Fuller Philodendrons and Pothos

Question: I have a large and bright sunroom with lots of windows. Inside I have a lot of Philodendrons or Pothos, whatever kind they are the plants look leggy. The leaves have come off and now there are bare 1 inch sections or segments where the leaves came out.

When I cut the tips back below the leaf it always leaves a one or two inch stem with no leaf. Even though I cut them back they never put out another leaf anymore. How can make them fuller? Patricia, Baltimore, MD

Answer: Vines need regular pruning, pothos and philodendron can get a leggy or stringy looking. Having as much light as your rooms does – which is a blessing for plants – the plants sound as if they need to be cut back a little more. This should force growth from the buds waiting to “come out.”. Don’t try the fertilizer route as that isn’t going to work.

“Don’t leave Nubs”

When pruning pothos vines for example, cut just above a point where the leaf attached to the stem. This way you won’t leave any “nubs” or stems which will just die off since there isn’t any growing point. The growth auxins will help push out new growth usually right below where you pruned off vine. This should help produce a healthier plant as new roots should also appear and your philodendrons should be fuller.

Be a little adventurous – try rooting some of the cuttings and growing some new plants.

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