Is my Snake Plant doomed?
Michael Martin
5 months ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (9)
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
5 months agoRelated Discussions
Newbie's bonsai, is my plant doomed?
Comments (3)The biggest concern with this tree is the soil. It's a mess. Bonsai soil should drain. This soil doesn't, hence the algal and fungal growth on the surface. The tree's base is also suffering from the constant moisture. I would bet you're also having trouble with the top growth. leaf drop, leaf discoloration, etc. Depending on what kind of tree this is (is it a tropical, or a temperate zone plant), you should repot into good bonsai soil ASAP. Bonsai soil can be purchased online in small quantities for not a whole lot of money. Bonsai soil doesn't look like "regular" potting soil. To newcomers, it looks alot like gravel. Source online would include brusselsbonsai or bonsaimonk.com...See MoreIs my snake plant doomed?
Comments (9)Good you're going back go the Vendor. Here's the issue w/ trying to save it. There's no way to tell if that darkening, becoming mush stuff (cold damage) has invaded below the soil. Likely yes, since you said the soil is still a bit damp. That mush can spread under the soil, fast, especially in the cold. That is not curable. FYI: Sans. can deal w/ some cold when dry, but the combination of cold & wet is the Kiss of Death for many succulents, especially Sans. which are tropical & not equipped to handle cold. I'm w/Stush on this, I try not to buy plants in the Winter. I'd suggest either buy it locally & pack it VERY well before bringing home or wait 'til Spring....See Moreis my snake plant ok?
Comments (2)It's probably fine. They do sometimes flower, and the flower can mean neglect. The snake plant thrives on neglect, however, and from what I can see, yours looks OK right now. Flowering can be a signal from the plant that it thinks it's about to up and die from something, like drought, and that it's time to send seeds before that happens. So check around. If it's getting good bright indirect light, that's perfect and needed for flowering. If you don't see any disease or pest symptoms (rare but not unheard-of--mealy bugs and spider mites), it's time to look at the watering habits. If maybe you're not watering when the soil is fully dried out (usually, with a very gritty mix, about once a week, less often with heavier mixes), step up the watering a little. I can't see, but your mix looks a bit heavier. Certainly make sure the first inch is fully dried out before watering. Deeper if possible, without disturbing roots. You can keep and enjoy that flower if you want, but prune it off when it dies so the plant doesn't expend the energy to form seeds. My mother had a snake plant she often forgot to water for periods of up to three months at a time. It...well, managed is the word, I suppose. The only way to compensate there was to put it in a heavier soil that held far more water. Not recommended, but the only way to get it to have any lifespan in that household......See MoreCan anyone tell me how to save my snake plant?
Comments (5)First question - does the pot have a drain hole? 2) How are you determining when it's time to water? If you're using the advice to water when the top inch or two of the grow medium feels dry, it's a near certainty you're over-watering; and, the fact that symptoms support that likelihood lends additional support to the suggestion over-watering is the culprit. 3) How long have you had the plant? 4) Do you know what brand of grow medium it's in? 5) Have you fertilized, used an insecticide or any other product other than water? If the plant is new, does your house/home have an ionic exchange water softener (uses salt and needs refilling from time to time)? This plant doesn't like wet feet, so it's better to allow the grow medium to go completely dry than to water while the grow medium deep in the pot is still saturated. There is SOME stress associated with allowing the plant to go dry, but the plant handles the stress well; and, the stress of going dry compared to the stress/limitations imposed by watering too frequently is rather insignificant. You can avoid both forms of stress by way of using a 'tell' to 'tell' you when it's time to water. See below: Using a 'tell' Over-watering saps vitality and is one of the most common plant assassins, so learning to avoid it is worth the small effort. Plants make and store their own energy source – photosynthate - (sugar/glucose). Functioning roots need energy to drive their metabolic processes, and in order to get it, they use oxygen to burn (oxidize) their food. From this, we can see that terrestrial plants need plenty of air (oxygen) in the soil to drive root function. Many off-the-shelf soils hold too much water and not enough air to support the kind of root health most growers would like to see; and, a healthy root system is a prerequisite to a healthy plant. Watering in small sips leads to avoid over-watering leads to a residual build-up of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil from tapwater and fertilizer solutions, which limits a plant's ability to absorb water – so watering in sips simply moves us to the other horn of a dilemma. It creates another problem that requires resolution. Better, would be to simply adopt a soil that drains well enough to allow watering to beyond the saturation point, so we're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids whenever we water; this, w/o the plant being forced to pay a tax in the form of reduced vitality, due to prolong periods of soil saturation. Sometimes, though, that's not a course we can immediately steer, which makes controlling how often we water a very important factor. In many cases, we can judge whether or not a planting needs watering by hefting the pot. This is especially true if the pot is made from light material, like plastic, but doesn't work (as) well when the pot is made from heavier material, like clay, or when the size/weight of the pot precludes grabbing it with one hand to judge its weight and gauge the need for water. Fingers stuck an inch or two into the soil work ok for shallow pots, but not for deep pots. Deep pots might have 3 or more inches of soil that feels totally dry, while the lower several inches of the soil is 100% saturated. Obviously, the lack of oxygen in the root zone situation can wreak havoc with root health and cause the loss of a very notable measure of your plant's potential. Inexpensive watering meters don't even measure moisture levels, they measure electrical conductivity. Clean the tip and insert it into a cup of distilled water and witness the fact it reads 'DRY'. One of the most reliable methods of checking a planting's need for water is using a 'tell'. You can use a bamboo skewer in a pinch, but a wooden dowel rod of about 5/16” (75-85mm) would work better. They usually come 48” (120cm) long and can usually be cut in half and serve as a pair. Sharpen all 4 ends in a pencil sharpener and slightly blunt the tip so it's about the diameter of the head on a straight pin. Push the wooden tell deep into the soil. Don't worry, it won't harm the root system. If the plant is quite root-bound, you might need to try several places until you find one where you can push it all the way to the pot's bottom. Leave it a few seconds, then withdraw it and inspect the tip for moisture. For most plantings, withhold water until the tell comes out dry or nearly so. If you see signs of wilting, adjust the interval between waterings so drought stress isn't a recurring issue. Al...See MoreMichael Martin
5 months agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
5 months agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
5 months agoMichael Martin
5 months agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
5 months agoMichael Martin
5 months agowoodrose
5 months ago
Related Stories
HOUSEPLANTS10 Top Plants to Grow Indoors
Brighten a room and clean the air with a houseplant that cascades artfully, stretches toward the ceiling or looks great on a wall
Full StoryCONTAINER GARDENSFreshen Up the Bath With Lush and Healthy Plants
Learn how to choose and care for plants that will do well in your space
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Creeping Juniper Holds Its Ground
Add texture and evergreen interest to a layered garden with this low-maintenance, good-looking ground cover
Full StoryLIFEOh Yeah, There’s a Snake in the House
A Houzz contributor lives through her worst nightmare and comes out the other side with lessons learned and new footwear
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESPlant Fritillary Bulbs for Something a Little Different
These unusual plants with unexpected colors and lance-like foliage add interest to lightly shaded garden beds
Full StoryPLANTING IDEASPlanting Ideas: Life in the Crevices
Discover the beautiful planting opportunities hidden in rock walls, paver spaces and other garden gaps
Full StoryHOLIDAYSHisssss: Get Wrapped Up in the Year of the Snake
Throw your home some welcome curves with sinuous forms and reptilian patterns on all kinds of home decor
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESWe Bust 4 More Native Plant Myths
Have you been taken in by these fallacies about gardening with native plants?
Full StoryPLANTING IDEAS7 Stunning Plant Combinations for Low-Water Gardens
Find inspiration in these beautiful drought-tolerant companion plantings
Full StoryHOUSEPLANTS8 Essentials for Healthy Indoor Plants
Houseplants add so much to our homes — and can thrive when grown in the right conditions. Keep these tips in mind
Full Story
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)