How to Make a Pothos Fuller
Ready to transform your pothos into the plant of your dreams? These six methods will help your pothos grow luscious and full. You can use just one of these methods or try a few.
Regular Pruning
Pruning your plant regularly will tidy up its appearance and stimulate new growth. It is best to prune in the spring or summer during the active growing period. Avoid pruning in the fall or winter months when your plant is less likely to push out new growth. Always use a pair of sharp, sterilized pruning shears or scissors, and never remove more than ⅓ of the plant at a time. Another perk to regular pruning is that you can use the stem cuttings for propagation—which is another method for making your pothos fuller.
Propagate Your Plant
Propagating pothos plants is fast and easy, and you can pot the newly rooted plants back in with the mother plant to make your pothos fuller. Propagation is done with stem cuttings and should be done in the spring or summer months. Put the stem cuttings in water and place them in a location that receives bright, indirect light. Within a few weeks, you will notice small roots beginning to grow from the nodes along the cuttings. Once the roots are 2 to 3 inches long, you can plant the cuttings in soil where they will eventually mature into full pothos vines.
Give It Enough Light
One of the easiest ways to help your pothos grow luscious and full is to give it enough light. Without sufficient light, it will slow its growth and produce smaller leaves in an effort to conserve energy and survive. Unfortunately, moving your plant to a brighter location won’t necessarily fix any existing leggy growth, but it will encourage vigorous new growth. Ideally, your pothos plant should receive several hours of bright, indirect light every day. While these plants can grow in low light conditions, consistent bright light will result in a fuller plant.
Don’t Forget to Water Your Plant
Pothos should be watered once the top 1 to 2 inches of soil have dried out. They can withstand a bit of drought, but if your plant is regularly underwatered, its foliage will suffer. Water your plant regularly, especially during its active growing period in the spring and summer. A self-watering pot or adding water globes to the soil can help establish good watering maintenance.
Add a Moss Pole
Providing your pothos with a moss pole to climb will encourage larger leaves which will give the plant a fuller appearance. You can make your own moss pole or purchase one from a nursery or garden center. Add the pole tothe pot and secure the vines using twist ties or zip ties. Eventually, your plant will begin to attach itself to the pole but this usually takes a few months. Keep the moss pole evenly moist at all times to encourage your pothos to climb the moss.
Try Basketing
Basketing is a form of propagation that will help your pothos to grow fuller over time. This method involves wrapping the existing vines around the inside of the pot so that the nodes along the stem are resting on top of the soil. Over time, new roots will begin to grow from the nodes and the stems will push out several new growth points. When basketing, it is important that the nodes stay in constant contact with the soil, so you may need to use something like floral wire or a bent paperclip to secure the stems against the soil.
Do You Need to Make a Pothos Fuller?
Technically speaking, if you are happy with the look of your pothos, there is no need to encourage it to grow fuller. Some pothos will just grow in singular long vines and that’s ok too—it doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with its growth. Lush and bushy foliage is a good indicator that your plant is happy and healthy, and it’s eyecatching too. Ultimately, it’s grower’s choice.
