How to Grow Pothos
Pothos At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Houseplant
Sun Exposure
Partial Shade
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to 10°C
Plant Family
Araceae
Growing Season
Year Round
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Cut a piece of vine 10 to 15 cm long with 2 or 3 leaves, just below a node (the small bump where a leaf joins the stem, where roots will grow). Stand it in a glass of water with the node under water and the leaves above, in bright light. Roots appear in 1 to 2 weeks; once they are about 5 cm long, plant it in potting mix. Put several cuttings in one pot for a fuller plant.
Pothos is one of the easiest houseplants there is: it handles low light and the odd missed watering and still grows fast. Let it trail from a shelf or climb a moss pole, and every trim you give it can become a new plant.
When To Start
Pothos grows all year in the right spot, so there is no window to wait for.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Pothos?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Pothos Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Pothos Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Pot up your pothos in bright, indirect light
About 0 days after you plant it
See if your pothos needs a bigger pot
About 365 days after you plant it· every year· optional
Take pothos cuttings and root them in water
About 120 days after you plant it· every year· optional
Check the soil of your pothos: water when the top 3 cm feel dry.
About 7 days after you plant it
Hi there! Water your pothos when the top of the soil feels dry, and give it bright, indirect light.
About 30 days after you plant it
Your pothos is settling in. Trim long vines just below a leaf to make the plant fuller.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Pothos's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
Vertical Growing
Yes: trails from height or climbs a moss pole.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Pothos grows best in bright light that does not hit it directly, and it survives in low light but grows slower and loses its yellow or white markings.
- 2Plant it in regular potting mix in a pot with drainage holes.
- 3Water only when the top 2 to 3 cm of soil is dry, since soggy soil is the one thing that really harms it.
- 4Feed with a splash of compost tea once a month in spring and summer, and not at all in winter.
- 5Trim long vines back to just above a leaf to keep the plant full, and root the trimmings for new plants.
- 6Pothos is toxic to cats, dogs and people if chewed, so keep it out of reach of pets and small children.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
180 cm
Mature Height
60 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
How to Harvest
- 1Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth now and then so they stay shiny and take in more light.
- 2Pull off yellow leaves at the stem, since a few are normal as the plant grows.
- 3Repot into a pot only a little bigger every 1 to 2 years in spring, when roots poke out the bottom.
- 4Keep it above 10°C (50°F) and away from cold drafts in winter.
- 5If vines get long and bare at the base, cut them back by half and replant the cuttings in the same pot to fill it in.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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