The pothos is a very special plant. With their unique leaf shapes, they are very captivating. We show you how to care for your pothos and how to showcase it properly!
Origin of the pothos
Originally, the pothos (Epipremnum aureum) comes from Australia, the Pacific islands and Southeast Asia. There it is often very overgrown and found on slopes.
With the time it came to Europe and the US. It is especially popular as an ornamental plant for the garden or in rooms. Pothos is also very suitable for beginners, as it is extremely easy to care for.
Golden vines belong to the family of arum plants(Araceae).
Appearance and distinguishing features
The pothos is a very densely overgrown plant. If the pothos is not pruned, it can even reach shoots of up to 33 feet.
Therefore, it is also considered a climbing plant and is therefore often used as a hanging plant.
The leaves of the pothos
Pothos is especially known for its leaves, which grow in the shape of a heart. The evergreen leaves appear in vivid shades of green. Furthermore, the leaves often have a pattern that appears in white, yellow or cream patterns.
By the way, the leaves of pothos contain calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate can irritate the mucous membranes as well as cause allergic reactions on the skin. For this reason, compatibility with the plant should be tested before it moves directly into living spaces.
The flower
In nature, the exotic forms flowers that are very similar to the calla. They consist of a bulb and the petals. However, these flowers turn out comparatively inconspicuous.
However, as a houseplant, flowers do not form. This is due in no small part to the ambient temperature, as well as light conditions.
Which location does the pothos prefer?
The right location is not to be neglected when it comes to the well-being of your houseplant. An pothos plant prefers above all pleasant temperatures. It feels most comfortable at room temperatures around 68 °F.
Since it is also not hardy, it should also be kept warm in winter.
The most suitable locations are those without too much sunlight, but which still offer sufficient daylight.
If you want your pothos to have a particularly beautiful leaf pattern, you should also place it in a very sunny position during the day, as the leaf pattern is largely formed by the incidence of light.
At the same time, the rooms in which the pothos is mainly placed should also provide sufficient humidity, otherwise it tends to dry out. This is best achieved with a humidifier.
If the location is too dark, this will manifest itself with dark spots on the leaves of the plant.
What substrate is suitable for planting?
Fortunately, pothos is very easy to care for its conditions. Therefore, it does not require a special substrate. It feels very comfortable in ordinary potting soil.
Hydroponics is also good for planting, as pothos can also adapt well in expanded clay.
How often does the pothos need to be watered?
Pothos is especially suitable for people who are often on the road for business or pleasure, or for people who often forget to water their houseplants.
The plant can live well with temporary lack of moisture. In the warmer summer months, the plant should always have a slight moisture.
As soon as it gets cooler outside, the water supply can be reduced, as the plant needs less moisture in the winter.
Under no circumstances should the plant be overwatered so that it can survive several days without moisture.
In this case, the plant’s roots may rot due to excess moisture, causing the plant to die. This phenomenon is called root rot.
Should the pothos be fertilized?
Basically, the pothos does not need to be fertilized, which makes it a good partner especially for beginners of plant care.
However, to make the plant grow especially splendidly, fertilizer can be added during the growing months.
The growing season of pothos begins in mid/late March and can extend to the end of August. For fertilizing, No products found., extra specialized for foliage plants, should be used.
It is enough if the fertilizer is supplied every two weeks. Outside the growth period, fertilizing should be stretched to four to six weeks.
How to repot them?
Normally, pothos does not need to be repotted, as the plant can be shortened without any problems.
However, if you want to let it grow out, it can be repotted into a larger pot about every two to three years.
For repotting to go smoothly, the old used soil should be completely removed from the roots. This procedure can also involve cutting the roots directly at the tips.
Then the pothos can be planted directly into the new pot and does not need any further special treatments.
Does the pothos need to be cut?
No, the pothos does not necessarily need regular pruning.
However, if the shoots become too long for the location in the long run, they can easily be cut off or shortened. Broken leaves can also be cut off without harming the plant.
In fact, it is very positive for the pothos if diseased or damaged parts of the plant are removed so that it can recover better.
A sharp and clean blade should be used when pruning. Dirty tools can cause infection. When using scissors, the plant is often bruised at the cut.
Therefore, a knife should be used.
Can I propagate my pothos?
Pothos can be propagated either by shoot cuttings or by head cuttings. The cuttings are simply placed in a glass of water, which causes them to begin forming roots.
Once the roots are 2-3 inches long, they are placed directly into the soil.
It is important that care is taken to keep the soil sufficiently moist so that the fresh roots are well supplied. In order for the plants to flower stably, they can be planted with sticks that provide stability.
Typical diseases of pothos
A pothos is very susceptible to spider mite infestation or mealybugs. Taking care of the pothos is therefore important, as it is a good way to prevent diseases.
Spider mites feel particularly at home in dry, warm air, which is why an infestation of spider mites is mainly triggered in the cooler season by dry heating air.
To prevent an infestation, it is therefore extremely important that the plant is well humidified. The humidity in the air deprives spider mites of their breeding ground.
It is even very easy to recognize an infestation. Fine white spots form on the leaves.
At the same time, spider mites extract nutrients from leaves, which causes them to turn light and lose their healthy color.
If an infestation becomes known, the plant must be immediately separated from other plants so that the infestation cannot spread.
The plant should be rinsed with clean water as soon as possible.
To kill the spider mites, the plant should be exposed to high humidity. However, there are also special oils available in specialized stores with which the affected pothos can be sprayed.
The oils deprive the spider mites of their oxygen so that they die.
Spider lice suck the nutrients from the plant. An infestation is usually only recognized when the plant is already damaged.
Then it is also necessary to act quickly, otherwise the plant will die.
The infestation can be recognized mainly by the white fluff that forms on the plant.
The plant should be washed thoroughly so that the mealybugs are removed. It should then be treated with a pest spray.
Killing the larvae can also be done with alcohol or a mixture of methylated spirits and curd soap.
If you have no success with the above methods, you should resort to No products found..
What mistakes are often made when caring for pothos?
Caring for pothos is relatively simple if you keep a few things in mind. Often, pothos plants are given too much water.
But overwatering will cause the roots to rot and can only be remedied by completely drying and repotting the plant.
Water that is too calcareous can also damage the plant. To be extra safe, the water for watering should be decalcified beforehand.
It should also be paid attention to a qualitative soil, otherwise the plant will suffer a lack of nutrients. Often in winter the air in the room is too dry, and you forget to maintain humidity for the plant.
But lack of moisture quickly attracts pests.
Many people think that pothos thrives best in dark rooms. However, pothos leaves turn very dark because it needs daylight to grow. However, locations that are too sunny will cause the leaves to fade.
I answer your questions
What fertilizer should be used for pothos?
It is best to use a normal liquid fertilizer for green plants. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer package. In winter you should reduce the amount of fertilizer.
Is pothos poisonous?
The leaves and sap of pothos contain calcium oxalate. This irritates the mucous membranes and can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, ivies are classified as mildly toxic.
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Letzte Aktualisierung am 2023-03-24 / Affiliate Links / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API
