Tradescantia plant names

Tradescantia come in many varieties, patterns, and colors, including cream, pink, purple, and burgundy in addition to green. The name “Tradescantia” refers to many different species of plants in the Tradescantia genus, as well as some in the genus Callisia. Tradescantia also has a variety of nicknames to match its variety of species, including inch plant, spiderwort, and dayflower. Some varieties are fuzzy, while others have smooth leaves.

Some of the most popular species of tradescantia (with nicknames in parenthesis) include:

• Zebrina – the most common type of tradescantia has green leaves with silver zebra stripes and magenta undersides. Tradescantia zebrina comes in a variety of cultivars including “quadricolor” and “red gem”.
• Blossfeldiana (lilac, bubblegum, or nanouk) – green leaves striped with pink and cream, with purple undersides
• Sillamontana (white velvet) – green leaves covered in silver-white fuzz
• Spathacea (boat lily, oyster plant, or Moses-in-the-cradle) – elongated green and purple leaves with pearl-like flowers
• Fluminensis (small-leaf spiderwort) – green striped with lavender, yellow, or white
• Pallida (purple heart) – fully dark purple leaves
• Mundula (rainbow or tricolor) – green leaves with pink and white variegation

Wandering Jew plant name versus tradescantia

“Wandering Jew” is an old nickname for some species of tradescantia that has been retired from common use. Even when used with good intentions, this name has anti-Semitic origins so it’s best to use the real name or another nickname instead. You can learn more about the history of tradescantia names at the House Plant Hobbyist blog.

When to propagate tradescantia

Tradescantia is a hearty plant that you can propagate often. Most commonly, people propagate their tradescantia when the strands become “leggy.” This means that the stems have become too long compared to the density of the leaves. For example, a leggy plant might have a few long stems with only a few leaves. The result is a plant that looks scraggly instead of full and bushy.

Tradescantia and other plants become leggy when they are not receiving enough light. The stems of the plant grow longer between each leaf because they are stretching to get closer to the light. If you want to take the guesswork out of lighting once and for all, the best thing you can do is buy a light meter. This will tell you the exact light measurement in foot candles. You can use this information to perfect the placement of every plant and grow light in your home. This the one I use. It is a great value, easy to use, and works perfectly. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

GE Grow LED Light Bulb, For Seeds and Greens, Balanced Light Spectrum, Medium Base, PAR38 Bulb Shape (Pack of 1)

Although it’s a symptom of insufficient lighting, a leggy appearance doesn’t harm your plant. On the other hand, because we use houseplants as decorations in our homes, we can improve the aesthetics via propagation. Propagating tradescantia allows you to prune off leggy stems. Then, returning the rooted cuttings to the same pot can improve the bushiness of your plant by double or even more!

How to cut tradescantia to propagate

The correct way to take tradescantia cuttings is by first identifying your plant’s nodes. If you take a close look at your plant, you can see that there are one or many strands in the pot. Each leaf grows out of a stem, and at the point where the leaf and stem connect there is a ridge around the stem. This is the node.

Can you grow tradescantia from cuttings

An entirely new plant can be grown from a tradescantia cutting as long as you have at least one node in the cutting. The new bud will sprout from the stem near a node, so make sure to leave a little room on each side of the node. New roots also grow from the node.

To take a cutting, identify a location on the stem between two nodes. Using sharp shears to avoid crushing the stem tissue, slice through the stem at the midpoint between the nodes. Depending on how long the stem is, you can repeat the process multiple times to separate many cuttings. The tip cutting of each stem, which includes the newest leaf, will grow new leaves the fastest. Cuttings further down the stem, or mid cuttings, take a bit longer. Click on the image or link for the current price:

Ultra Snip 6.7 Inch Pruning Shear with Stainless Steel Blades

Types of cuttings

The minimum cutting size is a single node (corresponding to a single leaf), which will yield the maximum number of baby plants. The downside of single node cuttings is that they can be hard to position in the propagation medium and take longer to grow. If you want a head start on new long strands in your pot, you can instead take longer cuttings with several nodes. 3-4 inches is a good length. Longer cuttings are easier to propagate and look like a regular plant the soonest.

Aim to leave at least 2/3 of the parent plant behind so that you don’t cut off more than 1/3 of its leaves at once. Soon, you’ll notice new growth on the parent plant coming from the nodes left behind.

Before placing in the rooting medium, you can allow the cut ends of the stem to callous over. Do this by leaving the cuttings in the open air for a few hours. For tradescantia, this step is not critical and your cuttings should be successful either way.

Propagating tradescantia from leaf

Sometimes, you might find yourself in a situation where you have a tradescantia leaf without any of the stem. Regardless of the cause, without a node you cannot propagate just a leaf. It may grow roots and survive for a while but it will not turn into a new plant.

Rooting tradescantia

You’re in luck when rooting tradescantia because this plant roots extremely quickly! The reason for tradescantia’s rooting speed can be traced back to its growth pattern in the wild. As a “creeping” or “carpeting” plant, tradescantia is low growing and often used for groundcover. It spreads across the ground when its trailing stems make contact with the soil and take root, giving the plant a water and nutrient boost to grow faster. As a result, it is adapted to send out root shoots quickly whenever a node is placed in a suitable medium.

How long for tradescantia to root

Tradescantia cuttings can start to grow roots in a matter of days, and be finished rooting in a few weeks. Furthermore, because they are robust plants with small leaves, they don’t need many roots to be ready to replant. Once the roots are a few inches long they are ready to go!

How to propagate tradescantia in water

The best method for propagating tradescantia cuttings is in water. Place each cutting in a container of clean water so that the node is submerged. Then, replace the water every few days.

For a multi-leaf cutting, you can remove the bottom leaves so that it is easier to get more nodes under the water. Leaves that are submerged will start to rot eventually. Preferably you want to keep any remaining leaves above the water level.

Using a clear container for propagating will allow you to watch the roots form. Cut off any leaves or stem that turn brown or black and mushy. Make sure to choose a container with a wide mouth so that the cuttings will be easy to remove once roots grow. Click on the image or link for the current price:

Desktop Plant Terrarium Propagation Station- 3 Pcs Tabletop Glass Planter Water Planting Glass Vase with Lid & Wooden Stand for Growing Hydroponic Plants Home Office Table Decoration

Adding a gentle fertilizer like liquidirt to your propagating water can keep your cuttings fed without causing algae to grow in the water. Start adding fertilizer once you see roots starting to grow. Before it has roots the plant doesn’t have a method to absorb the nutrients. Click on the image or link for the current price:

Liqui-Dirt Nano Powder All-Purpose Organic Complete Plant Food for Indoor or Outdoor Use (Makes over 50 gallons) 18 Balanced Super Foods -Balanced Blend of Vitamins Minerals Micro-Fungi and Bio-Organisms

How to propagate tradescantia in soil

To propagate in soil, select a soil mix with a moisture retaining element. I prefer mixes that use coconut coir like rePotme soil, instead of peat like MiracleGro. Coir is more sustainable & is easy to rewet, where peat can become hydrophobic (water repelling) if it gets too dry. It’s also important to choose a soil with chunky add-ins like perlite to improve drainage. Ingredients with a large particle size help the soil stay moist but not waterlogged. Click on the image or link for the current price:

rePotme Houseplant and Tropical Classic Potting Soil Mix – Mini Bag

Select a pot for your cuttings that will comfortably fit them without extra room on the sides or bottom. Large volumes of extra soil retain too much water and take too long to dry out. Fill the pot partially with soil, place the cuttings in, and fill the rest of the way so that the nodes are under the surface. Try to keep all leaves above the soil, and cut off any that might be buried. Water the cuttings right away, and keep the soil slightly damp to the touch until the cuttings root. It can be difficult to tell what’s happening under the surface, so give one cutting a slight tug. If you find resistance, that means its roots are developing well!

The benefit of rooting in soil is that you don’t need to replant your cuttings once they root. Just return to your typical watering routine of letting the top layer of soil become dry to the touch before watering again.

Soil rooting dangers

For most houseplants, I don’t recommend propagating in soil, but tradescantia is an exception. This plant roots so easily that common soil propagation issues like rot, that can be devastating when they occur invisibly below the level of the soil, are less of a concern.

Rot occurs most commonly when weakened or dying tissue is exposed to organic contaminants for a long period of time in an area that is moist with limited airflow. Your tradescantia cuttings will quickly grow enough roots to sustain themselves, keeping them healthy to resist rot. Furthermore, you only need to keep the soil consistently wet for a week or two until the cuttings establish their roots, limiting the window of ideal rot conditions.

Soil rooting tradescantia without cutting first

As a bonus technique, if your parent plant has very long strands you can try looping them back into the pot. Fasten them using a curved wire or bobby pin so as many nodes as possible are in contact with the soil. When the nodes starting rooting into the pot, you can then cut them free from the original stem. This method allows you to root your tradescantia cuttings prior to separating them from the parent plant’s stem. It works best if you plan to keep your cuttings with the parent, as the roots can be difficult to untangle.

Want to use what we use to propagate plants? Check out our recommended best plant propagation supplies on Amazon!

The post How to Propagate Tradescantia: Cuttings, Rooting, and Care Made Easy! appeared first on Plant Propagation Guide.

Identifying pothos

The name pothos is used for lots of different plants, which can get super confusing! First, we’ll break down all the varieties so you can tell what plant you are propagating.

Epipremnum aureum, the golden pothos, is the most common variety. This houseplant also goes by the names devil’s ivy and money plant. While the pothos you see at nurseries typically grow leaves smaller than your hand, they can get much larger with the right conditions. In tropical locations like Hawaii, golden pothos climb dozens of feet up tree trunks and achieve a mature form with leaf splits called “fenestrations” just like monstera leaves.

In addition, golden pothos are not always gold and green, and come in a wide variety of color patterns. N’joy, jade, manjula, global green, neon, marble queen, snow queen, emerald, glacier, jessenia, and pearls & jade are all variations of Epipremnum aureum. In contrast, silver pothos and satin pothos, so-called because of the silvery sheen of their leaves, are actually the plant scindapsus pictus.

Likewise, epipremnum pinnatum is another plant in the same epipremnum genus that is sometimes called pothos. This plant has longer and thinner leaves that get fenestrations more easily, earning it the nickname “dragon tail.” The popular but harder to find cebu blue and baltic blue pothos are both epipremnum pinnatum.

Pothos vs Philodendrons

Lastly, pothos look very similar to another common plant, the heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum). Like the pothos, heartleaf philodendrons come in lots of patterns and varieties like lemon lime, brazil, and micans. You can tell these plants apart by a few small differences. For example, pothos have thicker leaves with a round base while heartleaf philodendron leaves are thinner and heart-shaped. Furthermore, pothos leaves unfurl from the previous leaf, while philodendron leaves grow from a sheath called a cataphyll that dries up and falls off once the leaf has opened.

Fortunately, all of these plants have the same growth habits, creating long trailing or climbing vines. This means that the way you propagate them is identical!

How to cut pothos for propagation

In this section we will plan the best place to cut your pothos, before finally making the cut.

Parts of a pothos vine

The most important things to remember when propagating pothos is that you always need a node. A cutting with just a leaf will not grow a new plant. To be sure your cutting has a node, let’s go through the parts of a pothos in detail.

To begin, nodes are the ridges around the stem of the pothos. Each petiole (the long green stalk that holds the leaf) grows out of a node. As a general rule, there will be one node for every leaf, but there can be a few more nodes than leaves if the plant lost a leaf, or a new stem grew from a previous cut.

Nodes are the location in the plant where new vines can start. Right above each node is an axillary bud, the dormant shoot of a new stem, waiting to be awakened by a cut. The axillary bud on a pothos is usually not visible until it is activated.

The internode is the portion of the main vine between nodes. In order to get a node in your cutting, you need to cut the plant on the main stem on the internode, not on the petiole or leaf. If you cut just a leaf, it will not contain a node.

Pothos aerial roots

You also might see some aerial roots growing from your pothos stem. Aerial roots start out as a white nub breaking through the stem. Usually they will stay as a nub and develop a brown or bark-like covering over time, especially if they are on an older part of the plant.

Pothos use aerial roots to cling onto trees and climb in the wild. If the aerial roots contact a growing medium, like a climbing pole or the soil, they can start to grow into normal roots. Additionally, if you have your pothos plant in high humidity (60% or higher), the aerial roots are more likely to continue to grow in the air instead of stopping at a nub.

When picking a place to take a cutting from your pothos, look for a vine with aerial roots as your first choice. Cuttings with aerial roots will root faster because the aerial roots can extend into normal roots. If your pothos doesn’t have any, that is ok too! The roots will grow out of the stem near the node.

Where to cut a pothos

Depending on the size of your pothos plant, you may have one or many vines. You can trim the tips or cut them back all the way, but leave at least one node to regrow from. In total, plan to leave at least 2/3 of the leaves on the parent plant.

• Top Cutting – A top cutting is the most basic, and requires just one snip. By separating the top of the stem from the bottom, cutting on the internode, you remove the plant’s terminal bud, the growth point at the top of the stem. Top cuttings are the best type of cutting because they start growing again the fastest and the new leaves will not lose much maturity.
• Mid Cutting – Once you remove the top cutting, you can separate additional cuttings from the middle of the stem. Each middle cut requires two snips, one above and one below. A mid cutting will start growing a new stem from its node’s axillary bud, so it will be starting over in terms of leaf size and maturity.

Each cutting only needs to contain one node. For this reason, you can split a long cutting into many pieces. Because pothos root so easily, there isn’t much benefit to leaving more, unless you want your baby plant to start with a longer vine.

How to take cuttings from a mature pothos

In case you have a plant with mature leaves and fenestrations, here are a few extra tips. Remember, only a top cutting, aka the tip of the vine, because it will maintain the leaf size. Any mid cuttings or bottom cuttings (vines left on the parent plant) will grow smaller leaves from their newly activated buds. If you’re buying, don’t spend extra money on a cutting from a mature pothos plant unless 1. it is a top cutting and 2. you will be able to provide similar growing conditions to maintain leaf size.

Can you propagate pothos without a node?

You cannot propagate a pothos plant without a node. If you have a cutting with no node, it may survive for a while but will never grow a new plant.

Can you propagate pothos without leaves?

Yes, a cutting that contains a node but without any leaves is a stem cutting – also known as a node or “wet stick.” In fact, propagating a pothos without a leaf is definitely possible. It just takes longer to grow roots and new leaves with no existing leaves to perform photosynthesis.

Making the cut

At this point, we have plan and are ready to cut! Identify the location of the node, and make sure it is included in the cutting. Make sure to leave as much room as possible on either side of the node. This provides space to spare if you experience rot.

Using a pair of clean, sharp shears, separate your cutting from the vine. Cut the stem cleanly, without causing any crushing damage, to keep the tissue healthy. I recommend these shears. Click on the image or link to see the current price:

Ultra Snip 6.7 Inch Pruning Shear with Stainless Steel Blades

Treating the cut

Normally, at this stage in propagation we would add rooting hormone to the cut ends. For most plants, this decreases rooting time, but pothos naturally root quickly without rooting hormone. In fact, the University of Florida Pothos Production Guide states that indolebutyric acid, the active ingredient in rooting hormone gel, does not benefit pothos rooting time.

Once you are done cutting, leave the cuttings out a few hours until the cut ends are no longer wet. They will naturally form a callous to protect the plant.

How to root pothos cuttings

Now that you have your cuttings, they need to grow roots to survive. Any rooting method will work for pothos cuttings, but each have pros and cons. My preferred method for pothos is water rooting, for its simplicity. This method is most effective for fresh, healthy cuttings. For all methods, make sure the node and aerial root are kept moist.

Consider the things your cutting needs to grow roots and avoid rot:

Moisture keeps your plant alive without roots and encourages root growth. Keep aerial roots consistently wet and covered by the propagation medium. High humidity around the plant will limit water loss. Airflow is important in a high humidity environment to maintain oxygen around roots and prevent root rot.

To avoid stem rot, keep the cut ends of the stem as dry as possible. The best way to do this is by suspending them out of the propagating medium. It can be impractical to keep both ends out, but if you use a container that is taller than it is wide you can usually keep at least one end out.

How long does it take to propagate pothos?

In optimal conditions, pothos cuttings root in 3-4 weeks, and new buds can start to grow in 1-2 weeks. The typical household conditions are colder and darker than tropical plants prefer, so it may take longer. Keep reading to learn how to improve propagation conditions in your home.

How to propagate pothos fast – lighting

The most important factor in plant growth, whether cuttings or established plants, is light. While pothos plants can survive in most household lighting conditions, they need more light to thrive.

For example, a common measure of light intensity is foot-candles. A few feet away from a window light levels are around a few hundred foot candles. 125 foot candles is enough for pothos to stay alive, but you might be surprised to learn that the “bright indirect” light pothos need for best growth is much more than this.

In comparison, direct outdoor sunlight on a cloudless day can be up to 10,000 foot candles! Even in full shade, outdoor plants receive 1000-2000 foot candles.

Commercial greenhouses keep their pothos plants in sunlight under shade cloths or very bright lights to achieve 3000-5000 foot candles. These levels are the best “bright indirect” light conditions for maximum pothos growth and rooting speed.

If you want to take the guesswork out of lighting once and for all, the best thing you can do is buy a light meter. Click on the image or link to see the current price:

Dr.meter LX1330B Digital Illuminance Light Meter, 0-200,000 Measurement Range Lux Meter

It is possible to achieve greenhouse light intensity indoors by using a dedicated grow light, or very bright window. I love using GE brand grow light bulbs because my north-facing Seattle windows just aren’t bright enough. These bulbs fit into normal sockets but can help you achieve light levels in the thousands of foot candles. Even better, they are a beautiful daylight white color that looks great in your home. I always buy these on Amazon instead of a big box store because the price is usually better. Click on the image or link to see the current price:

GE Grow LED Light Bulb, For Seeds and Greens, Balanced Light Spectrum, Medium Base, PAR38 Bulb Shape (Pack of 1)

When increasing light levels, make sure to increase the intensity gradually to avoid leaf burn. You can do this by moving the plant closer to the light source over time.

How to propagate pothos fast – fertilizer

Until your cutting grows roots, you don’t need to add nutrients to the water you use to moisten your propagation medium, because it can’t absorb them. Once roots begin to grow, you can add nutrients to help it grow faster. I use a few drops of Liqui-Dirt added to the water. This weak fertilizer can boost baby plants without risk of overfertilizing. Click on the image or link to see the current price:

Liqui-Dirt Nano Powder All-Purpose Organic Complete Plant Food for Indoor or Outdoor Use (Makes over 50 gallons) 18 Balanced Super Foods -Balanced Blend of Vitamins Minerals Micro-Fungi and Bio-Organisms

Growing pothos cuttings in winter

The ideal growing temperature for pothos is 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is too high or too low they will root and send out new buds much more slowly. In an indoor environment, you can control the temperature of your cuttings so that they are not affected by changing seasons. The easiest way to maintain tropical temperatures for your cuttings is a heating mat. Click on the image or link for the current price:

10″x20.75″ Seedling Heat Mat and Thermostat Controller 68-108°F Digital Thermostat Controller IP68 Waterproof (Heated mat+Thermostat Controller)

How to propagate pothos in water

Water is the simplest way of propagating most plants! Fill a glass or jar with water, place the cutting in with the water level above the node, and replace the water every few days. A fish tank air stone can be added to increase water oxygen levels. I use this method for healthy, low risk cuttings that I am confident will root long before they rot in a lower airflow environment — and freshly cut pothos are a perfect example. We recommend this fish air pump. Click on the image or link for the current price:

Quiet Aquarium Air Pump 1.5 Watt Energy Saving Mini Oxygen Pump for 1-15 Gallon Fish Tank with Accessories White

Pros: Can use a clear container to see roots form and check cutting for rot. Keeps your cutting from becoming dehydrated. Very easy to maintain consistent moisture around roots. No organic matter in medium to introduce disease. No damage to roots when removing from water. Roots grow quickly.

Cons: No airflow around roots. Only source of oxygen is what is dissolved in water. More difficult to transition roots grown in water to soil. Hard to keep stem out of water.

How to propagate pothos in soil

Many commercial nurseries that need to produce new plants efficiently just plant their pothos cuttings straight into soil. This method can work, especially with a fresh, healthy cutting, but it has the most downsides out of all the methods. For a home propagator, it is very difficult to achieve 100% success propagating in soil. I recommend this soil for pothos. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

Pothos Imperial Houseplant Potting Soil Mix by rePotme – Mini Bag (2 Quarts)

Pros: No transplanting required. Plant can benefit from nutrients in soil.

Cons: Hard to maintain consistent moisture. Can’t check on roots forming or see rot. Soil can become anaerobic if overwatered. Organic medium can introduce fungus or disease.

How to propagate pothos in perlite or LECA

Perlite has very similar benefits to water, with the addition of greater airflow. Perlite is absorbent and porous, so it will wick moisture up to areas of the container that are not underwater. Keep the container filled with a small reservoir of water below the level of the stem, and cover the top to hold in humidify around the roots.

I use this method for high risk, dehydrated cuttings. Since it takes more work than water, I only use it for rarer types of pothos that I only have a few cuttings of.

You can use any chunky, inorganic material for this method, like pumice or LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate), if you don’t have perlite. Perlite is my preference because it is so lightweight; it is easy to pull out the cutting to check on it without disturbing it too much. Heavier mediums will help the cutting stand up better, however. I recommend this LECA. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

Mother Earth Hydroton Original Clay Pebbles – 10 Liter, Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate

Make sure you pick a course perlite without fertilizer or dust. The ones available at nurseries and hardware stores usually have too many small grains and lots of dust that needs to be rinsed out. I recommend this perlite. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

Mother Earth Perlite #3, Covers 4 cu. ft., Large and Coarse, Average Size 1/2 inch, For Hydroponic Use, Neutral pH

Pros: Easy to maintain consistent moisture around roots. No organic matter in medium to introduce fungus or disease. Minimal damage to roots when removing from perlite. Allows airflow to roots.

Cons: Can’t check on roots forming or see rot.

How to propagate pothos in sphagnum moss

You can also propagate pothos in sphagnum moss in place of soil. Moist moss holds a lot of water, which is great for maintaining humidity around roots while still allowing airflow. This method can yield great results, but is difficult to execute correctly. People often have issues caused by moss that is too wet or too dry. I recommend this sphagnum moss. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

besgrow New Zealand Sphagnum Moss (100 Grams)

To make moisture retention easier when propagating lots of pothos cuttings at once, I use moss in a propagation box aka “prop box.” This is a container that seals to keep in humidity. First, lay the damp but not wet moss across the bottom of the container at least 1 inch deep. Next, place the cuttings on top of the moss. I put pieces of moss over any existing aerial roots to guide them into the medium, but leave the stem ends free. Last, place the lid on the container.

If your moss is moist enough, you should see condensation form on the lid. This means that your humidity is 100% and you should have to water the box only rarely. Make sure to open it once in a while to allow fresh air in. Choose a container with a clear lid so that your grow light can shine through. Click on the image or link to check the current price for this propagation dome:

Propagator with Humidity Vents Domes,Heavy Duty Growing Tray Mini Greenhouse for Seedlings, Clones

Pros: Maintains high moisture and humidity without liquid water. Lightweight and easy to shape around roots. Easier to keep stem out of medium. Roots transition more easily to soil.

Cons: Hard to maintain consistent moisture. Can’t check on roots forming or see rot. Damaging and time consuming to remove moss from roots. Organic medium can introduce fungus or disease.

Air layering

Air layering means growing out the aerial roots of your plant into soil roots before cutting it. This method is usually performed with bundles of sphagnum moss wrapped around the aerial roots. You can use plastic wrap, ziplock bags, or other containers to keep the moss moist. You can also air layer by guiding aerial roots into moss on a pole, or placing aerial roots into an additional container of soil or water.

Air layering is labor-intensive, but it is the safest method of propagation. For this reason, it is the best choice for rare or valuable plants. An air-layered cutting can grow enough roots to sustain itself before it is even removed from the parent plant.

How to plant pothos cuttings

Keep a close eye on your cuttings when you propagate pothos, because their roots grow quickly! Pothos cuttings are ready to plant when they have a main root a few inches long with smaller roots branching off it. I recommend planting many pothos cuttings together in a pot, at least 5 for a small plant, so that it will create a full looking plant as fast as possible. There are two key things you need to decide on when planting: the pot type and soil type.

Best pot for planting pothos cuttings

When selecting a pot, look for one that is just wide enough to fit the roots of the cuttings. If it is too wide the cuttings will not be able to use the moisture fast enough and may get root rot. I always choose clear pots with drainage holes for my pothos. The clear plastic sides let you keep an eye on root growth so you never have to guess when to repot. For aesthetic purposes, place the clear pot inside a decorative cache pot. That way you can have a draining pot on the inside that looks great on the outside. Click on the image or link to check the price on these clear pots:

4″ Rigid Clear Orchid Pots

Best soil for planting pothos cuttings

The best soil to use for pothos is one with aerating materials added to create a quick draining mix that holds moisture while giving airflow to the roots. You can create your own mix from scratch by buying all the ingredients separately, amend big box store potting soil to improve it, or buy a custom potting mix. I prefer to make my own or use a custom mix because common potting soil brands like Miracle-Gro use peat-based soil which 1. is not sustainable and 2. becomes hydrophobic (water repelling) when it gets too dry. Obviously, the last thing you want in a soil is for it to repel water when your plant needs it the most! This rePotme soil mix is an easy solution that uses coco coir, one of my favorite soil ingredients, instead of peat and is similar to the custom mix I make at home. Click on the image or link for the current price:

Pothos Imperial Houseplant Potting Soil Mix by rePotme – Mini Bag (2 Quarts)

Fill the bottom third of your clear pot with soil mix, place the cuttings in, and fill the rest of the pot with soil so that the nodes are above the surface (or as close to it as possible). This will allow the new buds to grow safely outside the soil. Make sure to water the plant until water drains out the bottom, and don’t let the soil dry out more than just the surface for at least two weeks until your new pothos is established in the soil. An easy sign of an established plant is white root growth visible through a clear-sided pot.

Want to propagate your plants using the same propagation supplies we use? Check out our recommendations!

The post How to Propagate Pothos: 4 Easy Ways & Bonus Tips! appeared first on Plant Propagation Guide.