Healthy Epipremnum aureum?

Discussion in 'Araceae' started by Fiche, Jun 2, 2008.

  1. Fiche

    Fiche Member

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    Hello, this is my first post but I've been reading through the forums for a while now. I recently purchased a "pothos" plant after doing some research on reptile-safe plants. I've decided against placing the pothos in my reptile's tank, but I've come to enjoy having it as a desk-mate. It's perked up and even grown some new leaves and shoots since bringing it home from the greenhouse, but I still have some questions and concerns. Hopefully those with more experience can tell me if I'm on the right track..

    The first concern that I have is a spotting, tearing and browning of the leaves. (I attached two pictures to give you a better idea of what I mean.) At first I was lead to believe that it could be a change in humidity or lack of watering that was causing the browning and tearing of the leaves. As such, I gave the plant a deep watering and let it sit overnight in the drained water. I also gave it a thorough misting and let it be for a few days. The plant overall perked up but leaves continued to tear and new growth was turning yellow and brown. I've backed off on watering but am not sure if I should be removing the spotted and torn leaves? I remove the brown leaves but the ones with spots grow large and are otherwise beautiful.

    This leads to my next question, could being root-bound cause the browning of new growth? I received the plant in a 6" pot but noticed that roots were growing out of the drainage holes so I thought it wise to give it some more room. When I removed the plant to re-pot it I realized that the pot was almost entirely roots! Not wanting to disturb them I shook off the little dirt that I could and placed the plant in a new potting mix. I made the new mix damp enough to work the soil around the plant but have not watered it since then. I assume the plant will let me know when it is thirsty?

    Moving on to the last concern, the plant is now in a 10.5" pot (even though I was told to only move up 2") but it still does not seem to be wide enough. There are still new leaves that are growing in beneath the older leaves and end up folded instead of growing out large and flat. Many of the new leaves are still green as they don't get as much light but they do feel strong. Still, I'm concerned it is over crowding itself. Do I just need to pinch the middle leaves so it is less full?

    Sorry for all of the questions but it already has leaves over 8" and I would like to do what I can to support its growth. Thanks in advance for any guidance.
     

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  2. Bluewing

    Bluewing Well-Known Member

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    Your pothos looks pretty good to me! They are one of the easier plant tp care for and they can be forgiving as well.

    Plants from the greenhouse can go through an adjustment (adjusting to the new light and humidity change) You might even lose a couple leaves maybe, just give it time and it should be just fine.
    Light change can cause some leaves to spot, or yellow. Mine will lose maybe three leaves to yellowing in the fall when we get less light, and then again in the spring when we start to get get more.

    Pothos like to pretty much dry out between waterings. If the soil is dry for a day longer then the plant wanted, the leaves might droop a little, but a good drink will bring them back. I usually water once a week to once every two weeks. Make sure you pour off the drained water. Sitting in water can cause rot, pothos don't like wet feet. Misting is not really necessary for a pothos, but rinsing the leaves under the tap once in a while will keep the leaves nice and clean

    Bright indirect light is great, even just a little bit of morning, or late afternoon sun is ok too.

    Pothos likes to be a little pot bound. If there is at least an inch or two of soil around the roots that should be fine. A pot much larger then that can stay wet and eventually rot the roots

    The new curled leaves will eventually find their way up out of the pot, but I would pinch off any that are ripped, creased, or have holes...
    If some of the leaf tips are a little brown, I would leave them alone. Eventually that should stop if the plant is watered correctly, has the right light, good drainage and the pots not too big.

    You can support the leaves with a wooden board, or moss pole, small plastic trellis, or, just let them hang from a hanging basket, inside a planter, or on a pedestal. If they are to hang, keep the plant looking more fuller by pinching, or cut the leaves back to a foot or so letting just a few stems hang down longer, otherwise they can start to look straggly with more bare spaces between the leaves.
     
  3. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Agree with Bluewing, nothing much wrong with that plant. If I worried about every browning and tear in my garden, I would be a nervous wreck!!
    You're doing well with that one : )

    Ed
     
  4. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    I've got a full grown Epipremnum aureum in my atrium that now has leaves 20 inches across. The thing has now grown to almost 15 feet tall. I also have at least 20 tree frogs (Costa Rican red eyed, Green, and Barking) and all live among the leaves with no problems. We also have at least 50 green anoles and we see them all (frogs and lizards) on the leaves every single day. They also live on our epiphyte tree which is covered with this plant, orchids, Anthurium and many other tropical plant species.

    http://www.exoticrainforest.com/treefrogs large.html

    http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Threebabytreefogs.html

    http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Epiphyte tree.html
     
  5. wild-rose-43

    wild-rose-43 Active Member

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    I agree, overall, that's a very healthy looking Pothos! Bluewing gave you good advice, follow it and your plant should be just fine.
     
  6. Fiche

    Fiche Member

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    I've taken the advice mentioned here along with giving the plant more time to adjust. The spotting and browning of edges has stopped for the most part, although I am noticing leaves that look like a breakfast buffet. I tried searching for bugs but noticed only one. The plant is very full though, so I've just been pinching the more damaged leaves. The rest seem to be doing fine and it feels like it's getting new leaves every day! Thanks for the advice.
     
  7. Bluewing

    Bluewing Well-Known Member

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    Glad to hear it's doing well! Love to see another picture down the road!
     
  8. Fiche

    Fiche Member

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    I just wanted to update on my Pothos and ask for a bit of advice. Until about two weeks ago, the plant was growing rapidly and holding itself high in the pot. Lately though this has not been the case. The limbs hang low most of the time, new growth has slowed with new leaves generally being smaller, and I seem to be losing a leaf or two every few days. The plant also seems entirely unable to hold in water but the topsoil always seems desert dry. Am I doing something wrong or am I just worrying too much?
     

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  9. Bluewing

    Bluewing Well-Known Member

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    Your plants looks even better now without those damaged leaves, you did a good job!

    Your pothos soil sounds a bit dry perhaps. If the soil has a lot of peat, the peat tends to dry out pretty quickly. If that's the case, re-potting into a less peaty soil, something I would do in the spring can help.
    Does the plant perk up after it's been watered?
    If so, really SOAK the soil at watering time letting the water flow out the drain holes, then you'll know it's been well watered.

    If it's over-watered, you'll need to let the soil dry out before giving it another drop of water. Make sure the roots are ok, not rotting, or being severely root-bound, that's more roots than soil. The water would run straight through without wetting much of the roots if that's the case.
    If you need to go bigger because it is root-bound, go up one pot size larger is all.
    Make sure it's still getting good bright indirect light.
     
  10. Fiche

    Fiche Member

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    Thanks Bluewing. It's nice to know that at a glance it looks to be healthier. All the time I spend pinching leaves must be worth it. :P

    I'm not sure about specific ingredients in the soil so I'll have to see if it has a lot of peat. I know that it has orchid bark and believe perlite is one of the other major ingredients. Is there a type of soil that would be more appropriate, or just anything with less peat?

    The picture I attached shows the plant at its perkiest. I can't tell if it's an issue of watering, or if the vines are just growing out and weighing the plant down.

    I've been soaking the plant every time that I notice the top inch or so is dusty and dry, but the first half of the watering seems to pass right through, with more draining out over the next few hours. It is a deep pot, so perhaps the roots of the plant are still wet and it is just the top of the soil is so dry. Can I just pull the plant right out of the pot to check the roots or do I need to be more delicate?
     
  11. Bluewing

    Bluewing Well-Known Member

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    Hmm, I've never heard of orchid bark being used for pothos before...

    I use reg potting soil with a couple handfuls or so of Perlite, and the roots are slightly snug in the pot, that way I know I'm not using too much soil around the roots for them to rot in.
    Reg potting soil like, Schultz's, Miracle Gro, or Stay Green ok, but I always mix Perlite in for an airy lighter soil mix.


    Vines hanging down from growing weight is normal, they will go all over the place if they have a place to climb. They will also grow down to the floor if you let them, or cris cross across a big room. I like to keep mine on the shorter side, it just looks fuller that way..

    If you think your plant is happy and maybe it is the weight bringing the vines down, you can leave it be, it looks healthy to me....
    Being dry on top is ok, you want the whole mix to dry out, but if the soil is mainly peat and bark, if it where mine, I'd re-pot it at some point with reg soil/perlite mix. Be gentle when you do as to not disturb the roots too much.
    Some plants like my Strelitzia Nicolai (Bird of Paradise) don't care so much about "gentle" re-potting, while others like the pothos can sulk!

    If you do decide to repot, it's better to use as much soil as it takes to cover the root-ball an inch or two all the way around the root-ball inside the pot, top and sides.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2008
  12. Fiche

    Fiche Member

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    As always, thanks for the advice. When I have the time I will look through the ingredients and see if re-potting is a serious need. If the roots seem healthy though I think I may just leave it be. Thanks again.
     
  13. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Your pothos is an aroid. I put orchid bark in nearly all my aroids, to help with the drainage

    Ed
     
  14. Bluewing

    Bluewing Well-Known Member

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    I do have some orchid bark mixed into the soil for a monstera:)
     
  15. wild-rose-43

    wild-rose-43 Active Member

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    Perhaps your Pothos has simply become root bound?? Since it seems you are going to be re-potting it anyway you might want to consider a larger pot. Once you remove it from it's current pot you'll be able to tell if its too crowded in there.

    The slowing down of growth may be the beginning of it's winter rest period. Most houseplants go through a winter rest where they require less water, slightly cooler temperatures and their growth slows down or comes to a complete standstill.
     
  16. Fiche

    Fiche Member

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    I will be checking the roots to see if it is that. As for the winter cool down, would that still happen without environmental cues?
     
  17. wild-rose-43

    wild-rose-43 Active Member

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    Yes, most, but not all, houseplants will go through a winter rest period. This doesn't necessarily always happen in winter. Their growth will slow down or stop entirely and they will require less water, usually no fertilizer and sometimes cooler temperatures. Pothos' winter rest is told by the plant failing to put on new growth. You should then cease fertilizing it until you see active growth starting again, give it temperatures of about 60°, if possible, and just enough water to keep the soil from drying out completely.
     
  18. Bluewing

    Bluewing Well-Known Member

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    To add to that, some pothos leaves will/can yellow when there is LESS light in the fall and winter months, same thing when we start to get MORE light after winter in the spring, not necessarily from lack of care.
     
  19. ClareNichols

    ClareNichols Member

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    From the picture it looks very good but you might need to repot it into something bigger, it may need alittle room. I have four of them and they are all 6 feet long and very beautiful I'll have to send you a picture. When I water them I let the water run through three times.
     

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