Repotting snake plants : snake plant repotting at home is a pleasurable task that can be done with minimal damage to the plant if you know how and when to do it. The snake plant belongs is a succulents plant and have different variety. Snake plants are undoubtedly one of the beautiful apartment plants that many anthophiles are interested in keeping them. This plant is one of the resistant houseplants and has easy keeping conditions. snake plant care is very easy and at the same time very delightful.
If you pay attention to a few main factors of keeping this plant, you can keep it at home or work for a long time. So, if you think it’s time to repot your snake plant but don’t know how to do it, stay with us to the end of this article. Before getting started, lets read this article on when to repot a houseplant.
important point in snake plant repotting : One of the important factors in the keeping of snake plants is the time to change the soil and the proper method of changing the pot, which will significantly help the plant to grow.
When should we start repotting the snake plants?
You might wonder when the best time for repotting the snake plants? The best time for doing so is late winter and early spring. The reason is that most plants don’t grow much in cold seasons, and they don’t get shocked by repotting at this time. However, it is better to do this whenever you feel that it will grow better by repotting the snake plant. When the roots of the snake plant grow a lot and start to come out from under the pot, it will be the best time to repot. Therefore, it is better to check the roots of the plant and the bottom of the pot from time to time to know the right time to repot.
Steps for repotting snake plants:
- Check the plant before repotting snake plants
- Choosing a pot suitable for the size of the plant
- Choosing soil with high drainage
- Watering the old pot
- Remove the plant from the pot
- Raising the drainage of the pot by creating a hole at the bottom of the pot and pouring pebbles
- Placing the plant in a new pot
First step: Check the plant before repotting
The first step in repotting snake plants is to check the plant’s health. The snake plant that you want to repot must be healthy, that is, without yellow leaves, pests and diseases, and have bright green leaves because only healthy plants can accept the new pot and adapt to the new conditions. As a result, if you find out that your snake plant is sick while repotting, first seek to fix the problem and then proceed to repot. Be sure to water with fungicide before repotting the snake plant so that if there is any fungal disease in the roots, it will be destroyed.
Step 2: Choosing the right pot for the plant
While choose a pot for snake plant make sure that the pot should have good drainage because the snake plant’s roots of the snake plant are susceptible to being wet and will be destroyed soon (We suggest not using cylindrical pots, and if you want to use this type of pot, put 1/3 of pebbles in the bottom of the pot or place a plastic pot to raise the drainage). When buying a snake plant pot, choosing a flower pot that quickly removes moisture from itself is necessary. For this purpose, clay pots are excellent choices; if your plant is outside the house, do not use a metal pot at all. Also, the bottom of the pot should have one or more holes so that excess water can easily drain out.
Step 3: Choosing the suitable soil for repotting the snake plant
Generally, soil suitable for the snake plant does not retain excess moisture and allows water to pass through it well. A suggested soil is a combination of potting soil and cactus soil.
So, be very careful in choosing the soil for snake plant repotting so that problems such as Snake Plant Root Rot and fungal disease do not arise for your plant.
Characteristics of the soil of the snake plant
The soil of all indoor plants loses its salts and nutrients after a while due to overwatering. Therefore, the plant will no longer have the initial growth and will not receive nutrients. At this time, replacing the pot’s soil with a new one is necessary. Depending on the type of houseplant, suitable soil should be used. If you are keeping a snake plant and intend to repot it, you should pay attention to a few points in this regard:
Soil with proper drainage
The meaning of soil with proper drainage is that the water can flow well through the soil, and its excess is removed from the bottom of the pot. If the soil of the snake plant does not have good drainage, the water will accumulate in the soil for a long time, and the soil will remain wet and will cause the plant’s roots to rot and ultimately destroy it.
Light soil
The lightness of the soil means that the roots can easily grow in it. Some soils are so heavy that they prevent root growth and water flow inside them. For this reason, you should consider light soil for the snake plant to provide suitable conditions for its growth.
Attention to soil PH
Every plant needs soil with the right PH. Since the snake plant needs acidity to neutralise the soil, it is better to have a PH between 4.5 and 7. The value of 7 indicates the neutrality of the soil, and the closer this number is to 0, the more acidic the soil is. Therefore, when buying soil for the snake plants, pay attention to this issue and buy soil with a suitable PH.
The best soil for the snake plant
Now that you are familiar with the characteristics of the snake plant’s soil, it is better to know the best soil for this beautiful apartment plant. Some people use ready-made soil for the snake plant and buy it in a package from the store. But combining some soils will have the best effect on the growth of the snake plant. The combination of clay, sand, vermicompost and animal manure is one of the best soil combinations for snake plants. It is also possible to use a mixture of leaves and loam soil for this house plant. The combination of leaf soil, garden soil, vermicompost, charcoal and sand will also be suitable for the snake plant. If these compounds are unavailable, you can use other compounds, such as leaf soil, perlite and garden soil.
Step 4: Water your plant Before repotting
It is better to water your plant so that the snake plant can be easily removed from the pot.Watering the plant when repotting snake plants can reduce possible damage when removing the plant from the pot.
Step 5: Remove the plant from the pot
If you have a plastic pot, press around the pot with your hand and remove the plant from the pot. For other pots, it is better to separate the part of the soil that sticks to the pot with a skewer or any other tool so that the plant can be easily removed.
Step 6: Creating drainage in the new pot First
Make several holes in the bottom of the pot so that the drainage of the pot rises, and then pour pebbles on the bottom of the pot and then some soil. By doing this, the drainage of the pot will increase several times.
Step 7: Place the plant in a new pot
After the above steps add soil to the pot so that when you place the plant on the soil, the end of the main stem is outside the pot; now, put the plant in the middle of the pot and fill it with soil. Pour enough soil, so the plant stays completely vertical in the pot and does not move. Finally, water the pot completely and transfer the plant to its previous location or a new location that meets the conditions of the snake plant maintenance.
If you notice a problem with your plant after repot, read the article plant wilting after repotting.
When is the best season to repot the snake plant?
the plant is not undergoing its active growth, and as a result, it will not be shocked; However, if you feel that repotting is necessary, you can do it at any time of the year. When the roots of the snake plant start to grow and come out of the drainage holes under the pot, it is time to repot. In this case, if you water the plant, the water will quickly leave the pot and will not stay in the soil.
To know if it’s time to repot, grab the bottom of the pot and gently turn it over; now look carefully, are the roots spreading themselves out from under the pot? Does the plant seem stuck in the pot or won’t come out easily? You should move it to a bigger pot if it is stuck in the pot. The snake plant enjoys the compaction of its roots in the pot, but it will not grow well if the entire volume of the pot is filled with its roots. So, if you see the above symptoms in the plant, repot the snake plant.
What are the signs of the time to repot the snake plant?
The roots coming out of the pot and its drainage holes are the best sign that it is time to repot. This means that the plant needs more space. It doesn’t matter what kind of snake plant you keep. This sign is valid for all types of this plant. In addition to the roots, the convex shape of the pot body also indicates the lack of space, of course, in plastic pots.
Plastic pots quickly show this bulge in their body, which means the root no longer has space to grow. But if your snake plant pot is clay, the only way to check the roots is to break the pot. Unfortunately, the pot will no longer be usable, but it is necessary to do this from time to time. As the last sign to repot the snake plant, we must say that the quick drying of the plant is another sign of changing the pot. Keep in mind that crowding the pot will make the plant suffer. In this case, the plant’s growth stops, and the leaves become shorter. This happens due to the root’s inability to receive moisture and nutrients from the soil.
If you don’t know why the root of the moon plant rots, I suggest you read the snake plant root rot article.
What is the cause of the yellowing of the snake plant leaves?
The reasons for the yellowing of the snake plant leaves are all due to environmental factors. The snake plant is a natural tropical plant, so very low and freezing temperatures can destroy some or all of its leaves. This happens both outside and inside the house.
The plant will suffer a temperature shock if it is near a cooling device or next to a window with a cold wind. Water is also very important; a lack of water dries the plant and turns the leaves yellow. It should be noted that the yellowing of leaves due to lack of water starts from their tips. On the other hand, overwatering will also lead to root rot. In this case, the root will be attacked by fungi, and the plant will die over time. The yellowing of the leaves is one of the first signs; this is the main reason for the weakening and death of snake plants.
To prevent the yellowing of the snake plant leaves due to irrigation problems, you should correct the plant’s watering; so, during the growing seasons, water your snake plant only when the soil is completely dry. In winter, watering once a month will be enough for it.
also check out 5 common reasons for houseplant leaves turning yellow
What is the cause of the swollen and smelly leaves of the snake plant?
The most probable cause is the rotting of the plant’s roots; This usually happens due to overwatering. The snake plant is one of the most resistant houseplants and needs only a tiny amount of water to have a healthy life. Its low need for water has made it challenging to estimate sufficient water. Do not worry if these symptoms appear because the plant can be treated; To treat the snake plant, remove it from the pot and wash all the soil around it in the sink.
Now that the root is exposed, cut off all the rotten parts with sharp, sterilized scissors. Also, remember that the cuts should be such that only the healthy parts of the root remain; Otherwise, decay will occur again. After cutting the rotten roots, leave the plant out of the soil for a night so that the plant can repair the cut parts and place its wounds. Finally, fill the pot with fresh soil and gently place each snake plant pod in the pot so that it stays upright. Keep the soil moist for 6 weeks, and watch your plant recover!
Is it necessary to water it after repotting?
As for the snake plant, it is better to wait for a little. As a result, after repotting the plant pot, you must first allow the snake plant to settle in the new soil and adapt to it. So you don’t need to water it immediately. The best situation is to resume watering the plant after one to two days of repotting.
Don’t forget that the snake plant is susceptible to overwatering; if it is waterlogged, it will be susceptible to various fungal diseases. In addition, overwatering of Sansevieria will lead to the rotting of its roots. As a result, after the first watering of the plant in the new pot, let the soil dry completely and then water the plant.
How to increase the air humidity around the snake plant?
During the day, the lowest tolerable temperature for the snake plant is 15, and the highest temperature is 26 degrees Celsius. In situations with no natural sunlight, for example, at night, the lowest temperature tolerable for snake plant is 12, and the highest temperature is 21 degrees Celsius.
By maintaining this temperature range in the storage place of the snake plant, its need for moisture will be naturally met. Note that to increase the humidity of the snake plant, never spray water on its leaves because this plant is sensitive to overwatering; it can quickly cause its death; This is because the leaves of the snake plant always tend to dry naturally.
By spraying water on the plant leaves, the leaves become wet, moist, and rot. If your environment does not have enough moisture for plants to grow, use air humidifiers instead of spraying. In addition, putting plants in pots together is a way to increase the humidity of the environment, and it will be efficient.
Summarizing the repotting of the snake plant
The snake plant is a beautiful apartment plant with easy maintenance conditions. Due to this plant’s beauty and good resistance, many people are interested in maintaining it. Several important factors should be considered to maintain the snake plant at home or in the workplace. One of these factors is suitable soil and pot use for the snake plant.
Since the soil of the plants loses its nutrients after some time, they should be replaced with new soil. The soil used for the snake plant should have proper drainage and be light. For this purpose, you can combine several different soils, which we have mentioned in this article. In addition to changing the soil, you can also repot the snake plant.
When the plant grows more, and its roots no longer have enough space to grow, it will be the best time to repot the snake plant. It is better to use a pot for the snake plant that repels soil moisture well and has enough space for the roots to grow.