How to recover a pothos that has excess water?

The pothos plant is one of the favorites for decorating interiors. Although the most common variety is the one with green leaves, there is another that is even prettier, which is the one with green and white leaves. The latter has slightly smaller leaves and a slightly slower growth, so it is also very interesting to have at home. Now, regardless of which variety we have acquired, we must know that Pothos is sensitive to excess water. Why?

Because their genetics do not allow them to thrive in aquatic environments. And against genes, there is little or nothing we humans can do (unless we are botanists and have access to a laboratory). Therefore, It is important to know the symptoms that alert us that our baby is having a bad time.

What are the symptoms of excess water in pothos?

Before we try to revive it, we first need to know if we have really been watering it too much or not. To know for sure, we will have to look at several things, which are:

• The earth is very wetIn fact, in extreme cases, it may be waterlogged. If in doubt, I recommend inserting a thin wooden or plastic stick to the bottom of the pot. If when you take it out you see that it is wet, do not water.
• The leaves are starting to turn yellow, or there may already be some black ones.This deterioration in the health of its leaves is seen first in the oldest, that is, the lower ones.
• There may be mold in the soil, which already tells us that the fungal infection is quite advanced.
• Plant has stopped growing.

These are the things that we should be concerned about, because when there are already such obvious symptoms, it is urgent to take measures. Overwatering is one of the main causes of death of indoor plants.; I would dare to say that it is in the top 3. And of course, we tend to have the habit of adding a little water when we see that the surface of the earth, that is, that first layer of earth is dry.

We have to keep very, very much in mind that It is completely normal for that first layer to dry relatively quickly., for the simple reason that it is more exposed to different environmental conditions. First the most exposed layer dries, and then the lower ones. That is why Before watering, we have to check if it really needs it o no.

How to recover a pothos that is suffering from excess water?

Let's get to the heart of the matter. Once we can identify that our beloved plant is having problems as a result of overwatering, we can take measures to try to save it. And what are those measures? Well, they are the following:

Remove the pothos from the pot and remove the soil.

This is the most complicated, but at the same time, the most important. The roots, and therefore the rest of the plant, are drowning, so we have to 'remove' them from where they are and put them somewhere else that is dry., just as we do with that person in the pool for example who is having difficulty staying afloat. Although humans and plants are very, very different, we both need oxygen to breathe.

Therefore, we will take the pothos out of the container where we have it, and we will put it on a dry surface such as in a tupperware for example, or a tray. Then, We will proceed to remove all the soil we can, without rushing.. Since the soil is probably very wet, it shouldn't be difficult for us to do so.

Once this is done, We will apply systemic fungicide to prevent or combat fungal infections.We will throw it out after putting on rubber gloves.

Planting the pothos in a clean, dry pot with new soil

The pot in which we are going to plant the pothos not only has to be clean and dry, but It is also important that it has holes in its base.. We don't usually think about this, and if we do, we probably choose to ignore it. But if we put a non-aquatic plant, such as a pothos, in a container without holes, it is normal that, sooner or later, you will have problems derived from excess water.

In addition, The soil or substrate must be of good quality; that is, I do not recommend using excessively cheap soil because it is usually also very heavy - which means that the roots would have difficulty growing in the right conditions - and it has a hard time absorbing water and drying out. Based on my experience, when a 5kg bag of soil (for example) costs only 2 or 3 euros, it is usually because it is made of low quality materials. Mind you, it does not have to be like this, but I do see that the bags sold in supermarkets are the norm.

If we want to choose to make a substrate ourselves, or rather, a mixture of substrates, I recommend these for the potos:

• 60% coconut fiber
• 30% perlite
• 10% clay or volcanic gravel

The clay or volcanic gravel is placed first, without mixing, as it will help improve drainage.. The coconut fiber Yes, it is mixed with perlite, since the fiber can remain moist for too long, so if it is mixed with a little perlite, we will reduce the risk of the pothos ending up sick.

We will water a little

We will just wet the ground a little., this way our pothos will know that it is in a pot with new soil. If we have put a plate underneath, what we will do is empty it after watering.

Once this is done, we will cut off the leaves that are black and place it in a room where there is plenty of light and away from draughts. From then on, we will have to water it less frequently and wait to see if it improves.

Good luck with your plant.