How To Prune A Snake Plant?
If you let a snake plant grow to well over 4 feet tall, the plant will spread outwards as new leaves emerge from the rhizome below the soil, and it becomes necessary to tidy everything up and to maintain your snake plant in good health.
Check the plant carefully for signs of damage or poor health, and prune to restore shape, reduce size, and improve the appearance of your snake plant. Use sharp, sterile pruning tools or a sharp knife to trim leaves at the soil line. Remove mature leaves first, and damage later.
When Should You Prune A Snake Plant
The plant is extremely hardy and slow growing, so it is likely to tolerate pruning well at any time of year. However, it is best to prune your snake plant when it is actively growing, ideally in spring or early summer.
Pruning does stress a snake plant, so if your snake plant is not healthy, it is advised that you improve general care measures first, to help it grow in a healthy way, and then prune it, to encourage rapid recovery.
Why Should You Prune Your Snake Plant?
Maintain The Size Of Your Snake Plant
The snake plant grows by spreading out from a rhizome under the soil. New leaves will gradually enlarge the spread until it fills the entire container. This can cause your plant to become root bound and stunt it’s growth.
In comparison to the size of the plant as a whole, snake plant roots can be quite substantial. A plant that looks comfortable in its container may possess roots that are tightly wound around the inside of the container.
It is important to maintain the size of your plant, without having to repot it into a larger pot, by pruning regularly.
The leaves of a snake plant can also grow for a long time, and a plant that is relatively small when purchased can soon have leaves that are numerous feet tall. One way to maintain a more moderate height is to trim off the tallest leaves.
Remove Damaged Or Old Foliage
A snake plant’s leaves are so interesting, and they may last for years. However, any damage that occurs to them permanently stays on the leaves. Excessive sunlight, overwatering, or an infestation by pests all lead to damaged leaves that eventually start looking unsightly.
Improve The Shape
While snake plants are relatively hard to kill, their leaves have a tendency to curl, droop or bend in a variety of ways. This can make your plant look less attractive.
When the snake plant leaves start to behave unpredictably, pruning is an excellent way to tidy them up, restore some symmetry, and quickly correct a variety of issues.
Here’s How You Prune Your Snake Plant!
Equipments Needed
For this job, I usually get both a knife and a pair of scissors or pruners as the knife makes it easy for me to cut the leaves at the soil line, while the scissors work well on leaves in the center of the plant.
When pruning your houseplants, use rubbing alcohol or boiling water to sterilize your tools, even if they look cosmetically clean. Your tools should be sterile, as it is easy to spread disease between plants when pruning your houseplants.
Then choose a clean surface with plenty of space to prune your snake plant. Pruning can be messy, because you will probably disturb some of the soil, and you will also have many cut leaves at the end. A clean bench or kitchen counter will do just fine, but place some newspaper on any surfaces that could stain or get damaged when you prune.
Step-by-Step Guide
Pruning a snake plant is a relatively easy process. Start by looking at the shape and size of your snake plant. Consider the shape and size you would like it to have at the end of the process. This will help you identify which leaves to cut.
Reduce The Spread Of Your Snake Plant
Use the sharp knife to cut off the leaf as close as possible to the soil line, assuming you wish to reduce the size of the plant rather than simply remove damaged leaves. It is a good idea to remove the leaf as close to its base as possible to improve the appearance of your snake plant. Stubby leaf stumps generally do not look great, so it is worth the extra effort to cut the leaves off as close as possible.
Reduce The Height Of Your Snake Plant
Once you have removed the outer leaves to your satisfaction, pay attention to the height of the plant. Remove each leaf that is taller than you want it to be.
In the interior of the plant, cutting the leaves with pruners or scissors is easier than a knife, but it is harder to cut the leaf right at the base. Don’t be concerned about this, as no one will see the leaf stumps. Your plant will still look beautiful.
Remove Damaged Leaves
When you have trimmed down your snake plant to the proper size, look for any damaged or damaged leaves that you would like to remove for the cosmetic appearance. Ensure that removal of this foliage won’t leave your plant looking lopsided or sparse.
If you prune your snake plant, do not prune it back more than one third at a time. Pruning can be a stressful experience for your snake plant. If you cut it back too far, it may become vulnerable to disease or it may struggle for several months afterward.
I would also advise against taking portions of leaves and pruning them. It is tempting to just cut off the brown tips and leave the rest of the leaves, but this won’t help much as the cut ends become brown and will lead to disease.
How Often Should I Need To Prune My Snake Plant?
If you cut your snake plant one third or less, you will need to prune it again in 2-3 years. Snake plants do not grow particularly rapidly, and the rate depends on the conditions you are growing your plant in. Some people grow snake plants in lower lighting conditions indoors to slow their growth.