How To Propagate Scindapsus? – Guide
If you want a houseplant that is easy to maintain and propagate, the Scindapsus Pictus plant is one of them. This natural vining plant is native to Southeast Asia. The plant is easy to grow and maintain. It is also referred to as silk pothos and silver vine.
Many gardeners and homeowners love to propagate the Scindapsus Pictus plant when it is old or leggy. Some propagate it because they want to plant it in other areas of their house. No matter the reason, this shouldn’t be a problem.
These hanging plants don’t need water or even fertilization. So they can grow quickly even after propagating them. Houseplants increase productivity, boost mood, and help us concentrate.
Despite having many benefits, some houseplants are challenging to maintain.
Procedure for Propagating Scindapsus Pictus
The first step to take when you want to propagate a Scindapsus Pictus is to take a cut. Get a healthy-looking vine with several leaves and pick a piece with at least 3 to 4 leaves.
Before cutting, ensure that the piece you’ve taken has root nodes. These are important because they will produce leaves and, more importantly, new roots. For successful propagation, make sure to cut the silver satin pothos immediately after a root node. Ensure that every clipping has at least four leaves.
Then, pluck the leaf that is nearest to the cut end. After cutting the stems, you’re ready to propagate this silver vine. Nonetheless, don’t make your clippings too long; you will see roots grow in four to six weeks. Besides, you will have to select from two Scindapsus Pictus propagation methods.
The first method is by propagating Scindapsus Pictus using water, while the second uses soil. All these methods are effective, but you have to select the one that seems perfect.
Propagating Scindapsus Pictus Using Water
This is the easiest way to have your Silk pothos cuttings develop roots. All you need is to get a glass or vase and fill it with water. Then, put your cut Silk pothos in the vase and place it in a brightly lit area without direct sunlight.
Next, leave your cut silk pothos plant for days and only change the water in the glass.
After a short while, roots should emerge. However, propagating your Scindapsus Pictus using water is challenging. Transferring it from water to soil may be challenging as it may fail to adapt. The trick is to plant the propagated Scindapsus as quickly as possible.
When the roots emerge, transfer the plant from water to soil after one to two weeks. But if you prefer the look of Scindapsus in water, you can opt not to transfer it to the soil.
The houseplant will grow in the glass and fill it with roots.
Propagating Scindapsus Pictus in Soil
This is the best method to propagate the Scindapsus pictus. The cut vine is placed in potting soil or a pot with a mixture of peat moss and coarse perlite instead of water. Unlike the previous method, this one is quite cumbersome and requires patience. Moreover, this is the best method as there is no danger of the plant being shocked when transferred.
In the previous method, the Silk pothos can shock when moving from water to soil. If you apply this method, you must exercise patience and believe in the process. Unlike in water, where roots grow quickly and can be observed, this method takes longer. The cut vine may show deterioration, but you should not give up. Also, roots take longer to develop than when placed in water.
Furthermore, knowing whether the roots have developed is quite challenging. You will only know when the plant starts producing new growth.
Miracle-Gro Sphagnum Peat Moss
Lightens heavy potting mixes and native soil, Helps promote strong root development
Visit at AmazonPropagating Scindapsus pictus in Sphagnum Moss
You can also propagate Scindapsus pictus cuttings using moss. Unlike when using soil, the cuttings rebound faster with moss. So how should you do it?
Soak the sphagnum moss in water, then squeeze out all the excess. You just want it wet but not soggy wet. Then, mix it with some perlite to help it become lighter; perlite also helps with drainage making the moss retain some water but not too much. Next is to add it with your Scindapsus pictus in a container and let it do its magic. Just check it out occasionally to ensure that the moss stays damp.
xGarden Horticultural Grade Perlite
Non-toxic and sterile – PH Neutral, 8 Quarts (32 Cups) Premium Perlite soil additive
Visit at AmazonPropagating Scindapsus pictus in LECA
LECA is an abbreviation for Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate, and it looks like clay pebbles. You can use LECA to propagate your Scindapsus pictus cuttings by adding water to the mix. These clay pebbles absorb the water, improving the oxygen flow, and helping your cuttings take root.
How To Maintain Your Scindapsus Plant After Propagation
After successfully propagating the Scindapsus Pictus plant, you need to take good care of it for it to flourish. Here are some tips you should follow to ensure that you have a beautiful and lovely hanging plant.
Light
These plants thrive in an area with bright indirect sunlight. A little sun will also be useful for them, more so morning sunlight. Thus, you should place these plants near a window that receives bright, indirect sunlight. If the sunlight is too little, this may also affect them, resulting in slow growth.
Soil
Being a rainforest plant, the Scindapsus pictus plant only needs well-draining soils. That’s why they perform well in potting soil. Nonetheless, they perform better in slightly acidic pH. If the soil is not well-drained, you can improve its drainage by mixing the soil with perlite or bark.
Water
You must water the plant thoroughly and leave the soil to dry before re-watering. Besides, you can also tell when to water by watching the leaves. If they droop, it’s time to water the plant.
Temperature
Since Scindapsus pictus is a tropical plant, it performs well in tropical climate. However, the plant cannot withstand extremely cold conditions. That’s why you must keep your silk pothos plant away from the window during winter.
Humidity
These plants flourish in humid surroundings. Hence, you can place them in areas like the bathroom. Here, they will develop flawlessly and without any disturbance.
Summary
Propagating your Scindapsus pictus houseplant is easy if you know which method you want to apply. You can either propagate the Silk Pothos using water or soil. Using water in glass allows roots to develop quickly, while using soil is more reliable.
Regardless of which method you select, both are effective in performance. Apart from choosing the right propagation method, you must give the plant the right conditions to grow. Make sure it is not in direct sunlight, the temperatures are right, and you’re propagating at the right time. Springtime is the best time to propagate your Scindapsus pictus.
We wish you all the best as you propagate your Scindapsus!