The pot looks to be filled will a heavy peat based soil and seems to be too large for such a small plant. Meaning it wouldn't dry out fast enough.

Your mold and rotting issue probably comes from over watering.

How often do you water? How much water do you use?

It also appears the plant recieves not very much light.

If the plant is rotting at the base but the leaves and the rest have not yet died, cut the whole thing off where it's no longer rotten, root in water and try again.

The roots are likely toast from being over watered.

I am using miracle grow moisture contol soil, watering once a week and its kept close to a window.

i cut the healthiest leaves n placed them in water with liquid miracle grow and also the long barren stem, in hope it will reroot n grow leaves. The leaves I wasn't sure would make it i cut into individual sections being sure there was a nod so it can grow roots and placed those cuttings directly in the soil in hopes it will absorb the excess moisture n grow roots. Attached are pictures please advise.

Will it not root in soil?

They can. But I'm not sure about that soil you're using. MG moisture control is one of the worst out there.

If I choose to leave it in the soil, how can i tell if it is growing or dying? Some leaves were already withering but some were perky. As u can see from the pic some are droopy while others are lively.

How long does it take for roots to develop? If the whitering leaves dies but roots develop will it develop into a new stem/plant? How long does it take to see new growth? I really want to grow these vines as they are beautiful n this is my second attempt in two years n i read its one of the easiest plants to care for n I don't knw why its the second time i have seemed to be killing it. Whats the best soil n how often should it be watered? Is it possible to dehydrate it because i was planning on leaving it alone for two weeks.

You can tell its growing when new leaves sprout.

It can take anywhere from a week to a month for roots to develop and new growth to sprout.

The best soil IMO is a 5:1:1 mix which you can read about on this forum. Plants need to be watered when the soil is dry. You can check by sticking your finger a few inches down into the soil.

Two weeks for a cutting may be too much. If roots are formed then it may be OK.

Burying deep in soil ensures you get rot starting in the stem. In nature the plants grow as a semi-epiphytic and roots on the ground run more through the leaf litter on the surface rather than right down into the soil. If you can keep the air humidity up around them then just laying them on the soil surface is the ideal way of getting them to root.Then the roots can find their own ideal niche.

It's summer time so the international temperature in the house is always at 70-72 which i think is too cold to leave the roots exposed to air. I have buried them abt two inches deep to absorb all the excess moisture in the soil and hopefully the moisture will root faster and plan on watering less frequently to dry it up and hopefully that will bring oxygen down, thats just my theory dont know if will work. Instead of watering could i just spray the surface area with a water spray? Would that be any better then just pouring water into it?

The motherplant was also potted the at the same depth and i hear it is thriving today. Also i left the rotting stem in the soil, it's probably going to decompose, (i am hoping to grow a new root that might save that leaf and its new growth but it seems unlikely) is it going to become nutrition for the other cuttings i am trying to grow or a parisite that might cause the rest to rot?

thanks.

As I said, you'd be much better off to get rid of that soil so you can water normally.

Spraying just the top wouldn't be enough. Plus, you'd never be able to flush the soil that way.

So would an extremely small clay cup size pot wihich fits little soil be a better choice? Could i fit all these cuttings very close together in a small pot I don't want to enclose it so much that there is no room for growth either.

Dave is on the money here. Give up on all MiracleGrow soil! Or if you MUST because you want to keep going against the advice here (I wasn't above that - I had to maximize my wasted money on all of my MG soil and not waste it), augment it with perlite and bark fines - try to make it like the 5:1:1 mixture that all of us here on GW worship. And as you get more into plants, you'll just completely shift over to the 5:1:1.

I swear, most of us really aren't a-holes, we just know what works and what doesn't work (most of the time).

Also, you should get your hands on some wooden dowels and shove them into the soil to see how moist it is and where it has dried. When I can't find the ones I bought from the craft store, I use my kebab skewers.

Good luck!

Thank, its not that i want to go against the advice but am looking to keep it alive until i get a chance to go get the soil over the weekend. Will Leaving it there for a day or two more irreversibly damage the cuttings?

Is there a there a specific brand? Of 5:11? How deep do i plant it and how frequently can i water? Can i use the same pot? I am a beginner with plants

thanks

where can I buy 511 mix from I just tried doing a search and went I went to google shopping I only saw liquid fertilizers/fish fertilizers ect but not potting mixes?

is there a specific store or location I can get it from?

Rani.....the soil you are using is OK. Pothos root easily in soil that is moist but not wet. Take a fork and stir the top of soil to get rid of too much moisture and mold. Looking at your pics...looks like your rooting is doing ok.

Don't listen to Anthony.

but where can I get the soil from? Home depot, lowes Walmart? what do I tell the attendant I am looking for?

If you want, you can mix the soil you have with 5 parts pine bark fines and some coarse perlite. That will make for a fast draining mix.

I just would never use MG moisture control on its own. It will stay soggy and you'll constantly have issues.

Everyones that uses it comes to this site reporting problems. The advice is always to get rid of it or amend it.

To keep it simple I am planning on buying a completely new soil mix so I don't have to buy several items to make my own mix.

is there a mix or brand that is available in stores that would be beneficial to me because I don't really understand how to mix the correct portions and everything.

Please advise.

I actually have manure at home that I used for a different plant that could not take the nutrients of miracle grow, could I mix the miracle grow in manure? or what do u suggest?

No, don't do that for indoor container plants.

Since you dont want to make a quality mix, I guess the best you can do would be to mix 50%+ perlite into your current mix.

Ok i got perlite soil so i just mix it 50/50 but more perlite then miracle grow correct n place the cuttings not so deep n compressed right?

Should i just throw away the rotting stem or will it decomposed to become a food or a parasite to the rest of the plant?

Rani,

I'm sorry but you're making this FAR too complicated.

The pot's way too big, the soil is too water retentive. We've all agreed on that; why that's a problem is that those 2 conditions combined are quite likely to kill the plant from rot.

If mine, I'd pull the vines out of the mix & place them together in a glass of clear fresh, plain, room temp water. They can be rooting while you amend your mix. Dave said the same thing -- root them in water, it'll be easier & less stressful for you.

Folks keep suggesting you what to do, you keep suggesting OTHERWISE. It's not that we wish to give you a hard time. It's that we have a combined few DECADES of experience in how to do this, what works & what doesn't.

No, sorry there is no one bagged mix which will work well for these, if there were, we'd all be using it. Mixing what you've got w 50% perlite is the simplest fix you've got.

These plants will not root from leaves alone, so pls. forget that & just throw those leaves out.

Also, pls. stop treating it w/ anything until you've had a chance to read up more on what's what. (The cinnamon is to be applied to the cut end one is rooting, not the soil & is entirely unnecessary w/ this plant.)

This plant is said to be easy, what's not said it it requires a fair amount of neglect. These are most often killed by overwatering. Once the mix is right watering can be about 10 days to 2 wks. One doesn't need a dowel, get a pencil to test for dryness.

BEFORE you can grow long vines, you have to get the plant to survive & then grow & gradually the vines will lengthen, tho' it's best to keep pinching them back & putting the cuttings back into the pot for a full & lush look.

IME those long vines get to looking bare & scraggly (that one gorgeous one posted on GW that filled that foyer being the exception, Dave was that you?)

Your idea about 70-72 degrees is confusing, do you mean leaving the cuttings out in the open air? It's not too cold, just won't do anything. Again, water rooting is the way for you to go here.

A small ordinary plastic pot w/ drainage holes would be best for these cuttings once they're established.

Lena

Lena, that was me and it's still looking good :)

Well said.

Thanks Dave,

Yes your Pothos is certainly memorable. My tiny kitchen denizen looks up in admiration. Pardonmy crummy shots, hastily shot a few pix to add on here for the OP to see.

Maybe we should call it 'Pothos 101':

Pls. note the size the plant relative to the size of the pot. That matters.

Here's some water rooted cuttings so you can see what Dave & I are suggesting you try.

A cup of cuttings I always keep growing in the bathroom.

In just water

I take them out, trim up the roots & put them back in the water; this way I always have a few fresh cuttings to add to other pots.

another

Cleaned up & back in their glass they go!

Were I to switch these into soil, I'd trim the roots to about an inch long & then pot them up.

Lena

Ok despite some harshed phased comments, as i said this is my first attempt n i am not trying to be difficult but trying to understand the logic because anyone can google it and find 100 different ways which just makes it confusing. but thanks the pic did help. Alot say once its in water it must stay in water or else it could get shock by going in soil and visa versa and i have read those in soil are thicker with bigger leaves compare to water so that my thought process.

i did unbury them from the soil, which did significantly dry out in the 24 hours which they were there. I have move them to pure water. All the cuttings despite being only one leave and nod each are all still very firm and look very much alive so I am hoping most if not all of then will grow roots.

I notice the roots (of the two original cutting) were very strong n stems green toward the bottom of the plant only above the surface was rotting. I cut the rotting part off so there r no longer leaves but a barren stem is it possible it will start growing again? at what phase would it be best to transfer to soil? After roots r in place or when i see new growth?

Sorry if any of of these questions sounds silly.

It looks like you have a fungus...not stem rot. Simply cut back on watering and remove all dark areas.