The Definitive Guide to Snake Plant Care

You’re not an entire plant father or mother till you personal a number of snake vegetation in your assortment. Also called mother-in-law’s tongue or Sansevieria, it’s in all probability one of the crucial widespread houseplants for newcomers and fanatics.

For good causes, in fact.

First, the snake plant is troublesome to kill, thrives nearly free from pests and ailments, and it’s completely attractive. Nonetheless, in its early levels of development, it requires meticulous care practices to set it up for fulfillment. That’s what we are going to talk about in at the moment’s information.

Snake Plant Care Profile

Widespread Identify: Snake Plant, Mom-in-Regulation’s Tongue, Sansevieria, or Saint George’s Sword.

Scientific Identify:
Dracaena trifasciata (previously – Sansevieria trifasciata).

USDA Hardiness Zones: 8 by way of 11.

Appropriate Soil: Any well-drained soil.

Mild Requirement: Full solar to partial shade.

Plant Sort and Progress Behavior: Evergreen perennial grown as a houseplant, upright, and self-heading.

Suggestions and Tips for Rising and Caring for Sansevieria

Snake Plant Propagation

Snake plant propagation is one of the best ways to immediately personal a number of pot vegetation. Whereas shopping for continues to be an possibility, it’s not economical. You can begin by buying wholesome mom vegetation, borrowing from a pal, or utilizing your individual assortment.

There are 4 strategies for propagating snake vegetation. However some are simpler than others. They’re:

Propagate from leaf cuttings (root in water or soil)Rhizome divisionRoot divisionPropagation by seeds

Rhizome/Root Division is the perfect and, by far, the quickest methodology of propagating the Snake plant. It’s an environment friendly means of propagating as a result of it takes a lot much less time than different strategies, and likewise, the probabilities of your child plant dying are nearly zero.

Whereas rising leaf cuttings in water is a super-easy means of propagating, it calls for quite a lot of persistence, and typically, the cuttings are inclined to rot in water.

Right here’s an in depth information on propagating snake vegetation.

Appropriate Soil

The very best soil for snake vegetation is a well-draining, sandy, or gritty combine that forestalls water from sitting across the roots, which may trigger root rot. Right here’s what to search for in a great industrial combine:

Supreme Soil Combine for Snake Crops

Nicely-Draining Potting Combine: A cactus or succulent combine works nice.

Sand or Perlite: Helps enhance aeration and drainage.

Coco Coir or Peat Moss: Retains some moisture with out turning into soggy.

Compost or Natural Matter: Slowly provides vitamins over a protracted interval.

DIY Snake Plant Soil Combine Recipe

2 components cactus/succulent mix1 half perlite or coarse sand1 half coco coir or peat moss

This combine ensures correct aeration and drainage whereas retaining simply sufficient moisture to your snake plant to thrive.

Watering

Water your snake plant when the soil has fully dried out, being certain to water deeply. Throughout winter, examine the plant’s soil combine each two weeks or so—the plant may have to be watered solely as soon as a month. Should you discover its leaves are brittle and dry, water it instantly.

Remember that overwatering is the quickest technique to kill a snake plant, and it is higher to underwater.

As mentioned above, your alternative of soil certain does assist, however correct watering stays a key element of your plant’s well being.

Mild Necessities

Snake vegetation can develop and thrive in nearly any mild situations. Nonetheless, it enjoys vivid, oblique mild. Whereas these vegetation tolerate low mild, some variegated cultivars may revert to the standard deep inexperienced if the sunshine is inadequate.

An excessive amount of direct daylight can be prone to burn the leaves. Be sure you strike a steadiness, and your vegetation will thrive.

Temperature and Humidity

Snake plant thrives in regular room temperature (18 – 27oc) and common humidity. Low temperatures are nonetheless acceptable however will decelerate the expansion.

Extended low temperatures or freezing will certainly trigger irreparable injury to vegetation. Therefore, keep away from it as a lot as doable. Equally, extra humidity or moisture isn’t very splendid because it creates a conducive surroundings for fungal infections.

As a common rule, hold your vegetation away from chilly drafts, air conditioners, and heaters.

Fertilizer Software

You not often must feed these slow-growing vegetation.

Nonetheless, throughout their lively rising seasons (Spring and Summer time), feed them a dose of any houseplant meals every season for a complete of two occasions a yr.

Alternatively, you may fertilize your snake vegetation with worm compost in a skinny layer on high of the soil annually.

Pruning

Prune snake vegetation in the course of the rising season to encourage new development.

To manage top, take away the tallest leaves on the soil line with a sterile slicing device. As an alternative of throwing them away, propagate them to develop extra mini vegetation.

Broken leaves may be eliminated at any time; nevertheless, don’t prune when the plant is dormant, particularly throughout winter.

Potting and Repotting

After a number of years, the plant will create offspring. Take away the vegetation from the container, divide them, and repot them with new soil. It likes to be repotted with contemporary potting media each 5 years or so.

It’s best to decide on a heavy pot for the taller varieties as a result of the load of the leaves can topple the plant over, particularly when the soil is dry.

The rule of the thumb is to repot a snake plant when the roots change into overcrowded, the plant is so massive the pot is tipping over, or there isn’t any extra room for offshoots to develop.

Flowering – The best way to Assist Your Snake Plant to Bloom

This snake plant has been on my balcony for over three years (on the time of writing). Throughout that point, I’ve tried all of the tips and ideas within the ebook to power it into flowering with out success.

I gave up sooner or later and consoled myself that it was the cultivar. Sure, some cultivars received’t flower no matter your effort, particularly when grown indoors or on darkish balconies.

Flowering of any nearly at all times comes right down to mild publicity. With out ample daylight, these fantastic creamy spikes of flowers are a pipe dream.

For snake vegetation, nevertheless, as I got here to be taught by way of a number of experiments, even with sufficient mild publicity, they received’t bloom until they’re rootbound! The vegetation should replenish the rising container for flower stalks to emerge.

However beware that it will probably break a clay pot if it will get too root-bound.

Due to this fact, if you want to assist your snake plant to flower, cease splitting the rhizomes too usually.

Conclusion

Caring for a snake plant is easy, making it a superb alternative for newcomers and seasoned plant lovers alike.

With the appropriate steadiness of well-draining soil, reasonable watering, and correct mild, your snake plant will thrive with minimal effort. Its capacity to purify the air, tolerate neglect, and adapt to numerous situations makes it a precious addition to any indoor house.

By following this information, you may guarantee your snake plant stays wholesome and vibrant for years to come back. With just a bit care, this hardy plant will reward you with its placing magnificence and resilience.