Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a plant from the large family Araceae originating from the warm regions of China, India, and Australia. In its natural habitat, the plant grows like a large vine up to 30-40 feet.

While grown at home, it can reach a more modest size of 15 feet! It is one of the easiest plants to grow, and thus it a popular house plant among both novice gardeners and experienced flower lovers.

Pothos is a creeper that grows relatively quickly in anywhere between 12-18 inches every month, as long as it is provided with optimal conditions that include the appropriate temperature, adequate watering regime, and proper lighting.

Pothos growth rate: varies, depending on conditions. Typically, pothos can grow up to 10-15 feet in length in optimal conditions, with a growth rate of 1-2 feet per year.

Follow the instructions and advice bellowed, and you could quickly see a boost in pothos growth!

Proper light stimulates your plant growth

In their natural environment, these plants grow in the pleasant shade of high tropical forests, and therefore, they cannot cope with direct sunlight. Plants are tolerant of fluorescent lighting and low light, but moderate indoor light is ideal.

Wherever you decide to display your pothos, be sure to avoid direct sunlight. A highly variegated pothos may lose its variegation when placed in low-light conditions.

Since only the green parts of the leaves can make energy, the leaves will compensate for the lack of light by turning more green.

Pale leaves that turn yellowish could indicate that your plant is getting too much light.

Thirsty plants grow more slowly

Before giving your plant a drink, it is best to check soil moisture level first to ensure it isn’t moist right beneath the surface. Pothos do best when their soil is allowed to dry out between watering, since the plants do not like sitting in a wet bed.

Therefore, let the top two inches dry before the next watering. On the other hand, overwatering can cause root rot.

If you notice excess water in the saucer underneath the pot, discard it so that plants are not sitting in water. The condition of leaves will also show you whether your plant is thirsty or not!

Choose the right soil for your pothos

Whether your pothos will thrive and grow or barely survive is going to depend on the type of soil you use. Make sure that the soil you use is quality, compost-based, and well-draining soil for green houseplants.

You can choose any potting soil and prepare it by combining peat moss and perlite for moisture retention and aeration. Avoid using regular garden soil as it is too heavy for pothos.

Pothos prefers a slightly acidic pH of 6.1 to 6.5 but is tolerant of values slightly above or below.

Humidity and temperature affect the rate at which pothos grow

As a tropical plant, pothos needs a temperature between 75-80°F and a humidity level above 70% to grow exponentially. If the temperature drops below 70°F, their growth will slow down a lot.

Maintaining the desired humidity level is crucial for the growth of your photos. Misting the leaves with lukewarm water several times a week is a simple way to raise moisture levels. Alternatively, you can place the plant in the kitchen or bathroom as these are rooms with more humidity than others in your home.

Brown edges on your leaves, droopy leaves, leaves turning yellow and crisp leaves and foliage are some of the common signs that your pothos needs a more humid environment.

Feed your plant for fast-growing!

With good care and regular fertilization, your pothos will develop long tendrils with a multitude of leaves.

Therefore, add the standard liquid fertilizer for houseplants to the irrigation water every two weeks, from April to October. In winter, fertilizing pothos every 4 to 6 weeks is sufficient.

The other option is slow-release fertilizer sticks to supply the potted plants with the necessary nutrients for three months. The fertilizer sticks for green plants provide the nutrient needs-based and are therefore easy to use.

How do pothos cuttings grow?

Cuttings of pothos take a month to grow roots of about an inch, and with proper care, after two months, you will see 2-3 inch roots growing around it. They develop new leaves in 4-5 months with an appropriate dose of nutrients.

• To achieve this, you should choose a healthy, main stem making sure each cutting has four or more leaves.
• Remove the leaf closest to the cut end and place the cut ends of your stems in water. An old glass or jelly jar is perfect for rooting pothos.
• About a month after the roots begin to show, you can plant the cuttings in the soil.
• Yet, be careful since the longer pothos cuttings remain in the water, the harder time they have adapting to the soil.
• It is best to transplant rooted pothos cuttings as soon as they start roots.

How to make pothos grow faster in water?

If you intend to grow your pothos in water successfully, start with buying a jar, vase, or bottle made of clear glass so that you can see the routes emerge.

Water in the jar should not be chlorinated, so if you use tap water, you’ll have to let the water sit in an open container for about a day to let the chlorine evaporate before pouring the water into a jar with a new plant.

If you wish to see your pothos thrive in the water, add a few drops of liquid, diluted fertilizer (1 part fertilizer to 3 parts water) into the container about every 4 to 6 weeks.

Add the plant, making sure that the cut ends are covered with water. Within a few weeks, you will see roots forming, and at that time, replace the jar with one of a darker color that will block out some light and slow the growth of algae.

Pour out the old water and add in freshwater every 2 or 3 weeks.

If you want a fast-growing healthy plant, you need to check the water level in the jar from time to time and add water if necessary and make sure that most roots are submerged below water.

Fastest growing pothos variety

The slow or fast growth of this particular plant depends on the variety. More variegation in the leaves tends to slow growth since the variegated plant has less chlorophyll to produce food for the plant to use.

According to experienced gardeners who have grown all cultivars of pothos, Jade is by far the fastest grower, with Marble Queen next to it. Varieties with shorter internodes (the space between the leaf attachments), such as ‘Pearls ‘n’ Jade’, will be slower.

Will pothos keep growing after cutting?

On average, pothos can grow anywhere between 12-18 inches every month, so pruning should be a routine.

In addition to being a growth control technique, pruning helps promote new and more vigorous growth. The right time to prune your pothos is from the first days of spring to early fall.

For a fuller-looking plant, cut off the stems, growing out and down so new growth starts to branch out from the top of the plant. Cut just below a leaf node. This way, you are not leaving any bare stem without new growth at the end.

For a bushier plant, cut some stems back to soil level to encourage additional shoots. In this way, you should start to see it bush up and look bushier in no time.

As long as you prune your plant, it will thrive!

Tips

• Rotate your plant periodically to ensure even growth on all sides and prevent the plant from bending toward the light source.
• Remove the dust with a wet cloth from the leaves often so the plant can photosynthesize efficiently.
• Adding a small to medium size aquarium in your room can help with the humidity level. As the water in the aquarium evaporates naturally and slowly, it increases your room’s humidity level and thus creates a perfect environment for your plants to thrive.
• The plant does not like to be root bound, so transplant it into a new container, one inch larger than the previous one, every two or three years!