How to cut off dead pothos leaves

Dead leaves on your pothos plant? Here’s a step by step guide on when and how to cut off dead pothos leaves.

Pothos plants are one of the easiest, most beginner-friendly house plants that there is.

So, if yours isn’t doing great, that can be quite disappointing.

There’s no need to stare at a plant with dead leaves on it all day. That’s sure to depress you – and the plant might not love it, either!

Here’s my methodology for dealing with and removing dead pothos leaves!

Why are the leaves of my pothos plant dying?

If leaves are suddenly changing – especially if a lot of them change at once – you are going to want to assess what has changed or might be happening to your plant.

• Has it recently been watered? Yellowing leaves might be a sign of overwatering. Make sure the pot has good drainage.
• Did you forget to water it? Sad or droopy leaves often mean a plant is thirsty.
• Is it not getting enough light? Lack of light can cause leaves to die.

If we are just talking about one leaf and everything else seems fine, it might just have been that leaf’s time to go to make room for new growth.

Here’s my guide on why pothos leaves are yellowing!

Will pothos regrow leaves?

Pothos plants do not re-grow leaves on old stem. If your plant loses a lot of leaves, this can give it a “leggy” look – long pieces of stem with no leaves.

In this case, I suggest cutting that branch back, propagating it, and allowing the plant to grow back bushier.

Here’s my guide on how to cut back a leggy pothos plant.

What to do with dead leaves on pothos?

Dead plants aren’t going to come back to life, and they aren’t adding anything aesthetically or otherwise to your plant. It is my suggestion that dead plants be removed to focus energy on new growth moving forward.

Should I cut off damaged pothos leaves?

Damaged leaves might recover or might go on to completely die, depending on the extent of the damage. If it is small damage, you can use scissors to trim it off.

However, if more than 1/3 of the leaf is damaged, I usually just go ahead and remove it to focus energy on new growth and the other remaining healthy leaves.

How to cut off dead pothos leaves

Here’s how to trim pothos dead leaves!

1. Identify the leaf or leaves that need to go.
2. Gently tug on the leaf, where the stem attaches to the stem or branch of the plant. It might come off naturally if it is close enough to death.
3. Use sharp clean scissors or pruning shears to cut the leaf off close to the stem.
4. Add the leaf to your compost bin if you have one. Otherwise, trash it.

Can brown leaves turn green again?

No – brown, crunchy leaves are never going to be green and lush again. Sad, but a reality. Time for them to go so you can grow new healthy leaves!

Can yellow leaves turn green again?

Yellow leaves mean your plant is in stress – usually too much or too little water or sunlight. It is extremely unlikely that very yellow leaves will turn green again. Snip snip!

Any questions about pruning dead pothos leaves?

Thanks for reading!

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