Epipremnum aureum, also know as the pothos plant is a popular houseplant. This is a runner plant, which is usually hung on the wall and the leaves start to “run” downwards, or if there is a chain or fence, they cling to it.
The pothos plant’s leaves are green, which is why it can be a bad sign if they turn yellow or brown. Yellow leaves in plants are usually caused by inappropriate watering, but any problems should be investigated. To determine what has gone wrong, we need to know what environment is needed for the pothos plant.
How to make the right environment for the pothos plant?
Environmental factors include watering, light requirements, soil requirements, fertilisation and humidity. In the following sections, you should compare how your own environment differs from the one described here.
How much water does the pothos plant need?
Pothos plants usually need watering every 1-2 weeks. But this depends on the soil, sunlight and the size of the pot. Depending of the size, the pothos plant needs between 1 and 2 cups of water.
How much sunlight does the pothos plant need?
The pothos plant does not like direct bright light. It is recommended that it be placed in a room where it can only receive indirect sunlight, i.e. where it is not directly exposed to the sun.
At a time of year when there is less sunlight, such as in winter, you can place it in direct light because it can tolerate moderate sunlight. This is not advisable as it requires constant monitoring.
What kind of soil does the pothos plant like?
The soil for the pothos plant should be well-draining soil. The soil should be a mixture of the following ingredients: peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and compost. The pots should have drainage holes so that water can run off and not rot into the roots of the plant.
Does the pothos plant need fertilisation?
No, the pothos plant does not need fertilisation. if you tried to save your pothos plant with it, just stop using it.
What humidity does the pothos plant need?
The pothos plant likes every kind of humidity; dry or normal. The most optimal humidity is between 50% and 70%.
What to do if your pothos plant’s leaves turned yellow?
We already know what kind of environment we need to create for pothos plants, so we can get to work.
First, let’s look at sunlight. Consider whether the sun shines directly on the plant during the day. Too much direct sunlight can turn the leaves brown, which means that they have been burnt. In this case, the light is definitely the problem. Move the plant to a place where it will definitely not be exposed to direct sunlight.
If the leaves are only yellow and no brown spots are visible, then the problem is watering. The plant has been overwatered. Then the chemical substance called chlorophyll, which gives the plant its green colour, disappears from the leaves and they turn yellow. This chemical will not return, so the leaves will not green up. Give the plant less water.
Fortunately, the plant will tell us if we should give it more water or less. If you have only changed the amount of water in your pothos’ care and its leaves have yellowed, give it less water. If the leaves are starting to bend backwards, give it more water.
Finally, the leaves of the plant may turn yellow due to pests, mainly spider mites and mealybugs. These must be removed from the leaves in time. They often hide under the leaves and suck the life force out of the leaves, which is why they turn yellow. Pour isopropyl on a cloth and wipe them off the leaves.
What to do with the yellowed leaves?
As mentioned, after the loss of chlorophyll, the leaves will no longer green up. In this case, cut off the leaves of the plant and wait for new shoots.
In conclusion
The pothos plant is very undemanding, it’s not called devil’s ivy for nothing, because it’s hard to spoil and survives everything. However, if it is already showing signs of yellowing, start immediately with sunlight analysis and then reduce the amount of water. Cut off the yellowed leaves. The yellowed leaves will not turn green, so cut them off.
