Pothos- help needed with cuttings, rootbound (does time of year matter?)

Hello,

I inherited two plants from the previous employee when she left- a shefflera actinophyla (that was identified on this site... thanks!) and a pothos. The pothos is sitting on my half-wall and doing pretty well (a little bare, but there's not enough space for a large totem). Armed with my new knowledge of pothos (from this site and others), I set about helping a co-worker whose pothos was looking really sad.

There were about 4 vines that were at least 8-10 feet long, all wrapped around the pot with only 10-15 leaves on the ends of the vines. I cut 2 of the vines and put the ends into water (along with some cuttings from my plant). They are in the process of rooting now. But my question is- now what? The soil in his pot is very 'stiff'. Are there certain recommendations as to what type of soil to use with pothos?

I am realizing now that I probably should have re-pot the plant before I cut it. Should I wait for it to grow, or should I re-pot now? I want to make sure that I do the right thing because I want this plant to survive.

Also, does the time of year matter for the pothos ivy? I am told that it's pretty hardy, but I don't want it to go into shock.

Help??

 

The actual species is Epipremnum aureum and it is a climbing vine. Often called Pothos or Devil's Ivy, it is an aroid and is suspected of originating in the Solomon Islands north of Australia. Scientists are a bit reluctant to make an actual determination. The species is likely the most frequently grown tropical plant in the world.

Epipremnum aureum is capable of producing very large leaves that can grow to close to 2 feet in length (.7 meters). Growing in a pot with nothing to climb it will become a trailing vine which is also common in the rain forest. The problem with only allowing it to trail is if it has inadequate water it will begin to throw off the leaves. Nothing you can do will make most of them grow again. Your better option would be to cut the vine into lengths a few feet long and plant them again. Starting them in water will work fine, but the species is not aquatic. It can survive in water for long periods of time but prefers to be in soil and to have something to climb. I just stick them in soil as do most commercial growers

Light is not terribly important but in the wild it grows up a tree as an epiphyte in order to reach brighter light. In our atrium we have leaves that are quite large up near the ceiling at a level of approximately 16 to 17 feet (almost 6 meters). The soil needs to be quite porous and not allowed to completely dry. A lot of people are now fussing over what composition soil you should use so I won't tell you what I use! But make it porous! Make sure it has orchid potting media with charcoal and gravel added and some sort of compost that will prevent the soil from packing. Plain old potting soil is not good since it holds too much water and will cause the roots to rot. The soil should be watered often enough to keep the plant happy which is basically frequent! Remember, you are growing it in water right now! It seems a bit strange to me when people suggest someone start the plant in water but then suggest keep the soil dry. Keep it damp all the time, just not soggy. You might pot it in one of the new moisture control soil mixes which will absorb the excess water. In our atrium, especially during the heat of the year, our plants are watered every single day. And new leaves grow constantly and are quite thick.

Think Rain Forest.

 

Great, thanks for all of that information!

I still have questions regarding the timing of the changes to the plant. Should I go ahead and repot now, even though there is little left of the plant?

Also, I have been pruning directly above the the last leaf that I am keeping on the vine. Is that the correct way? Will this promote branching?

Thanks again!

 

As long as the plant is in a relatively warm situation, you can repot or begin starts now. You will notice all the places where leaves formerly grew from the vine. Those are called internodes. Almost any internode will root and grow a new plant. It is probably best to not cut them in single internode lengths, but is possible. I would suggest cuttings at least one foot long so an internode or two is beneath the soil line and one or more above. It won't take long for the plant to begin to produce new growth.

There is a very interesting thread on this forum about Pothos where the writer wanted to know if it mattered which end was stuck in the soil. Although most species know which "direction is up", this one does not seem to care. It would be best if you stick the end closest to the roots in the the soil (or water) but it would likely produce a new plant regardless. The main concern is that you give the newly growing specimens very well draining soil which is kept damp so they can produce a vigorous root system. The brighter the light (not direct sunlight) the faster the new growth will generate. But this one is so vigorous it will likely root in very low light. Still, it is best to give it what it expects in nature.

http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=34812&highlight=question+for+Photopro

 

Thank you for that thread. When I had researched orginally (before beginning propogation), I had thought that the advice (put the "down" side down) was very silly, and quite obvious. Wouldn't you know that I have no idea which side I put into the water? some of them have begun rooting in water (after a couple weeks, which seems long), but I am wondering if that is the reason that the others are sluggish.

I have been wanting to plant the 'starts', but I am nervous that they will not take in the rootbound pot. Should I wait to repot before planting the new shoots?

 

I'd strongly suggest you buy a new pot that has drain holes in the bottom and repot everything in a soil mix that is considered "moisture control". Before you pot anything, add a good helping of orchid potting media that contains bark, charcoal and gravel to the soil mix and combine them well. The Schultz™ brand will do fine. Those combined will keep the soil porous and loose for the new roots. Once you repot, keep the soil damp. Other than that, you should see growth in short order. You can root the cuttings in water if you prefer, but major growers just stick them in the soil mix. I've done it many times. Just make sure at least one internode is beneath the soil line.

 

Sounds great, I will do just that! There are very few gardening centers open right now (March in New England isn't a big gardening time), so I'll probably have to head over to the Home Depot and pick up some soil. I will look for the soil that was mentioned.

I'm looking forward to becoming an avid gardener... a couple plants at a time!

Thanks again.

 

Careful! It is addictive. I started with a single orchid about 25 years ago and finally built my own "rain forest" in the coldest part of Arkansas. It can get in your blood, in a very good way! Now, I'd guess over half of my friends are tropical plant botanists!