How to Propagate Pothos: It’s as Simple as 1, 2, 3!

how to propagate pothos

How to Propagate Pothos: It’s as Simple as 1, 2, 3!

Pothos Plants are beautiful, elegant, and very simple to care for. They grow fast, spreading their heart-shaped leaves and vines around the area they are placed in. Just provide them with bright, indirect sunlight, well-draining soil, and water when the soil is dry. These plants develop very quickly, so it’s valuable to know how to propagate Pothos Plants. This plant care practice will also keep your plant extra healthy and happy.

 

Propagating a Pothos Plant involves trimming its stems with leaves for replanting. Cutting stems from a Pothos stimulates growth and improves air flow through its leaves. It also gives you the chance to spread your Pothos around! This step will encourage your Pothos to live a longer, more vibrant life. So here’s a guide on how to get started and what you’ll need to keep your plant thriving!

 

 

What Does it Mean to Propagate a Pothos Plant?

Propagation is the process of growing new plants from the seeds, stem cuttings, or leaf cuttings of another plant. There are multiple methods to propagate a plant, depending on the type. The easiest way to propagate a Pothos Plant is through cuttings and root divisions. Proper propagation takes some time and a bit of practice, but you’ll be growing new Pothos Plants in no time!

 

Why Propagate a Pothos Plant?

Propagation isn’t necessary, but there are many solid reasons to learn to propagate your Pothos Plant. You can enhance an existing plant or start new plants to spread the benefits of the Pothos Plant. Here are some of the reasons to master this simple skill!

 

 

conference table plant white pot

 

 

Extend Plant Life

Propagation keeps your plant healthy and thriving, meaning it will last longer. Pruning a Pothos stimulates growth and allows for better air flow between leaves and stems. All of these factors increase the vitality of a plant. It’s much more satisfying (and cost-effective) to keep one Pothos Plant alive for years than continuously replace your struggling plants.

 

Revives Dying Plants

Propagation doesn’t only keep plants healthier longer. This process can also revive a struggling plant. If your Pothos Plant has any intact stems left, use this to form a new, healthy plant. You’ll never have to let your favorite plant go!

 

Make Good Use of Trimmings

To keep your plant healthy and appealing, you’ll need to trim back an overgrown Pothos Plant. This means cutting back a few leaves every so often, ensuring your plant doesn’t get too long and leggy. Pothos Plants grow fast, so you’ll probably be doing this a lot. But instead of throwing away those cuttings, use them to propagate your Pothos Plant. This creates new life, making your home even more vibrant.

 

A Special Gift for Friends and Family

But you don’t have to keep all of the new plants in your own home! You can give these baby plants, like the Pothos Golden to your friends and family. These gifts can be cuttings, cuttings rooted in water, or even completed potted plants. This is a great way to have a special connection to friends and family since you’re all sharing the same Pothos Plant!

 

 

Is It Easy to Propagate a Pothos Plant?

Propagating a Pothos Plant is luckily very easy. Of course, there is still a process you must learn and then tweak once you see your results. It may take a bit of practice, maybe some trial and error. But overall, the process itself is very simple and hands-off. It’s also fun and rewarding!

 

Can You Propagate Pothos From a Leaf?

You can’t propagate a Pothos Plant from a single leaf. You must include a stem because you need at least one node to grow new roots. The stem can have one leaf, but a single leaf without a stem will not grow properly.

 

 

broad leaves on side table

 

 

How to Propagate Pothos Plants

Here is how to propagate a Pothos Plant using a stem cutting. It’s the water propagation method! This is the most recommended method, so it’s the one you’re going to want to learn.

 

First, here is what you will need:

  • Your Pothos Plant
  • Sterile scissors or gardening shears
  • Tap water
  • A glass vial or mason jar
  • Potting mix
  • A pot with drainage

Directions:

  • The first step is to prepare your tools! You want your cutting tool to be as clean as possible to keep your current Pothos Plant healthy. So make sure it is sterilized. Household bleach is a very inexpensive solution you can use to sterilize garden tools. Carefully mix it at a ratio of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.
  • The second step is to snip off the cuttings from your healthy Pothos Plant. So, where do you cut off the stem? Pothos Plants regrow new roots from their nodes, which are the tiny brown bumps that grow on the stem. So cut the stem at a 45-degree angle, ensuring the new cutting has at least one of those nodes. You also want your Pothos Plant cutting to have one or two leaves. While you can propagate without leaves, with more stems, your new propagated plant will be fuller. Grab three or four cuttings if you can.
  • The third step is to place the cutting in the water. Fill the clear container you’ve chosen with tap water. Then place the cuttings into the container, making sure their leaves are sticking upward. You don’t want leaves submerged in the water. Those should be cut off using clean shears. Over time, the water will help the nodes form roots. It’s important to do this step in water because it makes it much easier for the stem to grow in the soil afterward. It’s also a lot simpler. So remember to let them grow. Place the container in a bright spot in your home, like near a window, soaking in indirect sunlight.
  • Replace the water every two or three days or whenever you notice the water getting a bit cloudy. You want the water to be clear. With the right water and light conditions, you should start noticing little white strands sticking out of the nodes after one to three weeks. These are new roots! Once they are half an inch long, remove the cuttings from the water.
  • The last step is putting the cuttings in a pot. Put a bit of soil in the bottom of a pot, then pack the soil tightly around the cuttings. You want them to fit snugly in the middle of the pot.

 

And voila! You have yourself a new baby Pothos Plant!

 

 

plant ready for propagation

 

 

Extra Tips for Pothos Plant Propagation

Propagating your Pothos Plant is quite simple, as you can see. But to improve the possibility of success, there are some key things to keep in mind. Here are some extra tips to ensure that your new plant prospers!

 

  • The ideal cutting comes from a healthy Pothos Plant! The cutting should have four or more leaves if possible and at least two growth nodes.
  • Make sure the cutting is about four to six inches long.
  • Don’t let any leaves be below water when you place them in the jar. You must remove those leaves.
  • If you choose to propagate your Pothos in water, keep the cutting in water as it grows larger. The same goes for a cutting that was put directly into soil instead. Switching from water to soil or soil to water is quite difficult.
  • Keep the new plant in a room that is 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the plant’s preferred temperature and can help it grow.
  • Pothos Plants also love humidity. Try misting their leaves with a spray bottle or installing a humidifier if your plant seems to be struggling. Brown leaves are a sign of low humidity.

 

How Do You Propagate Pothos Without Leaves?

Are you worried about propagating a Pothos stem that doesn’t have leaves? It’s okay! You can propagate a cutting that doesn’t have leaves. It’s basically the same steps as above. To propagate a Pothos Plant cutting without leaves:

 

  1. Snip off the cutting with a node included.
  2. Place it in clean water and put the container near an indirect light source.
  3. Replace the water about once a week or whenever you see it getting foggy.

 

When the new roots are half an inch long, you can remove the cutting from the water and place it inside the soil in a new pot.

 

 

Final Thoughts – How to Propagate Pothos

Propagating a Pothos Plant is very easy, but it does take a bit of trial and error. Just know that not every effort will pay off with a new plant. But it’s always worth trying since you have the extra trimmings anyway!

 

To propagate a Pothos Plant, you need to make sure you have a plant with some healthy stems. Cut the stems beneath the node. Place them in clean water and under bright, indirect light. Then watch for growing roots! After that, place them in fresh soil in a new pot. As you can see, the process for propagating a Pothos Plant is quite simple. The real trick is trying, trying, and trying some more. And when it works, you’ll have a healthier plant and even some gifts to give to friends and family!

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