Pothos creates a captivating look in your yard and window sills through its trailing vines. Although it’s an easy-to-maintain house plant, it requires occasional pruning. But most home gardeners don’t know how to prune pothos. The pothos pruning process is not a difficult task. You can easily prune pothos starting by removing the dead leaves, and further cutting near the stem and leaf nodes.
This process creates space for the emergence of new leaves and gives your pothos a vibrant and lively look. We have discussed the detailed process of pruning and trimming pothos, the required tools, and the best timing to prune in this blog guide. Let’s get into it!
Why Should You Prune Your Pothos
For enhanced growth, the pothos plant requires proper care. When you give them optimal care, they grow faster and become bigger within no time. Pruning of the pothos plant gives many benefits and promotes nurtured growth. Here are some advantages of pruning the Pothos plant:
- The Pothos plant is a fast-growing plant, so it becomes overcrowded quickly under proper care. In this case, pruning becomes essential to remove extra leaves and gives space for the development of new leaves.
- New and healthy leaves grow in the plant after a successful pruning. Furthermore, the visual appeal of the plant is also enhanced.
- Sometimes, pests and diseases affect the pothos plant. In that case, you have to carefully analyze the affected part of the plant. Later, removal of that part from the pothos plant to ensure its healthy growth without any disease.
- Proper pruning also stops the plant from excessive growth and taking up too much space in the house or garden. In addition, the removal of the extra leaves will enhance their beauty and appearance.
- Another main reason for pruning is airflow. If the plant is overcrowded with too many leaves, pruning is the best option to ensure proper airflow in pothos.
- Pruning the ascendant stems will help the plant focus on longer stems and better overall plant growth.
When to Prune a Pothos
You need to carefully consider the accurate time to prune your plant. Fortunately, this plant is more complicated than others, but it is better to prune it when growing too fast. If you prune the plant at the wrong time, that will stress out the entire plant and its growth. The best time to prune the pothos plant is during it’s growing stage. This plant grows faster from spring to early fall, so prune it in these months.
It will prevent the stress from pruning the pothos plant and promote new growth and health. However, you can prune this plant all year round whenever necessary, such as to eliminate the pests and diseased effective parts of the plant. Furthermore, you can also prune the plant in late fall or winter to give it a proper shape before starting new development in spring. But to prune your overcrowded pothos plant, growing seasons like spring and fall are best.
What You Need for Pruning Pothos
For the pruning of pothos plants, few tools are required. If you want to remove extra leaves from your pothos plant, you will need some tools to make the process successful. Below is the list of those tools which are helpful in pruning of pothos plants:
- Dishwashing soap
- Gloves
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Scissors or sharp pruning shears
- Paper towels
Ensure your pruning tools are sterilized and clean. If your tools are not fixed, they can spread disease in the pothos plant, which will also spread to all other plants. Before pruning, clean the leaves of the pothos plant with a damp cloth. It will prevent other plants from getting any disease
Pothos Pruning Vs Trimming
There is a big difference in trimming and pruning of the pothos plant. While pruning your plant, you will need to cut the unhealthy, diseased, and dead parts of the pothos plant. Pruning improves the plant’s growth and saves its energy. On the other hand, trimming the pothos plant gives the plant proper shape by removing extra foliage and shortening its stems. You can create a specific shape of the pothos plant and also maintain its shape with the help of trimming.
(Expert Tip: Excessive pruning is not good for the pothos plant. So, begin the process of pruning with small cuts and prune the plant only where required.)
How to Trim a Pothos
Trimming the pothos plant is a simple task. You can trim your plant with the help of these steps:
- Planning which parts of the plant you must cut is essential for the whole procedure. If you want to trim the dying leaves, cut them off from the main stem from where they emerge.
- On the other hand, if you want to cut the vines, you have to plan your cutting process from the nodes. It is a part where the stem gets thicker, so cutting the stems will be beneficial to allow new foliage growth.
- After trimming the leaves of the pothos plant, now it is time to trim the stem. First, sanitize the scissors or any other tool you are using.
- While making cuts and trimming the stem, remember to aim with a smooth motion. Smooth cuttings or trimming will prevent the plant from having messy stems and cuts.
- The plant will look more beautiful and have a new appearance with a fresh-cut stem. Trim the stem a little, and never make significant cuts because it will harm the branches and leaves. Only trim the parts that are discolored or out of the direction.
- Continue the trimming process until you are satisfied with the new look of the pothos plant. If you think some parts of the stem still do not look perfect, shape them smoothly.
- Remember to limit yourself to 1/3 of healthy foliage. You must cut the entire foliage only if the leaf has lost color and is infected with any disease. Cut those leaves immediately while trimming to prevent the whole plant from any disease.
How to Prune a Pothos
Pruning your Pothos is pivotal to maintaining health and promoting lush growth. You can control the size of your plant and promote its new growth through pruning. Here is the effective way to prune your plant:
1. Prepare the Tools
First, gather all the required tools before starting the pruning. Make sure that the scissors or pruning shears are sharp. In addition, sterilize the tools before and after the pruning to help prevent the spread of diseases to your plant.
2. Observe the Nodes
Pothos plants grow from nodes, so, when pruning, focus on cutting just above a node to encourage new growth. You can find the nodes in spaces along the stems.
3. Eliminate Yellow, Dead or Damaged Leaves
The next step is to remove all the damaged, dead, or yellow leaves with scissors or pruning shears. Make sure to remove the leaf making a neat cut from its base. The removal of these leaves enhances the healthier growth of the plant.
4. Trim the Leggy Stems
If you notice leggy or long trailing stems in your plant, then trim them. This will boost heavy, compact, and bushier growth. Locate a node on the stem and make a clean cut above it. This will stimulate the growth of new stems from that node.
5. Shape the Plant
Pothos is a versatile plant that can be trained to grow in various shapes. To maintain a desirable shape, selectively prune the stems. Focus on areas where the plant looks uneven or sparse and trim accordingly.
6. Propagation (Optional)
You can use the pruned cuttings to propagate new Pothos plants by placing them in water or soil for new root growth. After the growth of roots, you can transplant them into the pots for further growth.
7. Consistent Pruning
Make the pruning a regular part of your plant care routine. This ensures the removal of yellow or damaged leaves and trim on time. This ongoing maintenance will ensure your Pothos remains healthy and vibrant.
How Often Do I Need to Prune my Pothos
Pothos plants are hardy, so they can be pruned all year around whenever required. If you notice that the leaves on your Pothos plant are crowded, it is time to prune them. However, ensure to prune this kind of plant at a particular time of the year, and it can happen in spring up to early fall. The Pothos Plant enjoys being watered very often, thus making faster growth, and having its leaves multiply quickly as well.
Pruning should be done after every 2 to 3 months or whenever leaves appear too prominent. Pothos plants grow fast; therefore, getting rid of their bottom dead leaves occasionally is advisable. Prune your plant early only when pests or diseases affect some areas in the plant or excessive leaf growth.
What to Do With the Discarded Pothos Leaves
Pruning your Pothos plant is very important in keeping it healthy and enhancing its looks. After pruning, appropriate disposal of the cut-off leaves and stems is very important. Moreover, knowing how to care for your plant after pruning will guarantee its continued health. You can use the following ways to handle these discarded pothos leaves: Let’s look at what to do with the discarded leaves, propagation options, and post-pruning care tips and address some frequently asked question
1. Divide Leaves into Dead and Healthy: Firstly, separate the dead leaves from the healthy ones after pruning.
2. Use Healthy Leaves in Composting: You can use the healthy plant materials in a compost pile because it’s an eco-friendly way of their disposal.
3. Propagate Healthy Growing Leaves and Stems: Use these stems and healthy growing leaves for propagation. Another way to grow plants is by cutting off some parts of them for replanting. Let the cuttings stay in the water so that roots can come out before you transfer them to another pot filled with potting soil.
4. Dispose of the Dead Leaves and Stems: After you are done, put all the dried dead or infected leaves in a big bag to be thrown away or burned at a place far from your house.
Post-Pruning Care of Pothos
You need to provide your plant with the best pruning aftercare to promote its thriving growth. Below are the ways that you need to follow:
Provide Adequate Moisture
After a successful pruning, pothos require consistent moisture to grow effectively. Thus, ensure your pruned Pothos plant receives enough moisture to come out of pruning stress.
Maintain Suitable Temperature
Pothos plants thrive between 65 to 85 degrees F or 18 to 29 degrees C. Keep your plant in this temperature range for optimal growth.
Choose Indirect Sunlight
These plants need bright indirect sunlight for lush growth. So, place the plant where it receives bright but indirect or filtered sunlight.
Fertilize for New Growth
To encourage new foliage and stem growth, fertilize your Pothos plant with a balanced fertilizer. It will promote a healthy and thriving plant growth.
Repot When Necessary
If you observe your Pothos outgrowing its current pot then repotting it is beneficial. This repotting will provide the plant with sufficient space for continuous growth.
Final Verdict: Can you Prune Pothos
Yes, pruning Pothos is a straightforward process. Pruning during the growing seasons (spring to early fall) is recommended to stimulate the growth of stems and leaves. Whereas, it’s also helpful in maintaining the desired shape and size of the plant. Successful pruning enhances the plant growth. It also protects the plant from pest and disease attacks. You can also trim the Pothos plant. It is like giving it a short haircut to keep it healthy and good-looking. Follow the trimming and pruning guide given in the above article and keep your Pothos satisfied and looking their best!
FAQs
1. What Is the Best Time to Prune My Pothos?
Prune your Pothos plant from spring to early fall to promote its healthier growth. However, you can also prune them whenever necessary like in case of pest or disease attack.
2. Which Leaves of Pothos Needs to Be Pruned?
All the overcrowded, dead, or discolored leaves need removal through pruning. Their elimination encourages new and healthy growth of plants.
3. How Often Should I Prune My Pothos?
Ideally, prune your Pothos when you notice overgrown or leggy stems or during the growing seasons for routine maintenance.
4. Can I Prune Pothos If It Has Pests?
Yes, but make sure to clean your pruning tools thoroughly between cuts to prevent the spread of pests. Consider using insecticidal soap on the plant after pruning.
5. What If My Pruned Pothos Shows Signs of Stress?
You can ensure it receives proper care, including adequate water, light, and a suitable temperature range. Furthermore, allow some time for recovery before making additional changes to its environment or care routine.