How to care for your pothos during winter

Getting your plants ready for cold weather? Here are our best tips for how to care for your pothos during winter!

Pothos is a popular houseplant known for its beautiful, cascading vines and easy-to-care-for nature.

There are tons of varieties of pothos plants, coming with slightly different coloring, leaf shapes, and growth patterns.

Its scientific name is Epipremnum aureum, and it is native to the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.

Pothos is a great choice for indoor gardeners who want to add some greenery to their home or office without needing a green thumb.

However, there’s one question that lingers for many pothos owners, and that is whether their plant can survive the winter, especially in colder climates.

In this article, we will explore pothos cold tolerance and provide tips on how to keep your pothos healthy during the winter months.

Can Pothos Survive Winter?

Pothos is a tropical plant originating from the Solomon Islands. As such, it is not accustomed to cold temperatures and cannot survive outdoors in cold climates.

However, since the plant is extremely low-maintenance and doesn’t require too much care, pothos is an excellent indoor plant that can thrive year-round with proper care.

In general, it is a hardy plant that can adapt to a wide range of conditions.

It has the ability to tolerate low light, irregular watering, and a wide range of temperatures.

However, pothos prefers warm temperatures and high humidity, which can be challenging to maintain in winter.

How Do You Keep Pothos Healthy in the Winter?

To have healthy pothos during the winter months, you need to pay attention to several factors, including temperature, lighting, watering, humidity, and fertilizing.

Here are some tips on how to care for your pothos during the winter:

Temperature

Pothos prefers temperatures between 65-85°F (18-29°C) during the day and above 50°F (10°C) at night.

Keep your pothos away from cold drafts and avoid placing it near a heater or radiator. If your home is too cold, you can use a space heater or a heating mat to provide additional warmth.

Lighting

Pothos thrives in bright, indirect sunlight. The best thing to do for your pothos during the winter months is to supplement with artificial light or move your plant closer to a window.

You can even use fluorescent lights or LED grow lights! Place the lights 12 to 16 hours a day, 6 to 12 inches above the plant.

Watering

Water your pothos when the top inch of the soil feels dry to the touch. Be careful not to overwater in the winter, as the cooler temperatures can slow down the plant’s growth and lead to root rot.

You may also use a moisture meter to figure out the amount of moisture in the soil.

Humidity

Pothos prefers higher humidity levels, so you may need to mist the leaves occasionally or place a tray of water near the plant to increase the humidity.

You can also use a humidifier to maintain a consistent level of it.

Fertilizing

Pothos can benefit from regular fertilization in the growing season, but you should reduce or stop fertilizing during the winter when growth slows down.

If you do fertilize, use a diluted fertilizer to avoid burning the plant’s roots.

Pruning

Winter is a good time to prune your pothos to keep it in shape and promote new growth. Be sure to remove any yellow or damaged leaves and trim back any long, leggy stems.

Pruning can also help prevent the plant from becoming too crowded and promote better airflow around the plant, reducing the risk of fungal infections.

Can My Pothos Survive Winter?

The answer to this question depends on where you live and how well you care for your pothos. If you live in a warm climate or keep your home’s temperature above 50°F (10°C), your pothos should do fine in the winter.

However, if you live in a cold climate, you need to take extra care to ensure your pothos stays healthy.

In case of lower temperatures, you can use a space heater or a heating mat to provide additional warmth.

You can also cover your pothos with a plant cover or a blanket to protect it from the cold. However, be sure to remove the cover during the day to allow the plant to get light and air.

Should you mist pothos in winter?

As mentioned earlier, pothos prefers higher humidity levels, which can be a challenge to maintain during the winter months when indoor heating systems dry out the air.

Misting the leaves can help increase the humidity around the plant and keep the leaves clean from dust.

Therefore, it is best to be cautious when misting pothos during the winter. Only spray the leaves in the morning when the temperature is warmer and more natural light is available.

Avoid misting the leaves in the evening or at night when the temperature drops and the plant’s growth slows down.

However, misting can also lead to problems in the winter if the water on the leaves does not evaporate quickly and the plant remains wet for too long.

The cooler temperatures and reduced light levels during the winter can slow down the plant’s growth and increase the risk of fungal infections, including leaf spot, which thrives in moist conditions.

So, pay attention to your plant and ease into misting for best results!

What temperature does pothos like in winter?

Regarding the temperature, pothos prefers temperatures between 65-85°F (18-29°C) during the day and above 50°F (10°C) at night.

In general, pothos can tolerate temperatures as low as 50°F (10°C), but temperatures below that can damage the plant’s leaves and slow down its growth.

Finally, it is crucial to keep the temperature around your pothos stable in the winter and avoid sudden temperature changes or exposure to cold drafts. 

In conclusion, pothos is a hardy indoor plant that can adapt to a wide range of conditions. However, during the winter months, when the temperature drops and the humidity decreases, you need to take extra care to ensure your pothos stays healthy.

Thanks for reading!

Sharing is caring!