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Pothos plants are one of the most beautiful and easy to care for houseplants for many people. Caring for them is truly a happy experience.
However, you may face some challenges in the propagation process. if your pothos is not rooting, No need to worry, we will help you to find out the problem and help you to propagate your beloved plant.
One of the most important reasons for pothos is not rooting may be the low temperature, water, or an incorrectly done cutting. Pothos cuttings need to stay warm in order to produce roots.
The cold will hinder the root growth. Not having clean water can cause pothos not to root. Additionally, if the cutting is not taken correctly, the roots will not show.
Your cutting may not root if it does not have appropriate conditions. There may be several reasons why your pothos is not rooting.
However, if you follow the simple instructions and propagation guide in this article, everything will become much easier and you will eventually propagate your pothos successfully.
1) How to Take a Pothos Cutting
The first and most important step in pothos propagation is getting the cutting from the mother plant.
If your pothos is not rooting, this may be because of a mistake in the cutting process. Therefore, it is always important to know how to do it.
Start by taking a single node. By doing so, you will maximize the propagated nodes and each one will produce a new vine. The trim has to be made 4 to 6 inches below the root node.
It will be best if you get the part that has at least 4 leaves and approximately two growth nodes.
Longer cuttings with multiple leaves and nodes will give you a bigger propagated plant and nothing is wrong with doing it. The perfect cutting length is 5 to 6 inches long.
Node is the attachment point of the leaf and petiole to the main vine. You can simply get sharp scissors and just snip the cutting from the plant on either end of the vine.
Additionally, you can look for the aerial roots that are often seen on the stem, or, the pothos plant may have little brown bumps. Those aerial roots and bumps will start to grow once they are transferred into the water.
Propagation of pothos plants can be done either in the water or in the soil. However, make sure not to move around once it is settled, because it is difficult for the plant to switch and adjust to different growing conditions.
Why is my Pothos Cutting not Rooting
Pothos is relatively easy to propagate in comparison to other plants. However, there are several mistakes that are often made which disturb the growth of the roots and cause your pothos not to root.
If you try to learn more about those mistakes, then you will avoid them more successfully and your pothos cutting will thrive.
One of the first reasons why pothos is not rooting may be the absence of a node. Pothos cutting must have a node to root, without it, the roots will not grow.
Node is like a bump on the stem where the leaves and roots are grown. Without a stem, the single leaf simply can not be propagated. So, make sure to get the cutting that has a node on it.
Light for your Pothos Cutting
All plants need light to survive and thrive. Therefore, pothos cuttings are no different in this case. they need bright indirect sunlight for growth. If your pothos is not rooting, they may be asking for more light.
The energy that is needed for root formation is partly received from the sun, therefore, having the cuttings placed in a sunny spot will benefit them and help them to show the roots soon.
Stem Health
Another reason why you pothos not rooting can be that the cutting is not healthy. It is essential to choose a healthy stem from your plant.
It will be best if you choose the one that has little bumps or aerials roots, it means that your new plant will root easier and also means that the cutting is healthy.
If you take cuttings from the infected withered branch, you will not have much luck and success and it will result in your pothos not rooting.
Time
Sometimes we wait for the cuttings to propagate and run out of patience, thinking that it is not going to work. However, in some cases, it just has not been long enough.
Depending on the conditions, the root may take longer to form. In some cases, it may also take up to 2 months. Therefore, if your pothos is not rooting, you may only need some more patience.
Cutting not being too long
Pothos not rooting can happen if the cutting is too long. The stem that is about to root requires much more energy because rooting is not an easy process for them.
If there are a lot of leaves or long stems, the whole energy will go towards those and the roots will grow much slower or do not grow at all. Therefore, you will have to be careful not to get the cutting too long.
Water
If your pothos not rooting, check the water once again. Sometimes, dirty water can be an obstacle for the roots to appear. When the water gets foggy or simply looks dirty, it is always important to change it.
Pothos cuttings do not need to be calloused before rooting. They need to be moist and hydrated all the time.
If your pothos is not rooting, remember if you may have left it in low water or without water for some time. dryness can cause pothos to not root.
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How Long does it take for Pothos Cuttings to Root?
The best time to propagate pothos is the growing season which is in the spring. During that time, the plant is in a growing phase, and the leaves and roots will be shown much faster.
Depending on the conditions, if you do everything correctly, it will take approximately 4 weeks for the roots to be grown. By the end of 4 weeks, the pothos cutting must be ready to be planted in the soil.
If the temperature is low, pothos cuttings will take longer to root and meaning this can take up to 6 weeks. It is recommended to wait until the roots grow 3 to 4 inches long before you plant them in the soil.
How do you Encourage a Pothos Cutting to Root?
To encourage the rooting process, the first and most important thing to do is to have the appropriate water provided. The water has to be room temperature.
You will have to avoid tap water because it contains chemicals that are harmful to the plants and can hinder their growth. Therefore, filtered water works the best.
If you do not have filtered water, you can boil the tap water to get rid of the harmful additives. Warm water and high temperature are of the root growth stimulators.
If you decide to propagate pothos cuttings in soil, you can dip it in the rooting hormone first and then put it in the potting mix.
This will stimulate the growth of the roots. However, the one that is propagating in the water will require a good amount of indirect sunlight.
Additionally, if you keep the temperature between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, most likely rooting process will be encouraged.
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Final Thoughts
Pothos is a wonderful houseplant that can be a great addition to any house and office. Caring for those green beauties can be easy if you follow simple steps.
Pothos plant gets propagated with cutting, however, sometimes the roots can be too lazy to show.
The instructions provided in the article will help you and guide you in every step of the propagation process and can even tell you why your pothos is not rooting.
Remember, that if you give them enough light, clean water, and take the cutting correctly, most likely your new plant will thrive.
