Now that you have learned about fertilization, how it benefits your plants, and the frequency at which you should fertilize, now you are ready to fertilize! How to fertilize a snake plant? Easy, for the steps are super easy to follow.
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Two things should be checked before fertilizing a snake plant: “My snake plant is in good health and has no underlying conditions”, and “I do not need fertilizer in order to fix its problems”. The reason I have you check off those boxes is because too often I’ve seen people use fertilizer as a “Hail Mary” to fix their plants’ problems and get them to where they perceive they should be. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Snake plants can become stressed if they’re already struggling with other things, such as poor watering practices, pests, sun scorch, etc., and fertilizing them could just make them worse, or induce death.
Fertilization Steps
After you make sure that your snake plants indeed need some additional nutrients from fertilizer, the next thing to do is to put it into action!
1. Gather Supplies
The supplies needed to fertilize your snake plant are pretty simple, so your list isn’t long. You need your snake plant, fertilizer, a bucket or watering can (I keep one just for fertilizing), and a liquid measuring cup.
2. Mix Water and Fertilizer
Performing this step improperly can lead to damage, so it’s crucial! Over-fertilizing is likely to damage your plant with brown leaf tips and edges (see step 4 for more details). Make sure you are adding the correct amount of fertilizer based on the amount of water you have measured. When it comes to fertilizing your snake plant, it’s better to add less than the fertilizer says to so as not to harm it.
3. Drench Soil
The next thing to do in how to fertilize a snake plant is filling the pot nearly to the top with water so that it starts to run out the bottom. You will be ensuring that all of your snake plant’s roots receive nutrients from ALL of the soil in the pot. If you do not mind water dripping out of your snake plant, place it in the sink.
*If the pot of your snake plant does not have drainage holes, do not follow this rule. Instead, you should take great care when applying water to the soil. You run the risk of having your snake plant roots literally rot if you add too much compost, and your snake plant will likely die or lose a lot of foliage if you add too little. Rather than causing problems, you can either water your plant/fertilize it once without adding too much fertilizer, or you can stretch out the time over a few weeks.
4. Watch For Signs Of Over-Fertilization
If you notice brown edges, browned tips, or entire yellow or brown leaves on your snake plant over the next few days, it’s a sign you’ve over fertilized. But don’t worry! Your snake plant can be helped by soaking in the sink or shower to remove the soil. To do this, you submerge the pot under running water and allow the water to drain from the bottom. By doing this for a minute or two, you will be sure your snake plant will be able to recover and be fine in the long run.
This is how to fertilize a snake plant correctly without causing you or your plant any problems. It can be helpful to fertilize your snake plant periodically to maintain its vitality and health. In a few months, you may even get to see your snake plant flower! Your research into this plant deserves it!
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