Efeutute Care: Watering, Cutting And Tips For Yellow Leaves

The efeutute is very frugal but needs a little care from time to time. Everything about watering, cutting, and fertilizing the efeutute can be found here.

The Efeutute ( Epipremnum ) is one of the most popular indoor plants at home or in the office. It is considered indestructible and extremely easy to care for. But she cannot do without care. In our article, we will tell you everything about adequate efeutute care.

Many are familiar with the climbing, evergreen plant, but do not even know what it is actually called. We are talking about the Efeutute, which belongs to the Araceae family. Many other houseplants such as window leaves ( Monstera ) or single leaves ( Spathiphyllum ) also belong to the arum family. The only thing ivy has in common with the ivy ( Hedera helix ) is the name and the quality of the tendril. The two plants are not related.

Pour Efeutute

Since the Efeutute hardly needs any care, it is ideal for beginners and gardeners with little time. It survives shorter dry periods without any problems. When you water the efeutute, the general rule is that you should allow the substrate to dry out between watering, but not let it dry out completely. With the finger test, you can test whether the upper substrate has dried enough. If the top two inches feel dry, you can water again. If lighter and half-dried leaves appear on the plant, it is high time to water again, as the plant is too dry. It is best to use lime-free irrigation water, with rainwater being ideal.

If the pot emits a foul, putrid smell, the roots of the plant are probably underwater and you have overdone the watering. Even if drops form on the leaves, the plant tries to give off excess water again through guttation. Therefore, the excess water should always be removed from the planter about 15 minutes after watering. In this way, the formation of waterlogging can be avoided. In the case of the Efeutute, watering over the saucer is also a good option. To do this, pour water into the saucer – and not onto the substrate from above – and wait until the plant has absorbed everything. Repeat this until there is water in the coaster. You can then remove this.

Summary: water the efeutute

• Let the top layer of the substrate dry off (finger test)
• Use lime-free water
• Remove excess water from the saucer
• Alternatively, pour over a saucer
• Light-colored, withered leaves indicate drought

Cut efeutute

Although it is not necessary to cut off the shoots of the ivy, the tropical plant is very easy to prune. You can regularly remove dead and wilted leaves. If you want to curb the growth of the efeutute a little, you always have the option of using scissors. The best time to cut the yield is in spring. After that, the plant can still sprout well. As a rule, the shoots can be shortened by two-thirds. The separated shoot pieces can also be used if you want to multiply the efeutute.

Unfortunately, it is not easy to branch out the efeutute. Pruning directly on the leaf axils can cause the plant to sprout bushier. The easiest method for a bushy appearance, however, is to simply plant several ivy tufts in one pot.

Summary: cut efeutute

• Regularly remove dead and dead leaves
• Prune back in spring
• To do this, shorten the shoots by a maximum of two thirds
• Often cut at the leaf axes for bushy growth
• Use a sharp knife or secateurs

Fertilize efeutute

Between March and October, when the efeutute is growing hard, you should fertilize the plant occasionally. Liquid fertilizer is ideal for this, which you can simply add to the substrate together with the irrigation water. For example, our mainly organic indoor and green plant fertilizer is suitable for decorative leaf plants such as the efeutute. The nutrients it contains support the development of strong roots and leaves. Fertilize about every two to three weeks during the summer months. In the winter months, it is not necessary to fertilize the efeutute, as it also grows less during this time.

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Summary: fertilize efeutute

• Fertilize from March to October
• Add fertilizer to the irrigation water every two to three weeks
• Fertilizer amount according to the dosage instructions

Repot the females

As easy to care for as the Efeutute may be, it too would like to be repotted occasionally. The time to repot has come when the root network of the plant fills the flower pot. However, at the latest every two to three years you should repot the efeutute.

First, prepare the new pot for the houseplant. The new home for the efeutute should be slightly larger than the old pot and have a drainage hole and a saucer or planter. Then use expanded clay or potsherds to create a drainage layer in the pot. In this way, the water can always drain off well and there is no waterlogging. High-quality plant soil is suitable as a substrate for the Efeutute. The peat-free soil contains all the nutrients for a successful start to growth and is made from sustainable raw materials.

Now take your efeutute out of its pot and remove the old substrate from the roots. This can be done by shaking it off or washing it off. Now you have a good view of the root network and can cut off any rotten or dried-up root parts. If the root ball is very large, you can also shorten the healthy roots a little. Then the root ball is placed in the middle of the new pot and covered with soil.

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Finally, water the plant well.

Summary: Repot the ivy

• The new flower pot should be slightly larger than the old one
• Create a drainage layer
• Fill the pot one third with soil
• Remove the efeutute from the old pot
• Gently shake off or rinse the earth
• If necessary, prune roots
• Place the efeutute in the middle of the pot
• Fill up with substrate

Yellow leaves on the Efeutute: causes and countermeasures

There could be several reasons for your ivy getting yellow leaves. Here we reveal possible causes and countermeasures.

Reasons for yellow leaves on the ivy:

• Intense light exposure: One reason for yellow leaves can be too intense light exposure. The Efeutute comes from the partially shaded rainforests and does not want to stand in the blazing sun. The efeutute should therefore be placed in a partially shaded location for a speedy recovery.
• Substrate too wet: Even a substrate that is too wet can lead to yellow discoloration. Remove excess water from the pot and ventilate the root ball or transplant the efeutute in the fresh substrate and remove the rotten roots.
• Substrate too dry: If the plant dries up, its leaves turn yellow. As a first-aid measure, the entire root ball is placed in a bucket with rainwater at room temperature.
• Air that is too dry: Especially in winter, when the heating is running, the air in the room quickly becomes very dry. The Efeutute doesn’t like that at all and reacts with yellow leaves. You should therefore ensure a higher level of humidity by spraying the efeutute and use lukewarm rainwater for this. You can also place a bowl of water next to the houseplant.
• Nutrient deficiency: Even an acute nutritional deficiency can lead to yellow leaves. The only thing that helps here is a quick supply of liquid fertilizer.

Your efeutute is not growing? Many care errors can be the cause here. It can often help to repot the plant in such a case. It then has enough space, fresh nutrients, and a moist, but not wet, substrate. If the Efeutute gets brown spots on the leaves, too much or too little water or nutrients are usually the cause. Although the efeutute hardly suffers from diseases, spider mites can infest the area if the air is too dry.

Summary: caring for efeututes

• Only pour when the top substrate layer has dried
• Remove wilted and dead leaves
• To cut back, shorten the shoots by two thirds
• For bushier growth, prune the leaf axes
• Fertilize every two to three weeks between March and October

If you want to find out everything about the location, reproduction, and wintering of the ivy, then you can read on in our overview article on the popular climbing plant.