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Growing your pothos in water is easier than growing them in soil. You need to take a healthy pothos plant, snip a few cuttings, then take a clear glass container to fill it with filtered water or water where the chlorine has evaporated. Lastly, put a few drops of fertilizer in the water and add your cuttings.
Growing plants in water is becoming more popular as people see the potential of water propagation.
I decided to grow my pothos plant in water because the soil is messy, and it can be hard to remember to water them regularly. The great part is, you won’t need a lot of extra equipment.
How To Grow A Pothos In Water – Pothos Water Propatagion
The idea of growing any plant without soil seems strange to most people, but water propagation is a unique way of growing plants with minimal effort.
Here is the vital information you will need to grow your pothos in water.
Why Would You Want To Grow A Pothos In Water?
There are numerous reasons why you would want to grow your pothos in water like:
- You don’t need to buy special potting soil to grow your pothos in.
- You don’t need to have planter boxes because you will start in water immediately.
- There won’t be any mess that soil make in your home.
- It’s a way to save neglected plants.
- You can keep plants thriving for longer.
Benefits Of Growing Pothos In Water
There are a few benefits when propagating your pothos in water. Propagation is beneficial not only to the plant but also to you and your schedule.
Here are some of the benefits of growing your pothos in water:
You Can Grow The Cuttings In Water
It’s one way to put plant trimmings to good use. When you cut back a pothos plant, if it’s overgrown, then you might want to save the cuttings instead of throwing them away. They make great propagation starter plants.
You Can Revive A Neglected Pothos
If you have a pothos that looks a bit worse for the wear and have tried almost anything to fix it, you might want to try water propagation.
You can save as many of the stems as possible, and before long, you should have a thriving pothos plant.
You Can Save Money In The Long Run
You will save money over time because pothos water propagation doesn’t need potting soil or special pots to grow in.
You won’t need special equipment, and you won’t need to replace the soil when there are problems.
You Can Keep One Plant Alive For Longer
If you understand propagation, it can help you keep a plant alive for much longer than with soil. It ties in with saving you money in the long run. It’s a long-term way to care for your pothos plant.
They Make Great Gifts
Think about giving them away as gifts when you are cutting back a pothos plant and don’t want to keep the trimmings. They will be easy to care for with proper instruction and make great gifts.
How Long Does A Pothos Plant Take To Propagate In Water?
A pothos plant can take between 4-6 weeks to propagate with proper care. You can speed up the propagation by using a heating mat if needed. You also need to change the water every few days to get the best results.
How Do You Water Pothos In Water?
When you have a pothos plant in water, you don’t water it; however, you need to change the water the plant is in once every 1-2 weeks to keep your pothos plant healthy and thriving.
How To Propagate Pothos in Water
You can also read my detail guide on Pothos propagation here.
Pothos Propagation in Water Step-By-Step Guide
It might seem intimidating to propagate a pothos plant in water, but if you follow this step-by-step guide, it will be less intimidating, and you will find your pothos will thrive.
What You Will Need
Before you get started on propagating your pothos plant in water, there are some items you will need to get started:
- You will need a healthy pothos plant
- Sterile garden shears, sharp scissors, or scalpel
- A mason jar or small glass bowl
- Fertilizer that works with water propagation
- Enough water to fill the container (tap water has chlorine in it so let the water stand out in the open for at least a few days before you start, that gives the chlorine time to evaporate, leaving you with safe water to propagate)
Step 1
You need to choose what jar or container you want to put your cuttings or pothos plant in. It’s best to start with a clear glass jar so you can keep a close eye on the development of your pothos roots without disturbing the plant too much.
Step 2
You need to sterilize the scissors, shears, or scalpel and the container you will be using. It is a very important step because you don’t want to introduce pathogens that might kill the plant later.
Step 3
Before cutting back the pothos plant to get the trimmings, you must check if the pothos plant you want to use is healthy enough. A plant that is too small or unhealthy will not survive if you take the healthy clippings.
Step 4
Snip your cuttings. Plants grow using their nodes (little nubs on the side of the stem), so when making your cuttings, ensure each cutting has at least one node in the water so the roots can grow. You need to cut the stem at a 45 –degree angle to ensure the plant will regrow a new stem.
Step 5
You need to put your cuttings into the clear container and fill it with the (chlorine-free) water. Pour a few drops of any liquid fertilizer into the water and place each cutting into its container.
Step 6
If you see that some of the leaves are underwater, you can cut them off because you only need the nodes in the water. Leave the plant in a place with enough light and leave the pothos to grow their new roots.
Step 7
After two weeks you need to change the water. Put some tap water aside in an open container a few days before you have to change the water to ensure the chlorine has evaporated.
Then gently remove the cuttings from the water and replace the water with the water you set aside.
Remember to add a few drops of fertilizer to the water and put the cuttings back in the freshwater. If you see roots have begun to form, you can put some cutting in the same container; it will make a bigger, more lush plant.
Ensure that the roots always stay below the waterline, so check on the pothos every few days and make sure no roots stick out above the water.
How Long Does It Take A Pothos Plant To Root In Water?
It takes up to 18 days for a pothos plant to start rooting. It takes between 4-6 weeks for the plant to grow roots long enough to plant or keep in the water vase or jar you are using.
How Do You Keep Your Pothos Alive In Water
When you are caring for your pothos, you can keep them alive by following this basic guide:
- Change the water every 2-3 weeks.
- Use filtered water or keep enough water aside for a few days before replacing the water.
- Rember to use a few drops of liquid fertilizer every time you replace the water.
- Cut off any leaves that hang in the water; you only want nodes and roots under the water.
- Keep the photos in a place with enough light, and don’t move it around too often; it will stress the plant.
- Cut back the plant when it gets too big to allow new healthy growth.
Care After Propagating Pothos In Water
You have successfully propagated your pothos plant, and you wonder now what? Aftercare for a pothos cutting is not difficult, and you need to ensure the water is changed every 2-3 weeks; you always put a few drops of liquid fertilizer in the freshwater, cut the leaves that hang in the water, and keep the roots submerged.
Are There Specific Fertilizers You Should Use For Your Pothos?
Most experts have a favorite fertilizer they prefer to use when propagating a pothos, but as long as it is a liquid fertilizer, your pothos will be healthy.
The liquid fertilizers work better and will distribute more evenly than the powder.
Freqently Asked Quuestions On Propagating Pothos In Water
Here are some frequently asked questions about propagating pothos plants in water:
Can I Use Any Container To Propagate A Pothos Plant In Water?
You can use almost any container but keep in mind that certain plastics can leech chemicals into the water over time.
So the best container to use for water propagation is a clear glass container.
Can I Add More Than One Cutting In A Container At A Time?
You can, but only after the cuttings have taken root. The cuttings need to stay apart, so the one doesn’t steal all the nutrients, and the others die.
After they have taken root, you can put a few cuttings together in the same container, and they will make a bigger thriving plant.
Won’t The Roots Get Root Rot If They Are In Water All The Time?
Pothos plants can get root rot when you propagate it in water if:
- the water isn’t changed regularly, the water will become dirty over time, and it will affect your plant
- there are leaves in the water, wet leaves will rot, and this will affect the entire plant leading to root rot
- you submerge the crown of a plant as this will rot the rot will travel to the roots
- when the pothos cutting doesn’t get adequate light, if it doesn’t get enough light, the cutting and roots will rot
Pothos Water Propagation Conclusion
It’s not half as intimidating as you imagine to successfully propagate a pothos plant in water. It’s easier to do it this way than when using soil. You need to ensure the soil has just the right amount of moisture.
Water propagation is much easier if you tend to forget to water your plants or travel a lot.
Using a few trimmings from a pothos plant, you can quickly have a new thriving plant, or you can give the newly water propagated pothos cuttings as gifts to family and friends.