Trim the vines back to a more manageable length if the vines have sparse leaves, dead or dying leaves, or if you cannot untangle the vines without causing damage. Golden pothos grown as a climbing vine and allowed to weave in and out of a trellis might be impossible to untangle without damaging the vine. Cut the vines back to just above a healthy leaf so you don't leave an unsightly stub. New growth soon forms above the cut.