Pothos (or Epipremnum) are among the most common houseplants and are ideal for just about any environment. They’re easy to care for, don’t require much light or water, and can even be grown in water alone. Learning how to propagate Pothos Plants is essential if you want to create new ones or give them away as gifts.
There are a few ways to propagate Pothos, and nearly all of them are easy and simple.
What you need
To propagate a pothos vine, you’ll need the following:
Prepare the Pothos Stem Cuttings
The first step of learning how to propagate pothos plants is learning the correct way to prepare the stem cuttings. This is the most critical part of the process and is quite easy to mess up. Here’s what you do.
- Start by cutting a 4 to 6-inch piece of your Pothos Plant’s stem. To ensure that the cutting will be strong enough to grow into a new plant, ensure it’s at least 1/2 inch in diameter. You should also choose stems taken from healthy leaves and plant tips instead of those in bad shape or have been pestered by insects or diseases.
- Take multiple cuttings. It’s common and frequently recommended to take multiple cuttings from a single Pothos plant. The more you have, the more likely you will get one that will grow into a new plant. In addition, if one cutting doesn’t take root or die quickly, you’ll have another ready to go. Don’t worry; Pothos plants branch off easily, and they’ll recover everything they lose within a season.
- Remove the bottom leaves from your stem cuttings. This step is crucial for rooting pothos plants because it allows them to use their energy on growing roots rather than leaves and stems. The bottom leaves are the leaves around the base of your Pothos plant. Clear the area around the node for the best result.
- Each cutting should have multiple nodes. The nodes are the little bumps you see on a stem, where leaves and roots sprout from. You’ll want to be sure there are at least two to three nodes on your cutting for it to grow into a new plant.
When to Take Pothos Cuttings
The best time to take pothos cuttings is when the plant is actively growing. For Pothos, the growing season lasts from early spring all the way through the summer. Warm sunlight, less chilly conditions, and more energy to spare make for an easy and quick propagation process.
Fall and winter are not recommended for propagation as the Pothos plants stop growing in these seasons and enter a sort of informal hibernation period.
Related: 20+ Types of Pothos and Varieties
Methods of Propagation
There are two main ways to propagate a Pothos plant from cuttings.
The first and most popular method is propagating pothos plants in water. Many gardeners prefer this method because it’s fast, easy, and inexpensive. And it has the added exotic factor of not requiring a pot of Soil to grow. You can even reuse an old plastic bottle, fill it up with water, and put your Pothos cuttings in it. An easy way to add color to your windowsill without sacrificing anything.
The second method is propagating pothos plants in Soil. This demands a more traditional approach with well-draining Soil and slightly moist conditions.
How to Propagate Pothos in Water
Prepare the Tools
The Step-by-Step Process
- Gather the Cuttings. If you’ve followed the process, you should have multiple 4-6 inch cuttings at your disposal.
- Fill the Container with Water. Fill the container with soft water. Leave about 1 inch at the top of the container.
- Place the Cuttings in the Water. Place the cuttings in the container. You can put about 4-6 cuttings in each jar. Ensure the nodes are submerged while the leaves are above the water level.
- Move the Cuttings to a pot of Soil. Once your cuttings have developed roots and are properly situated, you can move them to a pot of Soil safely.
How to Propagate Pothos in Soil
Prepare the Tools
The Step-by-Step Process
- Take the Cuttings. Following standard practice, make sure you have multiple cuttings on hand. Clear away the bottom leaves and make sure you have multiple nodes on each cutting. The cuttings should be above 4 inches on average.
- Rooting Hormone. Use a hormone powder to help promote root growth. You can buy this at any nursery or garden center. The process is simple: dip the cuttings in a small container of rooting hormone and make sure it coats the bottom part of the cutting.
- Plant the Cuttings in the Soil. Place the cuttings in a medium-sized container filled with potting Soil. Make sure you have enough room for the roots to grow and not be crowded.
- Keep the Cuttings moist and warm. Place the container in a warm, sunny location and keep the soil moist. The cuttings should begin to root after about two weeks.
How To Take Care of Your Pothos After Propagation
- Watering schedule. Pothos plants prefer to be watered only once or twice a week, depending on how much light they receive and the humidity. The leaves will often droop if there’s not enough water, so it’s a good idea to check them regularly for signs of dehydration.
- Soil moisture. A light misting of water can serve as a substitute for full watering in many cases, but you shouldn’t do this more than once every few days. When you water your plant, ensure that you soak all the Soil down at least halfway before letting it dry out again—this will help prevent overwatering and root rot down the line!
- Fertilizing schedule. Pothos are heavy feeders and need plenty of nutrients to thrive indoors over several months time; however, they should only be fertilized with a liquid fertilizer every couple weeks at most–too much nitrogen can cause leaf burn (brown spots).
Common Mistakes
There are a couple of common mistakes you can make when propagating Pothos.
Cutting without Nodes
Each cutting should have at least one to two nodes. If you are using a tip cutting, make sure there are at least two nodes on the part of the stem that you want to propagate.
If your cutting doesn’t have any nodes, it will likely not develop any roots and die quickly.
Not Replacing the Water
Once you put your cutting in water, it’s important to replace the water every now and then. The oxygen in the water gets depleted as it gets used up by the pothos cuttings, and eventually, the water will run out of it. You’ll begin to see significant yellowing of the leaves.
Low Light
Pothos cuttings will grow much better in a spot where they can get good light but not direct sunlight. If you are using them indoors, try to place them near a window that gets indirect light for most of the day. Plants grown in deep shade will not thrive. The best place for them would be near an east-facing window or outdoors, where they receive plenty of bright sunshine throughout the day (as long as it isn’t extremely hot).
Low Humidity
Pothos cuttings like high humidity levels. If you are growing them indoors, place your plant near a humidifier or mist it often with water to help keep the air around it moist.
Planting in the Offseason
You’re unlikely to succeed if you plant your Pothos in the off-season. The best time to plant is spring or summer.
