Known as the Devil ’s Ivy , the pothos ( Epipremnum aureum ) is acquire for its attractive cryptic immature foliage that is oblong form and track . Since this tropical industrial plant is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11 , most people grow Scindapsus aureus indoors as a houseplant .

Despite its slow - run nature , however , pothos need regular watering whenever the soil bulge to feel dry . This insure the plant thrives for many years . Unfortunately , this means that if you , hem , forget to do this every now and then , you may be left with a struggling underwatered pothos .

That is , when the Epipremnum aureum is n’t receiving the proper amount of water , it is forced to exert more effort to suck out moisture from the soil . water supply is also vital for the wellness and wellness of the plant ’s cells , and a want of this will do those cell to shrink . If underwatering continue , thepothos will experience stunt growthand finally die .

underwatered pothos by a window

distinctly that is n’t idealistic , so if you think you may be deal with this situation , keep reading to find out what you may do .

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Easy Pothos Care Guide 💚

underwatered pothos in a white pot

⭐ deprivation one?Grab yourvery own Pothos here !

💧 Water : Water when the top inch of ground feels dry . Pothos are forgiving and tolerate periodic drying out but do n’t let the soil stay soggy .

🌱 Soil : Use a well - drain pot mix -I personally usethis potting mix . This stock indoor one exercise capital , especially with its added perlite for aeration .

soil in a pot with gardening equipment

☀ ️Light : Bright , collateral light is best , but Pothos can adapt to glower abstemious conditions . Avoid prolonged direct sun , as it can scorch the leaf .

🌡 ️Temperature : Pothos boom in temperatures between 65 - 85 ° F ( 18 - 29 ° C ) . Keep them off from cold drafts and sudden temperature change .

🌿 Fertilizer : Feed with a balanced , piss - soluble fertiliser ( my top pick isthis Miracle - Gro one ) once a month during spring and summertime . Skip feeding in evenfall and winter .

watering can next to underwatered pothos

What does anunderwatered pothoslook like?

Anunderwatered pothosis well-fixed to recognize , and provides various tell - story signs that it is not receiving proper hydration . A wilted , dark-brown appearance or wry soil are a few way to tell if a pothos is overwatered . Another way is to see if its leaves come out dry and laconic .

These are all underwatered pothos signs due to deficiency of hydration . That state , there are a cluster of others too as I ’ll run through below .

1.Yellowing and Browning Leaves

One of the most usual signs of an underwatered pothos is yellow leaves . In most cases , you will have some leaves that are turning yellow-bellied , while others are turning brownish .

If , however , you notice leaves that have both yellow and dark-brown colouring on the same leaf , that is a signaling of overwatering and not underwatering .

get wind the telltalesigns of an overwatered pothoshere .

underwatered pothos on a coffee table getting light from a nearby window

2.Plant Looks Smaller or Thinner

Dehydration causes the pothos to come along smaller or flimsy . Without the right amount of body of water , the plant will start out to miss wet through its leaves , which get the pothos to reckon sapless , low , and thin .

3.Crispy and Dry Leaves

Pothos that are not receiving enough water will embark on to develop crispy and ironic leave of absence . They may also seem brittle and begin to lessen apart if you touch them .

You may also notice the leaf appear droopy and wilt . This is because the roots can not properly distribute moisture to the leave-taking due to lack of water in the grime .

4.Leaves with Brown or Black Tips

When the works does n’t get even watering , you ’ll notice your formerly green leaf will bulge out to bend to black or you could even developbrown folio tips on your Scindapsus aureus .

5.Dry Soil

If you find the flora ’s dirt is dry out out chop-chop between waterings , then you may have an underwatered pothos on your manpower . Along with want of water , the plant life may also be rise in a container that is too small . Most expert recommendrepotting the pothosafter its first year .

6.Soil Pulling Away from the Pot

When soil becomes too dry , it will shrivel , become compact , and get to pluck away from the interior of the pot . When you ’re look at the soil inside the pothos ’ pot , look along the inside walls of the pot at grease level . Do you see a blank space between the soil and the pot ? That imply the land is too ironic .

7.Water Pooling on the Soil

When you irrigate the plant , you may notice that the water kitty on the surface of the stain instead of being absorbed into it . This may last several seconds or even longer . This is a sign of the zodiac that the soil is dry and bundle , and your underwatered ivy arum desperately need weewee .

8.Stunted Growth

Stunted maturation is a plebeian symptom of various problems that can move the pothos plant , and underwatering is one of them . When the plant is n’t regularly water , it can not provide the necessary vim and nutrients to encourage fresh and healthy growing .

9.Branches With No Leaves

When pothos have gone without proper hydration for an prolonged period of clip , their leaves begin to fall off the industrial plant . This result in a pothos with bare branch and leaves litter the dirt under the plant life .

10.Increase in Pest Problems

When a flora is emphasize , which appears when your pothos is underwatered , it opens itself up to attacks from various pests . In its attenuated state , the pothos is ineffective to the right way fight off the pestilence .

If your plant has abruptly started experiencing an increase in pest problems , it could be because of underwatering .

11. Curling leaves

If you find yourpothos leaves curling , the usual culprit is overwatering . However , strangely enough , this plant will show the exact same symptom if you underwater your plant . As such , if you detect any leaf curl , it ’s time to examine your watering schedule to see if that may be the problem .

Can I save anunderwatered pothos?

Accidently underwatering your ivy arum does n’t stand for the industrial plant will perish . In fact , if catch early enough , an underwatered Epipremnum aureum can make a complete recuperation and go on to live a sound life . However , you will need to take quick action to ascertain you do n’t proceed to underwater the pothos .

If you find the plant has already started droop , then saving it becomes much harder .

The most important thing you could do to save an underwatered pothos is to make certain you irrigate it . Sounds childlike enough . But the true statement is , ensuring it has the right-hand amount of water can be a difficult undertaking .

The flora needs to be watered deeply and regularly whenever its territory starts to dry . But take care not to over water it , as this can jeopardize the aliveness of the plant as well .

How long does it take for anunderwatered pothosto recover?

The amount of time it takes for anunderwatered pothosto recover will bet on how long it has gone without proper lachrymation . For plant life that have just started to experience deficiency of hydration , they typically commence to recover within a few 60 minutes . For knockout dehydration , it could take days for the Epipremnum aureum to fully recuperate from the experience .

The practiced thing you may do for your underwatered Scindapsus aureus is to immediately provide them with water . Even if you think it is a lost case , you would be surprised to cognize how many of these resistant plants have been brought back from the break of dehydration in only a few poor days .

How do you fix anunderwatered pothos?

The good word is that if your pothos has been underwatered , you could fix the problem and get your works back on the road to recovery . Once you have the industrial plant good for you and happy again , take the necessary care to ensure it does n’t become underwatered again .

1. Water Deeply

Fill a bucketful or container full of H2O , and set the pothos ( container and all ) into the water . The container should be full submerged . countenance the pot sit in the water for 30 minutes . Remove the pothos from the pail and let the water debilitate out the bottom of its pot .

Keep in judgement , however , thatoverwatering is not a solution for anunderwatered pothos . Great care should be need to check you do not provide too much weewee , since this will only contribute to more problems .

2. Place Out Of Sunlight

Excessive sunlight can put stress on the plant , which is not a well thing since the works is already emphasize from underwatering so addingsunburn to your pothosisn’t recommended . In plus , it can cause moisture to disappear from the parting and the grime .

That is why it is important to place the pothos in an surface area out of sunlight during the recovery mental process . Once the plant has pop out to find , you may move it to an expanse where it will welcome indirect but bright sunlight , which is just the type oflight your Epipremnum aureum needs .

3. Uproot the Plant

If the plant has n’t started showing signs of retrieval , you may want to cautiously take away it from its container and permit its beginning soak in water . The piss will involve to be alter every few days to help preclude it from becoming stagnant .

Once the plant starts to show sign of retrieval , repot it with unclouded , airy , and well - drained soil(you may see our top pick for thebest pothos soilhere ) .

4. Learn to Recognize a Healthy Pothos

One of the best ways to control your golden pothos does n’t become unhealthy again is to see what a healthy plant looks like . When the pothos is healthy and flourishing , it will have immature leave that are shiny and buoyant .

This data will help you watch whether your industrial plant is on the correct track in future tense with a quick visual inspection .

Related:14 Proven Tips to Make a Pothos Fuller and Bushier

5. Continue to Water Regularly

Once the Scindapsus aureus has recovered , your job is n’t done . The plant will need regular lacrimation , but you will also have to ensure you ’re not watering too much .

When it comes tohow often to water pothos , a skilful oecumenical rule of pollex is to waitress a few days between watering , and then test the soil waterlessness by insert your finger a few inches into the ground . If the stain feels teetotal , water the plant like normal . If the soil still feels moist , wait a mean solar day or two and then test the dryness again .

Just because your works is no longer on the brink of last triggered by underwatering does n’t mean you could let down your guard . You will still necessitate to provide proper sustainment of the Scindapsus aureus to help keep them healthy .

This include removing and toss any fall leaf , fertilizing your pothos , and providing it with humidness .

Overwatered vs underwatered pothos?

The main difference between an overwatered and an underwatered pothos is that , when a plant is underwatered , the dirt will experience extremely ironic and possibly even crumbly . Also , if the leaves have both scandalmongering and brown forming , the plant is probably overwatered .

Sometimes , it can be difficult to evidence the deviation between the two though , especially if the main signs just mention are n’t passing clear . In those face , it can help to give your industrial plant a little amount of pee .

If you ’re dealing with an overwatered pothos , it should perk up pretty quickly . If your pothos is overwatered , this wo n’t be good for it and it wo n’t go back forthwith – and is exactly why you should n’t use too much H2O when screen this .