How to look after a snake plant indoors

How to look after a snake plant indoors

Sansevierias (Snake plants) also known as “Mother-In-Law’s Tongue” are one of the toughest plants you can find. Whether you grow them indoors, in your garden or on your balcony, these beautiful spiky plants can withstand almost anything and are perfect for beginner houseplants.. Here’s how to care for Sansevieria in your home!

What is a Snake Plant?

A Snake Plant is a succulent plant that gets its name from the fact that most of its leaves are shaped like a snake. The plant is native to South America and can be found in both sun and shade.

Snake plants are easy to care for and can thrive in a variety of indoor environments. They need minimal water, light, and fertilizer and can be moved around the house as needed. Snake plants may be grown outside all year round in zones 8 and warmer, which makes them a little tricky for some parts of the UK. Snake plants also send out underground runners and should be treated as invasive plants. We advise planting snake plants in areas that can be contained or inside pots.

The two things that tend to affect this plant in a significant way are too much water and temperatures below freezing. Soggy soil or extended exposure to cold can cause root rot and damage the leaves and foliage.

Growth Rate

The Sansevieria typically spreads by underground stems called rhizomes. It can grow new shoots about every 6-8 weeks with a slower growth rate. In stronger natural light, these plants will grow faster and slower in lower light.

Soil

Snake plants have few troubles. Most plant issues arise from a lack of soil nutrients and roots rotting away because of poor watering. I’d recommend a fast draining, nutrient rich soil to help with prevention. 

As you grow your succulents, you should use a ratio of 1:1 between soil and horticultural media so a mix of potting soil at a 50% ratio and 50% cactus soil would be ideal. A few handfuls of pumice or perlite can help with the drainage and aeration factor. its advised to plant a snake plant in a pot with 1 or 2 drain holes.

Fertilizer

Snake plants are easy to care for, but they do need a bit of fertilizer. You can add a diluted water soluble balanced fertilizer to the soil once a month. If your snake plant is receiving direct sunlight, you may need to fertilize more frequently. Avoid fertilizing your houseplants in late fall or winter when they’re at rest. We advise using Growlands House Plant Food once per week during the growing seasons and not at all during the winter dormancy. 

Water

It’s easy to over-water your Snake Plant – this will result in root rot. Make sure the soil is almost completely dry before watering again, you can tell if the plants need to be watered by pushing your thumb into the soil and checking the moisture.  You should water your snake plants every 2-8 weeks. The watering schedule will change depending on your home growing environments, the type of soil mix you use and the pot size. 

The best way to feed your plants is to provide them with condensed, good-quality water from the bottom of the pot. This allows for the roots to spread and grow downwards as they search for water, resulting in more potent leaves. When the plant is dormant during the winter, it doesn’t need as much water. During spring and summer, water more often.

Make sure when you water your snake plants to NOT let water gather on the center of the leaves where the cup formation forms as this will eventually cause the leaf to rot. 

Light

Snake plants do best with medium light, so placing them in a west or south facing window is ideal. However snake plants can also tolerate low light and high light which is why this plant is classed a an extremely versatile plant! 

Take note of the conditions when you plan on buying your next plants, as different species are better suited for specific light levels.  S. trifasciata & Sansevieria hanhnii jade do very well in lower light conditions. Normally with snake plants the dark-leaved plants are better suited for lower light and snake plants with fair/light-leaved plants do better in higher light. Always remember to keep Snake Plants in the shade and out of direct sunlight exposing them to direct sunlight will cause the leaves to start browning. 

Air Circulation

Snake plants are very versatile plants and the air circulation isn’t a major factor. The plants do well in most rooms even if bathrooms with higher humidity ratios. 

Temperature

Sansevierias will tolerate a wide range of temperatures in our homes. They prefer cooler conditions and need indirect light so don’t put them close to the extreme hot or cold. Keep them away from direct drafts and air conditioning vents. The best temperatures are normally 16c – 22c which is likely room temperature for most UK homes. Just make sure to keep them away from cold drafts and radiators.

Don’t forget that your plants and flowers like to be sheltered from the dreariness of winter. If your plant is outdoors during this time of year, it needs to be brought inside to protect its health and survive.

Repotting

You don’t need to rush to repot your snake plants in fact they grow better when they are pot-bound. I’ve seen quite a few plants with broken grow pots, and the roots due to how strong the rhizomes are and roots are. When in doubt, replanting every five to ten years is usually ok. If you’re unsure about how often to repot your plants, then that is a good guideline

Pests

Snake Plants are rather resilient to pests but if left in poor conditions can be infected with the likes of mealybugs and/or spider mites. In order to make sure your snake plant has the correct nutrients and maximize their health, it is essential to use a plant based food. We recommend Growlands Indoor House plant food. 

Beware of root rot after overwatering

If leaves are starting to wilt or turn a brown-black color, then it may be due to over watering, the good news is snake plants are very resilient and should recover. It’s important that the roots do not decay. If you find your plant is suffering from over watering then wait for the soil to dry out before watering again. If this does not fix the problem then replant the plant into a new pot and use fresh soil. 

Summary

Snake plants (Sansevieria) make great houseplants, thanks to their interesting and varied shapes and leaves. These plants are extremely easy to take care of as long as you don’t over water them or house them in direct sunlight. We hope you found this guide helpful should you wish to purchase the house plant food recommend in this guide please check out our webstore.  

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