A tired, limp pothos: the problem is probably in the pot
You watered a day or so ago, but the pot appears to have no drainage holes. That makes a big difference when a pothos suddenly droops even though its leaves are still mostly green.
This is a pothos, and in your case the drooping points more towards overly wet compost than thirst. You say it was watered a day or so ago, and the pot appears to lack drainage holes. The roots can then remain in damp conditions, leaving the plant tired and limp even though it has just been watered.
Lift out the rootball and feel the compost at the bottom. If it is wet, or cold and compacted, let it dry out before watering again. If the plant is growing directly in a decorative outer pot, repot it into one with drainage holes and let excess water drain away each time. Remove completely yellow or soft leaves, but leave the rest.
In September, pothos recovers more slowly than during the brighter part of the year, so water a little more cautiously. Wait until the top few centimetres of compost have dried, and never leave water in the bottom. If it still hangs limply after a week despite drier compost, check the roots: dark, slimy roots need removing before repotting in fresh, airy compost.
View the case and dialogue – Case #107
The reader’s original question
Tired and floppy – am I doing something wrong?
Submitted
Information from the original image
A trailing houseplant with heart-shaped green leaves, some with yellow variegation.
- Tomasgreen asked
- When did you last water it?
- Why we asked
- This helps distinguish drying out from too much water, which can cause similar drooping leaves.
- The reader’s answer
- A day or so ago
- Tomasgreen asked
- Does the pot have drainage holes?
- Why we asked
- This affects the risk of waterlogged roots and makes a big difference to the assessment.
- The reader’s answer
- No
Sources and images 1
- Original reader contribution ↗Reader question