Can you propagate a long pothos vine?

Wondering if you can propagate a long Pothos vine? Here’s why you should trim it and a step by step guide for success!

Pothos plants are a super popular plant for beginner houseplant owners. These vining plants grow lush green leaves that come in a ton of colors and varieties.

Pothos grows quickly and – my favorite – is super easy to propagate!

Since pothos vines can grow super long, I understand the temptation to take super long cuttings. But, that isn’t always the best idea.

Let’s dive into why!

What is a long pothos vine?

Long pothos vines are branches of a pothos plant that grow longer than 12 inches or so in length.

What is a leggy pothos vine?

A leggy pothos vine is a vine that has long stretches with no leaves. This means that a plant either lost it’s leaves or had poor growing conditions for a period of time.

How long can a pothos vine get?

In ideal, outdoor conditions, a pothos vine can grow as long as 60 feet. Realistically, even in the best indoor conditions, they are unlikely to grow longer than 6-10 feet.

How do you make pothos grow super long?

To encourage pothos growth, you can fertilize once per month during growing season. Make sure the plant is getting optimal light and water and it should grow long and lush.

What can I do with long pothos vines?

Long vines can be trimmed and propagated or left to grow. You can let long vines hang or climb. I like to add a moss pole to encourage vertical growth and large leaves!

Should I trim pothos vines?

You can trim long pothos vines to encourage the plant to grow fuller and with a more bushy look. Or, you can let the vines grow long for a dramatic wrap around the room!

Benefits of propagating a long pothos vine

There are a few benefits of chopping your long pothos vines!

Saving money on purchasing new plants

Why buy more pothos when you can just make more for free?! No brainer!

Creating a fuller and more lush plant

Cutting long branches will encourage your parent plant to grow back bushier and often makes the plant look healthier overall.

Reducing waste and environmental impact

Don’t throw out plant trimmings! While plant cuttings are hardly killing the ozone layer, you might as well put them to use. If you don’t want them, post them in a facebook plant group. I bet someone would take them!

How to propagate a long pothos vine

The trick to propagating a long, leggy pothos is to divide the cutting into sections.

I know, I know, you want a nice, big start at a healthy new plant.

Well, I decided to take an experimental long pothos cutting from a leggy plant. The cutting is over 24 inches long!

I rooted this thing for FOUR MONTHS. All of it’s sister cuttings rooted and went into soil. This thing? Zero roots!

My theory is that the cutting has to use all of its energy to keep all of that stem alive and doesn’t have energy left for root growth.

Your best option is really and truly to cut your cutting into 4-8″ sections (each with at least one node) and root them that way, even if many of the sections have no leaves.

Preparing the pothos vine for propagation

Choose your long vine that you want to take a cutting from. Cut off the full length that you want to remove from the parent plant.

Cut this vine into sections – with each section having at least one node, preferably at the bottom of the cutting.

Choosing the method of propagation

Pothos can be propagated by division or by cuttings.

Division means you pull the plant out of the soil and divide the whole plant – roots and all – into 2 or more sections. Plant each in their own pot or container.

While you can place your cuttings in either soil or water, I prefer rooting them in water. This makes it easier to monitor root growth and ensure that your cuttings don’t dry out.

Step-by-step instructions for pothos propagation

It is extremely easy to propagate pothos in water.

1. Identify a healthy branch, preferably with new growth
2. Snip the branch with sharp scissors
3. Remove any lower leaves
4. Place in water so at least 1 – preferably 2 – nodes are underwater
5. Change the water once a week and top off as necessary
6. See roots form in 2-4 weeks
7. Once the roots are 2-3 inches long, plant in soil

Is your pothos plant looking long and leggy? Give it a trim today!

Thanks for reading!

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