Are you a plant parent looking to add a touch of green to your home? If so, the pothos plant (Epipremnum aureum) is an excellent choice! But did you know humidity is critical in keeping your Pothos happy and thriving?
Humidity levels that are too high or too low can lead to problems, from stunted growth to root rot. So, if you want your Pothos to flourish, it’s essential to know the optimal humidity levels for this plant.
We’ll explore the ideal humidity levels for pothos plants, how humidity impacts their overall health, and practical tips on creating the perfect environment for your Pothos to thrive.
Understanding Pothos Humidity Requirements
Pothos plants are a fan-favorite for a good reason: they’re tough cookies and easy to care for! But to keep your Pothos in tip-top shape, you must know a thing or two about their humidity requirements.
After all, the perfect humidity levels can help your Pothos thrive and maintain their beautiful appearance in your home.
Do Pothos Like Humidity?
For pothos to thrive and achieve their full potential, they require a humid environment, with humidity levels ideally at or above 50%. Since Pothos is a tropical plant, it naturally thrives in humid climates, where it can absorb moisture through its leaves and roots to promote lush growth and health.
But, Do Pothos Plants Need Humidity?
Pothos plants, like humans, also breathe through a process called transpiration. They absorb nutrients and water from the soil through their roots and transport them to their leaves and stems. Chlorophyll in the plant cells¹ gives pothos plants their lovely green color.
The plant breathes through tiny cells called stomata, which open fully with enough water. This process occurs during plant respiration and photosynthesis. However, if the environment is dry, the pothos plant will hold its breath and not release moisture. This can result in stunted growth.
Keeping your Pothos well-watered and in a high-humidity environment is essential to encourage optimal growth and fluid movement. This will allow the plant to breathe easily and thrive.
Optimal Pothos Humidity Level
To ensure optimal growth for Pothos, periodically monitor the humidity level of its surroundings, making adjustments where necessary. Utilizing a hygrometer presents a straightforward solution for determining the humidity level in the area.
For Pothos, the ideal humidity range lies between 50 and 70%, whereas the temperature range sits at 65-85°F (18-30°C). Nevertheless, the humidity level in one’s home can fluctuate due to weather and heating, rendering frequent monitoring and adjustments vital in catering to the pothos’ needs.
Benefits of High Humidity for Pothos
In addition to preventing wilting and disease, high humidity has various benefits for pothos plants. For example, Pothos can grow fuller and more vibrant leaves by providing the optimal environment for photosynthesis.
It also reduces the need for excessive watering, which can lead to root rot and other problems. Additionally, a humid environment can create a serene atmosphere in your home, promoting relaxation and stress reduction.
Therefore, maintaining a consistent and adequate humidity level is crucial to keep your Pothos thriving and beautiful.
Keeping the humidity at around 50% will provide your plant with the optimal environment to flourish.
Maintaining proper humidity levels is especially important during winter when indoor temperatures can drop drastically. This can put your Pothos at risk for root rot, a common issue caused by over or under-watering.
By keeping the air humidified, you’ll provide your plant with an additional source of moisture, making it less reliant on soil-based nutrients that may be lacking.
And let’s remember the additional benefits of optimal humidity! A well-humidified environment can create a beautiful, inviting atmosphere that promotes relaxation and tranquility. So, not only will your Pothos thank you for the proper care, but your home will look and feel better too.
Signs of Low Humidity in Pothos
Devil’s Ivy can show distress when the air around them is too dry. These signs include:
- yellowed or browned leaves
- brown leaf tips
- drooping foliage
- slow growth
- wilted stems
- loss of variegation or leaves
To ensure your plant thrives, you need to increase the moisture level around it.
There are a few ways to do this. Grouping multiple plants together, or with other pothos companion plants to create a humid microclimate, placing containers of moist soil on top of gravel beds next to each other, misting the foliage regularly with water, and using humidifiers are all effective ways to increase humidity levels around your pothos plants.
By doing this, you can protect their leaves from pests and diseases and prevent discoloration from dry air.
Once you achieve optimal levels of moisture, it’s essential to maintain those conditions by monitoring temperature fluctuations throughout the day and night cycles and any changes due to weather patterns outside.
Over-watering your plants can cause root rot, so be careful not to give them too much water. Good airflow is also important, so ensure all windows are open during warm months while keeping doors closed during colder times of the year when possible.
It needs more moisture if your pothos plant shows signs of low humidity, such as wilting leaves and limp stems. Other signs of low humidity include stunted growth and brown spots on leaves.
You can invest in a humidifier near your indoor garden to address this. In addition, monitoring temperature, light exposure, and soil quality will ensure your houseplants stay healthy.
Low humidity levels can cause pothos plants to become stressed and unhealthy, so it’s essential to watch for signs of distress and address them promptly. Conversely, increasing the humidity around your pothos plant can help ensure its health and longevity.
How Low Is Too Low?
If the humidity level drops below 20 percent, your Pothos might not be able to withstand it for an extended period. This is because they require airborne water vapor to survive.
If you notice that your Pothos is shedding leaves or displaying brown patches, it’s most likely dehydrated. But fret not; if the roots can absorb water, your Pothos can be rejuvenated.
4 Ways to Increase Humidity Around Pothos Plants
Insufficient moisture levels can make the leaves brittle, while high humidity can promote flourishing growth. Luckily, there are many ways to increase humidity levels around your pothos plants.
There are various ways to increase the humidity level for your Pothos:
1. Change the Location
With its luscious foliage and vine-like tendrils, Pothos can add a touch of green to any room. But if you really want to see your Pothos thrive, consider planting it in an unexpected location: the bathroom.
Yes, you heard that right. With its steamy showers and warm water, the bathroom can provide the ideal environment for your Pothos to flourish. The moisture and warmth generated by hot showers and baths can create a humid microclimate that mimics the pothos’ natural habitat in the rainforest.
This is excellent news for those who live in dry climates or have trouble maintaining the proper humidity levels in their homes.
Not only will your Pothos love the humidity, but they will also appreciate the indirect light that typically filters through bathroom windows. This, combined with moisture, can help promote healthy growth and lush foliage.
2. Pebble Tray Humidifier
You can create a pebble or gravel tray by layering small pebbles or gravel in a tray and partially filling it with water. Place your pothos pot on the stones, and as the water evaporates, it increases the humidity level in the room.
3. Use a Humidifier
Plug in a humidifier near your pothos pot and let it work to increase the humidity level.
4. Group Your Plants
Growing indoor plants together can naturally increase humidity. Grouping a few indoor plants together can help in increasing the humidity level. You can also create a microclimate of higher humidity by grouping your Pothos with other houseplants that require similar conditions, like ferns or philodendrons.
If you have extra space, consider constructing a terrarium for your Pothos. Enclosed environments trap moisture (kind of like a mini indoor greenhouse), making it an ideal setup for tropical plants like Pothos.
For inspiration, check out the world’s oldest terrarium, David Latimer’s terrarium.
6 Was to Decrease Humidity Around Your Pothos
If you need to decrease the humidity level for your Pothos, here are some steps you can take:
1. Increase Ventilation
Opening windows or doors to increase the room’s air circulation can help reduce humidity levels.
2. Adjust Watering Schedule
Overwatering can contribute to high humidity levels. Ensure to water your Pothos only when the top two inches of soil are dry.
3. Use Well-draining Potting Mix
A potting mix that retains too much water can contribute to high humidity levels. Choose a potting soil that promotes proper drainage and avoids water retention in the roots of your pothos plant.
Opt for light and airy soil that can help the roots dry out quickly. Mix 20-30% perlite and peat moss into the soil to enhance drainage for an ideal potting mix. Adding some worm castings or orchid bark can also make the soil even lighter.
4. Optimal Drainage
Plant your Pothos in a container with good drainage holesv that allow water to flow freely without being obstructed by debris, stones, or other growing medium.
5. Avoid Misting
Misting your pothos leaves can increase the humidity around the plant. Instead, wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to clean them. Not to mention it could lead to bacterial and fungal diseases.
6. Reduce Grow Light Usage
Grow lights can also contribute to increased humidity levels. Limit the amount of time you use grow lights to prevent excess humidity.
By following these steps, you can help to decrease the humidity level in the environment surrounding your Pothos, which will help it thrive.
FAQs About Pothos and Humidity
My Pothos is turning pale and yellow from being too dry. How do I revive it?
You can add a highly diluted fertilizer and increase humidity to revive your Pothos leaves that have turned yellow and pale during dry winter air. Be careful not to let the potting soil dry out too much, hindering water absorption. Trim any damaged or excessively pale leaves, and watch as new growth forms, making your Pothos plant fuller and lusher.
Do Golden Pothos like high humidity?
Yes, Golden pothos plants generally prefer high humidity levels. They thrive in environments with a relative humidity of around 60-70% and can tolerate even higher levels if provided adequate air circulation to prevent fungal diseases from developing. In addition, misting the leaves regularly will help keep the plant healthy and happy.
Does Pothos absorb humidity?
Yes, pothos plants are known to absorb humidity from the air. They thrive in moist environments and can help balance a room’s humidity levels by absorbing excess moisture.
Pothos also can filter out certain toxins like formaldehyde, making them great for improving indoor air quality.
Should I use a humidifier for my Pothos?
It depends on the environment in which you are keeping your Pothos. If the air is dry, a humidifier may be advantageous to augment humidity levels around your plant and prevent it from drying out.
On the other hand, a humidifier may be unnecessary if the air already has high moisture levels or other elements impact its well-being, such as too much direct sunlight or incorrect watering. It’s best to assess all of these conditions before deciding whether to use a humidifier for your Pothos.
I increased humidity but my Pothos still has brown tips?
The presence of fluoride in your tap water might be the reason behind those unsightly dark tips on your beloved Pothos. To avoid this, it’s best to use bottled or rainwater for misting, watering, and running your humidifier.
If tap water is your only option, and it’s fluoridated or chlorinated, you could let it sit out for 24 hours before using it. This allows the chemicals to dissipate, and your Pothos will thank you.
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Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.