The Niagara College Teaching Greenhouse is an educational greenhouse serviced by students of Niagara College’s horticultural programs.
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Our first featured plant is Epipremnum aureum, known as Pothos or Devil’s Ivy. It is a common houseplant that is low maintenance, easy to grow, and can thrive in low light conditions.
This is a trailing/climbing plant, making it a great plant to place on the top of a bookshelf, or hang in front of a window or the corner of a room. The stems can grow very long and have aerial roots growing from the nodes, making it easy to propagate and can be trained to climb. Plant in a pot with a trellis or moss-covered sticks and it will grow around the structure.
The occasional ‘haircut’ helps to keep the plant healthy, full, and compact. When stems grow too long, cutting them back close to the pot will cause it to branch and grow new stems close to the center of the plant. When trailing plants get very long, the center of the plant can start to look ‘bald’ as the plant sheds old leaves putting its energy and nutrients at the growing point. I have had this Golden Pothos for many years, sometimes letting the stems reach down to the floor (5’) instead, I give it a yearly haircut to keep it compact and healthy.
We have two varieties for purchase, Golden Pothos, and Marble Queen. Golden Pothos has yellow markings in the leaves and Marble Queen has more white colouration than green. While pothos can thrive in low light conditions, it may lose some of its colouring and the leaves can be more solid green. To maintain leaf colouration, bright indirect lighting is required. Marble Queen is slower growing, not as vigorous, and from my experience, prone to root rot if watered too often. It is a beautiful plant, but don’t expect it to grow fast.
Pothos has no major pest or disease problems, root rot is primarily the main problem from overwatering. If your pot does not have drainage, be careful how much you water and how often. If your pot does not have drainage, it is better to leave your plant in the pot you purchased it in so you can remove the plant after watering and remove any excess water.
Pothos likes medium humidity, and most of our homes are on the drier side, bathrooms are great for plants that like humidity. Water in a spray bottle can be used to raise the humidity around the plant. Misting is not an alternative to watering; it will not provide enough water to the soil. Misting is not necessary, I always intend to mist but never do. I prefer on occasion to put my plants in the shower when they need to be watered, spraying in the shower will also remove dust from the leaves, afterwards, they appear glossier and healthier. I am too busy (lazy) to wipe down each individual leaf.
A sign that the plant and the air is too dry are browning leaf tips, that are dry and crispy. When the soil in the pot is too dry, the plant leaves will wilt, a good watering and the plant will bounce back. Be aware that symptoms of overwatering and underwatering can appear similar. Do not assume that wilting is from being too dry and water the plant without checking the soil. Overwatering can cause the leaves and stems to wilt as well. First, check the soil for its moisture level, is the soil too wet? Second, check the stems and leaves, are they turning yellow, soft and mushy? Chances are they are suffering from root rot and adding more water is not the answer. Depending on the severity of the root rot, letting the plant dry out or repotting into fresh soil may save the plant but it is not a guarantee. Avoid overwatering in the first place, most people kill plants with kindness, watering too often, and too generously.
Fertilizing your plants is important and often overlooked. Without nutrients, plants lose vigour and become pale in colour. You can purchase slow-release fertilizer that releases a little bit of fertilizer when you water and most last 3 months or more. The more traditional method is to use a general all-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer. It is important to note that the more fertilizer you use, the faster and more vigorous the plants will grow, too much fertilizer can cause toxicity and burn the plant from salt build-up. The easiest way to avoid this is to ‘low dose’ your plants. I fertilize my plants once a month, giving them half the recommended rate of fertilizer on the container. For example, my fertilizer recommends 4 mL of fertilizer per L of water, every 2 weeks. I add 2 ml per L of water once a month.
Pothos is a great plant for offices as they grow well under fluorescent lights. This plant is great for removing formaldehyde from the air.
Lastly, and importantly, not all houseplants are poisonous, but some are if they are ingested. Pothos sap has Calcium oxalate crystals that can cause severe reactions. If you have concerns about pets that like to eat houseplants, avoid plants that contain Calcium oxalate crystals or put them out of reach. We have a greenhouse cat that could not care less about the plants in the greenhouse (except catnip, there is a video on our Facebook page of him eating catnip and occasionally taking naps in pots).
To purchase this easy to maintain houseplant, check out our shop at store.ncteachinggreenhouse.ca/collections/all-inventory-purposes/tropicals
Because of the snowstorm, I am working from home, so I can not provide current pictures of the crop but instead, I’m showing you pictures of my houseplants. Tomorrow, when I return to work, will add more pictures of the crop we are growing.
#houseplants
#HouseplantAppreciationDay
Pothos is one of my favorites. I used to have mine at work... But now it's at home and still thriving!! It drapes down our hutch ❤️
This is awesome, I love the idea of these posts! I have a pothos and learned a lot. Thanks!
I have just inherited my grandmother's house plants we guesstimate pathos to be over 30 years! old
What are some low dose fertilizer brands please as I am not too sure which one to purchase?
Thankyou
Stay tuned every Monday as we will feature a new plant that is grown in the teaching greenhouse. We will provide basic care instructions and our own personal experiences growing them at home or in the garden.
Over the next few months, we will feature tropical houseplants, succulents, potted flowering plants, and closer to spring, some of our more unique annuals and vegetables.
Plants will be available for purchase from our online store. Visit www.ncteachinggreenhouse.ca/ to see our selection. During the school semester, there is no in-person shopping, all orders will be curbside pick-up. You will be contacted to arrange a pick-up date and time during the winter months.
Everything looks lush and healthy! Do you grow anything for gardens from seed or sell shrubs etc. that are native to our area?
Beautiful. Lovely to see this sign of spring coming, greenhouses will be busy.
That’s my school as well 😀
This is good!
We are OPEN Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am-4pm this week.
A variety of poinsettia's still available and unique dishgarden arrangements that make wonderful gift ideas.
