How to Propagate Pothos

You will need clean scissors or a sharp knife, a glass jar or vase, room-temperature water, and optionally a few pebbles to hold stems in place.

1. 1 Identify a healthy vine with several nodes — the small bumps where leaves attach to the stem, often with tiny root nubs already visible.
2. 2 Cut a section 4–6 inches long, making the cut about 1/4 inch below a node.
3. 3 Remove the bottom 1–2 leaves so the node is fully exposed — any leaves left below the water line will rot and foul the water.
4. 4 Place the cutting in a jar of room-temperature water, ensuring at least one node is submerged but no leaves touch the water.
5. 5 Position the jar in bright indirect light — a windowsill that receives morning sun is ideal.
6. 6 Change the water every 5–7 days, rinsing the jar each time to prevent bacterial growth.
7. 7 Watch for white, thread-like roots emerging from the submerged nodes, typically beginning in 7–14 days.
8. 8 Once roots are 2–3 inches long (typically 3–4 weeks total), transplant into well-draining potting soil.
9. 9 Water the newly potted cutting thoroughly and keep the soil consistently moist for the first 2 weeks as the plant transitions from water roots to soil roots.
10. 10 After 2 weeks, resume normal watering when the top inch of soil is dry.

This method eliminates the sometimes-tricky water-to-soil transition and produces sturdier root systems from the start. You will need clean scissors, a small pot with drainage holes, pre-moistened potting mix, rooting hormone powder (optional), and a clear plastic bag or propagation dome.

1. 1 Take a cutting as described above, with at least one node and 2–3 leaves.
2. 2 Dip the cut end and exposed node in rooting hormone, tapping off excess — this is optional for pothos but speeds up root formation by about a week.
3. 3 Make a small hole in the moist potting mix with a pencil or chopstick.
4. 4 Insert the cutting so the node is buried about 1 inch deep, and gently firm the soil around the stem.
5. 5 Water lightly to settle the soil.
6. 6 Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag or propagation dome to maintain high humidity — this is especially important in dry homes.
7. 7 Place in bright indirect light and keep the soil consistently damp (not soggy) for the first 2 weeks while roots develop.
8. 8 Remove the humidity cover after 2–3 weeks once you see new growth, gradually acclimating the plant to ambient humidity over 3–4 days.
9. 9 Resume normal care — water when the top inch of soil is dry.

This is the easiest and most foolproof method for making an existing pothos look fuller without creating a separate plant. You need nothing more than a bobby pin, paperclip, or U-shaped wire.

1. 1 Identify a vine that is long enough to reach the soil surface.
2. 2 Find a node along the vine where you want roots to form.
3. 3 Remove the leaf at that node if present, exposing the node.
4. 4 Pin the node down into the soil of the same pot using a bobby pin or bent paperclip, burying the node about 1/2 inch deep.
5. 5 Keep the soil consistently moist at the pinned point.
6. 6 The node will root while still attached to the mother plant, receiving water and nutrients through the vine.
7. 7 After 2–3 weeks, give the vine a gentle tug — if you feel resistance, roots have formed.
8. 8 You can either snip the vine connection to create an independent stem, or leave it attached for a naturally fuller plant.