A trailing pothos vine beside scissors near the edge of a planter.
1. Select a vineA trailing pothos vine selected for cuttings.
Scissors beside a pothos stem, with the leaf stalk and node visible.
2. Keep the nodeCut beside the node, keeping the node on the cutting.
Leafy pothos cuttings arranged in two clear glass jars.
3. Root in waterKeep the lower nodes in water and the leaves above it.
A group of leafy pothos cuttings with intertwined roots laid on a tabletop.
4. Check the rootsRooted cuttings laid out for a closer look; root length is not measured here.
Scissors positioned beside a trailing leafy vine in a wooden planter on a black metal stand.
Scissors beside a trailing vine.Photo supplied by jennyzhuang.
Trailing vine with green and yellow, heart-shaped leaves.
Photo: Sergei · CC0. Cropped for display.
6 photos · Swipe or scroll →

Scissors beside a trailing vine. The cutting point is unclear in this photo; follow our propagation guide’s node diagram when taking a cutting.

Photos supplied to Plant Care Steps; resized for the web. The sequence shows stages, not dated growth measurements. Photo credits.

Follow the short pothos propagation guide →

Plant Care Steps · Growing guideplantcaresteps.com/plants/pothos/

Houseplants · Indoors, near a bright window

Let’s grow
pothos.

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Epipremnum aureum

This plan is for Epipremnum aureum

Light: Bright window light is ideal; keep it out of harsh direct sun.

Wet mix, but still wilting? Check drainage and roots before watering again →

Planting steps ↓

Keep leaves away from pets and young children who may chew them.

YOUR SIMPLE GROWING PLAN

One pot. Here’s the plan.

Before you start Start indoors any time of year in bright, indirect window light; keep the plant away from cold drafts and harsh direct sun.

What you need · pot, mix & supplies
  • 1 healthy pothos in a 4–6-inch nursery pot with drainage
  • A saucer or a decorative outer pot
  • A watering can; no immediate repotting kit needed

The soil

Its existing nursery mix; fresh houseplant potting mix only when repotting is needed

Indoors, near a bright window. Start with small plant.

THE POTKeep its nursery pot

Start with a 4–6-inch nursery plant. Use a saucer or cachepot.

HOW MANY1 small plant

Choose a healthy rooted plant for the quickest start.

See the planting illustration
Illustrated starting setup: Keep its nursery pot; 1 small plant.
Keep its nursery pot · 1 small plant Start with a 4–6-inch nursery plant. Use a saucer or cachepot. Choose a healthy rooted plant for the quickest start. Original illustration; not to scale.
  1. 01

    Keep the inner pot

    Set the nursery pot inside a decorative one, or on a saucer. Its drainage holes still need to work.

  2. 02

    Place near a window

    Choose bright indirect light. A dark shelf will slow growth.

  3. 03

    Check before watering

    Feel the mix and lift the pot. Wait while the mix is damp and the pot feels heavy.

  4. 04

    Let it drain

    When the mix has dried between waterings, water at the sink, let it drain, then return it to its spot.

ONE PLANT, A NEW START

Make a new pothos from a cutting.

See where to cut, what goes below the water, and when the roots are ready for a pot.

Follow the pothos propagation guide →
Other ways to start
Root a stem cutting+

Cut a healthy stem just below a node and remove the lowest leaf. Place the node in water with leaves above the waterline. Refresh the water and pot into moist houseplant mix once it has several roots.

YOUR EVERYDAY ROUTINE

Water & fertilizer at a glance.

Water when
Check weekly, but water only after the mix dries between waterings. Drain fully and empty the outer pot.
Fertilizer
Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food (US 24-8-16)
Amount
½ teaspoon in 1 US gallon of water
What that amount covers
Mix into water. Apply only enough solution to wet this pot and drain; the mixing batch is not the amount to pour on.
How often to feed
Once every 2 months while growing.
When to start or pause
Wait until nursery feed ends. Skip dormant or poorly lit periods.
Product directions ↗

Use level measures and the exact US formula shown. If your label differs, follow it; do not transfer this dose to another formula or combine feeding programs.

See the watering & feeding illustrations
A soil check followed by slow root watering and free drainage.
Check before watering. Check weekly, but water only after the mix dries between waterings. Drain fully and empty the outer pot. Original illustration; not to scale.
Fertilizer measure for Pothos: ½ teaspoon in 1 US gallon of water. Mix into water. Apply only enough solution to wet this pot and drain; the mixing batch is not the amount to pour on.
½ teaspoon in 1 US gallon of water Mix into water. Apply only enough solution to wet this pot and drain; the mixing batch is not the amount to pour on. Once every 2 months while growing. Wait until nursery feed ends. Skip dormant or poorly lit periods. Original illustration; not to scale.
Illustrated reference for Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose, US 24-8-16; not actual packaging.

US PRODUCT REFERENCE

Miracle-Gro

Water Soluble All Purpose

24-8-16

Soluble: mix into water

Check the official US product ↗

Illustrated reference; check the manufacturer’s current packaging and US label.

New leaves and longer vines
03 / WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Look for new leaves and extending vines as the plant settles in. Low light slows growth; fertilizer cannot replace light.

Growing indoors through winter

An indoor plant year-round. Keep away from cold drafts and do not put it outside during cold weather.

For regional planting windows, find your local Cooperative Extension office ↗.

Something looking off?

Is pothos safe around pets?+

It can irritate the mouth if chewed. Keep it away from pets and young children who may eat leaves.

Why are the leaves yellow?+

Check moisture and drainage first. Persistently wet mix can damage roots; one yellow leaf does not tell you the exact cause. Follow the pothos yellow-leaf checks.

Can one loose leaf become a plant?+

For this method you need a piece of stem with a node. A leaf without a node will not make a new vine.

Repotting and shaping vines
When to repot

Wait until roots are crowded or the pot’s condition calls for it. Move up only one pot size; a large amount of wet unused mix is hard to manage.

Trim vines for a fuller plant

Trim a long vine just above a node to shape it. Root suitable cuttings to make additional plants; wipe dusty leaves with a soft damp cloth.

Sources, dates & detailed PDF

Editorial plans, not results from a Plant Care Steps growing trial. Compiled with AI assistance; they have not yet had an independent horticultural review. Editorial approach.

Something needs updating? Suggest a correction

Published · Updated

By jennyzhuang

Sources checked View sources ↗

Detailed PDF ↓

Full reference edition with expanded explanations and illustrations. Its publication dates appear in the file.

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Soil: Its existing nursery mix; fresh houseplant potting mix only when repotting is needed

By jennyzhuang

Sources checked View sources ↗

Published · Updated

Read the online Sources section for linked references and the full reference PDF.

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Plant Care Steps · Care card

Pothos

Epipremnum aureum

Water
Check weekly, but water only after the mix dries between waterings. Drain fully and empty the outer pot.
Light
Indirect light. Bright window light is ideal; keep it out of harsh direct sun.
Temperature
Indoor plant. Indoors, near a bright window
Common problems
Is pothos safe around pets. It can irritate the mouth if chewed. Keep it away from pets and young children who may eat leaves.