How to Grow a Pothos Plant in Water

As someone a little obsessed with pothos plants, I want to have them all over! Growing pothos in water is a great way to add greenery to small spaces without the mess of soil and repotting.

Last time I decided to trim my golden pothos, I took some of the cuttings and transplanted them into soil, and let the others grow extensive roots in water. They've been growing for a few months now and are just as happy as the pothos I have in soil.

Keep reading to learn how to keep a pothos plant alive and thriving in water!

First all all, you'll need some pothos cuttings! Check out my instructable "How to Propagate a Pothos Plant" for all the details of making and rooting cuttings. In that instructable I say to only make cuttings one node, but for this purpose you can cut lengths of 3-4 nodes and remove some of the lower leaves for longer stems. :)

Tools + Materials:

• Clean glass containers
• Water (I use well water)
• All purpose fertilizer (can be liquid or powder)

I'm using some test tubes I had from another project, mason jars and drinking glasses as "pots" for my pothos at the moment, but I hope to have a hanging system set up soon! I think that will look so much nicer. :D

Regarding water: it's fine to use tap water, but if you do, let a container of it sit out in open air for a day or so to let some of the chlorine evaporate.

As long as it's clean, easy to add water to, and allows you to remove the plant for cleaning - it's perfect!

I really love the way test tubes hold the cuttings, but other thin-necked vases or bottles would look great too.

There are three major things to worry about here:

1. Change the water every now and then and add new water as needed. Water loses oxygen over time, and roots need oxygen! I recommend changing the water every couple weeks or so.
2. Feeding your pothos is important! Typically, potting soil contains nutrients your plant needs, but since it's in water you'll need to feed it to keep it growing! I dilute all purpose fertilizer to 1/4 strength and pour a small amount of that into each container. I use this fertilizer-water mix to refill the containers as the water slowly evaporates.
3. Keep your containers clean! If the glass begins to get cloudy or covered in algae, remove the plant and wash the container.

As long as you check it regularly, a pothos will thrive in water. I've loved being able to watch new roots and leaves forming. :D