People who like plants will probably find a snake plant in their space, as it’s a popular plant owned by plant enthusiasts. But not everyone can keep them alive. So, let’s learn everything we need to know about snake plants. Because some people struggle with their snake plants and are always wondering why their snake plants die.
Significant problems that contribute to a dying snake plant include inadequate watering, root rot, and pest attack. Overwatering snake plants is an issue for a lot of snake plant hobbyists, especially during the winter. This leads to root rot and pest problems that lead to wilting. Know the water requirements of snake plants to keep them thriving.
These succulents require a minimum amount of care and affection. They are also very sturdy and don’t give up easily on you.
The snake plant’s nature makes it difficult to determine what is wrong with it. Still, like any other succulent, they give out certain signs that indicate that something might be wrong with the plant.
The purpose of this guide is to explain why snake plants die and how to prevent them. Let’s get started.
Why is my Snake Plant wilting?
One of the most common indoor plant problems is leaves shrinking. A root rot issue is the most common with snake plants caused by excessive watering.
Sometimes we forget to water our plants, and sometimes we give them so much attention we cause them to fail.
You probably won’t do that on purpose; you might just think to give the plant some more water, but the issue arises when we water too much or submerge the plant in water.
Plants that are overwatered or whose roots are left soaking in water can have their roots begin to rot.
Our watering needs for a plant depend upon the size of the plant. A modest pot won’t need as much water as a larger one.
When selecting a pot for the Snake plant, we need to ensure that the pot has a drainage framework.
The easiest way to add water is to feel the soil first. Take a finger or a spoon and dig into the soil up to 2 inches and check if it is moist.
A Snake plant needs less water because it is succulent. Always remember to check the roots beforehand.
It is usually possible for a snake plant to go without water for about three weeks during the summer. Winters require significantly less water, so during the fall we need to reduce the watering.
Snake plants require a lenient watering regime and must be watered by feeling the soil before watering.
It is important to note that even if the topsoil is dry, the lower layers of the soil may retain water; overwatering may result.
As a result, we recommend that you feel the soil or measure the moisture before watering.
Do the leaves have holes or marks?
Spider mites and mealybugs are attacking the most vulnerable part of the Snake plant, causing holes and spots in its leaves.
Snake plants have white spider mites that feed on new leaves, leaving holes on them.
This also means that if you notice holes in your plants, there’s a good chance they’ve been attacked by creep-crawlies.
Because succulents are prone to getting overwatered easily, they also adapt a root rot. The rotting situation creates the pest environment.
The best way to get rid of the spider mites is by spraying a neem oil on all the leaves.
Snake Plant leaves can also be sprayed with bug sprays.
Snake plants are incredibly sensitive plants found only in this situation. The root cause of this is often the water.
The water we use to water the plants is tap water that contains a high proportion of chlorine, which might be causing the bugs’ attack.
Fertilizer management is a critical process.
In the case of less fertilizer or high levels of nutrients, it might harm the plant, allowing the bugs to attack it.
As well, we can get rid of the bugs by following the underlined steps.
Taking tepid water and adding a bit of salt to it, we’ll hydrate the arrangement on the snake plant’s leaves.
Make sure you examine every part of the plant.
When we are finished with our chief cycle, we will sprinkle tepid water wherever on the plant needs it.
We are going to inspect the plant now to see if there are any bugs in the corners.
The cycle can also be followed once a day for about fourteen days.
The eggs are the reason for doing this cycle. By repeating it, we may eliminate the bugs on the leaves, but the eggs will still be abandoned.
A problem may occur again if eggs are found on the plant as the eggs will produce new pests.
We should follow the cycle for 14 days, which will ensure that both the spider mites and their eggs are removed from the plant.
Please follow the instructions provided by the pesticide manufacturer if you are using pesticide.
The standard and most popular approach to this problem is Neem oil.
Making sure the leaves are the right color
The color of the leaves is an indication of how strong the plant is.
The Snake Plant may have yellowing leaves that we don’t know what may have caused it.
Watered Snake plants may have yellow leaves, which indicate the plants have been underwatered. It may be that you were not able to water them.
A lot of people overlook the watering.
In case it is underwatered, young Snake Plant leaves start to turn yellow and might eventually kill the plant.
In order to undergo photosynthesis, the plant begins to shed its leaves as it cannot absorb enough water supplements.
We always recommend that yellow leaves be removed from the plant since they will only cause a burden for the plant now.
Overfertilization is another reason for the changing shade of the leaves.
It is best to add less soil supplements in this instance.
As it turns out, light assumes a similar role in the changing shades of the Snake plant’s leaves.
A spider mite infestation or mealybugs could be another cause of yellowing snake plant leaves.
That is indeed true. It is unprecedented for a Snake Plant to have any illness. However, if it does happen, it could be due to pests.
The snake plant’s new leaves resemble dessert to pests, which feed on the leaves first.
This succulent can have specific problems during the winters.
During the winter season, the southern windows will get cold drafts, causing the leaves to yellow, causing the plant to wilt.
Plants that are kept in close proximity to a radiator might also suffer.
Finally, if the plant is kept in a jar containing water, it is advisable to change the water frequently.
By changing the water frequently, the plant is able to absorb the necessary amount of nutrients from the water.
Root Rot
An issue of root rot most frequently occurs in the Snake plant during the winter months.
Due to its succulent nature, this plant requires less water during the winters. Overwatering may cause root rot.
Checking the soil for root rot is the first step to detecting a root rot infestation.
If the soil is soggy, focus on the roots.
Check the color of the roots and pull the plant out.
Instead of brown or black roots with white or crusty roots, white or crusty roots indicate root rot.
Plants should always be housed in pots with drainage holes so that water can be flushed out of the hole.
Plants made to stand on still water have a higher chance of developing root rot.
You may want to remove roots that are giving up on you. Root trimming could be an option for bringing the plant back to life.
However, if the root trimming technique doesn’t work, read below to find out what to do to bring the plant back to life.
How do you revive the Snake Plant?
As we discussed earlier, snake plants can turn out badly because of a number of reasons. We may run into water issues, fertilization issues, or root rot.
All three of these are the key elements where we can turn out badly on account of the Snake plant.
To overcome this freshman error, we must begin with watering.
Preparing your organizer to go with the plant is an insightful decision.
Keep a note or add a watering schedule to your Snake Plant watering routine so you know what to do.
Water requirements for Snake plants are minimal, with water needed only when the topsoil of about two to four inches dries completely.
During the winter, these succulent plants can survive without water for about 1-2 months.
Feeling the soil before watering the plants will allow us to overcome some other watering problems.
Before we water the plant, it should be dry and not wet. If the soil is wet, we can leave the plant without watering it for several days.
Use a perlite and soil mix for Snake plants. Perlite assists with making excellent drainage and air circulation.
Winter is not the optimum time to fertilize the plants because they are dormant and it isn’t the growing season.
Around the fall, fertiliser should be reduced, and during the winter, no fertilizer should be added.
Snake plants develop savagely when given the right treatment in the coming developing season.
Keep in mind that you have to take all of these elements into consideration even if you do not see any signs. Nevertheless, if the plant is abandoning you, consider taking a shot at repotting the plant into another pot.
Take a crack at repotting the snake plant. Fill it with a mixture of perlite, potting soil, and fertilizer.
The repotting may necessitate some effort for the roots to form in the new pot. If you water it correctly, the plant should flourish.
The Snake Plant is dying, what should you do?
Despite all our efforts, we see the effort used is useless. As a result, we always want more plants with the ones we have. It is always wise to propagate the plant.
We all want to know whether the Snake Plant will survive in water, or whether it can be propagated, and so forth.
Get straight to it and let’s resolve the queries.
Can propagating or repotting save dying Snake Plant?
Previously, we saw how easy it is for these succulent plants to grow and spread. Snake plants can also be spread by cutting off their entire leaves.
Simply take the spotless pruners and cut the leaf from the base. We do not need to cut from the rhizome.
Leaves will probably not all be able to make it through during the cycle, so cut a few around.
After we get the entire leaves, we have two choices. We can keep the entire leaves in a holder filled with water or pot the entire leaves in soil.
You decide how to do it. If you’re nervous, I recommend keeping the entire leaf in the water for a long time until it forms roots; then we can move.
You can keep the leaf in water by first getting a jar and filling it with water. Place the leaf cuttings there and spot them.
After 2-3 weeks, we will see new roots forming from the lower part of the leaves.
As previously stated, these plants are prone to root decay; therefore, cut the leaf’s surface off that has root decay if you encounter any root decay.
Keep the compartment clean by changing the water each week, as algae can develop in the compartment.
Changes in the water bring the supplements necessary for plants, so they grow healthy.
The roots should have developed once the leaves are removed from the water, and they should be planted into the ground.
Without first keeping the leaf cuttings in water, we can legitimately keep them in the soil.
The snake plant’s leaf slicings in any case develop to surround another snake plant.
Excessive temperatures and atmospheric conditions do not affect the plants.
Put a combination of garden soil and cactus plant soil in a 50:50 proportion, or take three pieces of gardening soil and one piece of vermicompost. Make sure to add coarse sand or perlite for aeration.
Take all of the leaves and plant them in the pot. Having several leaves will help us plant more plants, as not all of them will survive the cycle.
Plant the leaves in their individual pots and water to their edges unexpectedly and then water shrewdly from the next day on.
The plants should be watered once a week in the late spring, and during the winters, they should go a month without water.
We may be able to restore our dead plants from the dead by following this process.
Happy gardening with your Snake Plant!
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