Flooded Pothos

AESara

Member
I have 2 pothos plants at the bottom of my cham's cage in self watering pots. It seems like no matter where I place the dripper, the water always finds its way into the pothos on the right and floods it up to an inch or so above the soil. The plant is doing great, possibly even better than the one that hasn't been flooded.

Has anybody had this happen? Should I dump out the water and set the plant somewhere to dry out? Dump it all out and replace the soil?

I plan to remove this plant to use for a free range but am not ready to set it up just yet. Any thoughts are appreciated. I'm sort of hopeless with houseplants. :eek:
 
Well if it's doing great. What's the problem? :D

Does it not have any drainage? If not you might want to consider getting some holes at the bottom of that pot.

Self watering as in a water wick with reservoir? I have one of those. I hung it and make sure, or try to, not get any water in it. All my water from the dripper ends up in the same place and easily collected. It's got me wondering how you have your dripper set up. :confused:
 
The dripper sits on top of the cage, I've just moved it around hoping to avoid all the water ending up in the one plant, but apparently that's just where it ends up after it drips over the other plants etc in the cage... haha

I just wanted to see if this was something that would slowly kill the plant or if it's not really a big deal since the plant doesn't seem to mind. :confused:

The pot has a reservoir built into the bottom to hold water where it's available to the plant but not soaking the roots. Not much help if it keeps flooding.:rolleyes:
 
Holes in the bottom of the pot is a must and you might try hanging them.

I've purchased a rod to hang one but just need to make a trip to get some heavy fishing line. May pick up a different sort of pot as well.
 
I have 2 pothos plants at the bottom of my cham's cage in self watering pots. It seems like no matter where I place the dripper, the water always finds its way into the pothos on the right and floods it up to an inch or so above the soil. The plant is doing great, possibly even better than the one that hasn't been flooded.

Has anybody had this happen? Should I dump out the water and set the plant somewhere to dry out? Dump it all out and replace the soil?

I plan to remove this plant to use for a free range but am not ready to set it up just yet. Any thoughts are appreciated. I'm sort of hopeless with houseplants. :eek:

There are several tricks to help increase pot drainage. The pot must have drain holes (cut some more if there are too few), but if the saucer stays full too, it won't drain. Either empty the saucer religiously or don't use one. You can increase the drainage rate of the potting soil by adding pumice, perlite gravel (in the lower levels of the soil so cham doesn't decide to eat it), or very COARSE sand (fine sand will just smother the roots).

The pothos may be OK flooded, but eventually the constant water flow will flush out the soil nutrients or the roots will pick up a fungus or a rot disease. You may also end up with a funky smelling cage.
 
All great information as usual. :)

I will pick up some fishing line and a new pot and hang the plant this weekend.

Thanks guys. :D
 
I have pothos at my work that are not in soil at all.the roots are in water. And those suckers are big!
 
I have some in water in my house. They don't need anything else. Too bad we can't use that to our advantage in an enclosure. Still water, drowning, ect.
 
Man it seems i'm having the opposite problem. My pathos is turning yellow! It's right underneath one of the mister heads and getting plenty of water,I don't understand why it's dying! :confused:
 
Over watering. That's why. The roots have to breath. When the soil gets soggy the roots can't breath. You want it "airy" & moist, not soggy. I leaned this after many failures. I've killed so many plants. lol
 
Over watering. That's why. The roots have to breath. When the soil gets soggy the roots can't breath. You want it "airy" & moist, not soggy. I leaned this after many failures. I've killed so many plants. lol

The puzzling thing is, I check it daily, and the soil is not soggy or even very wet at all! It has plenty of draining and the soil dries mostly in between misting sessions.
 
I'm stumped then. :p

Spider mites?

Too much light?

Near a heat source?

Could be a few things.

Too much fertilizer can do it too but that shouldn't be in there anyway, right? ;)
 
I have some in water in my house. They don't need anything else. Too bad we can't use that to our advantage in an enclosure. Still water, drowning, ect.

I wonder if there is a way to make a cover for them so that the chams cant fall into the water...
 
I was thinking more about stagnant water. Major health hazard for more than just our Chams. With the Pothos I have in just water I'm constantly changing the water out because it gets nasty if I don't.
 
I have some in water in my house. They don't need anything else. Too bad we can't use that to our advantage in an enclosure. Still water, drowning, ect.

Here's a set up we have at my work...
 

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they are clay balls for aeration. but the reason why i posted it was to show that you can make a cover for a bin so that the chams cant fall in.
 
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