Sansevierias, often known as snake plants, are one of the most hardy indoor plants. Their sleek, straight-standing leaves offer them a modern and fashionable appeal that goes with any indoor design. But there will be time where snake plant leaves turn soft.
While the Snake plant will not cause you any problems, keep an eye out for mushy or squishy leaves, which is the most common illness in these plants. The soft leaves problem is generally simple to solve, and because it usually stems from a single cause, it is also simple to diagnose.
Reasons Why Snake Plant Leaves Turn Soft
It’s most likely overwatering or root rot that causes your Snake plant’s leaves to turn soft. Listed below are some possible causes of your Snake plant’s soft leaves.
Overwatering
one of the reason wyh snake plant leaves turn soft is because overwatering. Sansevierias are particularly susceptible to overwatering, and their roots can become saturated very rapidly, therefore this is a regular problem with Snake plants.
The Snake plant’s roots may decay as a result of this.
When the leaves of your plant get mushy, check the moisture levels in the soil first, then gently raise the plant to inspect the roots.
Remove the roots from the container and softly dust off any remaining soil that is sticking to the roots if the soil in the pot is moist.
Replace all of the soil or potting mix you used, making sure there is no moist soil left in the container.
The roots on your plant would benefit from being trimmed of mushy or rotten material.
If your plant recovers and grows back normally, you should follow the steps above.
Drainage
If you think you’re watering the plant properly but it still has mushy leaves, the problem could be with the way the water is drained.
To begin, make sure your pot is well-draining, and next make sure the dirt is porous enough.
By pouring perlite into your soil mix and planting the Snake plant in a container with holes in the bottom, you can assure proper drainage.
To make this process easier, add small stones or pebbles to the bottom of the container to keep the soil from clumping.
Snake plants usually come in plastic pots from the nursery, which is not sustainable for them over the long term.
Terracotta and clay pots are ideal, as they are cheap and easy to break.
Due to the material, these pots allow for easier evaporation of water.
Humidity
Snake plants thrive in low to moderate humidity levels.
As a result, if the room is overly humid, the plants become mushy and soft.
It’s possible that placing the Snake plant near humidifiers or misting it on a frequent basis will cause root rot and plant damage.
If the snake plant is kept in a humid room, move it away, or if your house is humid most of the time, invest in a dehumidifier so that it can thrive.
How To Fix Snake Plant Leaves Turn Soft?
To fix this issue, here is what you can do:
Fixing soft Snake plant leaves is a common problem for many plant owners, as overwatering the plant is a common occurrence.
Check the soil and roots of the plant once you’ve found a few soggy leaves.
Overwatering, poor drainage, or humidity, all of which directly harm roots and contribute to root rot, are likely causes of this problem.
Remove the plant from its moist soil and repot it in fresh soil. Cut out the mushy or moist roots if the root rot has spread. Replace any plastic containers with terracotta or clay pots to ensure that excess water is properly drained. If the room where the Snake plant is housed is known to become very damp, move the plant to a less humid location or invest in a dehumidifier to prevent the leaves from becoming floppy.
Let’s have a look at how you can completely prevent this problem in the next part.
Tips To Avoid Snake Plant Leaves Turn Soft
Snake plants lose their charm and, if not taken care of, will lose all their leaves once their sleek, beautiful leaves become soft.
Following are a few suggestions –
Inspect The Leaves Regularly
Examine your plant’s leaves on a regular basis so you’ll know when symptoms of root rot or waterlogging appear.
If you’re lucky, only a few leaves will be injured, which can be readily repaired with pruning.
Pruning is simple and can be done with just one clean knife or blade.
Cut the leaf as close to its base as feasible and as close to the soil as possible.
Soft leaves are a waste of the plant’s vitality, therefore this will restore it to its former brilliance.
You can do the same thing with other leaves that have been damaged.
It’s possible that dry leaves will fall off on their own.
Pruning the plant every now and then is beneficial since it helps it retain its beauty and conserves energy.
Clean The Leaves
To keep the leaves gleaming, clean the surface of the leaves.
Cleaning also makes it easier to observe if the texture of the leaves has changed.
A change in feel or texture can indicate both a root rot problem and an insect infestation.
Wipe down the surface of each leaf with dry tissue paper to clean it.
Repotting
Repotting your plants is necessary when they have outgrown their container or are experiencing drainage issues.
Plants grow faster and receive fresh nutrients when they are watered.
As long as the snake plant is healthy, repotted plants do not need to be done more than every 2-3 years.