While I am not a hydroponic expert, I am knowledgeable about the cultivation of plants, so I will demonstrate my process of converting my plants to hydroponic growing systems. I promise it will be simple.
Snake Plant Rot in Wet Soil but Not in Water? Why?
This is a very valid question! If you do not want to know the answer, simply move on to the next section! It’s really interesting!
The availability of oxygen at the root zone is mainly determined by the presence of water in the underlying soil. Plant roots will take in oxygen to thrive. Aerated soil will absorb oxygen from the air so that the water near the roots will absorb oxygen from the air. Waterlogged soil, on the other hand, will not allow the air to reach the roots.
Especially if the soil is too dense, too much moisture will stress your plants because there aren’t enough air pockets in the soil so they can’t breathe. Further, numerous microorganism are found in soils, and they compete for oxygen. When oxygen is depleted, it causes various fungi to grow, leading to decay of roots.
There is a much lower level of oxygen competition in just ordinary water, so your plants will not rot.
Growing Snake Plants Hydroponically
A friend of mine has grown snake plants in plain water for over a decade. Just plain water with some pebbles and not even fertilizer. She said they weren’t quite thriving, but they survived!
In this post, I won’t be showing you how to transfer a soil grown plant into one grown hydroponically. All you’ll have to do is wash the plants roots to remove all the soil.
The steps that I’m going to show you below can be used practically for any plant that has been rooted in water.
Step-by-Step Guide
In the beginning, I cut the pups off the mother leaves I propagated in water.
Then I used a pair of scissors to cut off the pup where it was emerging from the leaf cutting.
A narrow, shallow glass container worked well for hydroponically growing my snake plants. I used a sturdy glass vase.
If you use a clear container, algae will eventually grow, but I want to use glass for aesthetic reasons.
Add pebbles if you’d like. It doesn’t have to be a lot of pebbles, but it will make the plant look much nicer and keep it firm and in place!
Other materials such as river stones can also be used, as long as they are safe for plant use.
Several pebbles were added to the bottom of the glass container, then pups were added one by one as I added more pebbles and straightened them as I went. Each pup was approximately 2-3 inches deep in the pebbles.
After you have placed the pebbles, add a little water so that the water level is a little below the pebbles.
I use plain tap water with fertilizer added.
Without a good fertilizer, your plant won’t do much, so it’s important to add a good fertilizer.
Once done, place your plant in an optimally lit area and you are all set.
After Care for Hydroponic Snake Plant
Lastly, here are some tips for routine care at this point:
Check the water level every few days. It is okay if some of the water evaporates but do not let the system go completely dry! Keep topping off with the fertilizer solution.
The winter is when the light levels are low and plants don’t grow very much, if at all. So, stop using the fertilizer to protect plants from cold weather as well as from excessive cold.
It is advisable to change the water in your aquarium periodically, maybe once or twice a month, rather than just topping it off. This will help keep everything fresh and clean.
Remove any water, any rotten debris, and clean the container thoroughly if it is cloudy or smelly. You can also add a piece or two of activated charcoal to keep the water fresh and clean.
Plants that are in clear containers are likely to get algae, which isn’t necessarily bad, but if it gets out of hand, you can simply remove the plants and scrub the container in warm water and soap after you wash the container. Place your plants back in the container.
