Pothos plants (Epipremnum Aureum), also known as Devil’s ivy, is a hardy, fast-growing indoor vining plant that makes a great choice in a hanging basket, on a pedestal, or trailing about a room.
In most cases, Pothos (Golden Pothos, Jade, and Marble Queen Pothos) will grow quickly, but if you want it to grow at top speed, you must pay close attention to the following:
- Temperature
- Soil Quality
- Watering
- Lighting
- Feeding
In this article, we share tips to help you grow a Pothos plant faster. Read on to learn more.
7 Tips for Fast-Growing Pothos
Begin With A High-Quality Potting Mix
Be sure to invest in a light, airy, good-quality mix that is rich in organic matter.
Never reuse old potting mix, and do not use garden soil or packaged mixes intended for purposes other than growing houseplants.
Moreover, you can amend your soil with peat moss, perlite, and sand.
TIP: Don’t keep Pothos in water long term. Even though they can grow in water, they won’t grow well or quickly.
Once you have started a pothos cutting in water and gotten some root growth, you should immediately get it into potting soil. Consider having it grow up a moss pole totem.
Choose A Consistently Warm Setting
These tropical plants, hailing from the Solomon Islands, grow best in temperatures ranging from 70° – 90° degrees Fahrenheit.
Place Pothos In A Location Receiving Bright, Indirect Sunlight
Although a Pothos vine will survive in a low-light setting, it will not thrive. Too little sun will cause stretched, weak, leggy growth and loss of variegation.
On the flip side, too much harsh, direct sunlight will damage and bleach Pothos leaves.
Water Judiciously
Overwatering will cause weak, floppy growth and root rot. So use the soak-and-dry method of watering. Water thoroughly and then let the soil completely dry before watering again.
Remember, providing the right amount of water will maintain the growth of your Pothos plant.
If you are starting with a cutting rooted in water, give it a good watering to start, and then keep the soil consistently moist until the roots take hold and you notice new growth on the plant.
You can also use a rooting hormone to encourage faster growth.
Fertilize With Balanced Fertilizer
Fertilize with a balanced organic or slow-release, general-purpose, water-soluble houseplant solution once early in spring and again mid-summer.
You may also add plant food monthly during the growing season to make your pothos grow faster. However, do not fertilize during the winter months.
Ensure you’re plant is getting the right balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Note that if you repot annually in the springtime with a high-quality potting mix, your Pothos will not need fertilizer at all. Still, a bit of liquid fertilizer in the spring and summer will encourage rapid foliage growth.
Prune Damaged or Old Leaves Promptly
Trim off dead or damaged leaves promptly and prune as needed at the leaf nodes to attain the desired shape and growth habit using sharp, clean scissors or pruning shears.
You can also remove the leaves at the lower end of the stem.
Always use a very sharp, sterile blade for pruning and trimming.
Related: Details on How To Prune Pothos Plants
Check Plants For Pests Regularly
Monitor your plant closely for pests. If you follow the tips above, you are unlikely to have any problems with houseplant pests.
You should examine your plant every few days for signs of insects, including caterpillars, mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, thrips, and the like.
If you catch them early, these bugs are easy to get rid of with a blast of water and/or a paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol.
Why your Pothos or Philodendron isn’t growing. (Indoor Vine)
What To Do If Your Pothos Doesn’t Grow Quickly
If you feel you are following all the tips above, but your plant seems to have hit a growth plateau, review your care practices. Ask yourself:
Am I Over Or Underwatering?
Your plants’ water needs will change with growth and with a change of seasons. If your plant has grown significantly, it may need more water. In cooler weather, it may need less water.
You can avoid under or overwatering your Pothos by sticking to a proper watering schedule.
More On: How Often Do You Water Pothos
Are Humidity Levels Adequate?
If it grew well in the spring and summer but slowed down in the winter, you may need to provide a bit more water and/or daily misting because your heating system is drying the air in your home.
A humidifier may help.
Is The Temperature Consistent?
As temperatures change outdoors, temps near windows may become dangerously hot or dangerously cold. Pothos will not be happy at temperatures lower than 50° or higher than 90° degrees Fahrenheit.
In the summertime, you may need to move your plant a bit farther from the window or add a sheer curtain during the hottest part of the day.
In the winter, you may need to move your plant away from the window or put up a layer of clear plastic to protect it from the chill.
Is My Plant Getting The Right Amount Of Light?
Seasonal changes cause changes in lighting. The path of the sun around the earth changes somewhat, and changes such as the loss of leaves on deciduous trees outdoors can change the amount of light your houseplants receive indoors.
Observe your plant and the light it receives closely and make changes as needed to be sure your Pothos receives at least 6 hours of bright, indirect light daily.
Am I Fertilizing Too Much?
Although some sources recommend fertilizing seasonally, this really is not necessary with Pothos. A moderate dose of fertilizer in Spring and again in Summer is plenty.
Even with this small amount, fertilizer can build up in the soil over time. This will stunt your plant’s growth. When this happens, you may notice a salty layer on the soil’s surface.
You may be able to flush excess fertilizer out of the soil by running water through until it runs clear through the drain holes.
Do I Need To Repot?
If your Pothos has been in the same pot for a couple of years, it probably needs fresh soil.
One indication that you need to repot your plant is when roots are already poking out of the drainage holes.
Even with regular fertilizing, your plant will eventually consume all the nutrients in the soil.
Repot, divide, and trim the plant to give it a fresh start.
Am I Using The Right Size And Type Of Pot?
If you purchased your Pothos in a garden center, it may have come in a very small pot. You’ll want to change that right away.
Move a young start from its tiny plastic nursery pot to a terra cotta pot with good drainage as soon as you bring it home. The new pot should be about twice the size of a nursery starter pot.
Pothos is Naturally a Fast and Aggressive Grower!
Hardy, enthusiastic immature Pothos is a popular houseplant for novice gardeners because it is so easy to grow and propagate.
In fact, in conducive tropical settings, it can easily make a pest of itself. If you live in a cool climate, your Pothos will live happily indoors during cold weather and may enjoy sitting on the porch or patio in the spring and summer.
Related: How To Make Pothos Fuller
If you live in a tropical setting, be careful not to let your Pothos get away from you when it’s outdoors.
In tropical settings, such as Florida, Pothos is considered a dangerous invasive plant, and growing slowly is definitely not a problem.
When this Category II Invasive Exotic plant escapes cultivation in a conducive setting, its vines can rapidly attain lengths as great as 50′ feet.
They can completely cover mature trees with leaves spanning a couple of feet wide. When this happens, the mature plant is called Hunter’s Robe.
