Pothos N joy Complete Care and Grow Guide

The Epipremnum Aureum 'N Joy' (also known as the Pothos N Joy) is a beautiful variegated plant that can easily be grown as a house plant. The Pothos N Joy is noted for its variegated heart-shaped leaves which are green in the middle with cream and white spots on the sides.

Besides, the Pothos N Joy came to the market around 2013 and made quite a name for itself since then. It will look great in a hanging basket, on a shelf, or on a dresser where it can show off its vining structure.

Under the right circumstances the vines of the N Joy can grow up to 10 feet (3m) long and 9 inches (23 cm) wide. The Epipremnum aureum is native to tropical and sub-tropical forests in Asia, Australia, Pacific Island, and the West Indies which is why it doesn't like temperatures below room temperature.

The Pothos N Joy is easy to care for, needs bright indirect sunlight, a well-draining soil mix, 30-50% humidity, and only needs to be watered when the top one inch (2.5 cm) of the soil is dry. It does best in temperatures between 60 and 80ºF (18 and 30ºC).

Images by Wishlistplant from Etsy.

General Care for Pothos N Joy

The Pothos N Joy only needs a little bit of love to grow and be healthy. One compliment per day is enough... (Just kidding). Besides lovely compliments, the N Joy also needs a couple more things, listed below!

Light

This plant grows best in bright indirect sunlight but can also tolerate low light conditions. It will not survive in a completely dark basement, but it will easily adapt to lower light conditions in a small home or apartment. However, keep in mind that leaves grow larger with more light. Small leaves are often grown in the shade.

Plants need chlorophyll to make their own food with the use of sunlight. This plant has a lot of white on the leaves, which means that less chlorophyll is present in the leaves.

As a result, this plant needs more (indirect) sunlight to have optimal growth and health. That's why the N Joy will LOVE to receive a lot of bright indirect sunlight!

Water

The Pothos N Joy likes to be watered thoroughly and become pretty dry between waterings. When watering this beauty you want to water it all the way through until the water drips out of the drainage holes. Then remove the excess water from the saucer.

Next, wait till the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the soil is dry before watering again. As a rule of thumb, in the summer months you want to water every 5 days, and in the winter months once every 10 days. When the temperature is higher it needs more water.

The amount of water you give your Pothos N Joy will determine the overall health of the plant. You can tell from the appearance of the plant whether you are watering too much or too little.

• Overwatering will cause stress on the plant as the leaves will turn yellow/brown. Also, the excess amount of water can cause the roots of the plant to rot, which can eventually kill the plant.
• Underwatering on the other hand will cause the leaves of the plant to curl in an attempt to retain water. Not long after the leaves have started to curl, the leaves will become limp and can even fall off.

Soil & repotting

The N Joy doesn't like to sit in wet soil so use a well-draining soil mix. The perfect soil mix would contain 1 part peat or coco coir and 1 part perlite. A premade well-draining peat-based soil mix will also do the job!

The Pothos N joy is generally a slow grower and needs to be repotted every 2-3 years. You know it's time for repotting when you can see the roots of the plant through the drainage holes of the pot. This means the roots have bundled up at the bottom of the planter and it's time to get a bigger pot.

The good thing about repotting is that the plant will adapt to almost any planter you use for it. However, you always want to make sure you use a pot with a drainage hole. Otherwise, root rot will occur.

Fertilizer

Adding fertilizer once every month (only in the growing seasons) is more than enough. Always follow the instructions of the fertilizer and never exceed the recommended amount. Using too much fertilizer can burn the leaves of the plant and even kill it!

When you use a chemical fertilizer I recommend you dilute it to ½ or ¼ of its strength!

A safe and organic alternative to chemical fertilizers is to put worm castings in (or at the top of) the soil of your Pothos N Joy. This will give the soil mixture the nutritional value it needs. Add these worm castings monthly throughout the growing season.

Worm castings are odorless and even if you add a little extra it won't harm your plants. It's a completely organic fertilizer that your plants love. Click here to check it out on Etsy!

Humidity

Normal humidity levels (30-50%) are enough to maintain and grow the Pothos N Joy. However, since the plant is native to tropical regions, it will grow faster in higher humidities (from 50-70%). But again, this is not necessary.

The only time when it's necessary to mist this plant is when you want to grow it in a place where the air is very dry (below 30% humidity). In this case, misting the "N Joy" 2-3 times a week will be good enough.

Common pests

The most common pests to infest the Pothos N Joy are mealybugs and spider mites. Mealybugs are soft-bodied and wingless insects that often gather as white masses on the leaves of the plant. Spider mites make tiny little spider webs under the leaves.

Pests (and fungi) love constantly moist places. By letting the soil dry out in between waterings you can prevent keep your N Joy safe and pest-free.

If the plant has already been infected with a pest, don't panic, it's not the end! You can remove the pest by using a chemical or organic pesticide. Check out my shop where I have listed a 100% organic pesticide with neem oil!

If you like this care guide, check out the Alocasia infernalis (Black Magic)!

How to Propagate Pothos N Joy

The most common and successful way of propagating the Pothos N Joy is by stem cuttings. Theoretically, it is also possible to propagate it by air layering, but this is not recommended as the vines are not strong and this method is not always as successful.

Stem cuttings

Propagating the N Joy by stem cuttings is easy and consists of four steps.

First, take a sterile pruning shear or sharp knife and start with the first cut 0.5 inches (~1 cm) below the first node at the end of the vine. A pothos cutting should contain one node and at least one leaf. An easy way to get the perfect stem cutting is by cutting 0.5 inches below the node and 0.5 inches above the node with one leaf attached.

Next, take your cuttings and put them into a vase or a jar filled with water while making sure the nodes are completely submerged in water. For the next 3-4 weeks your want to give the cuttings lots of bright indirect sunlight and renew the water every 3-4 days.

When the roots of the cuttings are 2 inches (5 cm) long you can plant the cuttings in a well-draining potting mix. One part peat or coco coir and one part perlite will work great!

Because the roots have been in the water for quite some time, they are used to growing in the water. Because of this, you want to keep the soil moist and water every day for a week after potting them. After that slowly decrease water to once every 1-2 weeks.

Related questions:

Why are the white spots of my Pothos N Joy turning yellow?

It's a natural process for the Pothos N Joy to change its colors. The colors of the variegation on the N Joy can be inconsistent and even change over time. There is not much you can do if the color of the variegation changes. The good thing about it is that it won't harm the plant in any way.

However, if the leaves are completely turning yellow then it could be a sign of stress. This may be a sign of underwatering or stress from transplanting. You can water the plant and give him some time to recover. If the plant isn't getting any better, there might be other problems.

If you follow all the care tips in this article, you don't have to worry about the plant.

Why are my Pothos N Joy leaves turning brown?

This might be an indication of under or overwatering, but can also be caused by too much or too little sun, a bacterial infection, or too much fertilizer.

You can make your Pothos N Joy better by caring for it in the right way. Giving it bright indirect sunlight and only give it water when the top inch of the soil is dry. Also, flush out the excess minerals from the fertilizer by changing the soil, or taking out the fertilizer pallets.

If the leaves are still turning brown, it might be a bacterial infection. You can use a pesticide to get rid of the bacteria. I've listed a very good organic pesticide in my shop, check it out!

Why are the white spots of my Pothos N Joy disappearing?

When growing the N Joy in low light, there is a chance that the white spots on the leaves will disappear as the plant will adapt to the low light. The more chlorophyll there is in the leaves, the greener the leaves will be. Chlorophyll plays an important role in keeping plants healthy and is also vital for photosynthesis, which allows the plant to make energy from light.

If the Pothos N Joy is being kept in low light conditions for longer periods of time, the plant will adapt to these conditions and start to produce more chlorophyll. When there is more chlorophyll present in the leaves, the plant will be able to make more energy. The energy that it doesn't get when it's being kept under low light conditions.

You can prevent the leaves of the Pothos N Joy from turning green by giving the plant lots of bright indirect sunlight.

Why are the leaves of my Pothos N Joy drooping?

Drooping leaves are often a sight that the soil of your Pothos N Joy is too dry. When the soil is too dry for too long, the leaves will start drooping, wilting or in worst case scenario turn dark brown and fall off.

This problem can be solved by correcting your watering habits. Water the plant when the top inch of the soil feels dry and don't let the soil dry out completely. Also, be consistent with waterings.

Is the Pothos N Joy toxic to cats and dogs?

Due to the presence of Insoluble calcium oxalates (hard clumps of minerals and other substances), the plant is classified by the ASPCA as toxic to cats and dogs. Care should be taken to ensure that plants are not eaten by pets.

Symptoms may include oral irritation, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. Because of the calcium oxalate that is present in the leaves, it may also be moderately toxic to humans. The possible side effects of consuming the Pothos N Joy are atopic dermatitis (eczema) and burns and/or swelling in and around the mouth. Excessive contact with plants may also cause skin irritation.

If you like tropical house plants, check out the RARE Alocasia reversa!