Pothos plants are reputed to bring good fortune and wealth; they have it all, whether you’re seeking the ideal houseplant or financial luck. It is a popular plant used for business attraction, and many people want it for its intriguing foliage, aggressive growth, and simplicity of maintenance.
In several locales, aside from its good fortune, it can grow in unfavorable environments; this is the reason many people buy or plant it. The pothos can remove any bad or sluggish energy from your home! Who wouldn’t want this plant? Unfortunately, several reasons can cause your pothos leaves to curl and die.
What Do Curl Pothos Leaves Indicate?
Although the pothos plant is not dead, its curled leaves indicate that it needs some care to survive, and look lovely and healthy.
Leaves also curl when they are new or ancient; to make room for further growth, mature leaves that are curling and changing color should be removed by pruning.
What Causes Pothos Leaves Curling And How To Fix It
Pothos is a hardy indoor plant; even a novice will have difficulty killing one. However, the plant’s curled leaves tell you when it is in trouble. The plant has to be improved for it to flourish, as evidenced by the curling leaves.
The most common cause of pothos leaves curling is over-watering, which can cause the soil to become flooded and the roots to become oxygen-deprived, leading to root rot. However, they can also curl due to inadequate lighting, inadequate moisture, or pest or fungus infection.
Curled pothos leaves typically signal issues like excessive or insufficient watering; additionally, it’s how the plant communicates when it needs more or less light. In cases of overfeeding, pest infestation, or disease, pothos leaves can also curl, and the best part is that they can also uncurl when treated.
- Excessive fertilizer
Fertilizers must be fed to your pothos for them to survive and flourish, but too much fertilizer might cause the leaves to curl. Pothos will initially flourish if given too many nutrients, but after a few days, the leaves will begin to fold or curl.
Solution
Avoiding overfeeding pothos is another approach to stopping curling leaves and using a fertilizer with an appropriate balance of nutrients. Even though some plants can require additional fertilizers, going overboard simply leads to problems for pothos plants.
2. Ample Watering
Curled pothos leaves are most frequently caused by overwatering. This is because the soil has too much moisture, and the leaves attempt to hold onto this excess moisture.
Depending on the pot you’re using, water your pothos in a normal pot less frequently than if made of permeable terracotta or plastic.
Solution
Learn the correct watering methods to avoid pothos leaves curling in waterlogged soil. To know if you are overwatering your potted plant, dig into the plant’s topsoil with your finger and see if it is dry, if it is, then it’s time to water the pothos plant.
And when you notice overwatering, wait a few days for the soil to dry out before watering again.
3. Root-Bound
The roots of pothos continue to expand when you place them in a pot. When the pot becomes too small for the roots, you will notice roots sprouting out of the drainage hole underneath the pot.
When a plant gets rootbound, the leaves start to curl, turn yellow and gradually die.
Solution
Upon noticing a split in your container or roots poking out, change the plant’s pot to a larger one and keep an eye on it for a few days until the plant acclimates to it.
4. Heat Over
When the house is too hot or during the summer, pothos plants feel too much heat, and their leaves begin to curl inward.
Pothos prefer being indoors since it keeps them out of the intense summer light. Ensure the area isn’t too hot for your pothos plants to prevent leaves from curling and drying out.
Solution
Healthy indoor leaves will uncurl at the right indoor temperature and humidity levels. So when you see the leaves curling, and the room temperature is high, find your pothos plant a conducive spot. You can also keep your pothos plant cool by turning on the AC or using a humidifier. It is essential and possible to maintain a moist atmosphere for pothos.
5. Under Watering
Even the occasional watering will suffice to keep these plants healthy because they don’t require much care. The issue is that if you don’t water for days, the soil dries out, and the leaves begin to curl, turn yellow, and falls off.
Solution
If the plant is under-watered, immediately add water and water it frequently. The plant will look wonderful once more as the leaves start to uncurl; in cases where you can’t water your plants regularly, try using watering globes. They can only last a few days while helping you water your garden in your absence.
6. Insufficient sunlight
Pothos benefit from ample light when placed in a particular area. Even when grown indoors, pothos still requires plenty of light to maintain good growth; the leaves curl and turn yellow when there is not enough light.
Solution
Avoid putting pothos plants in shady or dark places; move indoor pothos plants to an area with adequate sunlight that it needs for the day.
7. Root Rot
A pothos’ root rot develops gradually and won’t manifest any symptoms on the houseplant immediately. It’s always better to watch over houseplants and confirm the soil for excess water. Whenever the leaves curl, the root systems may be too far gone.
Solution
Be observant of your pothos plant; always check the soil, and avoid over-watering.
8. Pest
When you notice something is eating your plant’s leaves, this could be a symptom of an insect infestation that has to be treated with a pesticide. Once all the leaves on one stalk have started to change color, there may be insect bites or insects living in the soil, such as spider mites, mealybugs, and aphids.
Solution
Make sure the roots aren’t decaying by keeping an eye on them! Making sure there are no insects residing in the plant’s roots is crucial since rotting might result in curled leaves.
Ensure there are also no insects dwelling in the plant’s roots by checking the soil, as they can spread infection.
Curling Issues That Can’t Be Fixed
On a pothos plant, it is normal for the edges of the young leaves to curl before they uncurl as they mature gently.
The leaves will only initially curl to store enough moisture for adequate growth. The leaf unfolds as it gets older.
When old leaves are about to fall off, they can curl upward to survive by retaining as much water as possible, like fresh leaves on pothos curl.
Can Pothos Leaves Uncurl?
Even if your pothos has a few curled-up leaves, you should observe them before treatment since they may be drooping due to over-watering or a lack of moisture in the air near the roots.
Some pothos tend to curl, especially with sunlight and hydration problems. The plant will begin to recover its health as soon as the issue is fixed, and the leaves will spread out. However, it may take at least 7 days for this to happen.
Plant your pothos and provide the essential things it needs to grow well without its leaves curling. In addition to curling leaves, pothos plants can experience root rot and crumbly soil when not properly taken care of. So take care of your plant by watering well at all times, and by supplying sufficient illumination, eliminating the infestation, repotting, observing, and treating sick plants, you can fix curling leaves on pothos.