The snake plant is probably one of the most popular houseplants in America, mainly because it is so easy to maintain and beautiful.
Because the leaves look like tongues, they are sometimes referred to as the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue plant. What do you mean by the mother-in-law? This plant is also known as the snake plant, so let me remind you of that.
Plants like these grow really well if given the right conditions, but the length of time it takes for them to grow is not always known. In this blog post, you will learn about snake plant growth rates, whether or not they need light, what soil type is best for them, and more!
How Fast Do Snake Plants Grow?
Snake plants are much slower-growing plants; they typically grow several inches each season. In addition, they will produce an additional 2 to 4 new leaves per season. It’s important to be aware that your snake plant will enter a dormant state during the winter, in that new growth won’t occur.
Ultimately, the amount of moisture in the air in your home, the type of soil, and the amount of water you provide determine how fast your plants grow. If you maintain these factors consistently for each plant in your collection, then they will likely all grow at a similar rate.
By measuring monthly or quarterly increments with a ruler and keeping records, you could determine how quickly your plant grows. Using this method, it would be easy to compare which plant is growing the fastest.
The next step is to learn how to manipulate the growth rate of a snake plant. To put it bluntly, you just need to apply the opposite of what’s recommended to slow growth.
How to Make Snake Plant Grow Faster?
Make sure to add fertilizer to your soil and to water the plant before you put it back in the ground. This results in larger leaves for plants as they have access to nutrients in a shorter amount of time.
By heating up your house or apartment during the day, you can increase humidity. In high humidity, snake plants do not need as much moisture as they do in low humidity, which makes them sensitive to low humidity levels.
Snake plants should be grown in a pot that is large enough for them. Since snake plants are climbers, if you put them in a pot that is too small, they will only grow tall and not develop the width that they need to produce new leaves. The roots of these plants have less potential for growth since there is less room for them to develop since they cannot sink as deep into the soil.
Keep your snake plant outside on the patio or balcony during the warmer months so that it can absorb the sunlight without having to spend time inside in a place that doesn’t get nearly as much light.
If you have a plant near an east-facing window, place it in a shaded area (not direct sun) so that the cool climate-loving plant will receive proper light.
During the spring, summer, and fall months, you should keep the soil moist and fertilize the snake plant with water-soluble fertilizer once a month. Plants that are dormant during the winter months do not need to be watered as often. A snake plant’s roots can rot if there is too much water in the pot.
This organic plant might attract pests that chew off leaves. Neem oil serves as a pest deterrent when you find leaf damage on your snake plant.
Drainage holes are incorporated into the bottom of the planter so that excess water can drain away without damaging the roots.
How to Halt the Growth of Snake Plant?
Withholding water. The snake plant still needs water, but you should delay the watering by a few days. Having to wait will mean that the plant’s growth will be slowed.
Giving less sunlight. Similarly as with water, you can stop your snake plant from growing by reducing the amount of sunlight it receives.
Small pot. By using a small plant pot, you can prevent the roots from spreading too far, you can reduce the growth rate of snake plants.
Low humidity. The snake plant thrives in humid environments. In order to prevent your snake plant from growing, you should lower the humidity levels.
How Large Do Snake Plants Grow?
The snake plant grows up to about 12 inches tall with leaves between 14 and 22 inches long. However, snake plants can reach heights in excess of 5 feet!
What Dictates the Growth Rate?
When it comes to a snake plant’s growth rate, there are many factors to consider. It is possible to alter these factors to increase or decrease the growth rate of your plant.
Pot size. Reduce the size of the pot to slow down the growth. The growth rate will be faster and larger if the pot is large enough and has plenty of soil.
Water. Snake plants are prone to root rot or leaf droopiness if they are watered too often. Plants need water depending on where they are located, but generally speaking, they need to be watered every week or every two weeks, depending on how warm/cold their environment is and if it has rained recently.
Remember to not overwater the soil if you want the soil to completely dry out. When watering your houseplant, do not pour too much water onto one spot as this can cause root rot leading to the death of your plant.
Light. If you want snake plants to grow well, place them in an area that receives plenty of natural sunlight throughout the day. It can stunt their growth if they are exposed to too much darkness!
Humidity. An environment with increased humidity will enable snake plants to grow faster.
Temperature. The temperature of a snake plant should be kept at a comfortable temperature, since too much heat or cold can harm it. For optimal conditions, the temperature should be between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Soil quality. Those plants that grow in good soil have a higher nitrogen content, which is an advantage when compared with those that grow in poor soil with lower nitrogen levels. When fertilizer is needed, use it! Using worm castings is my favorite method of growing snake plants.
Pruning. Pruning may not be necessary at the beginning of the growing season, but you may need to remove some dead leaves after a few months.
Fertilizing. Regular fertilizer will ensure their leaves remain green and promote healthy growth.
Season. You can determine how fast your plant will grow based on the season. Summer and spring are when snake plants grow most of their leaves. During the cold months, your plants will become dormant, which means that no new growth will occur.
Pests. As a result of attacking the leaves, insects reduce the growth rate of plants. To prevent pests from attacking your plant again, put a barrier around it. There are a number of common snake plant pests, including scale insects, mealybugs, and spider mites.
Conclusion
This concludes our discussion of snake plant growth rates. Every year, my snake plants grow several inches. Winter and autumn are slow growth seasons for my plants, which means they don’t grow during these months.
The purpose of this post is to introduce you to snake plants and to hopefully learn something new. The other pages in our blog can provide you with more information. In addition, we offer tips on how to grow indoor plants!