Snake Plant Brown Tips (Solution and Prevention) #2

YouTube video

Temperature Stress

This is a problem sometimes faced by our homes in the cold winters, particularly in those where some form of indoor heating is needed.

Most of the time, we tend to heat our homes while we are awake, and let it drop drastically during the night.

Our weather changes drastically at night and we turn the heater back up again in the morning. Few plants thrive under these extremes. Even the hardy snake plant will suffer.

Solution

Temperatures below 50°F (10°C) will not be conducive to the growth of the snake plant.

The temperature range should not fall below that with thermostatically controlled radiators, even at night.

Prevention

Firstly, you should be aware of how warm and how cold the surrounding temp will be in your plant’s vicinity.

An alternative is to use a thermometer that tells you both how high and how low the temperature goes.

Plants in rooms with elevated temperatures during the winter may benefit from being relocated to other rooms with stable temperatures.

Finally, you should consider things like radiators and windows when positioning the plant.

When you keep it close to a radiator, you will experience an increase in temperature and a corresponding fall in temperature the next day.

A plant can be protected from below the crucial minimum temperature by simply moving it away from a cold window.

Root Bound

The roots of a plant are considered to be root-bound when they fill the pot in which it is growing to the extent that it cannot grow anymore.

In the long run, the nutrient levels in the leaves will be reduced if this problem is not resolved.

Plants will eventually be unable to grow as large as they had expected, and their leaves may become brown because of inadequate nutrients.

Solution

The problem is relatively simple to detect, and it is also easy to solve. If you can’t get your finger in the soil to feel for moisture, then your plant is probably becoming root-bound.

The root system will quickly become apparent if it occupies all of its pot, when you tap it.

In this case, repot the plant into a larger container. Don’t pull too hard on the roots.

Prevention

You will easily spot this problem when testing the moisture level in the soil.

Another telltale sign is roots that are poking through the hole at the base of the pot.

Root Rot

Root rot is a much more serious issue than being rootbound. This is caused by the plant standing in soggy potting soil, which will quickly cause the death of its root system.

Your plant will eventually die from yellow blotches on its leaves and soggy leaves.

Solution

Root rot can be alleviated if caught early by making sure the roots are allowed to freely drain and then allowing the soil to dry out.

If the case is more serious, repot the plant into new potting soil, scrape any loose soil away and repot.

The top two to three inches of the soil need to dry out before watering again.

Prevention

The first thing you need to do is make sure to water your plant properly. Place it in a container that doesn’t contain any standing water.

Finally, always use a medium that drains well. A succulent or cactus mix will serve you well.

If you don’t have access to one of these, mix twenty percent perlite in your potting soil, or even add a small amount of gravel, to speed draining.

Pest Damage

Unfortunately, these plants are not very prone to pest infestation. Sapsuckers such as mealybugs and spider mites are two of the few exceptions to this rule, and they can be dealt with on their own.

When leaves are dehydrated resulting from sap-sucking pests, it shows up as brown spots.

Solution

Occasionally you may be able to scrape off a few mealybugs by hand, but if they become more established, just squirt them with alcohol.

The best way to control spider mites is to raise the humidity levels. Wipe the leaves carefully with a damp cloth and then make sure the humidity levels remain elevated and these creatures should cease to be a concern.

Prevention

The secret to keeping pests at bay is spotting them early. If they are caught early, the damage can be reduced.

Getting rid of them becomes much more difficult if they become established.

Fungal Disease

Several diseases are exacerbated by incorrect watering, among them fungal diseases.

A southern blight and a red leaf spot are the two most common fungal diseases which have the same treatment and prevention methods.

Solution

You can avoid this problem by allowing the leaves to stay dry and the soil to drain freely. 

Prevention

Make sure plants never become waterlogged by following good watering protocols. Do not water at the leaves of the plant.

It is best to water in damp conditions at the beginning of the day so that it can evaporate throughout the day.

Does my Snake Plant need the brown tips cut off?

The crispy brown tips are dead leaf material that no longer serves any purpose for the plant.

Cutting them off will neither hurt nor help your plant, but they may be too unsightly for you.

Keeping the cut within the dead tissue will eliminate the need for the plant to convert energy into healing another wound.

Conclusions

The snake plant is one of the most forgiving plants that you will ever own. The first thing to look for is a watering problem if you start to see signs of it becoming unhappy.

You now know how to handle that. Only if the plant is burned will lighting become a real issue. You may be able to solve the problem by moving the plant away from the windowill facing south.

If you are concerned about pests and diseases, pay close attention to the base of the leaves for signs of pests trying to conceal themselves. All in all, this is a beautiful plant that won’t cause you sleepless nights. 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are still many recent and interesting articles about Jade Plants..

..as well as other unique information from All Things Gardener..

For further information and other inquiries..

..you can contact us here

Was this helpful?

Yes
No
Thanks for your feedback!