How to Keep Pothos Alive (Even If You Forget About It)
- Jennifer DeSha
- Jan 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 7
If you think you’re bad at plants, you’re not.
You’ve probably just been given plants that required more from you than you had the capacity for at the time.
That’s why pothos is different.
This is the plant that taught me I wasn’t the problem.
🌿 Why pothos is the easiest plant to keep alive
Pothos is forgiving in a way most plants aren’t.
It doesn’t panic if you forget to water it. It doesn’t need perfect lighting. It adapts to your space instead of demanding you adapt to it.
And honestly, that’s what makes it such a good starting point.
☀️ Light: what it actually needs
Pothos does best in:
bright, indirect light
But it will also survive in:
low light
office lighting
corners of your home
It might grow slower in low light—but it will still grow.
💧 Watering (this is where most people go wrong)
Don’t water on a schedule.
Instead:
stick your finger in the soil
if it’s dry → water
if it’s still damp → leave it alone
Overwatering kills more pothos than neglect ever will.
Let it dry out a bit. It actually prefers that.
🌱 How to propagate pothos (the fun part)
This is where pothos really shines.
Cut a vine just below a node
Place it in water
Wait
That’s it.
Roots will start growing within days to weeks.
And this is where you can get creative:
old jars
glass bottles
fishbowl-style vases
There’s something really satisfying about watching roots grow in water. It turns plant care into something visual and calming.
🪴 Styling ideas (Pinterest-worthy setups)
Pothos isn’t just easy—it’s aesthetic.
trailing from shelves
hanging from planters
multiple jars lined up in a window
I’ve even used old juice jars and turned them into propagation stations.
Simple. Functional. Beautiful.
🤍 Final thoughts
You don’t need to be “good with plants.”
You just need to start with the right one.
Pothos will meet you where you are.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.
Some people decorate their desks with planners, photos, or fancy pens. I apparently decided my personality this season is plants.
And honestly, best decision I have made in a while.
When I started looking for the perfect desk plant, I wanted something pretty, calm, and most importantly, beginner-friendly. Enter the pothos. And let me tell you, this plant has quickly become one of my favorite little joys at home.
First of all, pothos are beautiful. The trailing vines, the heart-shaped leaves, the soft pops of green and sometimes yellow or white instantly make my desk feel more alive and peaceful. There is something about having greenery in my line of sight while I work that slows me down in the best way.
But what really won me over is how forgiving they are.
As someone who is still very much learning how not to accidentally harm houseplants, I deeply appreciate a plant that does not require perfection. Pothos thrive in all kinds of light, do not need constant watering, and somehow continue to look happy even when I forget about them for a little too long.
Recently, I discovered something that made me love them even more. They grow beautifully in water.
Not just survive. Thrive.
Some of my pothos cuttings are currently living their best lives sitting in jars of water, and they look just as healthy as the ones planted in soil. This opened up a whole new world in my brain because now I can picture my desk lined with little glass vases. Fishbowl shapes, tall cylinders, vintage jars. Each one holding a trailing vine.
Functional. Pretty. Slightly magical.
Right now, I am in the beginning stages of propagating my first few cuttings. Nothing fancy. Just old apple juice jars, a little water, and a lot of hope. There is something so satisfying about watching tiny roots form and knowing a brand new plant is growing right in front of you.
And maybe that is what I love most about this season of desk plants.
They are simple. Quiet. Patient.
They do not rush. They do not demand. They just grow slowly, steadily, beautifully.
We will see where this little pothos collection goes from here. For now, I am enjoying the process, the aesthetics, and the tiny reminder on my desk that life can be gentle and still thrive.
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How I Am Propagating My Pothos in Water
If you are curious about starting your own little pothos collection, here is the simple way I am doing it. No special tools. No pressure.
Step One: Find a healthy vine and cut just below a leaf node. This is where the roots will grow from.
Step Two: Remove the lower leaves, leaving only the stem and a couple of leaves at the top.
Step Three: Place the cutting in a jar or vase of clean water. Make sure the node is fully submerged.
Step Four: Set it somewhere with bright but indirect light and wait.
Within a week or two, tiny roots will start to appear. I change the water every few days and quietly celebrate every new little root like a proud plant parent.
Once the roots are a few inches long, you can keep them growing in water for the aesthetics or transfer them into soil when you are ready.
Either way, it feels a little bit magical to grow something new from something you already love.
xo,
jd
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