Root Rot in Snake Plant? What can you do about it?
Hey! Don’t panic…
Several things cause root rot in snake plant
This article is very useful for you
Those who have problems with root rot in snake plant
But before we start, let’s listen to Prilly’s story.
I’ve had a lot of snake plants lately
Because the snake plant is very easy to multiply the snake plant
Just cut and replant..
Initially, I never had a problem…
But until I saw something was wrong with the soil
Turns out root rot in snake plant
And it stinks!
I quickly read on the internet what happened to my plants
Turns out I didn’t see the condition of my soil before
Since then…
I started to pay attention to the condition of my snake plant
To prevent root rot in snake plant from happening again
Let’s back to topic!
Root Rot In Snake Plant
It is one of the most common and damaging maladies snake plants suffer from.
Although these plants are believed to be very tolerant to most environmental conditions…
…it is devastating to their health when they rot.
Rotting roots can literally destroy a plant from the ground up.
The best way to eliminate root rot in snake plant is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
I will describe how root rot in snake plant occurs..
..how to diagnose and treat it…
and the most important thing, how to prevent it.
Now…
What Is A Root Rot?
The roots of plants absorb water, nutrients and oxygen from the soil.
However, when the soil is too dry for a long time, they begin to slowly suffocate.
The weakened roots become decayed due to pathogens.
Affected roots turn to a brown or black mush that can’t get nutrients from the soil.
The whole plant dies as it lacks necessary nutrients to grow.
“Gardening takes a plot of land, a hoe, and willing muscles. Scratching the soil, harvesting garden fruits, are peaceful results. With a garden, there is hope.”
Grace Firth, 1923-2004, American wild foods and home-brew pioneer, in A Natural Year, 1971
Here’s the interesting part…
The Causes Of Root Rot In Snake Plant
There are two main causes of root rot in snake plant..
..being exposed to wet soil for too long and having fungus present in the soil.
Soil that is wet can be the result of a variety of different factors.
This occurs due to a lack of oxygen.
It causes plant roots to die and eventually turn to rot.
Another source is fungal growth, which may lie dormant in soil, but suddenly take off when given a moist environment.
There can be several factors that can contribute to root rot in snake plants…
…however sitting in moist soil for a prolonged period of time seems to be the most common one.
Watering Too Frequently
A snake plant that’s getting water before most of the soil has dried is a classic setup for rot.
Sansevieria flourish in droughts..
..require less water than most houseplants and…
shouldn’t be watered like most houseplants.
The best way to water them is to do it deeply but infrequently.
Weekly or biweekly is good enough.
This keeps the soil’s top layer dry, preventing root rot.
Constantly wet soil causes root rot.
You have to be very careful while watering snake plants in winter when they’re dormant.
You just need to water them around once a month during this time.
Continuing to water it the way you did in its growing phase could result in accidental over watering.
Check out this watering guide for more information on how to water Sansevieria.
Inadequate Drainage
A good Sansevieria container must provide enough drainage to allow excess water to escape.
Pots for snake plants must be filled with drainage holes to facilitate water flow from the plant.
Remember to place a saucer underneath the pot and empty it when the water has run out.
If the water stays in the saucer too long..
..it can still soak through the soil below.
Placing the pot on pebbles helps raise the water level and raise the pot base above the water line.
Although container plants tend to be at greater risk of root rot in snake plant due to overwatering…
…garden plants are not immune from root rot.
You can prevent most root rot in snake plant issues in your garden..
..by taking precautions to improve soil drainage before planting.
Oversized Pot
A snake plant should be planted in the proper sized container.
You may be tempted to provide your roots extra growing space to save on future repotting efforts.
However..
..a big pot means too much soil and excess moisture, which is not advisable to plants like the Sansevieria.
Pick a pot that is just large enough to hold the roots of the snake plant.
And you should repot the snake plant every 2-3 years…
…by increasing the pot diameter by a half inch to two inches.
Here’s a simple guide to picking the perfect pot for your snake plant.
Old And Dense Soil
Pure garden soil is too dry to allow sufficient drainage for plants such as snake plants.
Snake plant potting mixes need to be porous and very fast-draining.
It is important to understand that dense soil tends to stay waterlogged for long periods of time…
…allowing harmful pathogens to grow in it, which causes and encourages the spread of root rot.
Old soil also becomes compacted, which makes it more prone to retaining moisture.
One of the problems with old soil can be salt overload.
When hard or salty water is used, dissolved minerals accumulate in the soil.
The salts not only reduce the ability of the soil to retain water, but they also cause extra plant stress.
Using Contaminated Tools
Use sterilized tools for pruning, propagation, and repotting snake plants.
The non-sterile tools can carry pathogens that can infect healthy plants.
It is important to disinfect your equipment..
..before reusing it again on another plant in order…
Why is this important?
…to avoid making the exposed plants more vulnerable and prone to infection.
Not Changing the Water During Propagation
During the propagation process, some snake plant roots may rot.
This is commonly seen when leaf cuttings are used.
In water, snake plants require frequent water replacement.
If the water is not changed every 3-4 days..
..the leaves’ ends begin to smell fishy and start withering.
Keep reading, this is important for you!
Root Rot Symptoms
However, the first symptoms of root rot occur below soil surface..
..so corrective action must be taken early.
Unfortunately..
..the problem is not often noticed by plant growers until it is advanced and manifests in other forms.
In order to resolve the root rot in snake plants as soon as possible…
…act immediately when they start showing signs.
Appearance Of The Leaves
Snake plants are slower-medium growing plants..
..so it’s not unusual for the growth rate to slow down further.
Yellow leaves are one early warning sign that the plant roots are struggling.
But in the Sansevieria plant..
..yellowing is an indication that root rot in snake plant may still be far from the complete root system.
The entire trunk of the plant is either still unaffected.
Leaves become damaged when its roots are damaged…
…which causes them to become wilted, soft and mushy, turn yellow or fall off.
The outer leaves usually get affected first before the rest of it.
Occasionally you may need to check the roots of your snake plant if it is seeming to droop…
…and turn yellow without obvious reasons.
Stinky Smell
To prevent serious damage to your plant, you always need to check the roots and soil if you see any leaf discoloration.
Loosen the root zone and gently remove the plant from its pot.
You should inspect the roots of the plant carefully…
…the first sign of root rot in snake plant is a bad smell of decay emanating from the roots or from the soil.
Plant roots with healthy roots usually have an earthy odor..
..but as the disease progresses…
…your snake plant may develop an odor of rotting plant material.
If you do not treat it promptly, it becomes increasingly obvious.
Whenever you suspect the smell, you may be able to spot the problem sooner.
Dark Mushy Roots
You should examine the roots carefully after taking the snake plant out for examination.
Healthy roots of the snake plant are light yellow to white, and firm to touch.
During the disease, the leaves become limp and change color.
The roots affected by root rot look brown or black..
..and that can be felt if you touch them.
A bad case of root rot turns healthy roots completely mushy.
Healthy portions of the roots turn darker and mushy as the roots slowly die.
You may not even be able to pull the plant up by the roots if they are severely damaged.
Appearance of The Soil
Plants with too much moisture to the soil indicate a possible root rot problem down below.
Feel the soil with a finger or a moisture meter and seek out any signs of moisture.
If it stays wet for days after watering, then it can cause more problems down below.
Too much water, too wet soil..
..or poor drainage can cause root rot.
Fungi in the soil make the problem worse.
Too much moisture is a breeding ground for fungi.
A fungal disease called red leaf spot and southern blight commonly attacks weakened snake plants.
The visible fungus appears on the plant surface and may accompany some root rot.
How To Cure Root Rot in Snake Plant
Prepare these items before you start:
Follow these steps to return your sansevieria back to life:
- Before you move it to a new pot, first you have to check if there’s any dead leaves that turns brown.
- Best to cut it down with a straight pruner to properly take it out from another leaves.
- Once you make sure you left all the healthy leaves only, you can move to the next step.
- First of all, put the plant, new pot, pruner, absolutely everything on the potting tarp.
- Then, you can start to pull out the sansevieria from the previous pot gently.
- Once the plant is out, check out the soil.
- If it’s possible, shake out the plant so the soil will come off the roots.
- Secondly, pour the succulent soil mix on the pot as much as half of the pot.
- Gently put the sansevieria to the new pot and make sure it’s all get into the new soil mix.
- Now, let it be that way for more or less 3 to 5 days, and spray the soil with adequate water.
All Things Gardener Special Hints
To avoid root rot from snake plants you can simply equipped a self-aerating pot!
- SELF-WATERING, 2-WEEKS+ DEEP RESERVOIR: No more troublesome wicks that clog and stop working. Our patented design integrates a self-watering feature into the body of the planter. Hollow legs reach down into the reservoir to allow the soil itself to draw moisture naturally while lifting your plant above the water, keeping its delicate root system from being constantly flooded, minimizing upkeep while eliminating common problems associated with other planters and with over-watering.
There are other things too that can spoil your snake plant when you are in this situation…
…one of them is bees so you must have plants that keeps bees away from your snake plant…
…in your garden!
Sum Up
Some of the main causes of root rot in snake plants are too much watering..
..poor drainage, and too large a pot.
This will cause root rot in the snake plant.
Signs are odor, unusual soil, and blackened roots.
Reduce the frequency of watering and also check your snake plant soil regularly.
Conclusion
Do you have a similar problem?
What do you think?
Did you water it too often, or was the pot too big?
Share your story in the comments below!
Check out more of our posts like this one here!
I hope you can now take care your snake carefully and grow it big!
Thanks for reading this article! Bye!
Frequently Asked Questions Around What Causes Root Rot in Snake Plant? And How Do You Prevent It
If you have a snake plant in your indoor garden, you might be worrying about root rot.
Root rot is the perfect name for the problem – the roots of the snake…
…plant are rotting from the inside out. No plant can survive long…
…with this kind of damage, and the snake plant will eventually die.
In this article, we’ll talk about the causes of root rot in snake plant, and how you can prevent it.
How can I prevent root rot in my snake plant?
The best way to prevent root rot in a snake plant is to water the plant efficiently…
…and not overwater it. Additionally, keep the soil moist but not soggy, and avoid overwatering.
What are some of the signs that my snake plant is experiencing root rot?
Some of the signs that your snake plant is experiencing root rot…
….may include browning of the roots, mushy roots, and a decrease in the plant’s water uptake.
How do I water my snake plant properly if it is experiencing root rot?
Maintaining the moisture levels in snake plant plants is critical to…
…healthy growth and avoiding root rot. To water the plant…
….water its roots directly from the potting soil until the water reaches the drainage holes.
Check the plant regularly to make sure the roots are wet…
….and water only as much as necessary to keep the roots wet.
Is it necessary to remove and dispose of diseased roots when treating snake plant with root rot?
Yes, the roots of snake plant must be removed and disposed…
…of when treating the plant with root rot.
This is due to the fact that the roots are the source of the disease.