I've been trying to propagate pothos and philodendrons by taking cuttings but I'm not having much luck. I've tried various methods: water propagation, soil, pure perlite, and even a mix of perlite and soil. I feel good about the cuts I'm making, especially since I watch guides that explain where the nodes are and where roots should grow. However, I'm struggling with the actual conditions. I'm not sure if I'm getting the humidity and temperature right, since my cuttings tend to die within a few days. It could be that I'm keeping them too wet or too dry. Also, could my choice of vessel for water propagation be affecting their survival? If anyone has had success propagating pothos cuttings, I'd love to hear what worked for you!
4 Answers
For me, increasing humidity made all the difference! I started using propagation boxes and my success rate skyrocketed. Definitely worth a try if you haven't already.
I just cut mine and put them in whatever container I have lying around. I primarily use water propagation because it’s easier for me—just tap water and I toss a cutting in. No fancy setups here, and they seem to do just fine!
I pretty much just stick my pothos cuttings in random containers like test tubes or old salad dressing jars with tap water. I even add some aquarium chlorine remover to the water for good measure. I put them by a window or under a grow light, and honestly, I don’t fuss with them much. They seem to thrive that way—it's like they can handle a bit of neglect! Maybe you’re overthinking it? Pothos are pretty resilient plants.
Have you tried letting the cut ends callous before putting them in water or soil? That can really help with preventing rot and giving them a better chance to root successfully.
Oh wow, no, I haven't been doing that! I didn't even think about it! I will definitely try this and see if it helps.
I will look into that! Thanks for the tip!