How to Propagate Pothos Plants

I titled this post ‘How to Propagate Pothos Plants’ …but the truth is, this method for propagating plants can be used on MOST houseplants! And is so easy! I just chose to use Pothos because they’re such a common and inexpensive plant, not to mention easy-to-care for!

*This post is sponsored by our friends at STIHL. Thank you for supporting the fabulous brands that make Reality Daydream possible! This post contains affiliate links.*

Meet my “Pearls ‘n’ Jade” Pothos. She’s gotten a little unruly, and could use a trim.

Sometimes I propagate a plant because it needs a bit of pruning, and sometimes, I do it because it’s a FREE way to get more plants! 😉 I always have a dozen or two propagations going at any given time.

BUT FIRST!

Let’s talk about tools.

It’s important to use a pruner that’s SHARP and CLEAN. You might be tempted to use that convenient pair of scissors your toddler uses to cut shapes out of colorful construction paper. Don’t do it! Not only is it too dull, they’re not clean!

I love my STIHL hand pruners that are perfect for gardening and… you guessed it… pruning houseplants! They’re so high quality and made with chrome-plated blades. They even come in difference sizes so you can be sure it’s the perfect fit for you.

In addition to having a sharp, appropriate tool for the job, you also want to make sure it’s clean and free of bacteria that could transfer to your plant and make it sick.

After each use, I clean my blades with rubbing alcohol to make sure it’s ready for next time.

Are we ready to propagate this pothos plant? Let’s do this!

If you look closely, you’ll see that opposite each leaf stem is a node.

Each one of these nodes has the potential to grow a whole new plant for you! If you’re only wanting to take one cutting from the plant, start by finding the end of a vine. I recommend having between 2-4 leaves at the end, so count from the tip down. On the last leaf, locate the node at the base of the step, and cut below the node with your pruners.

SNIP!!!

Pop that sucker in water, and in a few weeks, you’ll see roots growing!

To clarify… I like to root my cuttings in water before planting in potting soil, but some growers place the cutting right into soil and water it. I’ve tried this and didn’t have as much luck. But you do you!

Here’s a different variety of pothos that has been rooting in water for over a month. This guy is ready to be potted up in soil!

Now, since I’m wanting to really trim down my vine and get lots of new plant babies, I’m going to cut below each node (leaving one leaf on each cutting).

I save jelly jars and spice jars just for propagating. But any vessel that holds water will do. Just make sure that the water level is high enough to cover those nodes on the stems, and refill when it starts getting low from evaporation. I usually change out the water for fresh water every couple weeks.

And the best part of this process is that not only do you have a bunch of new plants, the stem you pruned on the mother plant will continue to grow! Check out this point where I had previously propagated this plant… it just branched out and continued vining!

Wanna see some other plants I’m propagating right now?

How fun is that! If you have a plant you’re not sure if it’ll propagate in water like this, just give it a try! And look for those little nodes that are opposite the leaf. You’re going to have so much fun with this!

Please tag me on Instagram with your plant propagation pics! We’re @RealityDaydream!

~Bethany

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