In the beginning, it may be confusing to maintain a snake plant, as it might be your first houseplant. You may be wondering whether this snake plant requires a lot of maintenance. We have some tricks to help you maintain your snake plants here.
How to Maintain Snake Plant
The snake plant is a low-maintenance houseplant. The plant requires very little effort to take care of, so there are not many things you have to do. You can place them indoors or outdoors. Snake plants tolerate low light levels so they can be grown indoors. You should place the snake plant in a brighter area if you want it to grow faster and have nice green leaves.
Water is also not a problem for snake plants. Therefore, you do not need to water your snake plants often. Imagine not watering for a few days. They can save water in the parts of their body that need it.
You will find information about the light, temperature, water, soil, repotting, and fertilizer for snake plants below.
Light Requirements for Snake Plants
Snake plants can grow in any level of light. The most important aspect is having a healthy snake plant with a nice green color and hardy leaves. If you want to grow snake plants indoors, you should put them about 10 feet away from a west or south window. The plants can still receive sufficient light by being located in this area despite being indoors.
It is essential that you do not place snake plants in direct sunlight if you intend to keep them outdoors. As a result, your snake plants will become burnt, and their leaf tips will become brown.
You should also allow them to adapt to the light gradually if you used to put them indoors and then want to move them outdoors. The stress caused by direct sunlight on snake plants will cause the leaf tips to turn brown if you used to place them in a low light.
Watering Snake Plants
Drought-tolerant snake plants are also common. No problem if you forget to water them for a few days. It is not necessary to water snake plants frequently. You can water them when the soil feels dry about 3 inches deep in the summer. If the soil feels dry around 3 inches, it might be time to water it. You can check the soil first. You should not water it if it is wet. You should not water your snake plants excessively even if you see water on the soil surface. In this case, you should throw away the water and put them in an area with brighter light so that they can dry faster.
As opposed to summer, in winter you need to water your snake plants as necessary. To keep the leaves firm, you need to water them. Do not water your plants too often in winter since it can make them overwatered and even cause root rot.
Soil Required by Snake Plants
What about soil for snake plants? Does snake plant soil have a specific composition? Use a commercial potting soil mixed 50:50 with a cactus and succulent mix. This is because this soil is loose and it can drain faster with a lot of air pockets. Thus, overwatering can be prevented.
Temperature Needed by Snake Plants
Snake plants are capable of withstanding a wide range of temperatures in your home. In addition, you should keep snake plants away from drafts, heaters, and air conditioners. You should not place snake plants indoors under air conditioners or areas where air is being circulated. Keep them out of direct sunlight if you are going to put them outdoors. In winter, if you place your snake plants outdoors, you should move them inside to avoid frost. Snake plants do better in temperatures over 50°F or 10°C because these are warm temperatures.
Fertilizing Snake Plants
Snake plants require little maintenance. Thus, you do not have to water them often, and they can tolerate any level of light. How about fertilizer? Snake plants require little maintenance, so it is not necessary to fertilize them frequently. If you want to feed your snake plants, you just need to give them a dose of any houseplant food twice a year. It can be done once in spring and once in summer.
Repotting Needed by Snake Plants
Every plant requires a different amount of potting. Some plants need to be replanted every year. Additionally, some plants require repotting every year. What about snake plants? Since snake plants grow slowly, you only have to repot them every three to ten years. Snake plants can be repotted every 3 to 5 years if they are placed in a bright area, but if they are placed in a low light area, repotting them every 5 to 10 years is sufficient.
Hopefully, now you know what needs to be done in order to care for your snake plants. Since snake plants are classified as low maintenance houseplants, there is not much to do to take care of them. Therefore, snake plants can be enjoyed without a great deal of effort.