When your usually tough pothos plant is showing signs of being unhappy it can be worrying. Maybe you’ve begin to notice some yellow leaves or it’s not as perky as it once was and is looking a bit droopy.
Don’t panic though – catching these warning signs early means you can usually bring your plant back to health. All you’ll have to do is change how you’re caring for your plant a little and it will likely bounce back.
So I’ll take you through the most common signs your pothos could be sending you that it’s upset. But more importantly I’ll show you how to help it recover and get back to it’s old self.
Yellowing Leaves
The first sign that something isn’t right with your pothos is often yellow leaves. Usually it’s happening because you’ve given it too much or not enough water. Although it can also be down to your pothos getting more sun that it would like.
What to Do
Check how moist the soil is. When you p it your finger in the soil if it’s feeling wet and heavy then you can be confident that’s the problem. Pothos roots need to be able to breathe and if the soil is too damp and wet it can suffocate them.
So you should let the soil dry out a little between each watering. If the soil is very dry though then you should be giving your pothos a drink. Make sure when you do that all the water flows out of the drainage holes.
If watering isn’t the problem then you should be looking at where your plant is placed. Are the yellow leaves facing a sunny window? If so then your pothos might be getting burnt.
The simple solution is to move it back from the window. You can also use a sheet curtain to filter the light.
Remember that pothos plants evolved to grow under larger trees. So it’s understandable that they would prefer bright, indirect light as that’s what they would have got in their natural habitat.
Wilting Stems
If your pothos is drooping then that’s usually a sign it’s unhappy with its environment. The stems could be wilting because they need water or the humidity is too low.
What to Do
First things first – look at how and when you’re watering. Instead of sticking to a tight schedule try to get to know what your pothos likes and needs.
In summer you might need to water more often than in winter. A good way to know when to water is feeling the top of the soil. If it’s dry then you should be watering.
Try to use room temperature water. The roots won’t like ice cold water and it could shock them and cause more problems.
If your home runs dry (especially during the winter when the heating is on), your pothos might like a humidity boost. If you’ve got more than one plant the grouping it with others can increase the humidity for them all.
Or try this simple trick: put your pothos pot on a tray filled with pebbles and a bit of water, keeping the pot above the water line. As the water evaporates it will raise the humidity level.
Brown Tips
If you’ve found crispy and brown edges on the leaves of your pothos it’s prob alt sunburn and dehydration combined. Your plant is showing you the air is too dry or there’s a build up of minerals in the soil from the tap water.
What to Do
If you’re using tap water try letting it sit out overnight before watering. This gives the chlorine and other chemicals a chance to dissipate that could be too harsh for your pothos.
If you can then it’s even better to collect rainwater or use filtered water. This will make a big difference if you’ve found a whole buildup on the surface of the soil.
For the crispy tips: mist the leaves a few times a week. But don’t overdo it. If you get the leaves too wet it can lead to fungal issues.
Instead of misting you could try moving where your plant is. If it’s near something like a heating vent or it’s spot is just very dry then a new place can make all the difference.
Stunted Growth
If your pothos has slowed down and isn’t giving your lots of new leaves then that’s a sign it isn’t getting what it wants and needs.
This could be because it’s root bound (imagine trying to grow while wearing shoes that are too tight), not getting enough light or just running low on nutrients.
What to Do
Look at the bottom of your pot – are the roots pushing out of the drainage holes? If so then you’ll definitely want to repot.
Pick a pot that about a few inches bigger than the current one. Too big a pot can result in overwatering problems. So make the change to a modest sized pot not a huge one.
For lighting pothos can put up with low light but won’t grow at their best without more. If where you’ve got your pothos is a lower light spot then you could think about using a grow light.
They’re more affordable and easy to use than ever these days. And giving your pothos the light it wants will mean you get bigger and better growth.
Leaf Drop
When your pothos starts dropping its leaves out of the blue then you know something is wrong. This often happens when your plant’s dealing with a major change or uninvited guests (yes, pests).
What to Do
Take a close look at your plant, especially under the leaves and along the stems. So you see any small white spots or tiny webs?
These could be spider mites or mealybugs. A simple solution of neem oil and water can get rid of them.
Just make sure you treat all parts of the plant, including the joints of the stem as that’s where the pests love to hide.
It could also be something as simple as moving your plant. Sometimes leaf drop is your plant reacting to being moved to a new environment.
So if you’ve recently moved it don’t panic. Pothos can get upset easily and their reaction is dramatic but give it a few weeks and they usually settle down.
Foul Soil
If your pothos pot is smelling nasty then that’s a bad sign. A foul smell will usually mean root rot and you’ll have to act fast to save your plant.
You’ll have to remove the parts of the roofs that are affected and then make changes so it doesn’t happen again.
Here’s what to do:
- Take your pothos out of its pot and wash away as much of the old soil as you can.
- Look for any roots that are brown or black and mushy – these parts will need to be trimmed off.
- Use clean scissors and trim them away. You only want to leave firm, white roots.
- Leave your pothos out for an hour or so before you replant it on fresh potting mix.
To stop root rot from happening again then add some orchid bark or perlite to the mix you’re using as it will help with drainage. It will give space for the water to flow through the soil instead of pooling around the roots.
Pale Leaves
When your pothos leaves are losing color and looking pale that’s it telling you it either needs more light or some more nutrients.
What to Do
Try moving your pothos to somewhere that is brighter. Although it still needs to be indirect light it’s getting.
Morning sun or filtered light through a sheer curtain works great. A grow light can also work wonders if you don’t have access to natural light.
For nutrients use a balanced fertilizer and give it to your pothos in the growing season. A little boost every few weeks during the spring and summer can really help to get the deep green leaves we all love.
Care Tips
The best way to deal with all these sorts of problems is to prevent them from happening in the first place. So keep an eye on your plant and check it the same way you might check your email or water your other plants.
You’re looking for for any early warning signs that something is up.
And don’t forget that your pothos needs different care as seasons change. In the winter it’s growth will naturally slow so you don’t need to water as much and can skip fertilizing until the spring.