How To Grow GOLD!
This is going to be a lesson on growing gold. The Golden Pothos, that is!
Long vines and gold-speckled leaves make this plant look like royalty. It’s one of the most popular houseplants and can be very forgiving. Everyone seems to love this plant, from beginners to experts, and although it’s known for its ability to bounce back from neglect, it can’t take it forever.
I get asked many questions about how to care for this plant properly, so I figured I’d make a quick guide to ensure you are doing everything right!
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Before we start, I want to give a quick shoutout to my friends at Blossm.
What is Blossm?
Blossm is the social marketplace for plants. You can buy, sell & trade plants with your community and beyond! Chat, socialize and build friendships with like-minded plant enthusiasts! It's as if OfferUp and Instagram had a plant baby :)
This is NOT a paid promotion. I think you should check out this app. It’s a great new way to purchase and sell plants smoothly. PLUS, they do some giveaways where you could win a fantastic free plant!
Another Plant Care Thread!
This time covering the classic: Golden Pothos (aka Devils Ivy).
Golden pothos is called Devil’s Ivy because it is almost impossible to kill a Golden pothos plant. It has adapted itself in such a way that, it can literally grow at every place, where humans can live. This character of Golden pothos is responsible for such an interesting nomenclature. (https://gardenerspoint.com/golden-pothos-called-devils-ivy/)
I will be covering the following topics:
Watering Frequency
Light
Temperature/Humidity
Common Issues
Size
Watering Frequency:
Devil’s Ivy is drought resistant and prone to root rot. So, it’s better to slightly underwater than to overwater these plants. Remember to always check the soil with your finger and water when the soil feels dry about halfway down.
Luckily, the leaves on your Pothos will droop DRAMATICALLY when it needs water. This is a surefire way to know when it’s time to water again. It may look like your plant is about to die, but give it a good drink, and it will bounce back in a few hours.
How often you need to water may change depending on the time of year, but if you check the soil before watering or wait for the leaves to droop, you can easily avoid root rot.
Here is an example of a before and after watering a droopy pothos.
Light Requirements:
This plant will thrive in bright indirect light and grow the fastest if given these conditions. The beautiful golden specks in the leaves will be maximized in bright light. In lower light, the gold in the leaves will be much less prominent and might disappear altogether.
Unlike most plants, lower light levels aren’t harmful for the Golden Pothos. This plant will survive in low light and fluorescent light, making it a perfect candidate for the office or cubicle plant!
Temp/Humidity:
Pothos are tough and will survive in your home pretty easily, but since they are tropical plants, they prefer higher humidity with temps in the range of 70-90F.
I wouldn’t worry about temperature or humidity. As long as you are comfortable in your home, your Pothos will have absolutely no problem thriving in normal room temp and humidity.
Common Issues:
Drooping Leaves: Can be the result of underwatering
Yellowing Leaves: May be caused by overwatering, underwatering, or being root bound. (I know this sucks)
Many more issues can be tough to diagnose, and this newsletter is reaching its length limit. Read the article below for more troubleshooting tips :)
Size:
Pothos can grow to be an impressive houseplant with vines reaching 10ft in length! You can control the size of your plant with regular pruning and shaping. You can also teach them to climb if you are looking to fill a space!
Fun Fact:
As a houseplant, their leaves can grow to about 5 inches, but in the wild, they can reach an incredible 20 inches!
Two things to wrap up this newsletter. Below the Happy Planters Submission, there is now a small section for paid subscribers only.
This week we will be covering the following:
What is a kokedama?
And the best houseplant video I’ve seen in a while.
I love how he explains the lessons you’ll learn from each plant. It’s a unique way of looking at different plants in your home.
This Week’s Happy Planter Submission
Hi ! I can't say if she's my favourite because I love them all, but she's my lastest. I saw one when I was in London and I fell instantly in love. So after a long search, I finally found her and now she's home
(Calathea Surprise Star) Voilà !
Thank you, @bouffeplante for your wonderful submission! I’m glad you were able to make a home for your plant. I look forward to seeing these each week :)
Hey Everyone!
If you are reading this, it’s because you are a paid subscriber! I want to say how much I appreciate every one of you. By paying for my newsletters, you are supporting my writing and allowing me to continue sending these out :)
What is a Kokedama?
"A ball of soil, covered in moss, on which an ornamental plant grows.
Kokedama is a centuries-old Japanese form of garden art that is closely tied to the practice of bonsai. This Japanese term can be translated like this: 'Koke' means moss, and 'dama' means ball.
It consists of wrapping the plant’s roots in a ball of soil which you then cover with moss. The moss ball is either fixed to a platform, like a dish or a bowl, or suspended in the air with a string.”
This information was all taken from Garden Beast. For more info, including how to create your own Kokedama, follow the link below :)
What is a Kokedama? How to Make a Japanese Moss Ball
Lastly, the best houseplant video I’ve seen in a while. I wanted to share it with all of you. Hopefully, you learn something!
That’s all for now!
I will continue to improve these newsletters and add more exciting content as I go. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
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Talk soon! Feel free to enjoy my content on Twitter until the next newsletter :)
-Houseplant Hobbyist