Money Plant Care: Complete India Guide (Grow in Water or Soil)

Why Every Indian Home Has a Money Plant

Walk into any home, office, or shop in India and you will almost certainly spot a money plant — that cheerful vine with heart-shaped leaves trailing from a water bottle or cascading from a pot. There is a reason it is everywhere.

Money plant (Epipremnum aureum, also called pothos or devil's ivy) is nearly impossible to kill. It thrives in the low light of Indian apartments, survives irregular watering, bounces back from neglect, and grows happily in a simple glass bottle of water. No garden required.

Add in the vastu belief that it brings prosperity and positive energy, and you have the most popular houseplant in India — by a wide margin.

This guide covers everything: water vs soil growing, care in Indian climate conditions, fixing yellow leaves, propagation, and the vastu rules people swear by.

Money Plant at a Glance

Growing Money Plant in Water vs Soil

This is the most common question. Both methods work well. Here is how to choose.

Growing in Water (Bottle Method)

The classic Indian method — a cutting in a glass bottle or jar of water.

How to set it up:

1. Take a healthy stem cutting with 2–3 leaves (cut just below a node — the bumpy joint)
2. Remove leaves from the bottom 2 nodes (leaves underwater rot)
3. Place in a glass bottle or jar filled with regular tap water
4. Keep the bottle where it gets indirect light (not direct sun — water gets algae)
5. Refill every 7–10 days with fresh water (full change, not just top-up)

Maintenance:

• Add 1–2 drops of liquid fertilizer every 4–6 weeks (any NPK fertilizer works)
• Change water completely every 7–10 days to prevent root rot and algae
• Clean green algae from the bottle with a bottle brush when you change the water
• If roots turn brown and slimy, trim them and clean the bottle thoroughly

Pro tip: Use a dark or opaque bottle. Algae needs light to grow — dark bottles mean less cleaning.

Growing in Soil (Pot Method)

Soil-grown money plants grow faster, get larger, and are easier to fertilize.

Best soil mix:

• Regular potting soil with added coarse sand or perlite (60:40 ratio)
• Must have good drainage — soggy soil is the #1 killer
• Avoid garden soil alone (too dense, compacts in pots)

Pot selection:

• Any pot with drainage holes works
• Terracotta pots dry out faster — good for over-waterers
• Plastic pots retain moisture — good for forgetful waterers
• Size: 6–8 inch pot for a starter plant

Watering in soil:

• Check soil with your finger: water only when the top 1–2 inches are dry
• Water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom
• In Indian summers, this may be every 5–7 days
• In monsoon/winter, every 10–14 days is usually enough

Light Requirements in Indian Homes

Money plant adapts to a wide range of light conditions — this is its superpower.

What works:

• Bright indirect light (near a window, not in direct sun): fastest growth, most vibrant leaves
• Low light (interior rooms, north-facing windows): slower growth but perfectly fine
• Fluorescent office lighting: grows well — popular as a desk plant

What to avoid:

• Direct afternoon sun (west-facing windows in summer): scorches leaves
• Complete darkness (windowless rooms): very slow growth, leaves may yellow

Indian apartment tip: Most Indian apartments have good ambient light even in "north-facing" rooms because of high-intensity tropical sunlight. A room that feels dim to you is still bright enough for money plant.

Fertilizing in Indian Conditions

Money plant is a light feeder, but fertilizing in the growing season makes a visible difference.

For soil-grown plants:

• Fertilize every 4–6 weeks from February through October (growing season)
• Any balanced liquid fertilizer works (20:20:20 NPK is widely available in India)
• Half the recommended dose — money plant prefers light feeding
• Stop fertilizing November–January (rest period)

For water-grown plants:

• Add 2–3 drops of liquid fertilizer per 500ml of water
• Replace with fresh fertilized water every 7–10 days
• Without fertilizer, water-grown plants grow much slower

Organic options: Vermicompost tea, banana peel water (soak peels in water for 24 hours), or diluted cow dung liquid are traditional and effective.

Money Plant Vastu: What You Need to Know

Vastu Shastra associates money plant with Lakshmi — the goddess of prosperity — and recommends it as an indoor plant that absorbs negative energy and brings financial wellbeing. Whether or not you follow vastu, these placement rules often align with good plant care:

Vastu-recommended directions:

• South-east corner of the house (direction of Lord Ganesha)
• North direction — associated with wealth and career
• East-facing windows for best morning light

What vastu says to avoid:

• North-east corner — considered inauspicious for money plant
• Placing near the main entrance or outdoor areas
• Letting the plant trail on the floor (keep it elevated or climbing)
• Keeping dried or dead leaves on the plant (trim them promptly)

The climbing vs trailing debate: Vastu recommends training the plant upward (using a moss pole, wall, or hook) rather than letting it trail downward. Upward growth is associated with rising prosperity. Practically, climbing also gives the plant better light distribution.

Common Problems and Fixes

Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves are the most common money plant complaint — and almost always fixable.

In water bottles: Yellow leaves usually mean the roots are rotting from algae or dirty water. Change water completely, trim rotted roots, clean the bottle.

For a full diagnosis, see our Why Are My Plant Leaves Turning Yellow? guide.

Leggy / Sparse Vines

If your money plant is producing long vines with few leaves, spaced far apart, it needs more light. Move it closer to a window. You can also pinch off the growing tips to encourage bushier growth.

Pests

Money plant is relatively pest-resistant but can get:

• Mealybugs: White fluffy spots; wipe with cotton dipped in neem oil or isopropyl alcohol
• Scale insects: Brown bumps on stems; scrape off + neem oil spray
• Spider mites: Fine webbing, speckling on leaves; increase humidity, spray with water

Prevention: Wipe leaves with a damp cloth every few weeks. Good air circulation helps.

How to Propagate Money Plant

Propagation is free, easy, and gives you more plants to keep or gift.

Stem Cutting Method (Works in Water or Soil)

1. Choose a healthy stem with 2–3 nodes (nodes are the bumpy joints where leaves emerge)
2. Cut just below a node with clean scissors
3. Remove leaves from the bottom 1–2 nodes
4. In water: Place in a clean glass of water, submerge bottom nodes, keep indirect light — roots appear in 7–14 days
5. In soil: Dip cut end in rooting powder (optional), insert in moist potting mix, keep soil moist until roots establish (3–4 weeks)

Best time to propagate: February–September (growing season). Cuttings taken in winter root more slowly.

After rooting in water: Transition to soil by gradually adding potting mix to the water over 2 weeks — this helps roots adjust to soil without shock.

Repotting

Repot when you see roots growing out of drainage holes or circling the surface of the soil. Money plant is fast-growing and typically needs repotting every 1–2 years.

How to repot:

1. Choose a pot 2 inches larger in diameter
2. Use fresh potting mix
3. Water the plant a day before repotting (easier to remove from pot)
4. Gently loosen and remove the plant, shake off old soil
5. Place in new pot, fill with fresh mix, water thoroughly
6. Keep in shade for 1 week after repotting (reduces transplant stress)

Best time: February–March, just before the growing season.

Seasonal Care in India

Money Plant in Different Indian Settings

Small apartments: Perfect. Grows in bottles on windowsills, small pots on shelves, or trained up a bamboo pole in a corner. Takes up almost no floor space.

Offices: Tolerates fluorescent lighting and irregular watering — a favourite desk plant. Replace water every week and it grows without any other care.

Outdoor (balconies): Can go on shaded balconies — avoid direct harsh afternoon sun. In coastal cities (Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi), the humidity is ideal. Keep it where rain doesn't waterlog the pot.

North-facing flats: Yes, it works. Money plant handles low light better than almost any other houseplant.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can money plant grow in full shade?

It survives in very low light but growth becomes extremely slow and leaves pale. Give it the brightest indirect light available for best results.

How often should I change water in the bottle?

Every 7–10 days. Full change, not a top-up. Stale water leads to algae and root rot.

Why are my money plant leaves turning yellow?

Most commonly: overwatering or not enough light. Check the soil (it should be drying between waterings), and move the plant closer to a window.

Can I grow money plant outdoors in India?

Yes, on shaded balconies or patios. Avoid direct afternoon sun which scorches leaves. Money plant grows dramatically fast outdoors in Indian climate — vines can reach several meters.

Is money plant lucky?

According to vastu and Feng Shui, yes — it is considered one of the most auspicious houseplants in both traditions. Place it in the south-east or north corner of your home.

Is money plant toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes. Money plant (pothos) contains calcium oxalate crystals which cause mouth irritation, drooling, and vomiting in cats and dogs. Keep it out of reach of pets. See our Toxic Plants for Cats and Dogs guide for the full list.

Can I use money plant cuttings to grow new plants?

Absolutely — and it is very easy. Take a stem cutting with 2–3 nodes, place in water, and roots appear in 7–14 days. See the propagation section above.

My money plant is growing very slowly. What should I do?

Three main culprits: not enough light, no fertilizer, or it is root-bound. Move closer to a window, add liquid fertilizer monthly, and check whether the roots have filled the pot.

Related guides: Growing Pothos: A Complete Beginner's Guide · Why Are My Plant Leaves Turning Yellow? · Overwatering vs Underwatering · Toxic Plants for Cats and Dogs · How to Revive a Dying Plant · 15 Best Indoor Plants for Beginners