Guys and gals- I had come to think of this as more of an experiment, a learning experience, more about the wonder of plants. In that effort, I will continue. The harsh tone of some folks is unhelpful- I am not hurting anybody or repeating the same behavior expecting different results or posting incessantly, so please, lighten up. The advice is wonderful. What I glean from so many knowledgeable plant aficionados is worth the trouble sorting through invective. I was away a long time, and this is what I found when I came home. I said I'd update for the kind folks who gave advice and also for any person who may have the same problem. I posted the pics because someone asked, and its kind of unbelievable if you don't see it. I may still make shorter cuttings, but as I said (it probably got lost in the thread) I have two more doing well, I might put them on the stairs. These are not "rescue" plants, and they are from cuttings of the same plant(s) so the sentimentality is saved. The challenge was to try and save these 25 year old vines. I am not clear on if anyone thinks cuttings ~ 6 feet long would ever be leafy on the original portion, and someone pointed out that it's not likely on old vines. I also agree with whoever said that it probably wasn't all that groovy leafy before I moved it, it was probably just so many vines that had some leaves that together it looked like a leafy plant. 14 vines! I am surprised where the new growth is, and isn't. I also said I would not make a hospital for my plants, and gave the quote and reference from Crockett's Victory Garden. But I do want to learn all I can from this, and I am excited to try what might work. I know my plant is gone. I am just surprised it didn't die. I have another rule about my plants, I think I may have said, they have to demonstrate the will to survive. This one has. So I am not going to kill it (intentionally). I am not going to cut it up (because I have at least two healthy Pothos)- unless someone is saying they think that will make leafy ~6ft vines? I will try that if that's the case. Anyone? I was waiting until I had proper shears to cut the mush off, because part of my thinking was that perhaps these didn't root in water because I had used a knife, as I hadn't anything in the new house. I learned a lot from everyone, (especially those who are diplomatic and took care and time to write, post pictures, and read, and question, and join in the spirit of wonder here) but what Josh said made so much sense, and gives me another experiment to try: "I would also guess that having the cut ends in water may reduce the likelihood of rooting under the soil further up the vine. A lack of moisture is often what stimulates a stem/cutting to send out roots in search of moisture." I never had much success with air layering, or soil layering, whatever the heck its called lying roots over soil, and thought I was covering my bases by doing both, but here is an explanation for why neither was working but the plant still lives. I am also running out the door (have to go back to NYC for the weekend). And then this from Josh: "Regardless of what went wrong, cut that mush off the vines. Pronto!" So I did. I used a big scissors, it cut cleanly and easily through the green of all 14 vines outside the water, which were surprisingly juicy and alive. I tucked the ends in a bit of the soil and took a picture. (I'll post later, probably before and after?) The soil is wet, the house will be mostly empty for 4 days, I'll return and see what happened, if anything. Everyone has invested their time in my project, even those who were a bit unkind, and I much appreciate it. Anyone who wants to know how it turned out on Sunday or Monday, look here because I will update. I'd like to ask that anyone who cannot restrain themselves from smacking me around while giving advice just ignore this thread from now on please (or just please give the advice without the attitude). For fun, anyone want to predict what will happen? Will I come home to a shriveled, brown and browning set of vines? Will I find something poking out of a node, into the soil? Will the little leaves that are left have turned yellow? I think... Josh is right... I think taking the water away (especially if there ever was any root rot at any time involved) will stimulate the plant to do something. I think it will either live or die. If it wants to live without leaves, I accept that too. Thank you everyone for great help and knowledge.

Speaking of disagreement, I count to ten whenever someone uses hardiness zones as a reference point for houseplant care. I too, am in zone 5, which merely tells me what the average minimum temperatures are outdoors in winter. That is what the zones were originally designated for, and as far as I am concerned, their only real use is for choosing appropriate outdoor plants. Zones say nothing about latitude and available light (there is a zone 7 in both Alaska and Texas, and a Zone 4 in both Maine and New Mexico, for extreme examples), or anything else having to do with indoor care. Even if you are looking for a last frost date, in preparation for putting houseplants outdoors, these are often the same across zones. One of the more memorable discussions I read online was started by a person who was astonished that her friend who lived in Zone 7 Virginia had the same last frost date as she, who lived in Zone 5 Kansas. That said, it just so happens that coincidentally, I have the perfect situation available for an experiment. I had a wandering jew that I found was doing rather poorly, due to a combination of not being in ideal light, and lax watering. Last week, I was just going to toss the whole thing out. But being a goofy, sentimental plant person, I couldn't manage to do so completely. ;-) So I took a few tip cuttings, which have already begun rooting. I cut off all the remaining leggy vines, and tossed them out. This left me with pot of soil with a few inch long stems. I was going to throw this out and clean the pot out for future use, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. If anyone is interested, I will hold onto to the pot, place it in a reasonably sunny spot, and see how it does. I will also takes photos of the process.

The cuttings should have been/must be diped in a solution of dilute chlorox..... The fungus most likely contaminated the cuttings. Smaller cuttings can be rooted if use 0.1% IBA (rooting hormone) stick in soil & mist. Keep the rooted cuttings in GOOD light, keep moist, & lightly fertilize lightly every 2 weeks This will promote new growth & have more material to propagate later.

It really doesn't matter where or when you cut them. Third node or any node. Now or anytime. Just observe your plants and trim them when you want them smaller or shorter. But if you want stems which are 'super long' obviously don't chop them off.