Can Pothos Live Outside? Quick Guide To Outdoor Gardening

Can pothos live outside is a question of worry, if you find yourself pondering over this, then you should be aware that this is a possibility. This tropical plant is typically grown as an ornamental foliage indoors but provided with the right conditions; it is feasible for them to thrive when grown outside.

This post will answer more in-depth to the question that you have in mind. Read on to learn what makes this attractive plant commonly grown indoors to sustain its foliage even when moved outdoors.

Can Pothos Live Outside in the Daylight?

Yes, pothos can survive outside. The plant enjoys indirect, bright light, warm temperatures, and moderate humidity. They’re not sensitive, but if you want to keep them out year-round, give them the right atmosphere and care. The dappled-sun-loving vines require little maintenance and water.

– Provide the Right Light

The pothos such as devil’s ivy, peace lily, marble queen, epipremnum aureum are plants that do best when grown outside in conditions similar to its natural environment. It is a plant that thrives in bright light but prefers indirect lighting.

It is essential to plant the pothos where it can receive plenty of light but is protected from direct sunlight, as the leaves can be scorched if they are subjected to too much of it.

However, if you move it as outdoor pothos, the best place to put it is under some more giant trees that can create a natural canopy over it and provide it with dappled light. Note that this is your best option and as long as some sunlight reaches it for most of the day, you can be assured of lush green trailing vines and leaves.

– Adequate Warmth

Ensure there is steady and adequate warmth for this tropical plant, as unexpected shifts in temperature can bring on substantial destruction. You may also keep your trailing plant outside in the garden throughout the year, provided that you don’t reside in an area where the temperature can fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or fluctuates significantly daily.

However, you must watch out for sudden temperature shifts and bring your plant indoors whenever the temperature drops to levels that could be harmful to them.

However, when you’re inside, it’s much simpler to keep the temperature under control and avoid fluctuations of this kind. It is also much simpler to control other aspects of the environment, such as the amount of light present, the humidity, and other variables.

– Control Pests

Even though insects and other pests can cause damage to plants that are kept inside, an infestation is much more likely to occur outside. A pest infestation is also more likely to go unnoticed when it is outside, as opposed to when it is inside.

Managing the treatment for an infestation of pests may also be simpler to accomplish inside. If you move your plant outside, conduct frequent checks, especially under leaf sections where pests lay their eggs. In order to keep it spotless and happy, you must regularly mist the plant and keep the foliage dust free to prevent the occurrence of pesky garden insects.

– Place It in the Right Location

To get the most out of your pothos, plant it beneath a tree so that it can climb up using it as a support. In addition, you must make sure that the tree is one that you will want to keep around for a while, as you don’t want to end up cutting down the tree and leaving the plant, as it would be exposed to harsh sunlight.

Pothos plants can flourish in the shade of a tree that casts dappled light on the plant or in another location, such as a porch or patio, where the plant is shielded from the harsh sunlight that can be found in other areas.

Additionally, apart from planting them in the shade of other ornamental shrubs, you could also place them close to the edges of a patio or structure or at the base of older trees. Nonetheless, you must be sure to give them plenty of space to climb and ramble along the ground or up a trunk, so that they can reach their full potential.

– Protect From Chilly Winds and Cold Drafts

Do not plant your pothos in the garden where they can be subject to chilly winds and cold drafts unless the average annual temperature is at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit higher than that.

It is best to bring the plants indoors at such times. You can then take them back outside in the spring when there is no longer a chance that the temperature will drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The latter would keep it stressed and would, as a result, not be able to thrive when it is placed outside.

Make it easy to relocate them by ensuring the creeping vines do not cling to any other surfaces. Either place the golden pothos in trellis in the pot itself or keep it pruned so that it hangs from a hanging basket without grasping onto other structures. Even if the worst-case scenario occurs, you always have the option to unwind the vines or prune them off before moving indoors.

– Water Right

When you grow pothos outside, the plant will lose more moisture through transpiration and evaporation in comparison to pothos living indoors. Therefore, before you take the trouble of watering your pothos, you should inspect the soil to see if it is dry enough, as rain that falls in your area may already be sufficient.

Now, if you are wondering, can pothos live outside in summer? again yes, but in this case, the same notion goes as well, where you must provide it with the right water, and keep it moist, because it is a hot weather, and moisture will be needed due to the latter.

However, as you are providing proper irrigation, remember to never water before the top two inches of soil have lost their moisture content. A pothos that has been overwatered or is being given an excessive amount of water is not healthy or happy.

– Fertilize

It is essential to fertilize the plant regularly during the active growing seasons, spring and summer. Your pothos plants that are kept outside will still need nutrients; as a result, you should feel free to fertilize them if you want their growth to be accelerated.

There is no reason to be concerned even if you fail to fertilize the plant because it will still be able to spread its leaves to some degree. These plant are well-known for their capacity to thrive despite being neglected for some time to varying degrees.

– Utilize Soil That Is Aerated

It is necessary to plant pothos in soil that drains properly to prevent the accumulation of an excessive amount of moisture and to enhance the capacity of the soil to drain water efficiently. It is necessary to do this to avoid the roots of your pothos from rotting owing to the waterlogging of the soil.

When this plant grow indoors, it will not produce blooms; nevertheless, when grown outside, the pothos plant may produce flowers when the season is appropriate. The pothos plant can produce flowers once it reaches the necessary size, provided that it is placed outside in fertile soil and given conditions similar to those found in its native environment.

Can Pothos Live Outside in the Winter?

Yes, pothos can survive the winter outdoors. This tropical plant will survive in temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It is sensitive to cold temperatures lower than this as its natural habitat. Thus, when exposed to cold, it suffers and either perish or gets damages.

If you are still pondering over whether pothos live outside in winter, then to tackle this issue, especially if you live in a zone that has extreme winters, move your pothos indoors where there is warmth to prevent the plant from experiencing a cold shock.

This will be easier if you put your pothos in containers or pots. If growing them directly in the soil and relocating your plant indoors isn’t an option, mulching the area around their roots is the best option. Additionally, cover the plant with a frost blanket, or you could cover it with burlap by securing it with staples.

Which Is a Better Option for Growing Pothos Outdoors or Indoors?

Growing the plant outdoors or indoors, works equally well and can be both worthy options for the plant. It is considered one of the most well-known ornamental plants. However, an outdoor setting that provides bright, indirect light, temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and high humidity levels are also ideal for the pothos.

This type of setting simulates the natural growth zone of the golden pothos. Of course, if you do not live in a zone where the weather is typically warm and humid, you would have to keep your plant indoors, so that it would establish itself and feel like it’s the best environment for it.

Furthermore, keeping it indoors allows your pothos to thrive better than if you were to keep them outside. If you live in a cooler zone but still want your potho grow big, lush plants, cultivate the plant in a large pot rather than risking its loss by planting it in the ground and having it perish when the first frost arrives.

After that, you move that pot outside during the warm summer months and bring it indoors during the colder winter months.

FAQ

– What Happens if the Pothos Gets Exposed To Direct Sunlight?

If the plant is subjected to excessive sunshine, you will find pothos leaves turning yellow and becoming sunburned. It is essential to keep these tropical plants away from strong, direct sunshine because it could cause their leaves to become yellow, brown, or even white.

So can pothos live in direct sunlight? Not entirely as a sunburn causes damage that can cause them to become crispy and die back.

– Will Pothos Survive in Water Indefinitely?

Wondering if pothos live in the water forever? The answer is that pothos plants may survive in water indefinitely. They will have a longer lifespan if the water is changed every two to three weeks, when it looks cloudy, and if the lighting conditions are maintained appropriately.

Conclusion

You now know that, with the right conditions, pothos plants can survive outdoors. Let’s review all the information we’ve reviewed from our discussion in the article and see what we’ve learned.

• The pothos plant can survive outdoors when it is provided with warm temperatures, bright indirect light, and moderate humidity. They are not sensitive, but you will need to provide them with the appropriate environment and plant care to keep them outside throughout the year.
• The plant requires a location where it can receive sufficient light but is shielded from direct sunlight. This is because the pothos leaves can get scorched if exposed to an excessive amount of sunlight.
• As sudden temperature shifts can cause significant damage to tropical plants, it is essential to provide this particular species with a constant and sufficient amount of heat.
• As its natural habitat is warm and humid, it is susceptible to frosts and, when exposed to temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, if the pothos is kept outdoors in the cold for a long period, it can experience cold shock and either die or sustain severe damage.

You now know how to care for a pothos plant outside, you may quickly relocate it to a more suitable location. These lovely plants are easy to take care of and can make any space feel more magical.