Pothos is a vigorously growing plant that is easy to keep as a houseplant. Even so, it may react negatively to inhospitable conditions by drooping.
What are some of the things that will cause droopy pothos, and what can you do about them?
This article presents ten reasons your pothos’ leaves may be drooping, along with quick, easy fixes.
We also provide sound advice to help you grow healthy, happy pothos.
Top 10 Causes And Fixes For Drooping Pothos Plants
In a nutshell, your pothos may be drooping because:
1. It is thirsty. If the soil feels dry and the plant is drooping, place the entire plant in a container of lukewarm water for about an hour. It will perk right up.
2. Its leaves are parched. Dry air can cause the leaves to droop, even if you are watering the soil correctly. Mist the plant or increase humidity with a humidifier or a pebble tray.
3. It is drowning. Pothos may also droop if they get too much water. If the soil is soggy and the plant is drooping, withhold water until the soil is dry. Provide an antifungal treatment with the first watering.
4. Lighting is inadequate. Pothos don‘t like harsh, direct light but need a full day of bright, indirect sunlight for photosynthesis. Without it, the leaves will droop, and the plant will die.
5. Fungal or bacterial diseases may have developed. Plants overwatered or kept in an area with too little light are subject to fungal and bacterial growth. When this happens, prune away damaged leaves and roots, use appropriate fungal or bacterial treatments, and repot.
6. The soil is wrong. Pothos needs a light, airy soil mix that allows good air circulation to the roots. If your mixture is heavy or compacted, repot using a good quality potting mix.
7. The plant is crowded. Pothos is a very enthusiastic grower that can quickly fill a small pot with roots and use up the soil.
When this is the case, leaves will droop due to a lack of moisture and nutrients. Repot using a good quality potting mix.
8. Your plant is in shock. Plants recently moved or repotted may droop for a few days due to transplant shock. Provide TLC, and your plant will pull through.
9. Your plant is cold. Pothos need consistently warm temperatures (70°-90° degrees Fahrenheit). A plant exposed to temperatures below 50° degrees Fahrenheit for several hours or below 32° degrees Fahrenheit for a brief period will experience damage and droop.
Cut away the damaged leaves and move the plant to a consistently warm setting.
10. Sap-sucking insects make leaves droop. Weakened plants can quickly become infested by houseplant pests that suck the life out of them. Take good care of your pothos, as described above, to avoid having pests invade.
Inspect your plants regularly and remove aphids, mealybugs, and the like by wiping them off with a damp cloth.
Mist the plant with a neem oil solution to repel pests and give the leaves a bit of shine.
Quick And Easy Pothos Care
There are wide varieties of Epipremnum aureum (ep-ih-PREM-num AW-ree-um), and they are all very easy to care for.
These perennial, evergreen members of the Araceae family of plants make wonderful beginner plants and grow enthusiastically when kept as a hanging basket, pedestal, or tabletop plants in the home or office.
In tropical settings, they can do well as a ground cover.
No matter what kind of pothos you have, remember that when taking care of it, moderation is key- avoid extremes.
Simple, consistent care will pay off with healthy, thriving, happy plants.
Be sure your pothos has:
Moderate Light
If you want to use your plant in a low-light setting, do so on a rotational basis. Keep a couple of pothos plants and let them take weekly turns between bright-indirect sunlight and low light.
Clean Leaves
Mist your plants’ leaves daily to keep humidity levels high. Once a week, mist with a neem oil solution and wipe the leaves gently to discourage pests and shine and clean the leaves. This also helps the plant make good use of sunlight.
Light, Occasional Feeding
Give your pothos a half-strength feeding of water-soluble houseplant fertilizer once every couple of months.
Regular Grooming
Trim your plant to encourage a bushy growth habit. Pick off yellowed older leaves as they occur.
Consistently Warm Temperatures
Place your plant in an area that doesn’t get cold or hot drafts. If you are away from your home or office for an extended period, ensure the temperature stays regulated.
Or have your plant cared for in a setting where the temperature will remain consistent in your absence.
It’s easy to see that the care of pothos is quite simple. These rugged houseplants can do very well in almost any comfortable indoor environment.
Provide simple, basic maintenance, and you can boast of thriving pothos.
Then you can share healthy cuttings with your gardening friends and relations.
