It's a well-known rule — there's no such thing as too many pothos plants. Devil's ivy, money plant, or golden pothos, there's always room for more. You may be surprised to discover just how simple it is to propagate this popular plant. These forgivingly gorgeous vining plants are low-maintenance, and when it comes to propagating them, they're just as simple. Here are a few foolproof ways to propagate your favorite pothos.
Easy Ways to Propagate Pothos
Thankfully, and I say this with experience, propagating pothos is suitable for beginners and those who are just learning how to navigate the plant parent life.
For either method, you'll need to snip off a length of stem from the plant you currently have. Start by taking a cutting from a healthy plant that's five to six inches long. It should have at least four leaves and a node or two. Once you have done that, snip off the leaf nearest to the cut end, but leave the leaf node in place.
You might be wondering what a leaf node is. It's just a phrase to describe the growth or bump where the leaf connects to the stem. Easy! You're already a propagation vocabulary master.
How to Propagate Pothos in Water
The fastest and easiest way to propagate a pothos is to place a stem cutting in a glass of water. If you plan to root multiple cuttings, place each one in a separate container. It might be tempting to grow several in the same glass, but you'll soon be left with knotted roots and plants that are a bit cranky.
The benefit of propagating pothos in water is you'll be able to see the roots develop, so you will know for sure when your new houseplant is ready to transplant. You don't want to move your plant before you see roots growing.
- Place the cut end of the stem into a canning jar, clear drinking glass, small vase, or another similar container.
- Add enough water so that the node near where the leaf was removed is covered by at least an inch of water.
- Place the glass in a well-lit area. It should be exposed to some natural light, but not direct sunlight.
- Change or add to the water as needed to keep it clean and ensure the bottom node remains submerged.
- Wait for roots to develop, which generally starts happening after about two weeks.
- Let the roots continue to grow for another few weeks, then move your new plant to its final home.
How to Propagate Pothos by Planting
It's also very easy to propagate pothos in soil or a soilless planting mix — the latter is ideal for indoor gardening. This takes a little longer than propagating in water, but the plant will already be in a container when it sprouts roots so there's no rehoming needed.
- Fill a small planting container with soil or the alternate growing medium you prefer to use.
- Poke a small hole (or holes if you are rooting multiple cuttings) in the soil or other growing medium.
- Dip the cut end of your cutting into the rooting hormone. (This is optional, but it may take your plant several weeks longer to develop roots if you skip this step.)
- Place the cut end of the stem into the soil and pinch the dirt around the stem to hold it in place.
- Water the newly planted cuttings, making sure that the soil is moist without being saturated.
- Continue to water as needed to keep the soil consistently moist.
- Roots should start to form within approximately three weeks.
- Let the roots continue to develop for another week or two before (if needed) repotting the plant in a larger container.
Propagation 101: A Field Guide
If you, like me, have been bitten by the propagation bug a time or two, those little green plant babies can soon overwhelm every surface. I like to make a designated propagation station to keep all my little pothos in their glasses. It's easy for me to keep an eye on all of them, change water, or chat with them.
Because these plants are so forgiving, if you go on vacation, you don't need to worry too much. Just make sure they have plenty of fresh water and put them somewhere with indirect sunlight so that it doesn't evaporate before you're home.
If you find yourself with more pothos propagations than planters, you can get crafty! Use the glasses you started them in, but fill them with dirt. This will buy you time to find more planters while they establish their root system.
Prepare to Parent More Pothos Plants
There is a downside to pothos propagation: it's so easy that you may just find yourself up to your eyeballs in new plants. Is that a bad thing? No. Did you promise yourself you'd take it easy on the propagation? Maybe. But those new pothos propagations makes for some perfect presents. Propagate your pothos with ease and share the love.
