How To Repot Snake Plant

Repotting Snake Plants Believe it or not, snake plants prefer to be a little pot bound. This means you don't need to repot your plant that often. A general rule of thumb is to repot every 2-5 years but it can be left even longer depending on your plant.

What kind of soil do I use to repot a snake plant?

The best soil for snake plants is well-draining soil or any indoor potting mix, such as Perfect Plants Snake Plant Soil. As your adding new soil around your plant, make sure to pack it in tight to get rid of any air pockets. Fill the soil up until there is an inch of soil away from the top of the pot.

Do snake plants like deep or shallow pots?

Do Snake Plants need deep pots? No. Their rhizomes spread out rather than grow deep. A deep pot means more soil mass which can lead to them staying too wet.

Do snake plants like to be crowded?

Snake plants don't mind being overcrowded in a pot, but they do eventually need to be repotted. What is this? Even if they haven't outgrown their pot, after several years, the soil quality disintegrates, requiring a top-up anyway. Luckily, repotting your snake plant is an incredibly easy process.

Should you break up roots when repotting?

To promote good nutrient absorption, trim the roots and loosen up the root ball before replanting. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears for this job, removing as much as the bottom third of the root ball if necessary. Don't be surprised if what you cut off is a thick tangle of root tissue.

Can snake plants live in regular potting soil?

Can I use regular potting soil for a snake plant? I don't recommend using regular potting soil for snake plants because it can be too heavy, and easily lead to overwatering and root rot. You can amend it with sand and perlite to make it drain faster.

Is it better to root snake plant in water or soil?

Yes you can propagate snake plants in water. But it can take a long time, lead to rot, and the babies tend to have a harder time transitioning back to soil. Propagating snake plants may take a long time, but it's very easy to do.

Should I water my snake plant when I repot it?

Most snake plants don't need to be watered immediately after repotting. Snake plants grow best in dry conditions and do not thrive in damp, cold soil. Unless the snake plant was extremely dry and brittle during repotting, its generally best to wait for a few days (or even up to a week) before watering it.

How deep should I repot my snake plant?

Keep it planted at the same depth it'd been at in its old pot, but keep it within 2″ of the pot's rim. Remove or add soil to get it to the right depth. You do not have to tamp the soil down too firmly. Ensure it's in there well enough to support the plant, then water it in.

Does snake plant like sun or shade?

Snake plants prefer plentiful sunlight, but will put up with some light shade and continue to grow. They should be protected from the hottest, southern sun in summer. Though they can survive poor light conditions, they will not grow without moderate sunlight and will not flower without more generous sun exposure.

Do snake plants prefer sun or shade?

Because snake plant likes all light types (it will happily withstand full sun as well as low light) you can plant it on your porch in the shade or out by the pool in full sun. Or in a planter with another tall tropical beauty, bird of paradise, like above.

Do snake plants like big or small pots?

To allow the plant to grow appropriately without taking up too much space, snake plants require a pot that is 1/3 larger than the roots. A pot that is too big could allow extra water to accumulate.

How often does a snake plant need to be watered?

Your Snake Plant only needs to be watered fortnightly, allowing its soil to completely dry out between waterings to prevent overwatering and root rot. During the winter months feel free to only water your snake plant once a month if the soil is still moist after 2 weeks.

How long does a snake plant live?

Generally, the snake plant is a slow grower; however, if you place it outdoors in summer, it might experience a boost in growth. How long does a snake plant live? The average lifespan of a snake plant is five to ten years; however, they can live up to 25 years or more.

How long can snake plants go without water?

While some plants are fairly high-maintenance and borderline dramatic (cough, cough: the fiddle-leaf fig) sansevierias, known also as snake plants or mother-in-law's tongues, are the quite the opposite. In fact, these trusty greens are so resilient they can go up to two weeks without water.

Should you water right after repotting?

Plants may appear wilted and thirsty, but take care to refrain from watering until about a week after re-potting to ensure that any roots damaged during re-potting have healed.

Should you remove old dirt when repotting?

Remove about one-third or more of the old potting mix surrounding the plant's roots. As it grew, your plant removed some or all of the nutrients in the current mix, so you'll want to give it fresh potting mix or soil.

What should you not do when repotting?

Mistakes to Avoid When Repotting Houseplants

1. Mistake 1: Inappropriate Pot Size.
2. Mistake 2: Ignoring the Importance of Drainage. ...
3. Mistake 3: Breaking the Rootball Completely. ...
4. Mistake 4: Wrong Selection of Soil. ...
5. Mistake 5: Re-Potting in Cold Weather. ...
6. Mistake 6: Re-Potting a Flowering Plant.

Do snake plants need pots with drainage holes?

Do snake plants need drainage holes? No, but they do still need some form of drainage. If you're potting a snake plant and it does not have drainage holes, be sure to use a pot with a layer of rocks or something similar at the bottom, and water less frequently than you would normally water your plants.

What is the best way to root a snake plant?

The cut leaf should be at least 6 inches tall (taller leaves are even better). Place the cut end of the leaf in a jar or vase filled with 3 inches of water. Put the jar in a bright spot and refresh the water, rinsing out the jar, once a week. Roots should form at the base of the cutting in about two months.