Pothos are popular house plants that can grow up to 20 feet in length and live for many years. They’re a great choice because they don’t need much care and they add character to any room they’re placed in.
However, one of the most common questions about them is whether or not they require drainage when planted in pots. In this blog post, we’ll look at how pothos behave when watered without proper drainage and what you can do to keep your plant happy!
Do Pothos Need Drainage?
Yes! If the pothos is placed on a surface that doesn’t allow for drainage, then the roots will rot and cause damage to the plant.
While pothos plants should be given some drainage, they can also survive in wet environments. They are great for apartment dwellers that live in a humid environment and don’t want to worry about every last bit of moisture in the air.
If you choose to place your pothos on a surface that doesn’t allow for drainage, then make sure the soil is well drained or use some sort of watering system. Doing this will prevent too much water from sitting at the base of the plant pot.
How to Give Drainage to Pothos?
If you want your pothos plant to thrive, make sure it has enough drainage by placing it on a tray with rocks at the bottom. You should also use a potting mix that drains well by adding some Perlite (Amazon link).
This will ensure that the roots get plenty of oxygen and stay healthy while still getting enough water to survive without rotting away.
You should repot your pothos if it’s been sitting in water for more than an hour or two at a time.
Another way to prevent any root rot problems is to make sure you place your pot so that there is some space between it and any surfaces around it (i.e., walls). This way excess water will have somewhere to go when watered!
It may sound obvious, but you can stop drainage problems by giving your pothos the correct amount of water in the first place. Too much watering is just as bad for plants as too little.
Check your potting soil every time you water to see if it has been saturated with enough moisture. The key here is to limit over-watering at all costs. For many houseplants, this means waiting until the top inch of soil feels dry.
How to Get Good Drainage in Pothos Pots?
There are many different methods for retaining proper drainage in pots, but these methods all revolve around putting holes or slits at the bottom of the pot and using the correct planter for the size of pothos plant.
What Drainage Pot for Pothos Plant?
The best drainage planters for pothos plants are those that have holes in the bottom of the pot. These can either be on a grid pattern or they can just use slits at different intervals across the entire pot. The size and type of plant will dictate which is most effective.
If you opt for clay pots, it will be helpful to periodically water them, as the clay material will wick moisture. As such, clay pots (Amazon link) are perfect for people who tend to overwater their pothos plants.
It has been found that plastic pots retain more moisture, meaning they require less watering. This is great for the plants but you should still regularly monitor the soil’s moisture content so it doesn’t become too soggy and prevent roots from staying healthy.
Conclusion
Congrats! You now know everything you need to know about pothos plants and drainage.
To confirm, you should use a well-draining potting mix and a pot with holes. Following the advice in this article will protect your pothos from root rot, which is something that can be fatal to house plants.
I’ve made TONS of articles on the pothos plant, so be sure to use the search button to read my other articles.
