So many people love pothos plants. They’re fantastic houseplants that look great and are easy to care for.
Since they’re such appealing plants, you might want to own even more of them. Instead of going out to buy more plants, it’d be easier to propagate the plants that you already have.
Propagating these plants is fairly straightforward, but you might not know how to begin if you’ve never propagated plants before. Luckily, you’ll be able to read all of the information you need below.
Continue reading to learn about this process. This should make it far easier to get started.
How to Propagate Pothos Plants
Propagating a pothos plant isn’t going to be tough to do. Even so, you need to learn the right steps to get good results.
To start, you must take stem cuttings from one of your pothos plants. Generally, you need to ensure that each cutting has three to four nodes.
You then remove the bottom leaves from the cuttings and place the cuttings in water. A small container that’s filled with water can serve as the vessel for your pothos cuttings.
Once per week, you’re going to need to change the water in the container. Eventually, you’ll see that roots will start to form.
You’ll see roots growing out of the nodes that were mentioned earlier. This is a sign that things are going as planned.
Once the roots are two or three inches long, it’ll be time to put the cuttings into soil. You want to make sure that you use well-draining soil to get the best results.
Water the plant well and make sure that it’s getting enough sunlight. This is the basic method for propagating pothos plants that most people use.
You can also propagate these plants in soil. The steps are very similar except you don’t put the cuttings in water.
Instead of putting the cuttings in water, you’re going to dip the cuttings in rooting hormone. You then place the cuttings in soil to allow them to propagate.
Where to Cut a Pothos to Propagate
Taking the right type of cutting is imperative when you’re propagating these plants. If you take a poor cutting, you can’t expect to get great results.
Luckily, it’s pretty easy to get things right. You want to take a cutting that is between four and six inches long.
Make the cut just below a root node. The best cuttings will have three to four of these root nodes, but it’s okay so long as there are at least two nodes.
You can recognize nodes easily once you get used to looking for them. They’re small bumps that the leaves grow out of.
These nodes are where the new roots are going to grow as well. So long as you take the time to take good cuttings, propagating these plants will be a simple process.
The Pothos Water Propagation Method
The water propagation method is simple and some find it to be the easiest way to propagate pothos plants. You can take a cutting and then stick it in some water to grow a new plant.
You need to take an appropriate cutting, or it won’t grow roots in the water. Make sure that you cut a four to six inch section of the plant that contains at least a few nodes.
It’d be best if there are three to four nodes on the cutting. Two nodes can work out fine, though.
Next, you’ll want to find a good small container that you can put the cutting in. A small glass or plastic vase will work out nicely.
You need the container to be deep enough that the nodes on the cutting are submerged in the water. The leaves should not be submerged in the water.
Usually, you’ll have to remove the bottom leaves from the cutting. The top leaves should stay on the cutting.
Keep an eye on the plant and change the water once per week. This keeps the water fresh and helps the plant to have the best chance of growing roots.
After several weeks have passed, the pothos plant should start producing roots. The roots will grow directly out of the nodes.
After the roots have grown to two to three inches in length, it’ll be time to transfer the plant to soil. Put the plant in a small pot that contains well-draining soil.
Water it thoroughly and try to keep the soil moist consistently for the first few weeks. Congratulations, you successfully propagated pothos plants in water.
How Long Does It Take to Propagate Pothos Plants?
It doesn’t take too long to propagate pothos plants. Typically, the process will take between four and six weeks.
After you take the cuttings, you’ll place them in either soil or water. It’ll take a few weeks in water for the roots to grow.
Propagating the pothos in soil is a little different. You use rooting hormones, and that can speed up the process a bit.
Either way, you’ll want to baby the plant and look after it closely during those first four to six weeks. These plants are very easy to propagate, but you do need to approach things the right way.
How Long Does It Take to Propagate Pothos Plants in Water?
As mentioned above, the pothos plant should take around four to six weeks to propagate. This is true when propagating the plants using the water method.
The exact amount of time it’ll take the cuttings to produce roots will depend. Usually, it takes a few weeks for the cuttings to produce roots from the nodes.
Then you must wait for the cuttings to reach two or three inches in length. At that point, you can move the cuttings to soil.
So you need to exercise a bit of patience while continuing to change the water and monitor the plant. It doesn’t take long to get good results, but you can’t rush things, either.
Can You Propagate Pothos Plants in Soil?
Yes, it’s normal for people to propagate pothos plants in soil. You can propagate the plants in soil by taking cuttings as usual.
You don’t place the cuttings in water when using the soil method. Instead, you dip the cuttings in rooting hormone before placing them in soil.
The cuttings still need to be taken the same way as usual. You make sure that you have two or more nodes on the cutting to get the best results.
Rooting hormone is used to help the plant have the best chance during this process. You can buy rooting hormone at a local garden center or plant nursery.
Use well-draining soil when using this method. Make sure that you keep the soil consistently moist as the cuttings are growing.
Eventually, you’ll have a new pothos plant to enjoy. This method is just as reliable as the water propagation method.
How to Propagate Pothos Plants Without Rooting Hormones
You don’t need to use rooting hormones to successfully propagate pothos plants. Rooting hormones can help, but it isn’t necessary.
Most recommend using rooting hormones when propagating these plants in soil. However, everything can go just fine without it.
Rooting hormone will simply speed the process up a bit and help the cuttings to produce roots faster. You can simply root the plant and care for it well to get the same results.
It could take a few weeks longer without the rooting hormone. Generally, it takes four to six weeks to propagate pothos plants.
Without rooting hormone, you might expect it to take closer to six weeks. Don’t hesitate to attempt to propagate these plants if you don’t have rooting hormone.
Can You Propagate Pothos Plants Without Leaves?
You can indeed propagate pothos plants without leaves. So you can take a cutting that has two or three nodes but doesn’t have any leaves.
Ideally, you’d want to take a cutting that has a few leaves at the top. It can still go okay when you have a cutting with no leaves, though.
Just make sure that you follow the usual advice. Propagate the plant in either water or soil using the proper method.
Keep an eye on things, and you will eventually see roots grow. Of course, it’s more likely that things will go well if you’re propagating the plant during the growing season.
When to Propagate Pothos Plants
If you want to get the best results, you should propagate your pothos plants during the spring or summer. You want to do this during the plant’s natural growth period.
It’s not wise to propagate the plants during the fall or winter. This will have less of a chance of turning out okay.
So only propagate pothos plants during the growing season. This ensures that you’ll find success.
You should also know that the mother plant has a much easier time recovering when you take cuttings during the growing season. Taking cuttings during the fall or winter will make it harder for the mother plant to bounce back.
Can You Propagate a Long Pothos Vine?
It’s harder to root these plants when the cuttings are too long. Earlier, you learned that the cuttings are usually meant to be between four and six inches long.
Going with a longer cutting is not going to be helpful. It’ll just make it tougher to root the plant.
Ensure that you have at least two nodes on the cutting. It’s better if the cutting has four or more leaves as well, but you can propagate a pothos cutting without leaves.
So just make an effort to make cuts that are appropriate. Try to take a length of the pothos plant that is an appropriate size, and everything will go well.
Are Pothos Plants Easy to Care For?
Pothos plants are among the easiest plants to care for. Many people love these plants because they’re so beginner-friendly.
If you need a plant that isn’t going to take a lot of effort to care for, you’ll love owning a pothos plant. They look nice, and they’re not needy plants.
It’s also good that they’re very common plants that you can find in many different places. They’re sold in garden centers and nurseries all over North America.
These plants don’t cost a lot, and you’ll love how they look in your home. Don’t hesitate to get a pothos plant if you’re interested.
Once you own one pothos plant, you can propagate the plant so you can have even more plants. The process is very easy.
Is Propagating Pothos Plants Easy?
Yes, propagating pothos plants will always be very straightforward. Once you know what you’re supposed to do, it’s simple to get consistent results.
You can propagate these plants in either soil or water. They will do well so long as you set things up properly.
Take cuttings that are the right length and contain the right number of nodes. Be sure to change the water weekly if you choose to propagate the plant in water.
So long as you handle the basics, propagating these plants is something that any amateur can do. You don’t need years of experience caring for and propagating plants to do this.
Are Pothos Plants Safe?
Pothos plants are toxic and need to be kept away from small children and pets such as cats and dogs. So your pothos plant cuttings should be kept in a safe spot.
Note that pothos plants are generally only mildly harmful to people. Even so, it’s not something that you want a young child to chew on.
So be sure to put your pothos plants and pothos cuttings in safe locations. Doing so should keep both kids and pets safe from harm.
You don’t need to worry about pothos plants being unsafe so long as you are mindful about where you’re putting them. So long as you’re taking steps to place them in safe spots, it’s easy to enjoy good results.
Final Thoughts
You should feel much more confident about propagating pothos plants now. The entire process is simple enough that you won’t feel intimidated.
Generally, you just need to focus on taking good cuttings. Cut a four to six-inch section of the plant that contains at least two nodes, and you should be golden.
Remember that it’s best to propagate these plants during the spring or summer. Doing it during the fall or winter can be bad for the mother plant and is less likely to produce good results.
Both soil propagation and water propagation work nicely. Either option is viable, and both are decidedly easy to pull off.
If you love pothos plants, you shouldn’t hesitate to propagate them. You’ll have an easy time with it now that you know how to approach things.
Let your friends and family members know how to do it as well. Anyone who loves houseplants will benefit from having a better understanding of how simple propagation can be.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.