Everyone’s dream is to have a snake plant grow straight. An interesting characteristic of snake plants is the erect leaves, which grow to a height of up to five feet. The leaves of snake plants often fall over or bend in an unpredictable fashion, which is a common complaint among gardeners.
The snake plant leaves are also falling over which is also wondered by many. Lighting problems, overwatering, and incorrect repotting practices can cause this condition. In addition to storing water in its leaves, the snake plant also absorbs sunlight. Therefore, if you fail to take care of your snake plant correctly, the leaves will fall over.
How can you make your snake plant grow straight? The following post will guide you through the process of bending the leaves so that they are straight.
How to Keep Your Snake Plant Growing Straight
You must keep the soil moist but not wet. You should also water the plant with extra care so that the leaves stay upright. Water them when the soil is 2″ – 3″ inches dry to the touch. It needs more frequent watering of snake plants that are in partial shade.
After the water has run through the drainage hole of the container, you should stop watering your snake plant. During the winter months, it is highly recommended that you water your snake plant once a month. Make sure the pot has drainage holes once more.
The snake plant requires the use of a fast-draining potting mix or potting soil mixed with coarse or perlite in a pot one size larger.
The indoor plant should be exposed to the southern window during the winter, and an east-facing window during the rest of the year is appropriate. If your snake plants have developed rotten roots, then you can wash and trim the rotten roots, and then pot them in a new pot with good drainage.
Pruning snake plant is the best way to keep it straight. Drooping leaves need to be pruned. Pruning snake plants makes them bushier, just like most plants. Growing snake plants as quickly as possible is accomplished by pruning, which will also help to remove unneeded leaves.
In addition to that, you should prune your snake plant to ensure it gets to the right size and shape. If you have never pruned your snake plant, however, it could be one of the main reasons why it grows stunted. A bit of pruning, however, can help your plant to grow bushier and healthier.
Until the roots have regained their health, you can avoid fertilizing the pot. Do not fertilize them when they are dormant. For your snake plants, an appropriate 10:10:10 dose of fertilizer is a viable option.
Don’t overfeed them with fertilizer. Snake plant fans will only fertilize this plant once a year, and they will continue to do so for the next year as well. After the excess fertilizer has been flushed out, do not fertilize them for a month.
Why Snake Plant Leaves Fall Over?
The leaves of Sansevieria store water just like all succulents. As far as it is concerned, the native environment of dry rock conditions will suit it well. Snake plants are not fond of wet feet and suffer from root rot if they are overwatered or the soil is poorly drained.
In addition, it is important to keep the inside of the pot dry by watering around the edge of the pot and allowing the water to drain freely before relocating it on the drainage saucer. If you already water the plants, please wait until the top layer of soil is dry before watering them again. The snake plant should only be watered when the leaves appear wilted. It is usually enough to meet every month.
Putting them in areas with no light for a prolonged duration of time can also cause their leaves to fall over. Although your snake plant will grow well without being exposed to direct sunlight, the extended absence of exposure to direct sunlight will cause its leaves to fall over.
If your snake plant does not have problems with lighting or watering, then the reason the leaves fall over may be caused by rootbound, which is also a result of improper repotting. Putting them in a pot too large or repotting them more often than 3 to 5 years will also cause the roots to rot.
Damage Caused
Snake plants fall over for a variety of reasons. Falling snake plant leaves, however, indicate an underlying problem with your plant. The roots of snake plants become wet and thirsty for nutrients and oxygen from the soil when they are overwatered.
Furthermore, rotten roots can affect the overall health of your snake plant as well as spread to healthier roots. Apart from that, fungus will develop in poorly-drained soil due to over-watering, which can kill the roots.
A snake plant’s roots are typically firm and black or pale in color, but rotten roots become mushy, soggy, and blackish-brown in color. Snake plant leaves falling over while the roots are still buried is a tell-tale sign of rot.
A root condition known as root bound can also harm your snake plant. When a barrier restricts or binds the roots of snake plants, this condition occurs. You can start inhibiting healthy new growth when you place your snake plant in a pot that is too small.
Basically, you can use walls, piping, or footers as barriers if you grow the plants outdoors. Snake plant leaves will fall over as a result of stunted growth.