What To Do If Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow

Pothos is a common houseplant and often thought of as the easiest one to grow. Its botanical name is Epipremnum aureum. It is also sometimes called taro vine or devil’s ivy. Pothos is a vine plant, but it doesn’t need a trellis. However, it can be draped around a room in a becoming fashion. It can grow up to thirty feet long, but most plants are between six and ten feet.

How To Grow Pothos

While it is easy to grow, pothos does need a few things to thrive. This plant does well in moderately cool temperatures. It prefers about fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit but can handle warmer room temperatures. Pothos also needs full shade or partial shade though it does like diluted sunlight.

This plant isn’t picky about soil, it does need to have some fertilizer. When first planting it, use potting soil that has some in it. The plant does not like to be overwatered. Let the soil dry out completely before watering it.

Keep in mind that all parts of this plant are poisonous. It is a mild to moderate poison as it contains calcium oxalate, which is a sharp crystal. It can cut into a person or pet’s mouth at the first bite. If it is swallowed it can continue to cause small cuts on all of the ways through the digestive tract. It is best to keep it out of the reach of pets and children.

Causes Of Yellow Leaves On Pothos And How To Treat It

Like many perennial vines, pothos can have naturally occurring yellow leaves. As leaves get older, they turn color and fall off so new growth can flourish. These will be at the base of the stems rather than the tips. Nothing needs to be done for the plant for this type of yellow leaf.

However, if the leaves are occurring elsewhere on the plant, it’s time to look at other things. The number one cause of pothos leaves turning yellow is due to overwatering. As mentioned before, pothos likes to have the soil completely dry before watering it again. It’s best not to wait until the leaves begin to show signs of stress, but don’t give in to the urge to water like other houseplants.

Poor drainage can be a cause of yellow leaves on pothos. For indoor plants, make sure that there is nothing but potting soil in the pot. There should be a hole at the bottom of the pot, and there should not be a pebble on the hole. The plant needs drainage. The other debris in the pot can create other problems, such as poisoning the plant.

With both overwatering and poor drainage, the rotting of roots is also one factor for having yellow leaves on pothos. If you tip the pot you can check for this problem. White roots are indicative of healthy roots. Tan or brown roots are signs that they are rotting.

It is possible to treat root rot but time is of the essence. Gently remove the plant from the pot. Wash the roots in cool, running tap water. As you do this, try to get as much potting soil off of the plant as you can. The old soil may contain spores caused by rotting. Also gently remove all of the rotted roots.

When this is done, clean the pot and put the clean soil into it to replant the pothos.

Having white roots may not mean that the roots aren’t the problem. It is important to check and see if the pothos is root-bound. If roots are showing out of the hole in the bottom and they are wrapped tightly around the pot, it’s time to put it in a larger pot.

Temperatures:

While this plant prefers fairly cool temperatures, cold drafts can also cause yellow leaves on pothos. This could be from an air conditioning duct or it could come from outdoor temperatures finding a way inside. Plants that are near windows in the winter may suffer from this. This plant also does not like too much heat. Having it close to a heating duct can also cause yellow leaves on pothos.

In areas that get extremely high temperatures a lot of the year, pothos may require air conditioning to survive. Some areas see temperatures in the high eighties to the low one hundred six or more months at a time. If you live in such an area, try to keep the plant cool enough.

As you check off things that cause yellowing of the leaves, remove the yellowed ones so you can check to see if the problem is solved. Monitoring the plant will help prevent unnecessary replanting or other methods of dealing with the problem. This is for yellowing not occurring due to older growth.

Pothos and Fertilizer

The good news is that pothos doesn’t need a lot of fertilizer, as it is a low-feeding plant. That’s one of the reasons it is considered easy to grow. That said, potting soil is not known for having much in the way of nutrients. Once a month or once every two months, depending on plant size, use a small amount of fertilizer on it. If you are unsure of the volume, talk to someone at your local nursery to find out how much to use and when to apply it.

Pruning Pothos

The plant takes well to pruning. It will have a fuller, bushier appearance if the vines are kept fairly short. Thin vines can be cut back to the root ball with no problem for the plant, as new vines will grow to replace it. Pruning also prevents some of the problems with drafts and excess heat. It’s a lot easier to keep a shorter plant at the right temperature. It’s also easier to check to see if the plant is ready for more water.