Pothos is a hardy houseplant that is usually kept indoors. It is popular because of its survival ability and tolerance to low light. These features make the pothos an ideal indoor houseplant. However, like all plants, it still needs the basic essential requirements such as light, water, and nutrition. So, how much water does a pothos plant require?
How often should I water the pothos plant?
Pothos is a highly adaptable plant. So, even if you are underwater or overwater it a little sometimes, it is likely to survive. However, pothos still needs water. Providing the right amount of water helps it stay healthy and ensures that it grows well.
Usually, watering it once or twice every week is ideal for your pothos. However, excessive negligence in watering may cause problems such as root rot, droopy leaves, and maybe even a dead plant.
So, let us explore more about watering your pothos.
Frequency of Watering
Usually, watering the plant once every one or two weeks is sufficient to provide the plant with the right amount of water. Making a watering schedule helps you stay in routine and reduces the chances of infrequent watering. However, be careful not to stagnate the pot with water as it may lead to problems such as root rot.
A way to prevent such stagnation is to let the water dry out between watering sessions. Using a moisture meter allows you to gauge the amount of moisture left in your soil. It helps you provide the precise amount of moisture that your plant needs and reduces the chances of overwatering or underwatering in your pothos.
Technique of Watering
Firstly, the pothos should be potted in light, nutritious soil which drains well. Pothos is not very fussy about its watering needs. So, giving it a light shower to moisten the soil when it is dry would be sufficient to meet the water requirements of your pothos.
Seasonal Watering
The watering needs of your pothos vary seasonally like all other plants. Spring is the season when your pothos blooms, so its water requirement increases. Marginally increasing the frequency of watering would help your pothos stay healthy and bloom well.
The pothos needs most of the water during the summer season. As the temperature rises, the water starts to evaporate faster, and the soil becomes dry. Furthermore, summer is also the growing season for the plant, so it requires more water. So, it is best to keep checking the soil moisture and water your pothos more frequently. Usually, doubling the frequency to about twice a week is sufficient to meet the water requirements.
The pothos usually stops growing at the onset of autumn, and the watering needs of the plant decrease drastically. The temperature drops, and so does the evaporation. So, moisture dries slower in the soil. Thus, it is important to reduce the watering to once or twice a month to avoid overwatering the plant.
Thus, these are the steps to ensure that the watering requirements of your pothos are met.