?

  • No, Pothos are not pet-friendly. If ingested, it will cause vomiting and diarrhea however Pothos are not lethal to either pets or humans.

• How do I propagate my large Pothos?

  • Pothos are quite easy to propagate. As mentioned earlier, they can survive in either potting soil or just water. Cut a 6-8 inch piece from your Pothos ensuring this vine contains at least two leaves, and place the cutting in a jar of water. After it starts to form new roots, you can choose whether you would like to continue this plant in a water medium or transfer over to soil.