Pothos problems

[SocialNumb]

So my Pothos keep dying. Mostly due to over watering, I think.

I tried a 50% Coconut, 50% Play Sand mix that I read about here : https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/cushcameleon/131-custom-plant-soils.html but that experiment was done using a Dwarf Schflerra so maybe there's something to that, IDK. Mine keep dying. They do great outside the cage in plain dirt/soil/sand mix from outside and in just plain water. No problem.

What's everyone using for soil for these plant's in particular and how do you avoid overwatering them? I'm to the point where I'm about to get a Waterwick Plant, (from Home Depot) somehow cover the top of it so no water gets in the soil as the water is put inside and drawn up by some kind of "wick". I've read you can do this yourself with an old shoelace. http://www.costafarms.com/collections/waterwick

Thoughts?

 

[Carlton]

Check the plant's roots. If they are soggy and smelly, its rotting. If they are dry and dead, maybe overheating from being too close to your basking light. Does your pot have a saucer? If the pot sits in stagnant water it can suffocate the roots. But, Pothos is really hard to kill and you can even grow it in water. Unless the playsand is very coarse it can suffocate the roots because the grains fill all available airspace in the soil.

 

[junglefries]

Good drainage holes in bottom. Place about 1" of river rocks or lava rocks on the bottom. Use a mix of organic potting soil (generic bag from Lowes or HD) (85%) with some organic perlite (15%) mixed in to keep soil from clumping. Don't pack soil together real tight when planting. Water just enough for some to start flowing out the bottom holes. Occasionally add some crushed egg shells &/or banana peel for fertilizer. Done! No longer can you kill it!

 

[SocialNumb]

The pot has no saucer and it's on a round disk like thing that keeps it levitated. Not that any water is draining though. I thought that was the point of this 50/50 mix. The Play Sand is very fine.

I think I'm just going to give up on the coconut/play sand idea. It's not working for me. It holds tons of water and for a very long time for some reason. Even if I do my best not to pack it in there. Defeats the purpose yet other people say it works.

I'm going to try the river rocks, soil and perlite idea as junglefries is describing and see what happens. Usually I would go with regular soil in the first place but I thought I was going to avoid problems, nope.

Thanks you two.

Edit: Oh I haven't checked the roots yet. Will do that when I scrap it.

 

[Carlton]

The pot has no saucer and it's on a round disk like thing that keeps it levitated. Not that any water is draining though. I thought that was the point of this 50/50 mix. The Play Sand is very fine.

I think I'm just going to give up on the coconut/play sand idea. It's not working for me. It holds tons of water and for a very long time for some reason. Even if I do my best not to pack it in there. Defeats the purpose yet other people say it works.

I'm going to try the river rocks, soil and perlite idea as junglefries is describing and see what happens. Usually I would go with regular soil in the first place but I thought I was going to avoid problems, nope.

Thanks you two.

Edit: Oh I haven't checked the roots yet. Will do that when I scrap it.

You can include some organic soil in your mix...just not have that be the primary ingredient. Fine sand is a no-no.

 

[Warbornovo]

are the roots white?