Beginners should opt for snake plants as they are virtually impossible to fail with. You can propagate these gorgeous plants easily, regardless of whether you want to share them with friends or keep them for yourself.
Snake plants are available in a wide variety of species, with the same propagation technique and care requirements.
The needs of this plant are different from those of regular tropical plants because it is a succulent. A very crucial thing is the watering of the snake plant. The snake plant can go days without water, but overwatering can be fatal for the plant. We must not neglect the plant, however.
A well-lit place and the correct amount of water must be provided for the plant every 14-15 days. Plants like snake plants are propagated either from a leaf in its entirety or by dividing the leaf into halves and propagating those.
Let us understand the propagation technique of this beautiful succulent plant in more detail.
Snake plant propagation time
Rhizome refers to a plant stem that produces roots and shoots at the nodes. The snake plants are propagated through the creeping rhizome.
It’s best to propagate snake plants in the spring, but you can also propagate them in summer and fall. Winters are not good for propagating snake plants.
During fall, it is best not to keep the plant outside because it takes too much water and has a tendency to rot. Keep it indoors.
All varieties of the Snake plant benefit from the propagation method shared in this guide.
The snake plant is tolerant to low light levels and extreme water levels, or to extreme temperatures, but it should have access to the right amount of humid conditions.
The snake plants might develop root rot if they are overwatered since these plants are succulent.
Don’t propagate unhealthy plants, as these will probably only create problems later on. Make sure to revive plants first and then propagate.
At present, we have a list of all the things required for the cycle.
The things mentioned above will be discussed in detail in the propagation process, and the rest will be discussed in the future.
It has been made clear to all of our readers that there is only one golden rule to propagation. Let me remind our new users of the same.
The first three items on the rundown should be common to all pruning and propagating procedures.
There were three items: scissors, pruners, disinfectants, cotton balls. I wonder why disinfectants were used.
A straightforward reply to this question is that we do not want any diseases or pests to be spread from the mother plant to our new plants or illnesses to be transmitted from the scissors to the mother plant.
It is important to keep away from the possibility of exchanging diseases, so we will first clean everything. Apply the disinfectant on the cotton balls and clean the pruners with the rubbing alcohol.
As we follow the propagation method, we will understand the use of the rest of the items.
Propagating snake plant
Propagation of snake plants is straightforward and involves four methods:
- Cutting from the rhizome
- Cutting from the whole leaf
- Growing from the cutting of the leaves
- Propagating the Snake Plant by division
We will get into the details of each of these techniques, and then move on to the propagation technique.
Cutting from the rhizome
We need to first understand what snake plant rhizomes are so we can fully comprehend this process. Rhizomes are stems that grow roots and shoots from a node in plants.
We will observe in the case of the snake plant that roots are growing from the end of the node when we pull out a leaf.
The rhizome will then need to be separated from the soil, and we will need to choose whether it should be propagated.
We must remember the golden rule before we propagate our snake plant, which is to clean our clippers and other tools.
Apply some disinfectant with the cotton ball to the pruners and clean them well.
The risk is avoided that diseases or pests will be transferred from the mother plant to the new plant that we choose to grow.
Otherwise, the pruners might be infected with bacteria and viruses that could get transmitted to the mother plant.
As soon as the pruners/clippers are cleaned, cut the plant from the rhizome by digging into the soil with the pruners/clippers.
With the snake plant, the rhizome will have roots at the end, and the cutting containing the roots will be used to propagate a new snake plant.
There will be numerous roots oozing out of the nodes we can identify. The nodes will be white and there will be numerous roots oozing out of them.
In case of root rot, the plant will be very delicate, so check for such issues before cutting.
For the propagation process, keep two such rhizomes aside.
As we are working with two rhizome cuttings, we will need two such pots for the process. Mix the pots with equal parts of potting soil, vermicompost, and cactus soil. Half of the mixture can be used for cactus plants.
Once the pot is half-filled with soil, keep the rhizome cutting and add the rest of the soil to the pot. Tap the pot lightly and press lightly.
The plant should be watered and the pot should have a drainage system to let water ooze out of the pot.
Placement of the succulent is crucial. These succulents love bright to medium light, but not direct sunlight. So, keep it indoors or under shade if outside.
Since succulents are prone to root rot, the snake plant may also experience root rot. Water only if necessary, so keep an eye on the watering regime. If overwatered, these plants might develop root rot.
Snake plants need slightly moist but not soggy soil. Once these conditions are met, you can’t stop them.
This cutting is expected to grow completely within two months. Ensure that the plant is not overwatered by checking the watering conditions and, if necessary, creating a water regime.
To avoid overwatering issues, we strongly recommend that these plants are used with a moisture meter.
Cutting from the whole leaf
Previously, we discussed the ease with which these succulents can be grown and propagated. Snake plant cuttings can also be used to propagate the snake plant.
A white portion of the leaf below is all that we need for cutting the leaves. The rhizome does not have to be cut. Take a pair of clean pruners and cut the leaf from the bottom.
You should cut two or three leaves for the process since all of the leaves may not survive the process.
When we have a full leaf, there are two options. We can either pot the whole leaf in soil, or we can treat the entire leaf in water and keep it that way.
It is up to you how you want to do it. If you are impatient, you might consider keeping the whole leaf in the water for a few weeks until it develops roots, and then we can transfer.
For storing the leaf in water, you need to first get a container and fill it with water. Place the leaf cuttings in the container.
The roots will begin to emerge from the leaves after 2-3 weeks. It was previously mentioned that these plants are prone to root rot, so the root rot should just be snipped off the end of the leaf affected by root rot.
It is recommended that you change the water once a week. Otherwise the container may build up algae. The changing water also provides plenty of nutrients to plants due to suck up nutrients from the water.
Plant the leaf cuttings into the soil as soon as the roots have formed on the leaf cuttings.
Our Snake plant will grow just as well if we put the leaf cuttings directly in the soil as if we were keeping them wet.
They are tolerant to extreme temperatures and climate conditions. Those same procedures were used for rhizome plantation when potting the whole leaf cuttings into soil.
You can use three parts vermicompost and one part potting soil in your pot, or a mixture of the two in a 50/50 ratio.
Plant the whole leaf in the pot. By taking more than one leaf, it will help us plant multiple plants, as all the leaves might not survive during the process.
Water the leaves to the brim the first time after they have been planted into their pots, and thereafter water wisely.
It is best to water these plants once a week during summer and not water them during winters.
Growing from the cutting of the leaves
In order to propagate the plant, we will need the leaves cut. Begin by cutting around two leaves from the mother snake plant with your disinfected pruners/scissors.
The marking technique is also relatively straightforward, and it entails a simple process of propagation.
From one leaf, we will need to cut approximately 3 inches. By doing this, we will have 4-5 pieces of the leaf cuttings.
Marking the upper portion of the leaf cuttings is a simple technique. We were talking about a simple technique, and that technique is cutting the leaves.
We need to mark the cuttings so we can plant them the same way, that is, the upper cutting must go on the upper side and the lower cutting on the lower side.
We should be able to separate the leaf-cutting portions by marking them with pen markers so as to avoid mingling them up.
After the cuttings are done, our options are two. In either case, we can either transfer the cuttings directly into the soil or keep them in the water first and then transfer them to the soil.
Which process you choose is entirely up to you.
I can suggest keeping the cuttings in water for about two weeks until we see new roots emerge from the cuttings if you are impatient.
As the cuttings might not lie still on the water, we might face difficulties in keeping them in water.
To accomplish this, we can wrap a container with a rubber band or rope and create compartments so the leaves don’t fall out.
Then, change the water frequently if we choose to keep the cuttings in water first.
Since snake plants are succulent and are prone to root rot, some leaf cuttings may result in root decay. So, if you see any, clip off the leaf clippings from the bottom.
If you prefer to grow the plant in soil, you can directly plant the top of the leaf into the soil. The mix should remain the same as previously.
Use three portions of vermicompost with one portion of garden potting soil, or use equal parts of both.
Place the upper portion of the leaf cuttings into the soil. Pour some water into the pot.
Our process will need about 2-3 months to grow. We do not need to add any fertilizer since plain water will be sufficient.
If we overwater the cutting, it could turn rotten. Once the plant has developed roots, it is ready to be repotted.
Using the same process, we will repot the snake plant. Keep in mind that snake plants love to be pot bound, so choose pots accordingly.
Propagating the Snake Plant by division
You can also propagate the snake plant by dividing its root ball is another way. That’s right.
The root ball can be split in half and separated from the pot.
Let’s see how we can accomplish this.
To propagate a snake plant by division, we need to gently remove the root ball from the pot.
Find out if the rootbound plant needs to grow completely or if it needs root development.
The root ball can be divided into many halves if it is large. If it is not, we can choose to divide it into two halves.
But is the snake plant ready?
The roots you want to separate must be sufficient underneath each half.
Rhizomes and roots should be available for the snake plant. Only then will it thrive.
Now we can plant the cuttings from the root ball into new pots. We can use garden soil as well as a mixture of succulent soil or cactus soil. We can also add some compost to the mixture.
Make sure that the root ball is cut with disinfected shears. This will enable us to quickly multiply the Snake plants.
Now all that is required is a bit of attention, care, and a bit of watering. Do not overwater the snake plants.
You can multiply snake plants by following these simple steps. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. Happy propagation!
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