If youre looking to add a bit of greenery to your home, the pothos plant is an ideal choice.
Its easy to care for and requires minimal maintenance.
However, one question often asked by new pothos owners is: does pothos like humidity? In this article, well answer this question in detail, as well as discuss what humidity is, how to measure it, and what to do if the humidity is too low.
So, if youre looking for all the information you need to keep your pothos plant healthy, read on!.
Table of Contents
Short Answer
Pothos plants do prefer higher levels of humidity.
They thrive best in humid environments, so regular misting of the leaves is recommended.
If the air is too dry, the leaves may start to yellow and curl, which is a sign that the humidity needs to be increased.
Keeping a humidifier nearby can help keep your pothos healthy and happy.
What is Pothos?
Pothos, also known as Devil’s Ivy, is an evergreen perennial vine native to the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.
It is a member of the Araceae family and is an incredibly popular houseplant due to its hardiness and adaptability.
Pothos can thrive in a range of temperatures, soil types, and lighting conditions.
It is also easy to propagate and can grow rapidly, so it is an excellent choice for novice gardeners.
Pothos plants typically have heart-shaped green leaves that can range in color from light to dark green, yellow, and even white.
They are also often variegated, with light and dark green stripes or splotches.
Pothos can be grown in hanging baskets, trained to climb a trellis or pole, or left to trail down from a shelf or table.
They are also tolerant of low light conditions and are often found in offices and other indoor environments.
What is Humidity?
Humidity is an important factor to consider when caring for a pothos plant.
It is the amount of water vapor in the air and is typically expressed as a percentage.
The higher the percentage, the more moisture there is in the air.
Relative humidity is the most common measure used to describe the amount of moisture in the air.
It measures the amount of moisture relative to the airs capacity to hold moisture.
Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air, so the same amount of moisture will have a higher relative humidity in a cold room than in a warm room.
Maintaining the right level of humidity is essential to keeping your pothos plant healthy and happy.
Too little humidity can cause the leaves to dry out and become brittle, while too much humidity can cause the leaves to become too wet and rot.
Ideally, you should aim to maintain a relative humidity of 60-80% in your home.
This can be achieved through proper ventilation, using a humidifier or placing the pothos in a room with higher humidity such as a bathroom or kitchen.
You can also mist the leaves periodically to help increase the humidity.
Does Pothos Like Humidity?
When it comes to caring for a pothos plant, one of the most important factors to consider is humidity.
While pothos plants are relatively hardy and can survive in a variety of environments, they do prefer more humid conditions.
To ensure that your pothos stays happy and healthy, its important to maintain a relative humidity of 60-80% in your home.
The ideal humidity level for your pothos plant will depend on the type of environment in which it is being grown.
If you live in a humid climate, you can get away with keeping the humidity around the lower end of the recommended range.
On the other hand, if you live in a dry climate, youll need to ensure that the humidity is closer to the higher end of the recommended range.
Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to increase the humidity around your pothos plant.
One of the most effective methods is to place your plant in a tray filled with pebbles and water.
As the water evaporates, it will increase the humidity around the plant.
You can also mist your pothos regularly with a spray bottle to provide it with a quick boost of humidity.
And if you have a humidifier, you can use it to keep the humidity at the ideal level in your home.
Its also important to note that pothos plants can suffer from too much humidity as well.
If the humidity around your plant gets too high, it can cause issues like root rot or fungal diseases.
If you find that the humidity in your home is too high, try opening a window or running a fan to help reduce the moisture in the air.
In conclusion, pothos plants do prefer more humid conditions, but can survive in a variety of environments.
To keep your pothos happy and healthy, you should aim to maintain a relative humidity of 60-80% in your home.
There are a few simple steps you can take to increase the humidity around your pothos plant, such as placing the plant in a tray filled with pebbles and water, or misting it regularly with a spray bottle.
Just be sure to keep an eye on the humidity levels in your home, as too much humidity can be just as detrimental to your pothos as too little.
How to Measure Humidity
Measuring humidity is an important part of caring for a pothos plant, as it will help you determine whether your home environment is suitable for the plant.
The easiest and most accurate way to measure the relative humidity in your home is with a hygrometer.
Hygrometers measure the amount of moisture in the air and will give you an exact reading of the humidity levels in your home.
You can purchase a hygrometer from most home improvement or gardening stores.
In addition to a hygrometer, you can also use other methods to get a rough idea of the humidity levels in your home.
For example, you can place a bowl of water near the plant and observe whether the water evaporates quickly, which indicates lower humidity levels, or slowly, which indicates higher humidity levels.
You can also touch the soil of the pothos plant and observe whether it feels dry or moist.
If the soil is dry, you should consider increasing the humidity in your home.
Signs of Unfavourable Humidity
When the humidity levels in your home are not ideal for a pothos plant, it may begin to suffer and show signs of distress.
Common signs of unfavourable humidity levels include wilting, yellowing leaves, brown tips on the leaves, and leaf drop.
The leaves may also become crispy or papery, or they may curl or droop.
If you notice any of these signs, you may need to increase the humidity in your home.
One way to do this is to mist your pothos plant with water, which will increase the humidity around the plant.
Additionally, placing your pothos in a tray of pebbles filled with water will provide a humid environment for the plant.
You should also try to avoid extreme fluctuations in temperature and humidity, as these can be damaging to your pothos.
How to Increase Humidity for a Pothos Plant
If youre looking to increase the humidity around your pothos plant, there are a few different methods you can try.
The first is to use a humidifier.
Humidifiers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and price points, and they can help to increase the humidity in your home by releasing moisture into the air.
When buying a humidifier, make sure to get one with a high output that is suited to the size of your space.
Another way to increase the humidity in your home is to place a shallow tray of water near your pothos plant.
The water will evaporate into the air, creating a humid microclimate around your plant.
You can also mist your pothos plant daily with a spray bottle, which will also help to increase the humidity around the plant.
In addition to these methods, you can also group your pothos plants together.
This will create a humid microclimate around the plants, allowing them to thrive in higher humidity.
To make this work, keep the plants close together but make sure they have enough air circulation.
Finally, you can also install a pebble tray near your pothos plants.
This is a tray filled with gravel and water that helps to increase the humidity in the air.
To use this method, place the tray near your plant and make sure the gravel is below the waterline.
As the water evaporates, it will release moisture into the air, creating a humid environment for your pothos plant.
What Happens if the Humidity is Too Low?
When a pothos plant is exposed to low humidity, it can become stressed and start to suffer from various conditions.
The leaves can turn yellow and become dry and brittle, and the stems can become weak and brittle.
In extreme cases, the plant may start to drop leaves and the leaves may become discolored.
As humidity levels drop, the plant will become increasingly vulnerable to pests and diseases.
If the humidity levels remain low for an extended period of time, the plant may die.
To prevent these conditions from occurring, it is important to increase the humidity levels around your pothos plant.
The best way to do this is to use a humidifier or to mist the plant regularly.
Alternatively, you can place the pothos in a bathroom or kitchen, as these areas tend to be more humid.
You can also group multiple plants together to create a more humid microclimate for the pothos.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to caring for a pothos plant, humidity is an essential factor to consider.
Pothos plants thrive in a relative humidity of 60-80%, so it’s important to monitor the humidity in your home and make adjustments if necessary.
With the right humidity levels and a bit of love, your pothos plant will stay healthy and happy! So, now that you know the answer to “Does pothos like humidity?”, why not give it a try and see the results for yourself?.