At Which Time of The Year Do Pothos Go Dormant?

Do you have a pothos plant that’s not growing? Don’t worry because your pothos might just be getting into dormancy which is a very healthy process for any plant. And today, we are here to help you understand why and when pothos goes dormant.

Pothos plants are straightforward to grow and maintain. They’re also great for beginners because they can survive in low light and don’t require much water or care. However, sometimes your pothos will go dormant during the winter months. This is normal, and it doesn’t mean your plant is dying! In this article, you will find all you need to know about pothos dormancy so you can keep them healthy year-round.

When Do Pothos Go Dormant?

Pothos go dormant during the winter season. This normal process allows any plant to recover to prepare for the next growing season. If your plant has started dropping leaves, it might go into dormancy soon. You’ll want to reduce your watering frequency until new growth appears again next spring or summer.

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Wondering about the Best Time to grow Pothos? Here is the exact answer.

Why Do Pothos Go Dormant?

Pothos go dormant during winter because they do not find the optimum resources for their growth. Contrary to many people, the dormancy period favors plant health. In fact, when plants go dormant during the winter, they can grow at their full potential in spring and summer.

When pothos goes dormant, you should not freak out. Just keep your winter care routine the same as it was before. The most important thing to do is to have a winter care protocol that respects your plant’s needs. For pothos, you will need to provide them with enough light to prevent your plant from becoming leggy. Also, you will need to reduce your fertilizing and watering frequency as much as possible.

During dormancy, you will need to maintain the temperature of your pothos at around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Personally, I find a space heater to be the best solution. But don’t forget to keep your pothos a few feets away from the space heater if you choose to use such a device.

Read this article to find out the 6 main Causes Why Your Pothos Stems Split

What Should I Do if My Pothos Goes Dormant?

Winter is the dormancy season for most plants. In fact, when the resources for healthy growth are unavailable, plants prefer to go dormant and wait until the spring season to start growing again. This process is totally natural for any plant. Not only this, but dormancy is mandatory for the growth of any plant since it allows them to recover and conserve energy for the upcoming days.

Sometimes a plant goes dormant because it just needs a rest. In this case, you must adapt your care schedule to the plant’s needs. Generally, when the plant goes into dormancy, we should water it less frequently and reduce the amount of light we would typically provide.

Most plants go dormant during the winter because the days become short, and the amount of light available is minimal. This natural response allows plants to adapt to their environment and conserve energy. As a result, you should not force your plant to keep growing at this time by overwatering or exposing it to more light.

Many people react to dormancy with impatience and start using all sorts of fertilizers, thinking they are saving their plants from death. Guess what? This causes more harm than good for the plant. In the case of pothos, caring can cause root rot, and in some cases, it may destroy the plant entirely and stop it from growing forever.

Plants are like human beings. They also need a holiday period after long months of hard work. And sometimes they may ask for a long holiday! Just give them what they want.

There are cases when plants go dormant out of their dormancy period. In fact, if the pot is becoming too small for your plant, it may go dormant and stop growing. Only in this case can you repot the plant to cope with dormancy.

Read This Article Before Rooting in Pothos in Water.

How to Know if My Pothos Goes Dormant?

Paying attention to their appearance is the best way to know if your pothos has gone dormant. As soon as the leaves start to turn yellow and the stem becomes brown, you can say that your plant is going into a dormant state.

Another way to know if your pothos has gone dormant is to check if the leaves are becoming smaller. This phenomenon can be noticed at any time of year, but it always happens during the dormancy period.

In case you are unsure about what’s happening with your plant, the best thing to do is take a cutting from the stem and place it in a glass of water. If the cutting starts to grow roots and leaves, you can say that your plant is dormant because it needs more time to recover from the previous season.

Dealing with Slow-Growing Pothos? Here Are 10 Causes and 6 Solutions to Try.

How Can I Differentiate Between a Dead and A Dormant Pothos?

Many people can’t differentiate between a dormant and a dead pothos, which is difficult if you don’t know the proper techniques to verify such a thing. But, in this section, we will go through the possible checks that may help you determine if you are dealing with dormant or dead pothos.

The best thing to do if you want to know whether your pothos is dormant or dead is to perform what is called a snap test. This test involves snapping a branch of your pothos and checking if it breaks easily. If so, then the plant is dead. A similar test involves scrapping the bark with a sharp blade and checking the inside. In this case, you should look for fleshy green beneath.

If you love your pothos a lot, you may not like performing the abovementioned tests. In this case, you can check the roots of the plants. If you find the origins of your pothos in a healthy state, you can conclude that your plant is alive. But if you find rotted roots, you will most likely be dealing with dead pothos.

Why Do Pothos Revert? Click here to find the answer.

Which Plants Go Dormant During Winter?

As mentioned above, most houseplants, including pothos, go dormant during winter to save energy and prepare for spring and summer days. Here are the 5 plants that go dormant in winter the most:

Dracaena Lisa or Dracaena Massangeana: this plant goes dormant during the winter and wakes up again in spring. To help it do so, you should reduce watering frequency during winter.

Ludwigia or Alternate Leaf: this plant goes dormant for about two months during autumn and winter. To help it do so, you should place your ludwigia in a bright spot but not in direct sunlight and water it until the soil becomes completely dry.

Hoya: this plant goes for about three months of dormancy in winter. To help it do so, you should place it in a cool and dark place.

Aloe Vera or Aloe Barbadensis: aloe vera is a sun-loving plant that goes dormant from January to March.

Philodendron Green Wonder: this plant is a vine that goes dormant during winter. To help it do so, you should prune it and place it in a bright spot but not in direct sunlight.

Is your Pothos Dripping Water? Here are the causes and the solutions.

Conclusion

Pothos is not an exception when it comes to the dormancy phenomena. In fact, most houseplants go dormant during winter to save energy and prepare for spring and summer days when there is more sunlight available. This means you should water your plants less frequently so they can rest without dying from dehydration. And if you want to be sure your plant is still alive, perform a snap test or check the roots.

If your pothos is dormant, don’t worry because it will wake up again next spring.

That’s all for today. Stay tuned for more informative articles about plants and gardening.

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