Pothos Yellow Leaves

Why Are The Leaves Of Your Pothos Turning Yellow

Pothos plants make lovely houseplants. They are typically easy to care for, having only a few basic requirements to fulfill.

They can thrive in a variety of environments. The simple yet elegant appearance of the foliage adds to the appeal of having them in the home.

At times, like with many other plants, there may be issues with pests and diseases. Other issues, too, may arise, and for a variety of reasons. Such problems may cause pothos yellow leaves.

This is a distinct color change in the leaves from shades of green to yellow. Depending on the issue, there may be brown spots and wilting present as well.

When pothos yellow leaves occur, it is essential to discover the cause as quickly as possible.

When the cause is found, the treatment can begin. Of course, the correct diagnosis is vital, but this can be achieved by inspecting the roots, stems, and leaves.

Why are the leaves of your pothos turning yellow?

There are several potential causes of pothos yellow leaves. Some of these reasons are more common than others. Each has a remedy as long as the treatment starts before it is too late.

• Overwatering: This is the most common cause of pothos yellow leaves. Overwatering creates too much moisture in the soil. As a result, the leaves may start to yellow from fungal diseases such as root or stem rot. To prevent this, water should only be added to the soil when the top 25% is dry. It can be ever drier than this if there is additional humidity in the air. Overwatering can also be prevented by planting the pothos in a pot with adequate drainage.

• Overcrowding: When the foliage grows too large for the pot, it becomes overcrowded. Pothos yellow leaves may develop as overcrowding promotes the growth of disease. Repotting the plant into a larger container can help this situation.

• Stress: There may be a few reasons why there is enough stress to cause yellowing leaves. One of these causes is the plant having to cope with extreme changes in soil moisture or air temperature. It is recommended to be consistent with water, temperature, and other needs.

• Humidity: Low air humidity first causes the leaves to turn brown. Over time, yellowing will occur if the humidity is not altered. If the air humidity level cannot be changed naturally, a mist can be sprayed into the air instead.

• Improper Light: Pothos prefer medium to bright light. While they can survive in low lighting, pothos yellow leaves may develop. Be sure not to place the foliage in direct sunlight as the leaves can burn.

• Pests: Several types of pests can be the reason for pothos yellow leaves. Three, in particular, are mealybugs, spider mites, and scale insects. These pests are visible upon inspection. These pests feed off of the stems and leaves, removing the nutrients. As a result, pothos yellow leaves develop. Insecticides and insecticidal soap may be used to eliminate the insects.

• Natural Process: Sometimes pothos yellow leaves are a natural occurrence. It may happen when the plant is getting ready to shed its old leaves and produce new ones.

Should I cut yellow leaves off pothos?

Pothos yellow leaves should be removed. Scissors or pruning shears can be used for this. The cutting tool must be sterilized after each cut, especially when dealing with disease or infestation.

The sterilization will help prevent the disease from spreading to other areas. In plants that have over one-third of their leaves yellow, the trimming should be done over time.

A bleach and water mixture, a nine to one ratio, is perfect for sterilizing the scissors or pruning shears. Rubbing alcohol may also be used. Other methods of sterilization are available if these are not available or suitable.

Can yellow pothos leaves turn green again?

Unfortunately, pothos yellow leaves do not usually turn green again. Rather than waiting and disease potentially spreading, it is advised to remove yellowing leaves.

Once the leaves are removed and the foliage starts to become healthy again, new leaves will grow, replacing the pothos yellow leaves already removed.

What does an overwatered pothos look like?

An overwatered pothos plant does not just turn yellow. Depending on the disease that has infected it, there may be other colors like brown also. In the case of bacterial leaf spot, brown spots with yellow rims could appear.

Can pothos recover from overwatering?

Whether or not the plant can recover depends on the severity of the issue. In many cases, if the pothos yellow leaves are discovered and treated quickly, the entire plant can recover and become healthy once again.

The first thing to do when discovering pothos yellow leaves is to check out the amount of damage. Once that is done, there are two main remedy options based on the severity.

• In mild cases, drain the excess water and avoid adding any additional water until the soil has become dry. To help dry the soil, it can be overturned and mixed. This action will spread the moisture. Removing the pothos yellow leaves is the next step before adding fungicide or other suitable treatment.

• In worse cases, rather than trying to drain the moisture, it is recommended to start over with a fresh pot. The new pot needs to have adequate drainage. The pot should be filled with a well-draining potting mix suitable for pathos. The pothos yellow leaves can be removed using sterilized scissors or pruning shears before placing it in the new pot with fresh soil. Fungicides or other types of treatment may be necessary.

How can you tell if the pothos is overwatered or underwatered?

While both of these issues can be serious if left untreated, there is a difference in the appearance of the pothos yellow leaves when the plant is underwatered rather than overwatered.

When the foliage does not receive enough moisture, the leaves are not just yellow but they will turn brown and crispy. This occurs because of dehydration.

Overwatered pothos may also turn brown as well as yellow. However, whether strictly yellow or with both colors, the leaves will be soft and limp rather than crispy.

Photo by Mahdi Dastmard on Unsplash