Epipremnum aureum (generally often called pothos) is among the hottest houseplants.
Its look is like Philodendron, and the 2 are sometimes confused.
Pothos crops:
Are simple to care forFace minimal illness and pest problemsHave few soil and water necessities.
All Pothos varieties develop greatest in USDA hardiness zones 10 to 11. Nonetheless, they’re extra generally grown indoors attributable to their skill to adapt to various levels of sunshine, even fluorescent lighting, incomes it the nickname “satan’s ivy.”
There are dozens of pothos species and cultivars obtainable. Among the most typical embrace:
How Do You Prune Pothos?
As a common rule, pothos doesn’t want quite a lot of upkeep to look nice. However, there are just a few instances you wish to prune your plant. These causes embrace:
ShapingGrowth regulationRevitalizationPest and illness controlCutting vines for propagation
The perfect time to prune is throughout its rising season so new progress can are available rapidly.
Use sterile instruments and put on gloves to keep away from attainable pores and skin irritation.Make cuts beneath leaf nodes (the place roots begin) when planning to propagate.Get rid of any diseased cuttings to keep away from additional contamination.
Strategies of Pruning Pothos Houseplant
Whereas the process is identical, the explanations for trimming and pruning might have some minor variations.
Correct Care Begins With Pruning for Form
As with many crops, pothos could be pruned for compact progress, to develop thicker and extra strong.
That is particularly helpful as a result of crops can develop into leggy and get too lengthy.
Pruning for Dimension
Pothos can attain 50′ toes within the wild, however home crops are a lot shorter. However,
the “branches” can nonetheless get fairly lengthy and will even begin changing into leggy if not pruned again.
Pruning a dangling pothos is beneficial for those who’re apprehensive a pet could possibly attain it, because the plant is poisonous if ingested.
Pruning to Revitalize
As soon as your pothos has been round as an indoor plant for just a few years, it could start to get leggy or develop quite a lot of naked spots.
It’s attainable to prune again pothos stems way back to about 2” inches from the soil. This drastic pruning permits the plant to regrow as if it had been a younger plant once more.
Propagating Pothos
Cuttings make one of the best technique for creating extra pothos crops. Alter your pruning strategies to develop some good cuttings when you’re at it’s a snap. Begin Pothos stems in water or potting soil.
Associated: How To Propagate Pothos
The Pruning Methodology
No matter why you propose to prune a pothos, the steps are simple and are adjusted as you go.
Sterilize your pruning shears or sharp scissors and placed on some protecting gloves to keep away from attainable pores and skin irritation.Some like to maneuver their pothos to a shady spot to prune. It ensures no pets are tempted when pruning the greenery. It additionally retains any sap from “bleeding” onto furnishings or materials.Resolve how far you have to prune. Propagation and revitalization want extra particular lengths. Shaping or shortening is a matter of non-public desire.Take the stems and look at them as you prune. Take away any diseased stems or stems which have misplaced most or all of their leaves.Within the case of diseased stems – Get rid of them instantly. Keep away from bringing the shears involved with wholesome vines till you’ve sterilized them once more.As you progress to the wholesome stems, sterilize your shears (if wanted) and resolve how far again you want to prune.Whenever you discover the spot, measure about ¼” inch above the closest leaf and make your reduce. Notice that cuttings used for propagation ought to have no less than 4 wholesome leaves on them.Repeat the method for each stem till you’re glad.Place the plant again in its common oblique mild as soon as the injuries have dried.
Pruning Pothos to Fight Illness or Infestation
Whether or not your authentic concept was to do away with an an infection or infestation, otherwise you observed one as you pruned the pothos for different causes, you’ll want to observe some further care in eradicating the affected components.
Within the case of an insect infestation. Earlier than pruning begins think about cleansing or spraying the plant with:
Rubbing alcohol solutionNeem oilInsecticidal cleaning soap
Be sure you spray the undersides of leaves and any nooks or crannies. Maintain an eye fixed out for attainable escapees.
As you prune, attempt to isolate the weak stems from the wholesome ones. Reduce stems again far sufficient to take away all traces of the an infection.
Get rid of any diseased chopping instantly. Keep away from letting it come into contact with wholesome foliage.
You could wish to sterilize your shears after every reduce. This isn’t needed till you start work on wholesome limbs.
After you end pruning, transfer the plant and sterilize the work floor with a rubbing alcohol answer.
