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Why Does My Pothos Have Holes?: A Guide to diagnosing and fixing holes in your pothos leaves

Have you noticed holes in your pothos leaves? If so, this article will help you figure out why they’re there and what you can do to fix them. Here’s everything you need to know about pothos holes in your pothos leaves, including information on why they appear and how to diagnose and fix them.

Causes of the Holes

There are a number of reasons why you might see holes or lesions on the leaves of your Pothos plant. The most common reason is improper watering of the plant–if there are not enough water, the cells will die and then result in holes on the leaf. Other causes include an infestation of insects like aphids, thrips, mealybugs, scale or psyllids; stem rot diseases caused by fungi; or environmental conditions such as insufficient lighting which can cause yellowing or dying foliage that may also develop holes or lesions.

Prevention & Tips on Fixing it Yourself

Common reasons for the appearance of holes in the leaves of a pothos plant are overwatering, algae, insect infestation or the presence of disease. Avoiding these symptoms will keep your plant healthy, thus preventing more serious problems like rot that may lead to the demise of this hardy houseplant. To start off, try watering less frequently and allow the soil to dry out a bit between watering sessions if you notice drooping foliage or spider webs in an indoor setting.

Can overwatering cause holes in leaves?

Pothos plants require relatively little water once they are established, so overwatering should not be the cause of holes in leaves. Under-watering will likely be the issue with holes in leaves if watering is at all a concern. It may seem like too much water would cause leaf problems, but this would probably result in brown spots or curling leaves, not holes in leaves. The main cause of this is exposing your plant to cold drafts while it’s still wet from watering it; standing water can also get on other parts of the plant, resulting in various issues with yellowing and rotting tissues on the bottom of the leaves or along the stems.

What are signs of root rot?

Signs of root rot often stem from overwatering or fertilizing incorrectly, but it can also be caused by pests like mealybugs and spider mites. Signs of root rot are the plant wilting without any other visible symptoms, thin, water-logged roots that are difficult to pull out, brown spots on the underside of the pot where soil touches a wet surface, and leaves with drooping tips as well as small black spots that look like pinholes in the leaf margins. These signs might not all present at once: more than one sign may develop at different rates over time before causing drooping leaves or symptoms worse than those listed above.

What does root rot look like in pothos?

Root rot is the most common cause of why does my pothos have holes. The first signs are small brown spots on the roots. Then, you’ll notice that the soil around the plant feels soggy, because there’s water around the roots with no drainage. As the hole worsens, it becomes difficult for air and nutrients to reach the roots, causing these leaves on top of your potatos to turn yellow or brown and die off prematurely.

How often should I water my pothos?

The general rule is that you should water your pothos every two weeks from the time the soil has completely dried out, but there are other factors you may want to take into consideration. One of these considerations is the type of potting soil you use. More porous types will dry out faster than others, meaning you’ll need to water more often than if it was a less porous type of potting soil. You may also want to water more frequently if you have a large plant or if you live in an area with high air humidity, as this can also cause plants that would normally be considered low-maintenance species to dry out much quicker.

How do I make my pothos thicker?

The most common problem with pothos plants is leaf loss from snails, slugs, fungus, mites or any other pests. Luckily there are a few simple steps you can take to fix the problem!
Inspect the plant for pests- Bugs or pests can cause leaf loss. Usually slugs are the culprits and they often cause irregular shaped holes on the leaves of a plant. Slugs can be quite slimy, so if you have an inspection mirror handy it may help find them more easily! If you do find bugs on your plant make sure to remove them by hand or by using something like a vacuum cleaner hose attachment.

Where do you cut pothos for new growth?

Pothos plants propagate through cutting, where you will be removing the old leaves from the bottom portion of the plant. Use a clean pair of scissors or sharp shears for this job. You’ll want to cut off 12-24 inches from the end of the vine that is mature and showing signs of new growth (holes). Begin by placing two fingers on either side of the leaf you want to cut and then use scissors or shems to cut across them at a 45 degree angle making sure not to leave any leaf below or stubs behind when completed.

Can you put pothos cuttings directly into soil?

Pothos cuttings can be inserted directly into soil but they will not take root easily on their own. Like any other plant, a new cutting needs some time to grow before it will start rooting into the ground; usually, this process takes two or three weeks. First, allow the cutting to form a callous over any wound it has received while being removed from the parent plant-this will protect the soft tissues that are responsible for root growth from drying out too quickly. Next, bury the stem 2-3 inches deep under light soil and make sure that there is enough space between the bottom of the potting container and the top of soil for at least an inch of water.

Can you keep pothos in water forever?

Pothos is a popular houseplant because it is easy to care for, but many people are concerned about whether or not they can keep their pothos in water all the time. The answer to this question is it depends. If you would like, you can place your pot outside on a balcony during the warmer months of the year where it will receive plenty of direct sunlight; this should allow you to water as often as needed without having your pot sitting in an excess of moisture (potentially contributing to root rot). However, if you prefer keeping your plant inside then it will need more frequent watering which will be difficult without placing the pot near a sink.

Do pothos grow better in water or soil?

When deciding between soil or water, you’ll want to consider the location of the plant. Generally, plants will do better when they are grown in soil instead of being planted in water because they have access to more nutrients and can extract them from their environment easier than submerged plants. However, there are certain benefits that go along with planting a pothos plant in water: no need for constant watering, it is less susceptible to pests such as slugs and snails, and doesn’t need repotting because it’s constantly receiving nutrient-rich water from its base container.

Soil provides an easy medium for plant roots to grow through, unlike a pool where roots are constricted by the surface tension of standing water preventing them from reaching new sources of nutrition on the ground below.

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Gareth Davies

Hi! I'm Gareth and I own pricklyplant.com. Prickly Plant is the ultimate resource for everything you need to know about looking after your Prickly Plants. With over 10 years of experience selling and looking after plants, I'm passionate about sharing simple & understandable information for everyday people! 

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