If you were to compare the speed with which your Pothos grows to the speed of a “watched pot boiling,” you might be surprised by how quickly both are accomplished assuming that that pot of water is sitting on the surface of the sun.
Pained comparisons aside, however, you can expect your Pothos plant to grow pretty quickly to the point of considering a diligent pruning schedule to keep matters underhand and in control.
These amazing tropical vines thrive in the wild and will likewise flourish inside your home under just about every condition and circumstance.
Capable of reaching outrageous lengths of thirty to forty feet, these plants waste no time in getting there, and rather than asking how fast Pothos grow, you might be asking how fast can you get a new home to accommodate this huge Pothos.
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How Fast Do Pothos Grow?
Pothos plants will add somewhere between 12 and 18 inches to their overall length each month. Owing to this growth ability, many people will trip back these plants with an eye towards repropagating these trimmings.
Pothos Plants Can Reach 40-Feet (12.2 meters)
A mature Pothos plant that adds between a foot and a foot-and-a-half can reach pretty impressive sizes. Owing to that fact it should not be a surprise that they can reach upwards of 40 feet (12.2 meters).
Indeed, if this were an article about snakes, there would be a lot of Anaconda references.
As mentioned, managing this length of a plant can be a challenge. Training them to trail along supports can be augmented by the use of hooks, which will allow you to stretch the plant around your house.
That being said, however, many prefer to trim the plant back, so that they will also have a place to live in their apartment.
Folks who decide to keep their vines as long as possible should know that the vines that are left to grow on their own devices will invariably get tangled.
As such, be sure to give those long plant-tresses a shake every now and again to prevent them from getting entangled beyond belief.
Common Factors Regarding Pothos Environments
When it comes to locations, most gardeners find that their Pothos will do well growing either on a moss pole or will respond equally well when grown as a trailing plant.
When grown in a pole set, you will find them remaining fairly compact in width, which is an ideal plant for small spaces and rooms.
When grown in a trailing vine, these pointed, heart-shaped leaves are often variegated with striations of yellow, white, or pale green colors.
While these vines will not cling to a trellis on their own, you will be able to train the vines along supports to give the appearance of twining.
Additionally, as a healthy Pothos will live between five and ten years, you will have a lot of time to learn your own plant’s particular idiosyncrasies.
Trimming and Basic Pothos Plant Maintenance
Cutting back your Pothos will not only provide more living space for you and your family, but it will also benefit the plant as well.
Whether looking to do light pruning, or you are considering cutting back to within a couple of inches of the soil line, the plant will appreciate your efforts.
A lighter pruning will result in your vines being longer but cutting them back will provide a much more bushier plant.
Regardless of which direction you prefer to go, you will want to first identify the part of the vine that you want to cut.
Always ensure that when you cut the vine you make the cut approximately a quarter-inch (6.35mm) above the leaf.
That point of the plant where the leaf intersects with the vine is called a node and will send out new shoots in that area following the pruning.
It has been my experience that when trying to find the best place to cut back my Pothos, I always make sure that I do not leave any sections of leafless vines because it has been my experience that these sections will not regrow even following pruning efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding How Fast Pothos Grows
Will fertilizer help my Pothos grow faster?
While even the most cursory of internet searches will alert you to the fact that these plants are very easy to raise and difficult to kill. One of the reasons these plants do so well is that they don’t require any type of heroic measures on the part of the owner but adding fertilizer to the mix will always help their growth potential.
Why isn’t my Pothos growing fast?
If you notice that your Pothos is not growing as fast as you think it should be, there is a good chance that the problem is one of receiving too little water. Lack of water is known to cause stunting in this plant and happens when the root dries completely out and triggers health concerns in the plant.
How Fast Can a Pothos Grow
Once you have invited a Pothos to live in your home, you will quickly come to appreciate the rapidity in which that plant will grow.
Indeed, a healthy plant will add more than a foot to your plant’s existing length every month, and that growth will leave you wondering whether you may need to go another round around the living room before considering giving the plant a trim.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.