From a plant's perspective, light is my food. I synthesize energy through photosynthesis. If I am not growing, the most likely reason is that I am not receiving enough light to fuel that process. While I am known for my tolerance of lower light, "tolerant" does not mean "thriving." In deep shade, my growth will be extremely slow, leggy (with long spaces between leaves), and my leaves may become smaller. Conversely, if I am placed in harsh, direct afternoon sun, my leaves can become scorched and bleached. This sun damage stresses me, forcing me to expend energy on repair rather than new growth. My ideal is bright, indirect light or gentle morning sun.
My roots are very sensitive to their moisture environment. Both extremes are problematic. If you consistently let my soil become bone dry, I become dehydrated. My roots cannot uptake water and nutrients, causing my growth to halt, my leaves to wilt, curl, and turn brown at the edges. I am essentially in survival mode. The opposite is just as damaging. If my roots are sitting in constantly soggy, waterlogged soil, they begin to suffocate and rot due to a lack of oxygen. Root rot is a severe condition; it destroys my root system, preventing me from absorbing any water or nutrients at all, which will quickly stop growth and lead to my decline. I prefer soil that is kept consistently moist but never soggy.
Even with perfect light and water, I cannot build new cells and tissues without the proper building blocks. The soil I am planted in is my entire world. If I have been in the same pot for years, I will have depleted the available nutrients within that limited soil volume. A lack of key macronutrients like Nitrogen (N), which is crucial for leafy green growth, will directly cause my growth to stagnate. My older leaves may start to yellow as I move the limited nutrients I have to support any new growth. I require a balanced, gentle feeding during my active growing season (spring and summer) to support my metabolic processes and expansion.
If you cannot find another reason for my stunted growth, you must look at my root system. As a vining plant, I can be quite vigorous. Over time, my roots will fill every available inch of the pot, becoming a dense, tangled mass. When I am this pot-bound, there is very little soil left to hold water and nutrients. My roots become constricted and cannot expand to support new top growth. Furthermore, the tight tangle makes it difficult for water to penetrate evenly, often leading to dry pockets even when you water thoroughly. This physical restriction is a direct signal to my system to limit my growth.
It is critical to understand my natural growth cycle. I am a living organism that responds to environmental cues. During the shorter, cooler days of fall and winter, I receive signals that it is not the ideal time for expansive growth. I enter a period of dormancy or significantly reduced metabolic activity to conserve energy. It is perfectly normal for my growth to slow or even appear to stop entirely during this time. This is not a cause for alarm but a natural part of my annual cycle. Additionally, other stresses like extreme temperature fluctuations, particularly cold drafts from windows or heating vents, can shock my system and cause me to pause growth as I focus on maintaining basic functions.
