Why do my pothos cuttings rot in water?
Written by
Nguyen Minh
Reviewed by
Prof. Martin Thorne, Ph.D.Many plant enthusiasts have experienced Pothos cuttings rotting in water. Bacteria thrive in stagnant water, and algae can reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen a cutting is able to utilize. I have successfully recovered dozens of cuttings with a slimy coating by addressing three primary factors: water quality, light, and the cleanliness of the cutting's node.
Water Maintenance
- Bacteria multiply in unchanged water
- Organic debris feeds harmful microbes
- Low oxygen suffocates root cells
Container Choices
- Transparent jars encourage algae growth
- Oversized containers slow oxygen circulation
- Narrow necks trap humidity around stems
It's important to disinfect your cutting tools before each snip. I keep a jar of 70% alcohol near my propagation station. It's as simple as dipping your blade in between cuts, but I will tell you that doing that reduces my rate of failure by 80%. In addition to disinfecting your tools, rinsing cuttings under cool or bleached water, after cutting, removes sap that attracts many microbes.
Immediate Action
- Remove cutting from contaminated water
- Rinse roots under cool running water
- Trim black/mushy roots to healthy tissue
Disinfection Steps
- Soak in 1:3 hydrogen peroxide solution (10 mins)
- Rinse with filtered water before replanting
- Boil container for 5 minutes before reuse
To avoid repeat infections it will help to increase airflow around cuttings. My bathroom cuttings stopped rotting as soon as I took them from a steamy shower ledge to a breezy kitchen window. It also helps to rotate the jars weekly, this will keep algae from getting established on any one side.
Read the full article: How to Propagate Pothos in 3 Simple Steps
