It is possible to grow and care Snake Plant in water, hydroponically, after having so much fun propagating and rooted them in water! Snake Plants, also known as Mother-in-Tongue, Law’s were previously classified in the genus Sansevieria but were recently moved to the Dracaena genus. I’m having a hard time keeping up with all of the changes!
Although I am not an expert in hydroponic growing, I do know a thing or two about plants, therefore I’ll show you how I converted my plants to permanent hydroponic growth. It is, I assure you, uncomplicated.
Grow and Care Snake Plant in Water
Someone I know has been growing snake plants in plain water for over a decade. There is no fertilizer, just simple water and some pebbles. They weren’t quite prospering, she added, but they made it!
This got me wondering, and I decided to try hydroponically cultivating my water propagated snake plant pups. Except I wanted to tweak things a little and add fertilizer to the mix so the plants looked their best!
I won’t teach you how to convert a soil-grown plant to a hydroponically grown plant in this post, but I will do so in the future and update this post when I do. Basically, you’ll just wash all of the dirt off.
The techniques outlined below can be used to any plant that has already been rooted in water. This particular post features snake plants that I grew from seed. The first thing I did was separate my puppies from their “mother” leaves, which I had propagated in water.
One of the leaf cuttings has a new puppy sprouting on it!
Then I just cut the pup off right where it was emerging from the leaf cutting with a pair of scissors.
My puppy is now free!
I repeated the process until I had a number of pups to use in my hydroponic system. Check out my blog post on how to propagate snake plant, or sansevieria, in water if you want to learn more about how I raised the pups.
Next, select a solid glass vase or pot with no drainage holes for hydroponically growing your snake plants. A narrow, shallow glass jar was employed.
Note that algae will form over time, especially if you use a clear container, but I decided to use glass since I wanted to fill it with pebbles and make it seem nice.
I used Mosser Lee River Pebbles, which are readily available on Amazon. You don’t have to add stones, but it will keep the plant more stable and in place, as well as make it seem better!
Other materials can be used instead of river pebbles, but make sure they’re plant-safe.
I started by placing some pebbles in the bottom of the glass container, then adding the pups one by one, continuing to add more pebbles and straightening them as I went. I buried each puppy in the pebbles about 2-3 inches deep.
It may take some trial and error before you find an arrangement that you enjoy!
After you’ve added the pebbles, fill the container with water until the water level is just below the pebbles’ surface.
The water I’m using is simply tap water to which I’ve added a fertilizer that I adore. It’s called Dyna-Gro Grow, and it’s incredible!
Your plant won’t do much if you only use plain water with no fertilizer, and it will eventually suffer. As a result, it’s critical to use a good fertilizer. By the way, if you have a water softener system in your home, don’t use it because it is poisonous to your plants.
When you’re finished, simply set your plant in a well-lit area and you’re ready to go. My plant is in front of a window that faces east. As my plant grows, I’ll update this page.
Routine Maintenance Snake Plant in Water
Finally, here are some recommendations for routine care for snake plant in water at this time:
Keep an eye on the water level at all times when you grow snake plant in water. It’s fine if some of the water evaporates, but don’t allow it to dry completely! Fill it up with your fertilizer solution as needed.
Stop using fertilizer and only use plain water in the winter when light levels are low and plants aren’t growing much, if at all. In the spring, you can resume your fertilizer solution.
It’s a good idea to change the water fully once or twice a month, rather than merely topping it out. This will assist in keeping everything clean and fresh.
If the water is hazy or stinky, it is likely that something has decomposed. Remove all of the water, as well as any rotten material, and thoroughly clean the container. To keep the water clearer and fresher, add a piece or two of activated charcoal.
Algae will almost certainly grow, especially in a clear container like the one I used for my project! Algae isn’t always unpleasant, but if it gets out of control, simply remove your plants from the container and clean it with warm water and soap. Rinse it thoroughly and re-pot your plants in the container.