5 Common Snake Plant Mistakes to Avoid This Year
Snake plants are tough as nails! They make hardy houseplants that thrive in low-light conditions. Although tough, they sometimes face growing issues in the comfort of our homes. Join longtime houseplant grower Jerad Bryant in discovering these five common mistakes to avoid.
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Snake plants need little to perform their best. They tolerate low light and water levels throughout their lifetime, thriving in conditions similar to pothos and spider plants. They like lower light conditions partially due to their native habitat—they grow beneath taller trees and shrubs that block sunlight access. They must make do with bright indirect or dappled sunlight below the forest canopy.
Give them similar conditions in your home and they’ll grow without issues! Avoiding these common mistakes will create the perfect environment for your budding plants. Whether growing whale fin cultivars or variegated ones, these tips will help you avoid watering, fertilizing, and lighting mistakes that threaten your snake plant survival.
5 Snake Plant Mistakes to Avoid
Even the most experienced gardeners sometimes need help caring for their plants—I know I do! Use these mistakes as learning lessons and you’ll avoid future caretaking heartaches. We’ll discover easy ways to identify and correct common snake plant issues so they can quickly heal and recover.
Improper Lighting
Snake plants are interesting species with unique needs. In their native range of West and West Central Africa, they grow beneath taller shrubs and trees, thriving with dappled sunlight or partial shade outdoors. Indoors, they need bright to medium indirect light or partial shade to perform their best.
With too much light, the fronds accumulate sun scald and burn marks, and they may turn yellow, brown, or black and look bleached throughout. Sites with more than six hours of direct sunlight are too sunny for this species and are better for houseplants like cacti, succulents, and evergreen shrubs.
Your snake plants are happy when their foliage is bright, vivid, and strong, but it is a mistake to scorch them or deprive them of light. The tongue-like fronds should feel tough and resistant to folding. Place your houseplants in a location where they’ll receive two to six hours of direct sunlight daily or bright indirect sunlight most of the day.
Extreme Temperatures
Most houseplants dislike cold temperatures, but snake plants are exceptions! They tolerate cool temperatures to 50°F (10°C). If your home’s temperature falls this low, it’s most likely too cold for you! You can use your preferences to regulate the temperature and avoid freezing your perennial’s fronds.
In the same manner that freezing temperatures affect this perennial’s growth, so too do extremely hot temperatures above 90°F (32°C). They’ll lead to mushy leaves, wrinkly fronds, and root rot if there’s excess water.
Short stints of cold or hot weather are okay, as this plant is extremely tough! Simply avoid lengthy periods to keep your specimen happy and healthy. Snake plant species are perennials outdoors from USDA hardiness zones 10 through 12, where ambient temperatures stay in the preferred range year-round.
Not Enough Water
Although hardy, these drought-tolerant specimens need some moisture to grow new fronds, they appreciate dry soil in between irrigation sessions. This frequency simulates their natural habitat where rainfall is random and infrequent. Give them water every 2-8 weeks, depending on the following.
Give your houseplants what they need, and they’ll reward you with continuous growth without interruptions. One way to know if it’s time to water is to use the finger test. Simply place your finger deep in the container’s soil, then see if you sense any moisture. If wet, hold off on irrigating. If the soil’s dry below the surface, irrigate your plant freely so water drains through the container’s holes.
You can use a plant moisture meter if you’re unsure. Symptoms of too little water include drooping leaves, wrinkled fronds, and leaf yellowing. Your plants will slow their growth and have few new sprouts. Indoors, most specimens will need water once every one to two weeks. Their specific irrigation needs depend on the seasons and how much light they receive in your home.
Too Much Water
On the opposite side of the spectrum, excessive moisture is also a common mistake with snake plants. The standing water drowns the roots, preventing them from accessing nutrients and air below ground. Their roots start rotting in place before sending the rot upwards into the leaves.
Avoid root rot by irrigating your specimens after the soil dries rather than on a schedule. It’s best to check their containers using the finger test, as you can sense moisture below the soil’s surface. If you’d rather not stick your finger into the pot, use a stick to poke deep down. Then, pull it up and touch it with your finger to see if there’s moisture in the pot.
When you irrigate, it’s perfectly okay to pour ample amounts of water into the container. You simply want to avoid irrigating an already wet plant. Your houseplants will drink water according to their living conditions, meaning plants with lots of sun exposure will drink quicker than others in darker environments.
One other irrigation-related issues causes problems later on. Heavily chlorinated or hard water with lots of salts can negatively affect snake plant growth, leading to crispy frond edges that turn black or yellow. Avoid any salt-related problems by irrigating using filtered or distilled water.
Overfertilizing
Just as hard water negatively affects the soil and roots of your plant, so does excess fertilizer. Snake plants need nutrients, but it is a mistake to add too much fertilizer, as this can cause issues like chlorosis, yellowing foliage, and leaf or root burns.
It’s best to fertilize your houseplants once every month or two during the growing season with a well-balanced organic fertilizer. Use the package’s instructions to determine the correct dosage, and add water to the powder or liquid to distribute it evenly throughout the container. Avoid leaving pools of the stuff on the soil’s surface to prevent root and leaf burn.
In their native range, these perennials produce flowers before growing new sprouts during the winter, although they typically won’t often bloom as indoor plants. Stop fertilizing your snake plant as fall and winter arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can snake plants live outside?
Yes, they can! They’re herbaceous perennials from USDA hardiness zones 10 to 12. They’re considered aggressive weeds in some regions. Consult local guides first to see whether they’re weedy in your local climate.
Will my snake plant grow in water?
Surprisingly yes! You can propagate it easily in water by taking frond cuttings and placing them in jars. With sufficient light, water-propagated plants can survive many months before needing soil.
Why is my snake plant falling over?
It’s most likely due to the plant outgrowing its container. Tall specimens fall over! Repot it every few years as it outgrows the pot. If it’s not rootbound and leaves are yellowing, it could be from too much water or insufficient light. Moderate the growing conditions to match what your plant needs for best results.
