Is your pothos plant unable to grow leaves despite having healthy roots? Yeah…there has to be something missing…
In this article, we’ll go over reasons why your pothos plant may have poor leaf development and what you can do to fix the underlying problems. Let’s dive right into it!
Healthy Pothos Roots But No Leaf Growth? What’s Missing?
4 – Insufficient Natural Light
Pothos need bright indirect light to maintain healthy function and develop maximally. It’s not a want, but rather an important requirement. If you keep your pothos in a shaded location that keeps light from reaching the plant, leaf development and overall plant growth will be dramatically affected.
Solution
To improve leaf development and bring it to a healthier pace, move your plant to another location where there is plenty of indirect light throughout the day. Anywhere between 10-12 hours of indirect light exposure every day is a must.
3 – Harsh Temperatures
Pothos typically prefer a moderate temperature anywhere between 64º-75ºF or 18-24°C. The plant doesn’t tolerate frost or extreme heat very well and such temperature extremes are likely to negatively affect leaf development.
In order to get your pothos leaves growing, you’ll need to minimize its exposure to harsh temperatures.
Solution
Ideally, you should place the plant somewhere where the temperature is relatively stable and consistent on a day-to-day basis. Avoid keeping the plant near heaters or air conditions as that too could potentially restrict growth.
2 – Pest Growth
Pest problems can definitely hinder leaf growth in your pothos plant. Aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs could all be potential culprits here. Not only do they carry harmful diseases but also damage plants by feeding on developing leaves and fruit.
Regularly check your pothos for signs of pest damage or spreading disease. Weakened leaf growth, discoloration, holes, and strange spots that appear out of nowhere are all red flags you should be aware of.
Solution
If signs of pest damage are apparent, you can either get chemical pesticides from your local gardening store or use natural pest remedies like neem oil to relieve your pothos from the pest stress.
1 – Nutrient Deficiencies
The nutrient density of the soil you’ve planted your pothos in is just as important as other factors like watering frequency, light, and humidity.
If your soil lacks essential nutrients, leaf development may be slower than usual. The common culprit behind this is often a lack of nitrogen, which is responsible for a major chunk of leaf growth duties.
Solution
Get your hands on a well-balanced, water-soluble fertilizer and provide your pothos with the nutrient boost it needs once every 4-6 weeks during the growing season.
Final Words
Seeing poor leaf development on your plant despite it having strong and healthy roots can often make you feel like the unluckiest person to exist. However, there is always an underlying problem that you aren’t seeing.
E.g. Just because a plant has healthy roots doesn’t mean it can’t be under stress due to a pest problem.
If there’s one thing you would take away from this article, it should be that weak leaf growth in a plant with healthy roots just means that there’s perhaps another area you’re neglecting and should pay more attention to.
