Pothos plant care for a beginner
Hi all!
First post from a beginner here, looking for some advice. We have a pothos plant hanging from our living room ceiling next to a street-side window that we potted in a pretty small pot (9" diameter). It was pretty healthy for that past few months with 4-5 very long vines, until we saw some yellow leaves as well as some with holes in them, so we decided to remove it from the pot and add some fresh potting soil (blend of peat, sphagnum peat moss, and perlite) to the existing soil (along with a splash of fertilizer liquid) which had a lot of thicker bark in it.
However, now its showing more wilting, has a case of "hat-hair" where the top is not bushy, and some of the vines/leaves are getting lighter in color. Given the fact that the pot has to stay the same size (to fit in the hanging piece), should we prune some of the vines? Does that make a difference? We know we shouldn't touch it TOO much so just wanted to get any opinion on how to manage, e.g. keeping the vines short or watering it less. We currently water it once a week. Thanks!
Comments (10)
Karen S. (7b, NYC)
4 years agoRelated Discussions
What Are Good House Plants For Beginners?
Comments (14)I don't consider myself a beginner at all and wouldn't spend money on any of those plants you mentioned and I have a big yard with many options for sun exposure that you probably don't have in NYC. I haven't tried the zebra plant, but have quickly killed the other 3 in the past. No doubt it was my fault and ignorance about the plants' needs. But since I have so many other plants that do so well, it seems I've learned that these do not do well in the conditions I have to offer. Your taste in pretty leaves seems similar to mine, so I might suggest some others (in addition to the excellent suggestions already made, sorry if any of these are dupes) that are pretty but much easier to keep in captivity... any of the Dracaenas, Syngonium, cane or wax Begonias, parlor palms....See MoreMeyer lemon first pruning & care for beginners
Comments (1)At some point, your tree got much more needed sunlight than now which explains the smaller leaves verses the bigger ones towards the top. Small and compact growth = lots of sunlight Bigger leaves and elongated = lack of sunlight There is nothing wrong with trimming your tree now. Usually may of us have a vision of what they want their tree to look like and cut accordingly..It's a matter of personal preferrence. Where each cut is made, it should be just above a leaf joint and in a way that you will direct new growth. For instance, if you want a branch to grow to the left, you would cut to the node of the leaf facing right... Some like their trees as tall as they can grow so will just cut below the top tips. Others like them short and bushy, cutting almost down to the soil level or graft line.. Whether you leave fruit on or not depends on how much sunlight and fertilizer you give it. If you pan on feeding heavily, you tree will support the fruit and still grow well. If you grow it outside even better. If you plan on leaving it outside, if the growth is already poor, or if you are not consistent with fertilizng, then I would take all the fruit off.. MIke)...See MoreRecommendation for indoor 3-5' house plant for a beginner
Comments (20)I second Karen's opinion, and urge the original poster to scroll through the first few pages in this forum to see all of the "First time plant owner, and I bought a fiddle leaf fig, and it isn't going so well" threads. If you have no experience caring for plants, please please understand that growing plants indoors can be especially difficult for a beginner, both because the average indoor location may not be ideal for a lot of plants (low light, low humidity, etc.) and because growing in containers has its own set of challenges, that can excessively stress plants if not properly addressed. Stressful environment from low light and humidity + stress from someone new that is still learning the ins and outs of container growing = unhappy plant. Starting with a smaller plant has the advantage that if it doesn't go well, you haven't lost as much. What about an end table with a smaller potted plant on it, in that corner?...See MoreIs my Pothos plant dead?
Comments (5)Remove from basket or take the whole thing down , water outside or in sink, let water run out the hole. Allow to drain thoroughly before rehanging. If you must water while it’s hanging, you’ll need to put something under it to catch the water. I agree with Christine above, caring for hanging plants can be kind of a nuisance. Easier to care for it on the counter or table. I also agree with repotting it with fresh indoor potting mix and a little larger pot with a hole. These are easy plants and yours looks good. Water when you feel the soil dry, with your finger. No direct sun for this plant....See More
Luis Ordonez
4 years agoLuis Ordonez
4 years ago
socks
4 years agoAre you by chance watering in the hanging pot and letting it sit in the drain water? It looks tricky to take out and water, but sitting in water isn’t good either.
I have a couple of these and get the occasional yellow leaf but don’t worry about it, just pluck it off. Mine are not hanging but on the table top. I don’t like the long vines and keep them trimmed so It stays bushy. Just a matter of preference.
Just my two cents.
Luis Ordonez thanked socksLuis Ordonez
4 years agoThanks all for the resources and information! We followed Karen's advice and repotted, and we found that the soil towards the bottom of the pot was packed in super tight, possibly causing a drainage issue. It looks a bit healthier now (removed a bunch of the very yellow leaves).
Tropicbreeze, we usually water it without taking the inside pot out of the hanging pot, however the inside pot has a tray attached at the bottom which prevents the water from spilling into the hanging pot. I think we may start removing it from the hanging pot everytime we water it, and letting it sit in the sink until ready to hang back up.
This is how its looking today, thanks everyone! Very helpful.
hc mcdole