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
