About Pothos Soil

One of the best indoor plants for beginners, pothos (Epipremnum Aureum) comes in a wide range of varieties, including:

• Golden pothos.
• Marble queen pothos or Marble pothos.
• Cebu blue pothos.
• Snow queen pothos.
• Pearls and jade pothos.
• Hawaiian pothos.
• Neon pothos.
• Manjula pothos. 
• Shangri la pothos.

They’re also known as devil’s ivy since these plants are hard to kill, retaining green leaves even in low-light conditions. But despite their resilience, these plants require a compatible potting mix or soil, which is essential for long-term plant care.

What does it take to grow pothos?

Your pothos plant won’t thrive in just about any houseplant potting mix. The best soil for pothos plants will have:

1. Optimal Drainage

The soil mix should drain well while retaining sufficient moisture. 

Simply put, it shouldn’t become soggy while watering pothos. In addition, your container must have a drainage hole for excess water to escape. 

Without well draining soil, the plant may face root rot — a common issue in most indoor plants, like philodendrons and ZZ. On the other hand, dry soil or soil with low moisture retention, like cactus soil, may cause the plant to wilt slowly. 

So what should you do?

Let the top level of soil dry before watering pothos again, and maintain a consistent watering schedule. This way, the soil around the roots will still stay slightly moist. 

To determine if the soil is dry, you can poke your finger/a stick into it and check if soil particles stick to it when you pull it out. You should water the plant if your finger/stick comes out clean. 

2. Nutrient-Rich

The potting soil should contain a good mix of essential nutrients and organic matter, as a pothos vine needs adequate plant food to grow rapidly. The soil should also retain nutrients efficiently to maintain a steady supply of plant food.

Note: To ensure continuous growth, enrich your pothos potting soil with plant food after about six months.

3. Good Aeration

The pothos soil must be lightweight and fluffy to promote good air circulation. This allows the roots to easily access oxygen from the air pockets in the soil.

Sufficient aeration also helps support pothos root development and enables you to moisten the soil evenly. That’s why pothos won’t thrive in garden soil — which compacts easily, retains too much moisture, and may also contain gnats.

Pro Tip: Avoid overly acidic soil as it can damage the pothos root system. 

Moreover, if your pothos plant is drooping, you should consider repotting the plant in fresh soil.
But if you notice roots popping out of the drainage hole or in the form of a root ball when you uproot the plant, it’s time to repot it into a larger pot!