How Often To Water Pothos

A pothos, otherwise known as the ‘Devil’s Ivy’, is a common houseplant that is fairly easy to look after and maintain.

Even so, you will still want to understand how to look after it to ensure that it does not go bad. Fortunately it does not take much care to ensure that it stays in a healthy condition.

However, if you are wondering how often to water pothos, then you have come to the right place.

You should water the pothos around every one to two weeks. You will want to make sure that the soil dries in between each watering.

Even so, it actually depends on what the season is when it comes to how much a pothos should be watered. 

To find out more about looking after pothos, then read on. We have plenty of tips for the budding plant parents out there.

What Is A Pothos Plant?

The pothos plant, also known as Epipremnum aureum, comes from Southeast Asia and can often be found overgrowing in the likes of forests and along trunks of trees. 

The common house plant used to be classified as a Pothos aureus – so that explains its name. However, the classic look of the plant is a jade color. These days there are many cultivated versions too, and that is why it is often bought as a marble looking plant. 

Many people have a plant like the pothos indoors because it can filter out toxic substances within the air. It is also a natural climber. You can add a pole into the pot to allow it to grow upwards.

It can grow to be ten feet tall, and have leaves that span eight inches. Impressive stuff! However, it needs to be in perfect living conditions for it to grow to its maximum height.

How Often Should You Water Pothos Plant?

When it comes to watering a pothos plant, there are a few things that can affect how often you do it, meaning the answer isn’t as straightforward as it could be.

When you first own a pothos plant, it might be in its younger stages of life. During spring and fall the pothos plant can grow a number of feet. You may even see lots of new leaves sprouting too.

Because of this, you will need to be able to keep up with the needs of the plant, and that often means more water. What that doesn’t mean is overwatering however.

The best thing to do is check on it every single week and see if the soil is dry. When it is, it is time to water it – though do not let the soil become extremely dry.

How Often Should You Water Pothos During Summer?

When the summer season rolls around, this is when the pothos will be doing most of its growing. This means you will want to water the plant extra compared to the colder months. 

However, there isn’t an exact number of times you should water a pothos. Instead, you should be feeling for dryness within the soil on a regular basis – at least two times a week. Put your finger into the top inch of the soil. 

Once it is dry, water the pothos. Wait until you see the water run from the drainage holes and then stop watering. 

Another thing to note is that if you keep your pothos close to a window, or perhaps outdoors during the summer season, then the water will evaporate much quicker. This will mean that you will need to water it more than usual. 

How Often Should You Water Pothos During Winter?

During the winter you will need to water the pothos much less. This is because it will take longer to dry out. Not only that, the pothos will go dormant as soon as the cold weather hits.

Even so, you may want to try and keep a temperature of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the nighttime, and a daytime temperature of 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Despite this, the pothos should be fine at any temperature above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

The pothos will not take advantage of any extra water during this time, and it could actually cause problems instead. Let the soil dry out completely, and then lightly water it when it needs it.

How Do You Know You Have Overwatered A Pothos?

If you are worried you have overwatered your pothos, then there are a few things to look out for that will tell you if you have done so. 

Overwatering your pothos could be letting it sit in water for a long period of time, or giving it water most days when it doesn’t need it. This can cause root rot, mold, and even invite gnats to come and play.

Some things to look out for are:

• Rotting of the roots.
• Leaves with brown spots.
• Mushy leaves that are shriveled.
• Yellowing leaves.
• Curly leaves that are wilting.
• Mold on the surface of the soil.

How Do You Know You Have Underwatered A Pothos?

There is also the problem of not giving your pothos enough water. While you can leave it without water for a few days and it’ll be fine, if you leave it for a long time, then you will soon notice it suffering.

Here is what an underwatered pothos plant looks like:

• The leaves may begin to wilt.
• It may have crispy leaves that have turned brown.
• The plant may shrink in size.
• The leaves may have begun to wrinkle.

Final Thoughts

Owning a pothos houseplant is a real joy, and not just because they do not take much to care for. 

Obviously, with any living thing you will want to make sure that it is well cared for, and that means knowing when to water your plant.

So long as you let the soil go dry in between watering, and do not under or over water the pothos plant, it should stay healthy and hydrated throughout every season.