Plants that are receiving too much light may also grow yellow leaves, which makes diagnosing a lighting issue a little tricky. A general rule of thumb: Pothos leaves that are getting too much sun will start to droop slightly and look a little crispy, explains Coffey, while ones that aren’t getting enough light will look more plump. “When plants receive too much water, the roots don’t receive enough air and start to drown and rot,” explains Joyce Mast, longtime florist and the designated Plant Mom at direct-to-consumer plant company Bloomscape. “Roots need air just like we do!” If it’s already in the proper pot but still shows signs of overwatering, scale back your watering routine. Only water your pothos when the top few inches of its soil feel completely dry to the touch. Moving your plant closer to a window can also help with this problem. (Remember: More sunlight means more energy for processing water.) On the other side of the coin, leaves that have mineral overload will usually appear scorched, with yellow and brown “burns” throughout. If a nutrient deficiency is to blame, it’s time to give your pothos some fertilizer. (Use this plant food guide to find the right one for your plant pal.) “Most plants will benefit from fertilizing a couple of times a year in the spring and summer months,” Mast says. For pothos, she likes to use fertilizers that contain iron and supplement with Epsom salts to add a hint of magnesium to the mix. Keep in mind that some types of pothos—like the marble queen pothos—have yellow speckled details in their leaves. This is completely normal and part of what makes that variety unique. Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
