Can Yellow Pothos Leaves Turn Green Again?

Pothos is one of the most popular plants to have indoors. They’re easy to care for and don’t need much sunlight. In fact, pothos can grow just fine without caring about them too much! But sometimes, pothos can experience some unexpected issues during their growing journey. Yellow leaves are one of the most common problems you may face as you grow pothos.

If your pothos leaves are turning yellow, there are several reasons why this could be happening. This may indicate something wrong with your plant’s environment or care protocol. Read on to discover why this problem occurs and how to solve it.

Can Yellow Pothos Leaves Turn Green Again?

In most cases, pothos yellow leaves can’t turn green again. In fact, when pothos leaves turn yellow due to internal factors such as hormones, life cycle, or genetics, they won’t turn green again. On the other hand, there is a small probability that pothos yellow leaves turn green again if the cause of this phenomenon is external factors such as lighting, watering, and nutrients.

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Why Are My Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow?

Pothos leaves turn yellow when the foliage lacks chlorophyll. In fact, all green plants have a yellow color in their leaves, but the green color dominates because it’s the only color that can be used to perform photosynthesis and produce energy for the plant. When the plant does not have chlorophyll, the green color disappears, and the yellow color takes its place.

Here are the main reasons why a pothos leave may become yellow:

• Overwatering: When a pothos’s leaves turn yellow, it’s usually due to overwatering. You should avoid watering your plant when the soil is still wet and wait until the top inch of the soil feels dry.
•  Low Humidity: The leaves of a pothos plant may turn yellow when there is not enough humidity. In fact, these indoor plants need around 50% relative humidity when grown indoors. If you live in an area where the air is dehydrated, make sure to give your plant an excellent misting every now and then.
•  Aging Leaves: It’s normal for the leaves of pothos plants to turn yellow when they age. This is because chlorophyll production decreases, giving them a yellow or brown color. Eventually, the leaves will die and fall off by themselves as new ones grow in their place.
•  Inappropriate Lighting: If your pothos leaves turn yellow, it’s probably due to lack of light or exposure to direct sunlight. In fact, this indoor plant needs bright but indirect sunlight to grow properly. Experts recommend placing this plant near a south or west-facing window.
•  Wrong Fertilizer or Wrong Fertilizing Protocol: using the wrong type of fertilizer can also contribute to turning your pothos leaves yellow. In fact, this indoor plant needs fertilizers that are high in nitrogen and magnesium. Also, use a water-soluble fertilizer made explicitly for pothos plants.
•  Pests: If your pothos leaves turn yellow, it may be due to pests. In fact, this plant is susceptible and can quickly become infested by bugs, mealybugs, or thrips.
•  Diseases: Diseases such as root rot can also turn the leaves of your pothos yellow. Generally, this plant is relatively resistant but can still get affected by several fungal diseases such as root rot or leaf spot.
•  Temperature Extreme: If you place your pothos plant near a heat source, its leaves may turn yellow. The high temperature can literally burn or dry out the leaves. On the other hand, if you place your plant in a cold area, its leaves may turn yellow due to the low temperature.
•  Lack of Nutrients: If your pothos leaves turn yellow, it may be because it’s not getting the necessary nutrients. The best way to ensure that your pothos gets all the nutrients they need is by changing the soil once every year and using liquid fertilizer every two months.
•  Transplant Shock: If you recently transplanted your pothos plant, its leaves may turn yellow. The transplant process can be pretty stressful for a pothos plant.

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Should I Be Concerned that My Pothos Leaves Are Turning Yellow?

If the leaves of your pothos turn yellow during the growing season, that is a red flag. It means something is wrong with your plant, and you should take action immediately.

It would help if you were also concerned when the leaves of your plant become yellow with a brown tip. This usually means that your plant is not receiving enough sunlight.

If you give your pothos the necessary care but a few yellow leaves appear during the winter season, you should not worry. It’s totally normal for any plant to experience this phenomenon during dormancy.

Click here to read our full article On how to propagate a leafless pothos vine

How Do You Fix Yellow Pothos Leaves?

It’s rare when you can turn yellow pothos and leave green again. The only case when this would be possible is when the cause is overwatering or nutritional deficiency. Also, when the problem of yellow leaves happens, you should take the necessary actions as fast as possible. Otherwise, you would rather say goodbye to the green leaves.

When the yellow leaf appears due to overwatering, you can cure the problem by allowing the soil to dry out completely before watering it again. On the other hand, if the yellow leaves are caused by a lack of nutrients, you can cure the problem by adding a water-soluble fertilizer made explicitly for pothos plants.

When it comes to the pothos yellow leaves problem, prevention is better than cure. Generally, when you take the necessary preventive measures as your pothos grow, you rarely see a yellow leaf in your plant. In this case, even when your plant develops a few yellow leaves, you should not worry.

If you are interested in a full video tutorial on how to identify and treat yellow pothos leaves, you can check the following video:

Wondering about misting your pothos? Click here to get the exact answer.

How Can You Prevent Your Pothos Plant Leaves from Turning Yellow?

You can prevent pothos from developing yellow leaves if you adopt a suitable care protocol for this plant. Pothos are tropical plants that require a high temperature and humidity level in addition to an adequate amount of water and light. So, if you can mimic the tropical climate, you should never worry about your pothos.

The leading cause of most pothos problems, yellow leaves included, is inappropriate watering. Using too much water, underwatering, or cold water are all mistakes that many plants can tolerate, but not pothos.

I highly recommend using a moisture meter to avoid overwatering and provide your plant with the right amount of water. This tool is affordable and easy to use, so there’s no excuse for not using it. If you don’t have access to a moister meter, you can check the soil before watering your pothos. You can water your plant if the soil feels dry and looks like it’s about to crumble.

To prevent pothos leaves from becoming yellow, you should also Repot your plant once or twice a year, preferably a few weeks before winter. When you repot your pothos at this time of the year, you prepare them for the most challenging season. Not only this, but If you don’t repot your plant regularly, the roots will become too compacted, and the plant will stop growing.

If you live in a dry climate, you can prevent your pothos plant leaves from turning yellow and falling off by using a humidifier. The increased humidity will make the leaves appear healthier and more vibrant.

One of my secret weapons for fighting yellow leaves is feeding my pothos with Epsom Salt. In fact, Epsom salt has been known for its capacity to enhance the plant’s green color. If you are a beginner gardener, I don’t advise you to use Epsom Salt directly. Instead, you can use a fertilizer containing Epsom Salt to avoid giving your plant an overdose of this nutrient.

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Conclusion

Pothos plants are one of the easiest houseplants you can grow in your home, requiring minimal effort to look beautiful. However, even though they are easy to care for, pothos plants are not immune to all the problems.

The most common problem with a pothos plant is when its leaves turn yellow. The major causes of this issue are overwatering, underwatering, or a lack of nutrients in the soil.

Take action immediately if you notice that your pothos plant’s leaves are starting to turn yellow. You can try to revive the leaf by allowing the soil to dry out completely before watering it again or adding a water-soluble fertilizer made explicitly for pothos plants.

Alternatively, you can prevent your pothos plant from developing yellow leaves by adopting a care protocol that is suitable for this plant. Pothos plants require a high temperature and humidity level in addition to an adequate amount of water and light to grow properly.

In short, if you give your pothos the necessary care, you rarely see a yellow leaf in your plant.

Click Here to Read our full Case Study on how Pothos can Help Other Plants Root