Snake Plant Splitting and Treatment of the Problem : snake plant or as some people call it Sansevieria, is one of the resistant and easy-to-keep plants that can survive different situation. snake plant splitting has different reasons; among them, we can point out the improper temperature of the place of storage, watering and unprincipled fertilization of the plant, as well as the lack of or much light in the place where snake plant is grown at home.
All the following things can cause this problem in your plant, so you should immediately seek to solve the problem of Snake Plant Splitting. if you act in time and provide the requirements for snake plant care, you may be able to save your snake plant. before we start talking about Snake Plant Splitting, it is best to read the following article about methods of watering snake plant and snake plant light requirements to get the gist of keeping this beautiful plant.
A brief review of Snake Plant Splitting
as mentioned above, Snake Plant Splitting has different reasons like improper temperature, watering and fertilizing and light. like any house plant, snake plant thrive best in the temperature range of 60 to 85 Fahrenheit. If the temperature is suitable for keeping the plant in all seasons of the year, you will not see the snake plant leaves Cracking or snake plant splitting.
snake plant cracking and Snake Plant Splitting can happen due to both high and low temperature. in environments with higher than 85 degree, the plant will lose more and more water and on the other hand, in environments with lower than 60 plant will start struggling to survive to it will give up growing and just trying to keep itself alive. in such situations will you will probably see splitting snake plants and snake plants leave curling.
the room temperature is usually suitable for snake plant but you should bear in mind that sudden change in temperature or placing it near the heating and cooling devices can causes irrecoverable damages to your plant, it is better to keep this pivotal point in mind while keeping snake plant. in a separate article we have talked about snake plant keeping conditions which is a must to read.
1 The effect of temperature on snake plants splitting
Snake Plant Splitting can have different reasons; some of which were mentioned above. Like many other house plants, snake plant has the best performance and growth in the temperature range of 60 to 85 Fahrenheit. (snake plant is not a cold-resistant houseplant) and if the temperature is not suitable for keeping the plant at all times of the year, you will see the leaves of your plant cracking.
Both high and low temperatures are the causes of snake plant splitting so that if the ambient temperature exceeds 86 Fahrenheit, the evaporation of the leaves of the plant will increase, and a lot of moisture will be lost from inside. And on the other hand, if the ambient temperature drops below 59 Fahrenheit, the survival mechanism in the plant will be activated, and your snake plant will try to take care of itself. In the meantime, you may even see your snake plant leaves curling.
The temperature of the home environment is often suitable for the keeping and cultivating of snake plant. Still, the thing that damages the plant is sudden changes in temperature or exposing the plant’s to cooling and heating systems. make sure to pay special attention to this critical point. Don’t worry about the keeping snake plant, it is a easy-to-keep plant and can survive bad conditions.
2 Does watering cause Snake Plant Splitting?
overwatering causes yellowing and Wrinkling Of Snake Plants of snake plant leaves because the roots of the plant are rotted and do not absorb water and nutrients. Still, on the other hand, underwatering causes snake plant splitting too.
If the watering of snake plant is less than the tolerance threshold of the plant, the plant tries not to reach the tips of its leaves. Instead, the same low humidity flows in the middle of the leaves, and if you continue to water your plant, over time, it will become less humid. It will not flow in the middle of the leaf, and over time you will see the beautiful leaves of your plant cracking.
also check houseplant leaves turning yellow
Many people water snake plant with only one glass of water, which is entirely wrong because the best way to water the plant is to moisten the soil in the pot well and as soon as the excess water is removed from the bottom of the pot. Immediately stop watering the plant, which does not happen with a glass of water.
On the other hand, the best time to water snake plant is to check the moisture level of the soil layers from the end of the pot through the drainage holes, and if the soil is dry, water the plant. To do this, you can use your index finger. Insert your hand into the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot and check the moisture in the bottom layers of the soil.
For essential watering and to prevent the cracking of snake plant leaves, it is suggested that you never have a specific plan for watering your plant (such as when you decide to water the plant every Tuesday) and the moisture of the lower layers every two days. Check the soil and water your plant if necessary (snake plant needs less watering in winter than summer).
3. Does receiving improper light cause Snake Plant Splitting?
snake plant is a plant that grows in nature under the shade of trees; therefore, to grow and maintain the plant at home, we must imitate its growth pattern in nature and always provide it with full but indirect sunlight (snake plant is one of the plants It is considered an apartment with low light).
If there is too much light in the place where the snake plant are kept, you will see a burn or browning of the snake plant leaf, in which case the middle of the leaf will turn brown, and if you do not move the plant to a place with less light, you will see the beautiful leaves of your plant crack.
You will be On the opposite point of high light; low light also causes the snake plant splitting , with the difference that there will be no burn marks on the leaves.
When the light is low, less chlorophyll is produced in the leaves of snake plant . If the plant is not treated, the leaves will not be able to provide energy for photosynthesis, and precisely because of this, the leaves of snake plant will crack.
Suppose you are sure that the reason for the snake plant splitting is due to the improper lighting of the place where the plant is kept. In that case, it is recommended to place the plant pot at a distance of two meters from the house’s windows and always filter the light through transparent curtains, so there is no problem. The Metabolism of your plant do not occur (snake plant needs at least six hours of sunlight during the day).
4 Lack of moisture and snake plant splitting
The lack of humidity in the environment can also cause this problem in your plant; providing sufficient humidity is in favor of maintaining the vitality and freshness of the snake plant plant, and low humidity causes the leaves of this plant to crack.
In conditions where the humidity is low because the leaves lose more water, they become dry and cracked, and this disease of snake plant becomes more common.
To provide the enough snake plant humidity, you can use different methods such as a cold misting device, making an island and misting, which should be done with cooled boiled water, so your plant doesn’t suffer any further problems.
5 Improper fertilization causes Snake Plant Splitting
Plants need to receive essential elements from the soil to grow optimally. If the use of chemical fertilizers is high, the soil environment is full of excess salts, and the roots of the plant suffer from burn symptoms. Problems of lack of moisture are encountered.
On the other hand, if the use of chemical fertilizers is low, the plant will lack nutrients, and the leaves will slowly lose their original color and crack.
Boron is one of the micro and nutrient elements of the soil, which plays a crucial role in the cell wall structure and plant reproduction. If the boron element does not reach the snake plant sufficient quantity, the leaf cells of this plant stop growing and are ready to crack.
In soils that are too acidic or alkaline, the boron element becomes unavailable to the plant. Using and spraying boric acid solution is a way to compensate for boron deficiency in censorship.
6 Improper soil snake plant splitting
The soil you provide for the growth of snake plant must have organic matter, high drainage and no pathogens such as fungi.
If the snake plant soil does not have any of these characteristics, for example, it does not have proper drainage power, it remains too wet and shows its effect in the form of cracks and splitting on the leaves.
The heaviness of the soil and the retention of water in itself can eventually cause rotting of the roots of snake plant then cracks in the leaves. The best combination for this plant’s soil is the combination of perlite + peat moss + cocopeat and a little garden soil.
In this article, we tried to check everything that causes Snake Plant Splitting. The most critical factor that can cause the death of snake plant the future is excessive watering, lack of good soil drainage and root rot, so you must take the problem seriously and fix it quickly. If you have any questions or problems, post them in the comment section.
My snake plant is one of those that has narrow spikes.And l am seeing little dry Irregular spots on the spikes ?What am l doing wrong ?
Dry, irregular spots on a snake plant’s narrow spikes might indicate various issues. It could be due to overwatering, sunburn, pest infestation, or even fungal infections. Check the plant’s moisture level and ensure it’s not being watered excessively, as soggy conditions can lead to fungal problems. Also, review its exposure to direct sunlight, as too much sun can cause burns on the leaves. Inspect the plant closely for any signs of pests, such as spider mites or mealybugs, which can create spots or marks on the leaves.