Should I mist my pothos plant? | Pros and Cons + Best ways

Pothos plants can benefit from misting as it will increase humidity, provide water to the plant and leaves and give you an easy way to give your plant fertilizer. Misting can be a great way to increase the humidity for a short period of time for your pothos and help it to grow quicker in a dry environment.

This article will explore the pros and cons of misting pothos plants, the key benefits and how to do it the right way.

How often should you mist pothos?

Misting pothos everyday everyday during times of low humidity will help the plant to grow quicker. For me the time of low humidity is winter as we live in a sub-tropical climate. The humidity increases in spring and summer however pothos will still benefit from misting every few days.

For dryer, temperate regions, misting can continue into summer to keep the plant happy and the humidity higher.

Mist your pothos in the morning using a cheap spray bottle. I bought mine from a department store but they can be bought from most places including your grocery store. They will cost between $1-$10 for a high quality one and will last for a long time if they are cared for.

You can mix in nitrogen fertilizer and seaweed solution into the water once the plant is in its peak growing season in the spring and summer. Spray it every week with this solution to give it an extra boost of nutrients and help with strong root growth.

Use a liquid indoor plant fertilizer that has a high nitrogen level to encourage a dense, bushy pothos with bright green leaf growth.

Why would you mist your pothos?

Indoor nurseries will often use sprayers to water their indoor plants including pothos. While this irrigation is usually set morning and in the afternoon, you can re-create this at home by spraying your pothos twice per day.

The sprayer nozzle on a bottle will wind down all the way from a squirt to a light mist. A mist will just add water to the surface of the leaves but will not reach the roots.

You can use this sprayer bottle to both water your pothos gently by unscrewing the end or tighten it up and use it to mist the leaves.

To increase humidity

The purpose of misting your pothos is to increase the humidity around the plant. Pothos are a tropical plant originating in a rainforest environment. They love humidity and moisture while still being drought hardy.

Misting your pothos will temporarily increase the humidity around the plant. This will only happen for a short period of time but it will still benefit your plant. For longer lasting humidity, try and indoor humidifier.

Clean the leaves

Misting the plant can help to keep dust off of the leaves. Misting your plant with water and then gently wiping them with a cloth will help to remove any dust or dirt and allow the leaves to ‘breathe’, release oxygen and absorb water.

The cons of misting pothos

While misting is a great idea in most circumstances, there are some cons to be aware of if you plan on doing this at home. Here are a few cons to be aware of before misting pothos.

Minimal humidity gain

While there is definitely a short term increase in humidity this won’t last for long. Misting your plant will give an increase in humidity for a few minutes but not much longer than that. Longer increases in humidity are better achieved with a humidifier.

Check out humidifiers for indoor plants here on Amazon.

Spread pests and diseases

While misting is usually fine on a healthy pothos plant, one that has any signs of fungus, disease or pest attack can be made worse with misting. This could spread the fungus or disease further on the plant.

The key message is not to mist a pothos plant if there are signs of disease on the leaves or pest attack. Check the leaves for insects, black or yellow marks and address the problem before you start a misting schedule.

How to increase humidity for your pothos plant

While misting with a hand held sprayer will increase the humidity in the short term the best way to increase the humidity levels above 50% is to use a humidifier.

Many experienced indoor plant growers and nurseries will have humidifiers to increase the rate at which their plants grow or help to keep tropical plants happy in dry environments.

If I mist my pothos do I still need to water them?

Misting pothos will help to add a small amount of misture to the leaves and stems but you will still need to water the plant. Misting will add a small amount of moisture to the air which will gradually settle on theleaves but it will still be a very small amount.

Pothos will need to be watered up to 2 times per week in summer and every 1-2 weeks in winter. Take the pothos over to your laundry sink and water the plant allowing the water to drain through. After this the pot can then be placed back on its pot stand.

It is important to avoid allowing the pothos to sit in stagnant water, either in the bottom of the pot itself or in a catching tray. This can quickly lead to root rot and eventually damage or kill the plant.

Should I mist my pothos plant? |Summary

Misting pothos is a great idea if you live in a low humidity area. Misting each morning will give your pothos a short term increase in humidity which this tropical plant will love. If you remember you can do it again in the afternoon.

For those living in tropical or sub-tropical areas this will not be as important but can still benefit the plant if you are having a dry summer. I mist my pothos plant when I remember anywhere from once per week to once per day depending on how busy I am.

If you like the idea of adding extra humidity for your pothos but don’t want to have to do it with a sprayer, a humidifier for plants is a fantastic idea.

Happy growing.