Pothos help - Ask Extension
Hello! I recently bought two new pothos. I have them hanging in western windows and I take them down during golden hour so they aren't exposed to dire...
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Pothos help #709919
Asked August 05, 2020, 4:58 PM EDT
Hello! I recently bought two new pothos. I have them hanging in western windows and I take them down during golden hour so they aren't exposed to direct light on their leaves (is this something I should be doing, or should they be able to tolerate a few hours of direct light?). Since I've had them, I've noticed some yellowing leaves that eventually dry out. I've been pruning those leaves as I see them (about 5 per plant thus far, over a couple of weeks). Additionally, one of the two plants seems to be wilting (pictured on the left). I imagine this might be an underwatering issue, but I don't want to overwater her if it could potentially be related to their location and/or acclimation to the new space. As for soil moisture, I'm attaching a picture of the pot's inner edge; the soil seems to be "pulling" away from the pot. Is this normal, or does that indicate lack of moisture? Any help and insight regarding their location and soil moisture would be very helpful. Thank you!
Kings County New York
Expert Response
Your pothos is a tropical forest plant of Asia and the Western Pacific. In its native habitat, it lives below the tree canopy and climbs using aerial roots. To make it comfortable in your home, you need to do what you can to mimic those conditions which includes keeping it away from direct light and exposing it only to filtered sunlight. If you want to keep them in their window location, a shear curtain would help to protect them from burning.
They also prefer to have the humidity of a tropical place, but the roots can stay relatively dry, allowing the potting soil to nearly, but not completely, dry out before watering again. The roots should not sit in overly moist soil or the plant will suffer and the leaves will turn yellow and drop. Your plants need to be in containers with a drain hole and must be allowed to drain into the sink for 15 minutes after watering or the soil will stay too wet. To achieve this in a hanging planter, keep a removable container with a drain hole inside the hanging pot. Remove it and bring the plants to the sink to water and drain before replacing them in their hanging position.
Soil pulling away from the side of the pot indicates dryness. If you need help estimating the moisture of your soil, you can buy a moisture meter to help you establish a healthy watering routine.
Good luck!
