Got a new plant the other day, a pothos. Heard they’re pretty easy to take care of, but I’m a bit clueless about how much light it really needs. I’ve got a few different spots in my apartment, so I decided to try a little experiment to see what this little guy likes best.
First, I put the pothos near my east-facing window. It’s pretty bright there in the morning, but the light is indirect, not like, super harsh sunlight. I watered it when the soil felt dry to the touch, which ended up being about once a week. I kept it there for a couple of weeks and watched what happened.
The pothos seemed to like it there! It grew some new leaves, and the color was nice and vibrant. It wasn’t growing super fast, but it definitely looked healthy. I figured this was a pretty good spot.
- Week 1-2: Placed near east-facing window, indirect light, watered when soil was dry.
- Observation: Healthy growth, vibrant color, new leaves.
But then I got curious. What if I moved it a bit further from the window? I shifted it a few feet back, where it was still bright, but not as intense. I continued to water it the same way.
After another couple of weeks, I noticed the pothos was still doing okay, but it wasn’t as perky. The new leaves were smaller, and the growth seemed a bit slower. It wasn’t terrible, but it definitely wasn’t thriving like before.
- Week 3-4: Moved a few feet back from the window, less intense light, same watering schedule.
- Observation: Slower growth, smaller leaves, not as vibrant.
Finally, for the sake of science, I moved the pothos to a shadier spot, a corner that doesn’t get much light at all. I wanted to see what would happen.
This was a mistake! The poor pothos started to look pretty sad. The leaves started to lose their color, they turned yellowish, and it didn’t grow any new leaves at all. It was basically just surviving, not really living its best life.
- Week 5-6: Moved to a shady corner, very little light, same watering schedule.
- Observation: Leaves lost color, turned yellowish, no new growth.
My Conclusion
So, after my little experiment, I’ve learned that pothos definitely need bright, indirect light. They can tolerate lower light, but they won’t thrive. My pothos is now happily back near the east-facing window, soaking up that morning light and looking much happier. It’s growing well again, and I’m happy I figured out what it likes best. Also, I’m thinking of getting some fluorescent lights. I heard those are good for plants. Might try that out next!
