How to make pothos fuller does not require a lot of work. Some strategic pruning and ensuring this easy houseplant gets enough sun and water is often enough.
The reason why growing a fuller pothos is so simple is because it is one of the least demanding houseplants that you can have. It grows in nearly all conditions and does not ask for much maintenance.
That is why pothos are increasingly popular houseplants, especially to complete beginner plant parents. It is a very forgiving plant that gives you a lot of control over how it grows.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about how to make pothos grow fuller.
Pothos Is Not Philodendron
Before getting into the best care tips for pothos, it is important to properly identify your houseplant. Pothos and philodendron often get mixed up because they look so similar but they really are different plant species.
Both pothos and philodendron are trailing plants with broad green leaves that seem heart-shaped. You can tell the difference by the leaves.
Pothos have;
- Larger leaves
- Darker leaves
- Waxy leaves
5 Essentials for a Fuller Pothos
There are several ways to make pothos fuller depending on where exactly you want the extra growth and the conditions you are keeping it in. Try any of these tips on your pothos plant and see if it will grow as full as when you bought it in the shop.
1Pruning at the Top
When people say that they want their pothos houseplant to look fuller, they often mean fuller at the top. These are naturally trailing plants so its legs are often less filled in anyway.
The best way to encourage more growth at the top or middle is to prune away the leaves that are growing downwards and outwards. Using pruning shears, cut away the lower leaves at the leaf node.
You should also be pruning bare stems. Prune them short, back to soil level, for the best new growth.
2Propagate with Cuttings
You can use the cuttings you have from pruning to propagate a new pothos plant and then plant it back into the parent plant for a fuller look. This tactic does require a little more patience but pothos does grow relatively fast.
Take one of the pruned vines and cut it into pieces with at least 2 – 3 leaves on each section. Remove the bottom leaf at the node and then place it in water – the node must be submerged.
Wait for the roots to grow to approximately 1 inch long before planting them back in the same pot as the parent plant. You can repot it anywhere that you wish to see new growth.
3Check the Light Conditions
Pothos like a lot of sunlight but cannot handle direct sunlight. Placing a pothos houseplant in just the right sunny spot to grow fuller is therefore somewhat tricky.
Plants grow towards the sun so a pothos houseplant that is kept too far out of the sun will do the same. This is one of the reasons why a pothos plant becomes leggy.
Place the plant on a west or east-facing window sill to get maximum sunlight. However, watch out for yellowing leaves which is a sign that it is getting too much direct sunlight.
4Repot in Fresh Soil
This strategy for how to make pothos fuller only works on pothos houseplants that are already growing in soil. Taking a pothos plant growing in water and potting it back in soil will damage its growth rather than boost it.
If you have already kept your pothos in a pot with soil, it might be time to refresh the soil. This gives the houseplant access to fresh nutrients.
You may also choose to add a little fertilizer to the soil but be very careful with this. Pothos actually requires very low levels of nutrients so adding too much fertilizer would only cause trouble.
5Check the Room Temperature
The ideal temperature for a pothos plant is between 65°F to 85°F. Is this the temperature range that you keep the room at?
Neither lower temperatures nor higher temperatures than its ideal range will help the pothos grow fuller. Constantly changing the temperature also does the houseplant no favors.
Try to keep the room within the recommended temperature rate. Signs of temperature stress include shriveled and limp leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why Is My Pothos Leggy?
Pothos are naturally trailing plants so if you leave them to grow it will become leggy. Another potential reason why your pothos is leggy is that it is placed too far away from the sun.
Like all other plants, pothos grows towards the sun. The further away it is from sunlight, the longer its vines.
How Do You Make a Pothos Trail?
To make pothos trail in the direction that you want you will have to spend some time pruning. Pinch stems at the tip for a fuller growth and prettier vines.
Do Pothos Like Coffee Grounds?
Not all pothos varieties like coffee grounds but the golden pothos variety does. Adding coffee grounds to their soil may help them grow faster and fuller.
Summary
Pothos are one of the easiest houseplants to take care of and you can control their appearance quite a bit. So, even if your pothos is not looking just how you want it right now, don’t despair.
The best way to make pothos look fuller is by pruning the leaves and vines that are growing downwards and outwards. This leaves the leaves and stems that are growing upwards to grow fuller.
You can also make a pothos seem fuller by preventing it from becoming leggy and pruning the vines. Whenever you prune your pothos, propagate a few of the leaves so that they can be planted back into the parent plant.
Keep your pothos houseplant in the right climate conditions and it will grow to become a beautifully full trailing plant.
