Quick answer: Long stretches of pothos stem with widely spaced or missing leaves are often associated with too little usable light. The practical remedy is brighter filtered light for new growth, pruning for shape and propagation of sound node-bearing cuttings. Fertilizer alone does not fill bare stem sections.
What leggy growth looks like
Internodes are the distances between leaf nodes. When new growth develops in low light, the plant may extend stems faster than it produces full foliage. Pothos also naturally trails, and an older vine may lose some leaves over time. Compare recent leaf spacing with older healthy growth and consider whether the stem is unsupported or the plant was repeatedly stressed.
Improve light without causing burn
Move the container gradually closer to a brighter window or provide a suitable grow light. Bright indirect light is usually better than harsh direct afternoon sun. Observe the next several nodes; better light can improve future growth, but older empty stem sections will not sprout a new leaf at every former attachment point.
Prune strategically
Use clean scissors to cut bare or oversized vines above nodes on the parent plant. Avoid removing almost all leafy growth from an already weak specimen. The cut area may produce fresh branching under good conditions; timing varies. Healthy removed sections are useful for making rooted cuttings rather than throwing them away.
Root cuttings to fill the pot
Keep at least one healthy stem node per cutting and place that node into water or loose moist medium with filtered light. Transplant cuttings once roots are established and add several to a container sized to their combined root systems. Water by checking the actual mix. A single leaf without a node will not regenerate a vine.
Check roots and pests when pruning is not enough
If new foliage remains small despite better light, inspect whether the pot is perpetually wet, strongly root-bound or infested with pests. Do not routinely repot or fertilize only because vines are long. Supported climbing growth can lead to larger future leaves, whereas a trailing vine is naturally more compact.
Frequently asked questions
Will old bare stems fill in automatically?
Not usually at every former leaf position. Pruning and new rooted cuttings can improve density.
Is more fertilizer the solution?
No. First improve light and check roots.