Why Your Pothos is Dripping Water | The Strange Answer

Pothos leaves will drip water through the process called ‘guttation’ where the plant gets rid of extra water, sap and nutrients through their leaves. This is a natural process that often occurs during humid weather or if the plant has been overwatered. If your outdoor pothos is dripping water this could be condensation rather than guttation

This article will explore why pothos leaves will drip water, if this is a problem and how to stop it from happening.

Pothos leaves dripping is a natural process called guttation

Pothos plants dripping water from the tips of their leaves is a completely normal process. The water droplets can sit on the tips of the leaves and the edges and can drip down onto your bench.

Guttation or sweating, crying or weeping which is generally where water droplets drip from the leaves. There is a mix of sap, minerals and water from the plant. This also happens to larger, tropical plants such as bananas.

This happened to my pothos after I had given it a lot of water. The weather was humid and the plant naturally released the extra water and sap through the tips of its leaves. This can happen if you keep the plant in a very humid area, near a window that reflected heat or water it frequently.

How to stop pothos dripping and marking your furniture

Pothos can leave marks on your furniture if the ‘guttation’ drips onto it. The sap in the water will leave white marks and can be slightly sticky.

To prevent pothos from making marks on your furniture when it drips place a waterproof placemat underneath the plant if this happens regularly. Hot, humid summers will be the time that pothos are more likely to do this.

You can reduce guttation by giving your pothos more air movement by opening a window. This reduces humidity if a breeze is allowed to pass by the leaves. Reducing your watering schedule when the weather is humid will reduce the drips from your pothos leaves.

Why outdoor pothos plants drip water

Outdoor pothos plants can drip water if condensation forms on the leaves early in the morning. Condensation will look clear, will be purely water which comes from the atmosphere and settles on the leaves. This is different to the guttation drips and usually dries quickly as soon as the sun appears. It will form across the leaf surface rather than on the edges and will happen when the weather is cool.

It is rare to get condensation on indoor plants but occurs on outdoor pothos that are exposed to open windows during the night and early morning. Pothos grown undercover are also less likely to create dew or have water dripping naturally in this way.

Outdoor pothos plants will get rid of extra water and nutrients through the process of guttation the same as indoor pothos. The plant will ‘sweat’ out extra water, sap and nutrients. This helps to balance out the water levels in the plant. This can happen if it is over watered or if the weather is very humid.

What causes pothos leaves to drip water

The top reasons why pothos leaves drip water are due to hot, humid weather, stress and overwatering.

Hot, humid weather

Hot humid weather can cause a pothos plant to sweat or drip water. Releasing the extra nutrients, water and sap built up in the plant is a natural process to balance the plant’s needs. Don’t worry if you see guttation, just put down a placemat to catch the drips.

Stress from repotting, moving or too much sun

Stress can cause pothos to drip water when they are repotted, transported or their position is changed. If a pothos plant is used to being in full shade and it is moved into more sunlight it can cause the leaves to drip water.

Transporting pothos can also cause stress to the plant and it may drip water as a result. Taking the plant home from a nursery or delivering it as a gift to a friend can change the water balance, expose the plant to too much heat and cause it to drip water.

Always remember to take your plant out of your car as soon as you can. Cars can heat up quickly causing the plant to lose water and killing it quickly.

Pothos are a hardy plant that will recover quickly. If the soil looks dry, water the plant deeply and avoid overwatering if the plant already has dampness in the soil.

Too much water

Overwatering is usually the cause of the pothos plant dripping water. Releasing the excess water through the leaves alongside sap and nutrients can help to save the plant from overwatering.

It is important to only water pothos when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry. Pothos are a tropical plant and will grow well if they are watered every 2-3 weeks. If you notice the leaves drooping add more water but otherwise the plant will be happy with a deep water less often.

Take pothos plants over to your sink and wet the soil allowing the water to drain through. This will help to avoid the roots sitting in water in the bottom of the pot tray or outer pot and stop the plant getting too much water.

How to stop the pothos plant from crying, dripping and sweating

To stop pothos plants from crying or dripping it is important to avoid overwatering. Only water pothos every 2-3 weeks or when the soil feels dry. Indoor pothos plants will benefit from air movement so open a window if the day is warm and humid.

Avoid putting pothos plants in full sun as this can stress the plant and make sure the roots are not sitting in water in the bottom of a pot tray.

Will dripping from pothos leaves harm the plant?

Pothos plants with dripping leaves will not be in any danger. The water dripping from the plant will not cause any harm but can leave white marks on your pot or the table the plant is sitting on.

If this happens often a placemat can help to catch the drips but it is best to adjust your watering and give the plant more air flow. You can also wipe the drip marks off with some eucalyptus spray or some warm, soapy water.

How to know I the plant is dripping from guttation or dew

Dew can form on the leaves on outdoor pothos plants, this usually happens in the morning and will by dry when the sun appears. Water dripping from guttation can happen throughout the day, can leave white marks on the ground or leaves from the sap and minerals and will often happen when the weather is warmer rather than cool.

Pothos leaves dripping water | Summary

Pothos leaves will drip water through the natural process of ‘guttation’ where excess water, sap and nutrients are released. Dripping can also occur on outdoor pothos plants where condensation forms on the leaves on cold mornings and naturally drips off. This is clear and different to the ‘sweating’ that can come on warm and humid days.

Happy growing.