The snake plant is a common house plant known as Sansevieria. This is a native plant to Africa and Asia. When it comes to characteristic features of the snake plant, it has browned, curly and wrinkly leaves. It has a special ability to purify the air by removing toxic pollutants.
It also says that this plant may help boost people’s mental health. This plant also helps to get rid of some allergies. Moreover, according to feng shui, it believes that snake plants may support enhancing the energy of a space. This has become a very famous indoor plant because it can survive in low-light conditions and has an air purification feature.
Understanding The Signs Of Underwatered Snake Plant
Many problems snake plants face. Out of them, underwatering is one of the most common issues. There are plenty of symptoms that can understand in underwatered snake plants. The following describes a few of them.
Wilting leaves
Wilting leaves are a very common problem for almost all plants. So, it has become a major problem to snake plants too. Even if this has hard leaves, then the leaves will lose the hardness and rigidity and become droopy. Plants will suffer from this when they are not under proper care. Lack of water nutrients and overexposure to pests and sunlight are some factors in wilting leaves.
There are plenty of ways to check wilting leaves. If you feel dry and crispy when you gently touch the leaves of your plants, the plant already has wilting leaves. If you can see the stem’s bending or drooping nature, you can still indicate that the plant doesn’t get enough water.
Moreover, then the plant may be leaning to one side too. Wilting leaves in an underwatered snake plant can be identified by examining the soil too. If the soil is over-dried and pulled away from the pot, it reminds us that the plant needs more water. It is important to water plants properly and allow excess water to drain out properly.
Moreover, if the leaves become curl or shrivel, it shows that the plant needs to be watered as it is under stress.
Yellowing leaves
Another common sign of an underwatered snake plant can be mentioned as yellowing leaves. Leaves will even get brown in colour if this situation becomes worse. This will happen when the plant does not receive enough water for survival.
When the plant loses the capability of taking enough water and other essential nutrients to keep the leaves healthy, yellowing leaves start. This will also build up toxins in the leaves, and those leaves will step by step, turn yellow and then brown. Next, the leaves will eventually die and drop down from the plant.
Yellowing leaves in snake plants can be checked by examining the leaves properly. When it begins, the surface of the leaves is dry and rough than usual. So, if there are any spots or discolouration or the leaves have a dry and crispy texture, it clearly indicates that the plant does not get enough water for survival.
So, it is very important to water the snake plants regularly to get rid of yellowing leaves. As snake plants cannot tolerate periods of drought successfully, it is important to keep the soil well-drained too.
Proper Watering Techniques For Snake Plants
It is very important to water the plants properly according to the way of their survival when we look after several plants.
So, we should use the best techniques when watering snake plants to eliminate the lack of watering and overwatering.
Watering Frequency
Snake plants should be watered according to the proper frequency for their health and well-being. Lack of water may badly affect plant growth by letting them dry, while too much water can rot the roots.
Snake plants should be watered more frequently in dry climates other than in humid regions. As a common rule, snake plants can be watered every two to three weeks. Here, the soil should be well-dried before the next watering day.
The type of soil used in the pot, the amount of sunlight and the size of the pot affect the watering frequency. If the plant requires more water if it is exposed to too much sunlight. If it feels dry when you touch the soil an inch deep in the plant pot, it indicates that the plant needs to be watered at that time.
But if it feels moist, the plant should not be watered for a few days because overwatering avoids the long living of the plant. The age of the plant, too, should be considered while watering, as child plants and old plants should be watered at different frequencies.
Watering amount
The watering amount is very important for a plant for its long healthy well-being. Snake plant does not need to be watered frequently as it can last long without water. This is called the drought-resistance nature of this plant. Overwatering will cause fungal diseases and rot the roots. If it becomes worse, it is even able to kill the plant.
There are some tips to avoid overwatering snake plants. As these plants can live weekly without water, using well-draining soil and pots with holes is better. As too much water in the soil can rot the roots, likewise the common death of snake plants, this will avoid that kind of death anymore.
If you feel the soil is dry, do not water again until it becomes dry. Using a moisture meter to check the soil’s moisture will give better results.
Overwatering can be avoided by adjusting the watering frequency according to the climatic season. So, more water will be needed in dry and hot seasons, while less water is required in cold seasons.
Watering Methods
There are many different methods of watering snake plants. Each method has both advantages and disadvantages. So, it is very important to use the best method while watering when having a healthy plant.
Pouring water directly into the pot’s soil is one of the most common methods for watering snake plants. As water directly leads to the soil, it can be sure that water is definitely going for the roots. But unfortunately, if the poured amount of water is more than enough, it will rot the roots due to excess water.
Snake plants can be hydrated by misting the leaves too. This will keep the leaves clean by increasing the humidity level of the plant. But it will consume a lot of time if there are many plants to be watered.
In addition, the pot can be positioned in a shallow bowl of water. Plants will absorb water via drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. This will avoid overwatering. But this method is time-consuming and complicated.
Reviving An Underwatered Snake Plant
If you have any underwatered snake plants, the steps below should be followed to make the plant healthy again.
Step-by-Step Guide
Soil and leaves should be checked to examine how dry they are. The plant may be underwatered if the soil is dry and the leaves are yellow. They should be watered properly by neither overwatering nor giving enough water to plants. Plants should be focused on their health and energy by cutting off the damaged and dead leaves.
Snake plants should be placed in an area with properly lit but not in direct sunlight, even though it requires brightness for its growth. Moreover, plants should be given fertilizer for weeks.
Here are some tips to avoid future underwatering of snake plants.
- Water the plant regularly.
Snake plants like to be underwatered other than overwatered. So, they should be regularly watered according to the soil’s moisture.
- Choose the Right Pot
Choose a pot with good drainage holes to allow excess water to drain away. Snake plants prefer to be slightly root-bound, so choose a pot that is slightly smaller than the plant.
- Use Well-Draining Soil
This is used to prevent waterlogging and root rot.
Common mistakes to avoid
There can happen so many mistaken activities when maintaining snake plants. The following describes a few of them.
Overwatering the plant is one of the most common mistakes, which can lead the roots to rot and even unintentionally die the plant. This can be avoided by watering the plant only when the soil is dry according to a proper frequency and in a proper amount which is neither too much nor so much. Moreover, cold water should never be used for watering as it can damage the plant. Using room temperature water is best for these plants.
Placing the plant directly in sunlight is another mistake which can burn the leaves step by step. Therefore, the plant should be in a bright place with indirect sunlight. Fertilizing the plant, too, should be done under proper guidance. It is also very important to maintain the plants properly without being tempted to make them growth fast per our desires.
Additional Tips for Healthy Snake Plants
Snake plant is a kind of easy-to-care-for houseplants. Here are some additional tips for maintaining the plants healthy and properly.
Proper Lighting
It is important to understand the amount of light needed for a snake plant’s healthy growth and maintenance. This prefers to stay in a bright environment with indirect sunlight.
Long-term direct sunlight may lead the leaves to burn and weaken the plant. Therefore, they should not be exposed to sunlight directly, but the surrounding area of the plant should be bright with indirect sunlight or any other artificial lights.
LED, fluorescent, and grow lights can be used as optional methods to provide sufficient lighting to snake plants as they do not provide excessive heat while lighting. It is better to use cool white or daylight bulbs as the spectrum provided by them is similar enough to natural sunlight.
Soil and fertilizer
Snake plants should be planted in proper suitable soil for healthy long living. A well-draining soil that allows for air circulation around the roots of snake plants is most suitable. It is better to use a potting mixture of perlite, peat moss, and coarse sand. They will balance the moisture retention of the plant. This will also control the drainage of the plant.
When fertilizing a plant, it should be done properly under the correct guidance. It is better to fertilize the plant once a month during its growing seasons. Fertilizing the plant in dormant seasons, including winter, is bad.
Fertilizers that are being used should have balanced amounts of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen, which is very important for the plant’s well-being. Moreover, pay attention to the instructions given in the package too.
Sum Up
Reviving an underwatered snake plant is possible with the specific requirements. Therefore, the plant should be properly cared for without letting the leaves wilt or become yellow.
The plant should be watered, considering the soil’s moisture and the plant’s size and age. The best methods should be used to water the plants to make them healthier. It is important to supply indirect sunlight and sufficient fertilizer to the plant, especially in the growing period. If you can maintain the plant up to better guidance with no mistakes, the plant will be healthier.
Even though reviving an underwatered snake plant can be challenging, it will definitely be worth the effort because a little attention can bring life to the plant. Therefore, enjoy the valuable benefits it gives by looking after the plant by spending a few minutes of your precious time.
