How To Make Money Plant Grow Thicker – Your Ultimate Guide To A Lush,

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Let’s be honest for a moment. You look at your Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum), and while you love it, you can’t help but notice it’s looking a little… sparse. Maybe it’s just a few long, trailing vines with leaves spaced far apart, a far cry from the lush, jungly cascade you see in magazines and on social media. It’s a common story, and you’re not alone!

I promise you, transforming that leggy plant into a thick, vibrant, and bushy masterpiece is not only possible, it’s incredibly rewarding. You don’t need a magical green thumb, just a little know-how from a fellow gardener.

In this complete guide, we’re going to dive deep into exactly how to make money plant grow thicker. We’ll cover the single most important technique most people miss, along with the foundational care that supports that full, beautiful growth. Get ready to turn your plant into the envy of all your friends!

Why Your Money Plant Isn’t Growing Thicker: Understanding the “Leggy” Look

Before we jump into the solutions, it helps to understand why your plant is growing long instead of full. It’s not your fault; the plant is just doing what it’s programmed to do under certain conditions.

The main culprit is a phenomenon called apical dominance. In simple terms, the plant directs most of its growing energy to the very tip of each vine. This helps it search for more light in the wild by growing longer and longer. However, in our homes, this results in those stringy, bare vines.

Another major factor is insufficient light. When a Money Plant doesn’t get enough light, it stretches its stems out, desperately reaching for a brighter spot. This stretching, known as etiolation, creates large gaps between the leaves, contributing to that sparse appearance. Our goal is to counteract these natural tendencies to encourage bushiness.

The Ultimate Guide on How to Make Money Plant Grow Thicker: 7 Core Pillars

Ready to get your hands dirty? Achieving that full look isn’t about one single trick; it’s about combining a few key practices. Think of these as the pillars supporting your plant’s new, lush life. This is your definitive how to make money plant grow thicker guide.

Pillar 1: Strategic Pruning – The Secret to Bushiness

If you take only one piece of advice from this article, let it be this: embrace pruning. It feels counterintuitive to cut your plant when you want it to be bigger, but this is the secret to making it grow thicker, not just longer.

When you snip off the end of a vine, you break that apical dominance we talked about. The plant can no longer send energy to the tip, so it redirects that energy to dormant buds further back along the stem. These buds then activate and grow into new vines. Two new shoots will often emerge from near the cut, effectively doubling the density in that area!

  1. Identify a Leggy Vine: Look for a long stem with leaves spaced far apart.
  2. Find Your Spot: Locate a “node”—the little brown bump on the vine where a leaf and an aerial root grow.
  3. Make the Cut: Using clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears, cut the vine about 1/4 to 1/2 inch after a node (leaving the node on the main plant).
  4. Repeat: Do this on several vines all over the plant to encourage balanced, bushy growth. Don’t be shy!

The best time to do this is during the spring and summer growing season when the plant has plenty of energy to push out new leaves.

Pillar 2: The Power of Propagation

Now, what do you do with all those pieces you just trimmed off? Don’t throw them away! This is where the magic really happens. Propagating your cuttings and planting them back into the same pot is the fastest way to add volume.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Take your cuttings, ensuring each piece has at least one or two nodes and a leaf.
  • Place the cuttings in a jar of water, making sure the nodes are submerged but the leaves are not.
  • Put the jar in a spot with bright, indirect light.
  • Change the water every few days to keep it fresh. In a few weeks, you’ll see white roots sprouting from the nodes!
  • Once the roots are about an inch long, you can plant them. Simply poke a few holes in the soil of the original mother plant and gently tuck these newly rooted cuttings in.
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You’ve just added several new, independent plants to the same pot, instantly making the base of your Money Plant look fuller. This is one of the best how to make money plant grow thicker tips for dramatic results.

Pillar 3: Mastering the Light Factor

No amount of pruning will help if your plant isn’t getting the right light. Money Plants are adaptable, but to get thick growth, they need bright, indirect sunlight. Think of a spot near an east-facing window or a few feet back from a south or west-facing window.

Too little light causes that stretching (etiolation) we discussed. Too much direct sun, however, will scorch the leaves, turning them yellow or brown. A great pro tip is to rotate your plant a quarter turn every time you water it. This ensures all sides get equal light, preventing a lopsided, sparse look on one side.

Pillar 4: Watering Wisely – Less is Often More

Overwatering is one of the most common ways we accidentally harm our houseplants. Money Plants prefer their soil to dry out slightly between waterings. The “drench and dry” method is a fantastic best practice.

This means you water the plant thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage hole, then you don’t water it again until the top 1-2 inches of soil are completely dry. The easiest way to check? Stick your finger in the soil! If it feels dry up to your first knuckle, it’s time to water.

Consistent overwatering leads to root rot, which will cause yellowing leaves and stunt the plant’s growth, making it impossible to get thicker.

Pillar 5: Feeding for Fullness – The Right Nutrients

Think of fertilizer as a vitamin supplement for your plant. To support lush, new growth, your Money Plant needs nutrients. During the spring and summer growing season, feed your plant with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer every 4-6 weeks.

Always dilute the fertilizer to half the recommended strength on the package to avoid burning the roots. For a more eco-friendly how to make money plant grow thicker approach, you can top-dress the soil with worm castings once a season or water with diluted compost tea. In fall and winter, the plant’s growth slows, so you can stop fertilizing until spring.

Pillar 6: The Foundation – Perfect Potting Mix & Pot Size

A healthy root system is the foundation for a thick plant. Money Plants need a well-draining potting mix to prevent root rot. A standard indoor potting mix amended with perlite or orchid bark is perfect, as it allows for excellent aeration and drainage.

Ensure your pot has drainage holes—this is non-negotiable! When it comes to size, resist the urge to put your plant in a huge pot. A pot that is too large holds excess moisture that the roots can’t absorb, leading to rot. Only move up to a pot that is 1-2 inches larger in diameter when the plant becomes root-bound.

Pillar 7: Support and Styling – Encouraging Upward Growth

In their natural habitat, Money Plants are climbers! Giving them something to climb, like a moss pole or a simple trellis, can encourage them to grow larger leaves and more compact internodal spacing (less space between leaves).

As the plant attaches its aerial roots to the pole, it feels more secure, which can trigger this more mature growth pattern. A climbing plant often looks inherently thicker and more commanding than a trailing one, so this is a great way to style your plant for a fuller appearance.

Common Problems & Solutions on Your Journey to a Thicker Money Plant

Even with the best care, you might run into a few hiccups. Don’t worry! Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide for some common problems with how to make money plant grow thicker.

Yellowing Leaves

This is most often a sign of overwatering. Check the soil moisture and allow it to dry out more between waterings. It can also indicate a nutrient deficiency, so if you haven’t fertilized in a while, it might be time for a gentle feeding.

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Brown, Crispy Tips

This usually points to dry air or inconsistent watering. Try to increase the humidity by misting your plant, placing it near a humidifier, or grouping it with other plants. Ensure you’re watering thoroughly when the soil is dry.

Pests (Spider Mites, Mealybugs)

Check the undersides of leaves for tiny webs (spider mites) or small, white, cottony masses (mealybugs). If you spot them, isolate the plant and treat it by wiping the leaves with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol or spraying with a sustainable insecticidal soap or neem oil solution.

The Benefits of a Thicker, Healthier Money Plant

Putting in the effort to achieve this goal has wonderful rewards. The benefits of how to make money plant grow thicker go beyond just looks. A dense, healthy plant is a more efficient air purifier, working hard to remove toxins from your home.

Aesthetically, it becomes a stunning piece of living decor that brings energy and life to any room. And of course, there’s the immense satisfaction you’ll feel from nurturing your plant and watching it thrive under your care. It’s a true gardening victory!

Frequently Asked Questions about How to Make Money Plant Grow Thicker

How long does it take to see results after pruning?

You should start to see new little buds forming near your pruning cuts within 2 to 4 weeks, especially during the active growing season. Significant changes in thickness will be noticeable in a few months as those new shoots grow out.

Can I make my money plant thicker if it’s growing in water?

Yes! The principle is the same. You can trim the vines and simply add more cuttings to the same vase. The more individual rooted stems you have in the container, the fuller the top of the plant will look.

Is it better to prune a lot at once or a little bit over time?

For a plant that is very leggy, a good initial prune where you trim back about 20-30% of its length is a great start. After that, you can maintain its shape with smaller, more frequent snips every month or so to encourage continuous branching.

Why are the new leaves on my money plant smaller than the old ones?

Smaller new leaves are often a sign that the plant needs more light or nutrients. Try moving it to a slightly brighter location and ensure you are feeding it regularly during the growing season. If it’s climbing a moss pole, the leaves will naturally get bigger over time.

Do I need to use rooting hormone for my cuttings?

Money Plants root so easily in water that rooting hormone is not necessary. It’s one of the most forgiving plants to propagate! However, if you are planting cuttings directly into soil, dipping the ends in rooting hormone can speed up the process and increase your success rate.

Your Journey to a Lush Plant Starts Now!

There you have it—the complete how to make money plant grow thicker care guide. It all boils down to a few simple, yet powerful, techniques: be brave and prune, recycle those cuttings back into the pot, and provide the solid foundation of great light, water, and food.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Every snip is a conversation with your plant, guiding it toward the beautiful, full form you know it can achieve. Grab your scissors, give your plant some love, and get ready to watch it transform.

Happy gardening!

Rimon Chowdhury
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