Why Is My Pothos Wilting? Thats Why!

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The Pothos plant is a highly trendy plant that is often used for interior decoration due to its long and shiny leaves. 

Hanging the plant or keeping it on a bookshelf are the most common places for the plant as it adds elegance to a room.

The Pothos is an easy plant to grow and care for. Thus, many may overlook its care sometimes.

When people tend to neglect this plant, it can cause droopy leaves. 

But this issue can be fixed quickly if the cause is identified in the early stages.

Why is My Pothos Wilting?

Pothos wilting can be caused due to many reasons, but the two main reasons include overwatering and high-intensity lighting. Other issues, such as overfertilization and pest attacks, can become some of the reasons behind this problem as well. The best way to avoid these issues is by using proper pots with drainage holes and placing the plant in medium sunlight.

Watering Problems

The Pothos plant shows some signs when it is being underwatered, such as it looks weak or shriveled. This plant is kept as decoration, so people often forget to water it.

Keeping the Pothos plant in a hanging pot is the best choice. This method allows the plant to release excess water found in the drainage holes. 

It also helps the plant get the perfect amount of sunlight. When you water the Pothos plant, make sure to water it with excess water and let the rest seep out.

The best rule to follow is to feel the soil before watering it. If the bottom of the soil feels dry, then you can water your Pothos plant again.

Don’t leave your plant in standing water, as standing water inside the pot can cause root rot. This is followed by root rot and leaf wilting.

Light Needs

The Pothos plant can be kept anywhere inside the house. Some people keep it in the center of the room.

This plant cannot survive for too long under direct sunlight. 

Direct sunlight onto your Pothos plant will cause the leaves to turn yellow and then wilt. If you place the plant in the middle of the room, make sure it is watered less because the leaf size will be smaller.

The placement of your Pothos plant will greatly vary the way it looks. If kept in bright sunlight, then the leaves will be larger.

Read about light levels that plants need to have a better grasp of this vital plant need.

Poorly Drained Soil

The Pothos plant is easy to take care of, and it does not need to be repotted after you purchase it. The plant likes to remain rootbound, so repotting it is not necessary.

However, if you sense that the roots of your plant have started to rot due to overwatering and poorly draining soil, then repot it.

The leaves of the Pothos plant do start to fall off eventually. But this is necessary as the old leaves die and are replaced with new ones. 

However, when the leaves start to fall, it is a clear sign that you need to repot the plant. Not repotting it will cause the leaves to wilt.

Insect Infestation

Pothos can become a victim of some of the most common pests in the gardening world, which include mealybugs and spider mites. 

These two pests can become extremely harmful to the plant if not taken care of quickly.

Mealybugs can be spotted on plants if the owner looks closely at the leaves. This pest tends to look like a furry cotton ball and is often seen on the bottom side of the leaves.

However, for spider mites, you’ll have to use a magnifying lens to truly diagnose this disease. 

But, if you’re an experienced gardener already, the presence of white, moving dust particles (when you look more closely) on the underside of the leaves is a telltale sign of a spider mite infestation.

Changes in Temperature

Pothos are capable of surviving in slightly unfavorable conditions. They can live for a long time under low light and can also survive without much water.

But temperature changes can often change the plant’s needs, such as water and surrounding humidity. This, in return, causes the health to be effective and makes the plant wilt.

Overfertilization

Overfertilization is a common problem in many plants. Many plant owners feel like they are not providing enough nutrients to their plants due to the small amount of fertilizer being added.

However, even a small teaspoon of fertilizer can contain days’ worth of nutrients for your Pothos plant. Adding an excessive amount of fertilizer can start to kill your plant, which is why the leaves start to wilt.

Never add more than the instruction tells you to, and follow the fertilization cycle. 

If your Pothos plant is kept under low sunlight, then it will not require as much fertilization due to changes in metabolism.

Overfertilization also causes burns on Pothos plants and will make the leaves turn brown as well.

How to Fix Wilting Pothos

Give Proper Amount of Water

How much water your Pothos plants needs depends on multiple things such as its size, the amount of sunlight it gets, and surrounding temperature. 

The usual rule is to water your plant only once a week.

But you can make sure your plant isn’t too dry by touching the soil. If you find that the soil’s dry, then you can water the plant.

Another tell-tale sign of under-watered plants is the yellowing of the leaves. Thus, if you notice the tips getting yellow, then you can increase the number of times you water your plant.

Provide Indirect Sunlight

Pothos plants are recommended to be kept away from south-facing windows as they should not be provided with direct sunlight. 

It is suggested that the plant be kept in either low light or under indirect sunlight.

Bright sunlight will cause the leaves to burn, which causes them to wilt. Thus, to avoid this issue choose low lighting if you cannot provide it with indirect sunlight.

Good Soil

The Pothos plant does not need too much water in its soil; thus, you should purchase well-draining soil. The best soil for this plant contains either pumice or perlite.

This plant cannot survive in standing water as its roots rot easily. Thus, there should be a good amount of drainage holes so that excess water is removed.

Regulate Temperatures

The Pothos plant needs to be kept in temperatures between seventy to ninety degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 32 degrees Celsius). 

The Pothos plant can also survive in temperatures as low as fifty degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) but not more than that.

The plant’s temperature can be regulated by moving it away from bright sunlight areas and increasing surrounding humidity. 

If there are any heaters in the house, the temperature plant should be kept away from those as well.

Proper Fertilization

The Pothos plant doesn’t need plenty of fertilization. The best rule is to fertilize it once every two to three months between Spring and summer.

You can even use aquarium water if you have a fish tank at home, as this is helpful for the plant. Seaweed solution and compost is also a good option for this plant.

When you fertilize this plant with liquid fertilizers, make sure the excess is drained out of the drainage holes. 

The Pothos plant does not need to be fertilized often in winter, which means larger gaps can be kept.

Remove Pests

In order to get rid of pests that are causing your Pothos to wilt, you can try different things. You can try spraying pesticides on the plant.

An organic solution to this problem is neem oil, which is good for getting rid of mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites. Larger pests can also be removed by hand.

Another solution is to use warm water, which is mixed in with soap, and spray it on the plants to kill extra pests. 

The warm water can also be mixed with salt instead of soap. This solution won’t get rid of them all but will help with the process.

Suppose you noticed these pests when they were in their early stages of feasting on your plant. Then it’s better for you as it’s easier to rid of them.

However, if you notice them once they have multiplied in number, then it can be difficult to get rid of them.

In some cases, a little humidity can help as spider mites cannot live in high humidity levels.

But this can also attract other pests to your plant, which is why other measures must be taken as well.

You can also dust your plant with a microfiber cloth since spider mites also get attracted by dusty plants. Spider mites love this as dust provides them a good cover.

Frequently Asked Questions about Why Pothos Wilts

How can I revive my wilting Pothos?

You can revive your Pothos plant if you know the exact reason that’s causing the problem. Inspect the plant first and then make sure that it is being provided with everything accordingly.

Are pests the main cause of wilting in Pothos?

Two of the main causes of wilting in Pothos are overwatering and providing too much sunlight. Pests are not a common cause, but they too can be the reason behind wilting Pothos.