How to Care for a Pothos

Pothos plants are one of the easiest to grow indoors. The plant is a natural climber; it sprouts up tree bark in tropical rainforests. Although the plant survives in most conditions, you must administer proper care for this houseplant to thrive.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Know how the light conditions affect a pothos plant. The plant grows in low light places, but the leaves will attain their best color if you grow it in direct sunlight filtered by a transparent curtain. You also can grow it in indirect sunlight from an east or west window.

2. Place a saucer under a pothos if it is in a hanging basket, and occasionally fill the saucer with water to increase the humidity.

3. Let the potting mix dry to the touch before watering in spring, summer and fall. In the winter, let the potting mix thoroughly dry out in between waterings. The plant can sustain occasional drought if you go on vacation, but it should not go more than two to three weeks without water.

4. Prevent a pothos from getting long and gangly by cutting stems back. Make a cut 1 inch in front of a leaf. The vine will not branch, but generates a new stem from the cut. A pothos plant grows indefinitely if you don't cut it back.

5. Stake a pothos plant if you don't grow it in a hanging basket. Stick a thin piece of wood or bark in the soil and allow the plant to climb it. Keep the stake moist to encourage roots to grow into it. Although the plant does fine in a hanging basket, the best way to care for a pothos is by staking it.