The Neon Pothos is a beautiful type of classic Pothos, characterized by lush and vibrant neon green leaves. Although it doesn’t require a lot to stay happy, it still has some basic needs that should be taken into consideration.
How to Care for a Neon Pothos
Placement
A Neon Pothos plant, like most types of Pothos plants, is are very low maintenance and can survive in varying conditions. Some gardeners would even say it's the easiest houseplant to care for. However, surviving doesn’t equal thriving.
If you want your plant to have lush foliage and flourish in your home, then you’ll need to place it wisely. Neon Pothos plants should be placed in an area with lots of bright indirect sunlight, preferably near a window.
Watering
Neon Pothos plants don’t require a lot of watering. However, they do require regular watering. Once every other week should be more than enough.
Also, always be sure to check the moisture levels in the soil before watering to prevent damage from overwatering. Aim to keep the soil damp but not soggy; underwatering is much safer than overwatering. One overwatering symptom to look out for is the Pothos leaves turning yellow. When this happens, move your plant to a spot with bright light to help with evaporation.
Plus, your Neon Pothos will tell you when it needs water, when you know what to look for. The variegation on its leaves tends to become less shiny and vibrant when the plant is thirsty. When in doubt, check our plant care app for guidance.
Pot and Soil
Potting a plant can have a lasting effect on its overall health and well-being. The pot size chosen, the type of soil and potting mixture, and more are all important things to consider in the potting process.
Initially, it’s best to use a small pot that is only a couple of inches larger than the plant in diameter, at most. Your chosen pot should also have a properly designed drainage system. This is to avoid wet soil that might cause problems with your Neon Pothos indoor plant.
For the soil mix, opt for a potting mixture rather than a potting soil, as soil may prove too dense for a Neon Pothos. Aim for a light and well-aerated potting mix, with a high organic matter content, along with some sand or fish gravel to help promote drainage.
Light
Although Neon Pothos plants can survive in varying light conditions, they prefer a well-lit environment, with ample amounts of bright indirect light.
However, they can also live happily enough even in low-light conditions, after an adjustment period. Do not, however, place your Neon Pothos under direct sunlight.
Photo by Happlesful
Fertilizer
In most cases, adding fertilizer to a Neon Pothos is unnecessary. Similar to other Pothos types, the Neon Pothos is a very sturdy plant and doesn’t need additional nutrients as long as their needs for water and light are being met.
However, if you want to boost growth, you can use a standard houseplant fertilizer or organic fertilizer and apply it every other month during its growing season.
Temperature
A Neon Pothos is a tropical plant, which is why it feels more at home in warm weather and high temperatures and prefers shaded light.
However, because it’s so hardy, it can survive in cold temperatures too. As a general rule of thumb, keep your Neon Pothos––and any other Pothos––away from direct airflow, whether it’s an AC or heater, a fan, or a draft from a window or door.
Repotting
As your plant grows, you might need to repot it to make room for the extended roots. If you see its roots crowding the drainage hole, that’s a good sign it’s time to repot.
To do this, you’ll need a slightly larger pot than its current home. To repot your Neon Pothos, create a layer of soil and potting mix on the bottom of the pot. Place the plant, roots and all, on top of the layer of soil.
Then gently fill the surrounding area around the plant with fresh potting mix. Tap the potting mix to help it settle into place. Just be sure to leave enough air spaces in between to allow breathing room for the roots.
Water the plant generously and then let your Neon Pothos adjust to its new environment. For best results, always repot during the growing season.
Photo by Candyplant
Pruning
Pruning is the process of removing parts of the plant that are not integral to its growth and well-being.
When necessary you can prune a Neon Pothos to help shape and groom the plant in a way that’s visually appealing. To do it, cut just above the leaves and wait for new growth. If you’re only doing light pruning, you can simply trim and remove portions from the vines.
Propagation
Propagation of any Pothos plant is a fairly easy and straightforward process and the Neon Pothos is no different. All you need to do is cut off a healthy stem, leaving enough nodes and leaves on it to support and promote fresh growth.
When cutting the stem, use sterilized, sharp scissors. This will ensure that minimum damage is done to the parent plant, while also minimizing risks of infections in both the parent plant and the cutting.
For water propagation, take the cut stem and place it in water, close to a window, and let it grow until roots shoot out. For soil propagation, you can place the cutting directly into the soil and let it grow.
If you're a new plant lover, the Neon Pothos is one of the best plants to start with. Neon Pothos care isn’t too complicated, but anytime you’re stuck, we’re here to help!
