Pothos is an indoor houseplant with heart-shaped leaves. Its adaptability and tolerance to low light make it ideal for beginner house plant enthusiasts. However, sometimes you may notice your pothos turning brown.
Why is my pothos turning brown?
Pothos usually turns brown due to an imbalance of factors such as water and sunlight or diseases. It is a sign that the plant is undergoing some form of stress. If immediate measures are not taken, your pothos may be permanently damaged.
Why is my pothos turning brown?
So, some of the factors which may browning of the pothos are-
- Improper Watering
- Excessive Sunlight
- Leaf Spot Disease
Improper Watering
Water is essential for the growth of your pothos. So, excess water or lack of it would cause severe weakening of the plant. Prolonged water stress would lead to browning of the plant and may cause issues such as root rot. Root rot makes the root unable to absorb the essential nutrition for the plant and eventually causes the plant to weaken and die.
Solution
The ideal solution is to make a watering schedule to help keep your frequency of watering in check. Use a drainage pot with holes to ensure that there is no stagnant water left behind. Only water when the soil is dry.
Excessive Sunlight
Light is important for the growth of the plant. Pothos needs at least 10 hours of bright, indirect sunlight to grow well. So, it grows well in an area of partial shade. However, if it receives excessive direct sunlight, it would turn brown due to sunburn.
Solution
The best solution is to place the plant in a location of partial shade where it has access to plenty of bright, indirect sunlight throughout the day. If the plant is placed indoors, place it near a south-facing window. However, sunburns are usually permanent, so the only solution is severing the damaged parts to facilitate new growth.
Leaf Spot Disease
Leaf spot infections may cause dry, brown spots on your pothos. It may occur due to various reasons such as wrong aeration or humidity in the plant. They may be caused due to a range of fungal and bacterial infections. It spoils the look of the pothos and makes it look sickly. If steps are not taken to control the infection, it may damage your pothos.
Solution
Always keep a lookout for infestations in your pothos. If you spot an infection, immediately isolate the affected plant and spray it with an effective pesticide. If the infection is severe, cut off the affected parts to make way for new growth. Once the infection has been completely removed, re-pot a pothos in fresh, sterile soil to reduce the chances of reinfection.
Thus, these are the steps to ensure that the browning pothos returns to their healthy green color. However, take immediate measures as the brown spots are permanent, so if infected, the only solution is severing the damaged parts to facilitate new growth.
