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How to Propagate Pothos: Rooting Pothos in Water & Soil

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Have you ever tried to propagate pothos? Over the winter, my dad gave me some pothos cuttings from the houseplant in his sunroom. He assured me that propagating pothos in water was a simple task I could do at home.

I simply imitated his methods on how to propagate pothos, and before I knew it, I had my own rooted cuttings!

Even if you are a beginner at houseplants like me, you should be able to do this, too.

Isn’t it such a pretty plant?!

Learning how to propagate pothos was super easy for me using my dad's tips! Pothos cuttings in a turquoise plastic cup
Learning how to propagate pothos was super easy for me using my dad’s tips! (2022)

I’ll share my dad’s method here, along with some other tips I’ve picked up along the way.

When is a good time to propagate pothos?

Truthfully, you can propagate pothos at any time of the year. It’s a good time to propagate when the stem foliage is long enough to take a 4 to 6 inch cutting.

What are aerial roots?

Pothos aerial roots develop on the stems of pothos plants. These aerial roots are useful in helping the plant climb up any of it’s surroundings. Aerial roots can also help with absorbing nutrients and water. Moreover, cuttings with aerial roots can speed up the process of growing pothos in water.

How long should pothos roots be before planting?

Aim for healthy pothos roots of about 4 inches in length before planting rooted cuttings. You may still have luck planting propagated pothos with shorter roots of about 2 inches as well as those with even longer roots.

I definitely let the roots from my pothos clippings grow much longer than I intended!

Just goes to show how quick and easy it is to propagate this forgiving houseplant!

Propagating pothos - the roots grow quickly and may grow long in a matter of weeks!
Propagating pothos is easy – the roots grow quickly and may grow long in a matter of weeks!

What is the best way to propagate pothos?

It is possible to propagate pothos in water or in soil. Propagating in soil eliminates the need to transfer cuttings between water and soil. However, propagating in water may be the easiest initial means of rooting pothos.

Can you keep pothos growing in water for its entire lifetime?

Yes, interestingly, pothos can grow in water forever. If you prefer to keep pothos in water rather than transferring it to soil, it should do fine. Just remember to keep refilling the vase or container with water so it doesn’t dry out.

Here are some tips on caring for a water-grown pothos!

How to Propagate Pothos in Water

In terms of pothos propagation, water seems to be the easiest method in my opinion. Use these easy steps to turn one pothos plant into several!

  1. Take cuttings of pothos. Clip a length of 4 to 6 inches from your houseplant. If the plant has any aerial roots, those may aid in forming pothos roots in water.
  2. Fill a jar partway with water.
  3. Place the pothos cuttings in the water.
  4. Remove any leaves below the waterline.
  5. Place the jar with cuttings in a sunny windowsill.
  6. Check regularly to add / replace water and watch for signs of root growth.
Rooted Pothos Clippings from the pieces my dad gave me
Rooted Pothos Clippings from the pieces my dad gave me – Just look at all those beautiful ROOTS!

Propagating Pothos in Soil

It’s also possible to propagate pothos in soil.

  1. Make a mix of peat moss and petite and fill up a small container with it.
  2. Moisten the propagation potting mix.
  3. Take cuttings of pothos. Aim to clip at least 4 to 6 inches in length. If you can include aerial roots, do so.
  4. Place the cut end of the pothos cutting about an inch or so into the propagation medium.
  5. Set the container in a spot receiving indirect sunlight.
  6. Monitor regularly for moisture needs.

You should see roots or signs of new growth in as little as 4 to 6 weeks!

Pothos plant in a hanging basket near a window
My dad’s Pothos plant in a hanging basket near a window

Pothos Propagation (Water to Soil Transfer)

Transferring rooted pothos cuttings from water to soil may take a little time and care. Plants may prefer to stay in the same medium where you rooted them.

Sometimes it can be a little tricky to switch the cuttings from water to soil. Try not to be alarmed if the cuttings show signs of stress, such as dropped leaves or leaves that are yellowing.

After propagating pothos in water, prepare to plant the cuttings if you wish to grow them in soil. You may need to create a less stressful transition between water and soil.

Try this:

  1. Gradually add a little bit of soil at a time to the water.
  2. Every few days or up to a week, add a bit more soil. Give the pothos time to adjust each time you add more soil.
  3. Soon, the container should have more of a mud consistency than water. Keep going until you reach a firmer mix.
  4. Once the mix resembles true soil, it’s time to transfer the cuttings into your desired container. Add a bit of soil first and then transfer the contents of the original container to the new one.
  5. Fill in the rest of the pot or basket with soil.
  6. Water a bit and watch daily for your pothos to acclimate to its new home.

You may not always need to follow these exact steps. These are the steps I try to use when my plant mom anxiety gets the best of me!

Variegated Leaves in a Pothos Plant in a Hanging Basket
Check out the beautiful variegated leaves on my dad’s pothos! (2022)

Planting Propagated Pothos: Choosing Containers

When planting propagated pothos, consider which container you’d like to use for your newly propagated babies.

You can use a standing planter, traditional flower pot on a passthrough window, wall planter, or another creative container that leaves room for trailing foliage.

Pothos grows beautifully in a hanging basket as well. My dad’s pothos plants hang from little hooks on the ceiling in his sunroom. I just love how it looks!

Indoor Pothos in Hanging Basket in Dad's Sunroom
Indoor Pothos in a Hanging Basket in my Dad’s Sunroom (2022)

(Y’all, I seriously need a plant room!)

Growing pothos from cuttings generally only takes a few weeks to notice roots. Even if you are a beginner gardener, you should still be able to successfully root this pretty and popular houseplant.

Do you have any questions or additional tips on propagating pothos from cuttings? Shout out in our comments below and we can chat!

Happy Gardening!

12.30.22 – Updated post to include a link to related post.

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