Is your snake plant‘s pot bulging uncomfortably? Does the foliage seem to be suffering? If so, it may be time to think about how repotting snake plant is done.
It’s not a difficult task. Depending on the age of your plant, you may be able to divide it at the same time, thus making a second plant!
When Should I Repot?
The best time to do this repotting is in the late winter or very early spring. This puts the transplant during the time of year that the plant’s not in active growth mode.
But if needed, it can be performed at any time of year. You’ll know it’s time when roots start creeping through the drainage holes of your pot. Plastic pots may start to bulge a bit. When watering, it’ll seem as though all the water is coming straight through, and none staying in the soil.
Grasp the base of the plant to support it and gently turn it over. Take a look – do you see roots spreading out the bottom of the pot? Does the plant appear to be stuck, or does it slide out with ease? If it’s stuck, it’s definitely time to get it in something a bit more roomy.
While the mother in law’s tongue likes to be a bit rootbound, it doesn’t do well when all that’s left in the pot are roots. So when it reaches that point, or if one of the other signs appear, you’ll know it’s time to get it done!
You can also propagate snake plants if you’d like through division while you’re repotting. We’ll talk more about that further onward.
Transplanting Snake Plants
Now that you know when, let’s talk about how to transplant a snake plant.
First, you’ll need to select a new pot. Because of the tall leaves, the mother in law’s tongue can become quite top-heavy. It’s important to pick a pot that’s wider than it is deep, just to ensure it won’t tip over from the plant’s upper weight.
Try to find a pot which is about 1-2″ wider than its current pot. Don’t increase the size too dramatically. Extra soil may create pockets of moisture that can cause root rot to form.
You’ll also need a soil which is extremely well-draining. As this plant likes to be a bit on the dry side, pick a soil meant for tropical houseplants. You can also amend a standard potting soil with some succulent mix to increase its drainage.
I like to use an African violet soil blend with a bit of sand added for drainage. You can also use a blend of one part garden soil, one part peat moss, and two parts perlite or builder’s sand.
While adding a little compost is good, avoid adding too much. Compost tends to hold moisture, which may create a risk for the snake plant’s root ball. A little bit goes a long way here.
Remove the plant from its prior pot, being careful not to damage the root ball. Once it’s free, examine the roots. If you see dark or mushy spots on the roots, those have developed rot. Use a clean, sterile knife to cut rotten portions away.
If there’s large roots that wrap around the entire root ball, use your knife to slice through those as well. You shouldn’t need to cut it more than once. The goal is to stop the roots from preventing further growth.
Place some of your potting mix in the new pot and set the plant on top of it. Keep it planted at the same depth it’d been at in its old pot, but keep it within 2″ of the pot’s rim. Remove or add soil to get it to the right depth.
You do not have to tamp the soil down too firmly. Ensure it’s in there well enough to support the plant, then water it in. If the soil sinks after watering, you can add more soil around the sides to bring it back to the right height.
See? Repotting snake plant is actually very easy!
Post-Transplant Care
Avoiding transplant shock is important, especially if you had to trim rotten roots. You don’t want your plant overly stressed for a little while.
Normally, snake plant can tolerate full sun conditions. But for at least a month after transplant, opt for bright but indirect light. This is of less concern if you transplant in late winter or early spring when the sunlight’s not super-hot. Summer transplants should definitely be kept out of the sun for a while.
Avoid fertilizing your plant for at least a month, too. This gives the roots time to re-establish themselves in their space. The last thing you want to do is cause a fertilizer burn to the roots when they’re still tender from moving! So give them some time.
Water when the top inch of the pot has dried out, but don’t overwater. If you keep a saucer under the pot, drain out any excess standing water in it. Too much moisture is dangerous to the roots, as it can promote rot development.
What About Division?
Dividing snake plant requires a little finesse. You have to determine where the division points are before you can split it up.
Examine your plant, especially where the leaves and stems vanish into the soil. Remove your plant from its pot to make it easier to find the individual stems.
Grasp at the base of one of those stems and give it a little wiggle. You should be able to tease the roots apart a bit. Repeat the process to loosen up the root mass and partially separate the plants.
With a Japanese garden knife or sterilized razor blade, sever the plants from the mass. You can keep two to three clumped together, or separate each individual plant into its own pot. Decide what looks the best as a grouping and go with that.
Once you’ve divided them, follow the above sections to repot your plants in separate pots. Opt for a pot which is roughly 1-2″ wider than the size of your divided plant’s root cluster.
Repotting snake plant really is that easy! And what’s best of all is that it only needs to be done every 2-3 years. Your snake plant will be happy, you’ll be happy… and you might even get new plants too!
Replant at the same depth - Place the rootball into the new container at the same depth it was in the old one, and fill in around it with fresh soil. Gently press down - Remove any air pockets and ensure the Sansevieria is stable by gently pressing the soil around the base. Continue to add more until the pot is full.
Most snake plants don't need to be watered immediately after repotting. Snake plants grow best in dry conditions and do not thrive in damp, cold soil. Unless the snake plant was extremely dry and brittle during repotting, its generally best to wait for a few days (or even up to a week) before watering it.
This means that you don't need to be watering the snake plant after repotting. But if you feel the top of the soil is a little dry, it's ok. We recommend that the best way is to wait for one day or two before adding water to your plant again. Too much moisture is not good for your plant.
Do Snake Plants like small pots? Yes, they do. As the taller species & varieties grow bigger, they need larger pots. The lower growing varieties do fine in smaller pots.
After re-potting or potting up, plants tend to enter a period of shock. Don't worry – it's normal! Plants may appear wilted and thirsty, but take care to refrain from watering until about a week after re-potting to ensure that any roots damaged during re-potting have healed.
Yes you can propagate snake plants in water. But it can take a long time, lead to rot, and the babies tend to have a harder time transitioning back to soil. Propagating snake plants may take a long time, but it's very easy to do.
Water from the bottom of the pot, if possible. This encourages the roots to grow downward and deep, helping to stabilize the thick, tall leaves. During the winter, while the plant isn't actively growing, water less often than you would in spring and summer.
Keep it planted at the same depth it'd been at in its old pot, but keep it within 2″ of the pot's rim. Remove or add soil to get it to the right depth. You do not have to tamp the soil down too firmly. Ensure it's in there well enough to support the plant, then water it in.
Snake plants do best with a free-draining soil mix because they are easily prone to rot. A soilless potting mixture is best to ensure adequate drainage. Also, be sure to use a terracotta pot that won't trap water inside and promptly remove any standing water from the saucer.
Plant your snake plant in a container with Miracle-Gro® Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix. Water when the top 2 to 3 inches of soil are dry. Feed with Miracle-Gro® Succulent Plant Food. Divide when your snake plant's roots have completely outgrown the plant's container.
Now, as a general rule of thumb, Snake Plants prefer to be root bound, so if you don't need to do this I don't recommend that you repot your plant into a larger pot. This can unnecessarily stress your plant out.
Cinnamon as a rooting agent is as useful as willow water or hormone rooting powder. A single application to the stem when you plant the cutting will stimulate root growth in almost every plant variety. Give your cuttings a quick start with the help of cinnamon powder.
You can keep them on if there is enough room in your pot. Because the rhizomes grow out horizontally and then up, sprouting pups can quickly make a snake plant outgrow its home. You can keep the babies attached to mom if you want. You'll just need to size your pot up and add some fresh soil.
I prefer to give plants a bath (bottom water) as step one, a day or two before I repot, then I like to thoroughly top water drench after repotting, as top watering also helps flush out excess dirt and silt from the new substrate.
Water. Your Snake Plant only needs to be watered fortnightly, allowing its soil to completely dry out between waterings to prevent overwatering and root rot. During the winter months feel free to only water your snake plant once a month if the soil is still moist after 2 weeks.
Touch the soil every few days to see if it's dry or crumbly. If the soil is dry, it's time to water your snake plant. Generally, once a week works great. Smaller snake plants may last up to two weeks between watering while larger snake plants may require watering every two to three days.
Because snake plant likes all light types (it will happily withstand full sun as well as low light) you can plant it on your porch in the shade or out by the pool in full sun.
They can grow indoors and outdoors, with little to no maintenance. What's more, snake plants can also help filter indoor air, a quality that can keep you safe and healthy.
Believe it or not, snake plants prefer to be a little pot bound. This means you don't need to repot your plant that often. A general rule of thumb is to repot every 2-5 years but it can be left even longer depending on your plant.
Snake plants do best with a free-draining soil mix because they are easily prone to rot. A soilless potting mixture is best to ensure adequate drainage. Also, be sure to use a terracotta pot that won't trap water inside and promptly remove any standing water from the saucer.
Plant your snake plant in a container with Miracle-Gro® Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix. Water when the top 2 to 3 inches of soil are dry. Feed with Miracle-Gro® Succulent Plant Food.
Can I use regular potting soil for a snake plant? I don't recommend using regular potting soil for snake plants because it can be too heavy, and easily lead to overwatering and root rot. You can amend it with sand and perlite to make it drain faster.
Water the soil mix thoroughly after repotting plants. Again the exception would be succulents & cacti which I keep dry & let settle in for 2-7 days (depending on the type of succulent) before watering.
Allow the roots to reestablish for at least one month before applying any type of fertilizer, otherwise the fertilizer may burn the roots. Water the snake plant when the top 1 inch of soil feels dry and empty any collected water from the drip tray beneath the pot promptly so the soil doesn't become waterlogged.
I'm telling you, these are the toughest houseplants! Layer the bottom of your pot with gravel, add your soil and your snake plant. Don't worry about a water tray. The rocks act as your water tray, allowing the soil to let go of unnecessary water and avoid root rot.
Place plants in low light or bright, indirect light. Plant your snake plant in a container with Miracle-Gro® Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix. Water when the top 2 to 3 inches of soil are dry. Feed with Miracle-Gro® Succulent Plant Food.
Do snake plants need drainage holes? No, but they do still need some form of drainage. If you're potting a snake plant and it does not have drainage holes, be sure to use a pot with a layer of rocks or something similar at the bottom, and water less frequently than you would normally water your plants.
You can also add a handful of fir bark, perlite, pumice or clay pebbles. Aim to create a loose, fast-draining soil with lots of air pockets, which is an ideal growing environment for snake plant roots. This type of soil mix also helps prevent overwatering.
According to Vastu, Snake Plant can be best positioned in eastern, southern and south-eastern corners of your house. You must avoid placing the plant above any table or surfaces and it must not be bordered by any other indoor plants.
Your Snake Plant only needs to be watered fortnightly, allowing its soil to completely dry out between waterings to prevent overwatering and root rot. During the winter months feel free to only water your snake plant once a month if the soil is still moist after 2 weeks.
Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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