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We're going back to basics today on pothos propagation, plant friends! It's one of the simplest things you can do as a plant parent. And pothos is probably the easiest plant to propagate, which is exactly why it's where you should start. I just want you to do it right the first time because one success is what turns this into a lifelong habit. So I brought propagation expert Lindsay Sisti back on the podcast to walk through pothos propagation from the very beginning. Join us as we talk beginner-friendly propagation tips, how to root pothos cuttings in water, light and watering, and why making that first cut actually helps your plant grow. Let's prop!

 

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:51] Meet Lindsay Sisti and her challenge for you!
• [04:24] Why pothos is the best plant to learn propagation on
• [06:00] Does a pothos cutting actually speed up your other props?
• [07:02] Plant anatomy 101: What do you need to know before you cut?
• [09:11] Why you should leave the leaves on your cuttings
• [10:19] Internodes vs. nodes (aka plant knuckles)
• [12:41] Remember when people were selling ‘wet sticks’ for hundreds of dollars?
• [13:31] Node cuttings vs. tip cuttings, and what “sterilized shears” really means
• [15:30] Experience the richness of single-origin honey with 3x more antioxidants with Manukora Honey!
• [17:16] Set your new cuttings up right with organic potting mix and gentle fertilizer from Espoma Organic!
• [19:54] What is a petiole and why will a single pothos leaf never root?
• [21:22] Leaf removal and water setup!
• [23:12] Why cutting back a balding pothos makes it bushier (apical dominance explained)
• [25:37] The pothos cuttings I rooted for my IVF nurses
• [26:57] Do pothos cuttings need to callus first?
• [27:55] What rooting hormone actually does, and the tradeoff of changing your water
• [30:36] The different methods of propagating different types of vining plants like pothos
• [31:44] Sphagnum, fluval stratum, and perlite (why water still wins for pothos)
• [35:02] Can you root bare nodes with no leaves? Plus prop box basics
• [37:40] Does cinnamon work as a rooting hormone?
• [38:56] Why the thrift store is the best place to find propagation vessels
• [40:15] Root length sweet spot!
• [41:25] Potting up: indoor mix, extra perlite, and starting small
• [45:12] Good, better, best (the full process in tiers)
• [47:03] Why light matters while rooting
• [48:19] Propagation walls and test tube shelves
• [51:30] Thrifted candelabras, champagne racks, and DIY propagation stations
• [53:27] Where to find Lindsay, her book, and all of her propagation resources!

 

 

Order my book!

Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

 

 

Why Pothos Is the Best Plant to Propagate First

Lindsay calls pothos “the ultimate plant for beginning propagation.” The same applies to its lookalike cousin, the trailing philodendron.

Pothos are forgiving in every direction:

• Fast growing
• Low-light tolerant
• Drought tolerant
• Almost impossible to be hurt by cutting

A pothos cutting also helps your other cuttings root faster. Plants release natural rooting hormone as they root, so drop one into the jar with everything else.

 

 

Find the Node

The node is really the only plant part that you need to identify when propagating!

Nodes are the bumpy spots along the vine where leaves grow out. I call them plant knuckles, and Lindsay agrees that's exactly what they look like.

The long smooth green stretches in between are internodes. For propagation, those are useless.

As Lindsay says, “the nodes are where all the action is at.”

Note: The little stem connecting a leaf to the vine is called a petiole. A leaf with only a petiole attached will never root on a pothos. So don't waste one on it.

 

 

How to Propagate Pothos in Water

1. Grab any clean pair of scissors. Soap and water is fine. A wipe of rubbing alcohol is fine. You don't need special tools.
2. Go to the end of a vine. Count down one or two nodes.
3. Cut in the smooth space between two nodes. Never on the knuckle.
4. Pull off any leaf that would sit under the water.
5. Put the cutting in a jar of water. Leave the leaves on top.
6. Give it lots of light.

That's the whole thing.

Use a brown or blue glass bottle if you can find one. Less light gets in, so you get less algae. Thrift stores sell them for a dollar. Lindsay just uses old tomato sauce jars.

 

 

Why Cutting Your Pothos Makes It Bushier

People have it backwards.

When you snip the tip off a vine, you remove a hormone called auxin. Auxin is what keeps the buds further down the vine asleep. Scientists call it apical dominance.

Take the tip off, and those sleeping buds wake up.

A plant with three long vines can come back with 6 or 7. You cut it shorter, and it grows fuller.

 

 

When to Move Your Cutting Into Soil

Wait for roots that are one and a half to two inches long. That takes 3 to 6 weeks, so be patient.

I also like to see a little branching on the roots. That tells me they're robust enough to go.

Then pot it up:

• A small pot with drainage holes
• Indoor potting mix, not garden soil
• A handful of perlite mixed in

Keep that soil a little moister than you normally would for the first couple of weeks. Those roots grew up in water and need help adjusting.

Also, your pot will look small next to all that foliage. Small roots, small pot.

 

 

Good, Better, Best Propagation

Good – cuttings in water, wait for 2 inches of roots, pot them up. You'll succeed nearly every time.

Better – dip the node in rooting hormone first. Lindsay recommends Clonex, and one bottle lasts a home grower forever.

Best – rooting hormone, 2 inches of roots, then indoor potting mix with extra perlite. Add humidity if you can.

Note: Cinnamon and honey don't work. Real cinnamon does have antifungal properties, but there's no research showing it speeds up rooting.

 

 

Go Make the Cut: The Challenge

Take one cutting this week. Just one. Once you watch roots appear on something you grew yourself, you'll be hooked. And then you get to hand your own cuttings to your friends, which is the best part!

So as Lindsay and I mentioned, we have a listener challenge! Send this episode to one “plant curious” friend who's never propagated. Your plant-curious friend or the friend who maybe either doesn't have any plants but wants to start having one, so you can give them a pothos cutting.

 

 

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy 129: How to Root Bare Nodes or “Wet Sticks” with Bloom Daddy Plants
• Growing Joy 350: Propagation Tips For Plant Parents That Actually Work: Prop Boxes, Ikea Grow Cabinets and How to Avoid Mold Damage with Lindsay Sisti
• Growing Joy 309: How to Propagate an Alocasia Corm with Lindsay Sisti
• Growing Joy 289: How to Propagate Plants in Fluval Stratum with Lindsay Sisti
• The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation by Lindsay Sisti
• Clonex Rooting Gel

 

 

 

 

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

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Espoma Organic

Ensure your propagation success thrives in their pots with Espoma Organic's fertilizers! Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To top it all off, they have a huge sustainability commitment with a 100% solar-powered plant, zero waste manufacturing, and eco-friendly packaging.

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

 

 

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