Growing pothos in water is easy as long as the plant gets the right amount of indirect light, water and nutrients.
This task does not require much in the way of supplies, either. All you need is a vase, water, and Miracle-Gro (or other fertilizers). There are no expensive pumps, fertilizers, or containers. Golden pothos grows easily from cuttings.

Water Propagating Pothos
Create new plants by propagating from existing pothos vines. This is the first step in growing pothos in water. Start by taking a healthy cutting with no brown or yellow leaves, and cut it directly below a leaf node.
Read: Why Do My Pothos Leaves Turn Yellow?
Choose a stem ideally with three leaf nodes. Remove the leaves below the node. This ensures that the leaves do not begin to decay underwater and keep oxygen from getting to the new roots.
The cutting should have small brown bumps forming along the vine near the nodes. These are aerial roots that will begin growing once the cutting is inserted in the water.
Make sure that at least one or two nodes of the plant are under the water. Pick a cutting with at least two leaves. It should take about 7-14 days for the roots to sprout. Once roots begin to sprout start fertilizing every four to six weeks.
Keeping Pothos Alive in Water
Do not merely place the pothos cuttings in the water and leave them alone. Follow the below steps to grow healthy pothos plants.
- Change the water intermittently. The ideal time to change the water is about once a week (no more than two weeks). Over time, water loses oxygen. Oxygen is essential to keeping pothos roots alive and breathing.
- Do not forget to feed your pothos. Use a high-quality water soluble fertilizer mix designed for houseplants.
- Keep containers clean. Most people choose to use a glass container, which is excellent for helping to spot algae growth. If you see algae forming in the container, remove the plant and wash the jar out before putting the pothos back.
Other Important Considerations When Growing Pothos in Water
Choosing to use an opaque vase is the best option to optimally care for a pothos plant growing in water. An Opaque vase will block more light and help prevent algae growth. Clear or glass vases will require more cleaning.
Tap water can be full of chlorine, which is not ideal for pothos growth. A great way to combat this issue is to leave the water out for about 24 hours in an open container before transferring it to the growing vase.
Avoid using solid fertilizers to feed pothos growing in water. Liquid fertilizer is more immediately available to the roots and gives the plant easy access to the nutrients it needs. (This is especially true when growing plants’ in a water source).
Recommended Reading:
- Varieties and Types of Pothos Plants
- Getting Rid of Mealybug on Pothos
- How To Take Cuttings From Pothos Plants
Wrap-Up
Now that you know a little about growing a pothos plant in water, it is time to try it on your own. Pothos is a great plant to start with as they:
- Are easy to grow
- Grow quickly
- Propagate easily
With a vase, a plant for cuttings, and plenty of water, you should be all set for growing pothos in water. Of course you can always start plants in water and plant in a potting mix later.
NOTE: Pothos tend to grow best in the “growing medium” they were started in. Start in water, grow in water. Start in a potting mix, grow in a potting mix.
All that is left to decide is where to place the plant, and how you are going to use it to for decorating.