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Repotting is one of the easiest things you can do to take care of a snake plant. Snake plant does well in sturdy, wide, shallow pots because it has strong roots and grows straight up.
Like any other plant, your snake plant gets bigger, makes new leaves, and sends out new plants called “pups” as it ages. It’s important that the planter fits the plant’s height and width, leaving 2 inches of room between the leaves and the pot’s edge.
Because they are hardy and have a spiky look, snake plants are some of the most famous houseplants in the world. Even though they are tropical plants, they do best in dry air and low to middling light. Snake Plants come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and leaf patterns thanks to their many species and types.
Botanic Name: Dracaena (formerly Sansevieria) spp
It is also known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, Snake Plant, and Snake’s Tongue Plant.
Are you planning to bring home a snake plant soon? Think about getting one of these common kinds.
The best time is during the growing season, which for some zones runs from early spring to early fall. Snake Plants don’t mind being stuck in a pot, so you don’t need to move yours unless it looks stressed or is too big for its pot. Snake Plants that are fully grown have strong roots that can break open grow pots.
Even if you are new to taking care of plants, repotting a snake plant won’t hurt it because they are very gentle and hard to hurt. Just follow these simple steps to move a snake plant to a new pot.
When your plant wakes up from winter slumber and starts growing again in the spring is the best time to repot it. You can keep it anywhere and it will grow quickly. When a snake plant gets more sunlight, it grows new leaves and can get 3 to 6 feet bigger each year. In general, it will grow more slowly and be less healthy if it is kept mostly in the shade.
It’s time to repot your snake plant. Here are some signs to look for.
If your plant is in a plastic pot, now is a good time to get a nice clay or ceramic pot for it. It’s best to change the growing medium at least every five years, even if the plant is doing well. Snake plants are tough and can grow in poor soil, but repotting them with new soil makes more nutrients available, which makes the plant happy.
Pick a new pot that is at least 2 inches wider and has at least one drainage hole in the bottom when it’s time to repot. The best soil for cacti is potting soil that has perlite and sand mixed in with normal potting soil. Get a yard trowel and a knife or scissors that are very sharp ready at all times. It’s easier to work on a flat surface.
Turn the snake plant over on its side.
Hold the bottom of the pot with one hand and the base of the plant with the other.
Just pull and wiggle the plant a little to get it out of the pot.
To get to your snake plant, you might need to use scissors to cut the pot off. You can also loosen the soil by running a yard trowel or knife around the inside of the pot. Don’t tilt the tool toward the roots; instead, keep it straight up and down.
As you dig through the rootball with your fingers, get rid of as much old potting soil as you can. The roots of a snake plant that is healthy are big, white, and easy to see.
That’s the best time to cut off higher leaves at the base if you want to keep the plant at a certain height. (The roots can be grown more plants.)
A sharp knife or scissors should also be used to cut off any leaves that are brown or badly damaged.
If you find damaged roots, you should cut them off. However, roots that are dry or mushy should not be present unless the plant has been badly over- or under-watered.
Hold the plant in the middle of the new pot by the bottom of the leaves.
Then, use your other hand to start adding potting mix around the rootball. Keep the plant in the same amount of soil as when it was first put in the pot. To keep the plant standing straight, pat down the soil around the rootball.
The top of the dirt should be about an inch above the edge of the pot. This will allow you to water the plant without making a mess.
You should water the new plant if the dirt mix in the pot is pretty dry.
When the water starts to drain out of the bottom, you’re done.
You can wait a few days to water if the dirt mix is wet all over. Snake plants can handle dryness but don’t like too much water. Since it’s better to be safe than sorry, don’t give the plant too much water after putting it up.
Put your snake plant somewhere that gets bright, indirect light.
Do not water again until the ground is 2 to 3 inches dry.
Snake plants don’t need much care, so you probably won’t have too many problems when taking care of one. Mealybugs and spider mites may sometimes bother this plant, but insecticidal soap can get rid of them. Root rot from too much water is the most common problem you’ll have with a snake plant. This means you should change how often you water your plant and only water it when the soil is dry.
If you’re new to planting with houseplants, repotting Snake Plants might seem hard. But if you do it the right way, it’s a simple process that can give your plants a boost and help them grow in a healthy way. If you don’t forget to give your Snake Plants enough water and sunshine, they will do great in their new pots.
Snake plants don’t really need to be moved around much, but it depends on how fast they grow. Every two years, you might need to move a plant that grows quickly into a bigger pot. Plan to repot your plant every five years to give it new dirt and nutrients, even if it grows slowly.
Snake plants can do well in low light, but they like sunshine that comes from the side.
When the earth feels dry, water your snake plant. In the spring and summer, this happens about every two weeks. In the winter, it happens about once a month.
Snake plants can live for many years if they are well taken care of.
A pot made of pottery or clay is best for a snake plant. Strong, thick roots can’t hurt these materials, and they dry out faster than plastic, which is good for this plant because it likes dirt that is dry.
Snake plants do well in pots that are wide. Depth isn’t as important as width, which needs to be the right size for these tall plants. Even though snake plants don’t mind being a little confined in a pot, plants that are too confined can hold on to too much water and find it hard to absorb nutrients. As a general rule, choose a pot that has two inches of space on all sides.
