Snake plants (also known as mother-in-tongue) law’s are remarkable for their tenacity. Their lush, thick leaves lose water slowly and do not require frequent rehydration. But you need to know how to tell when your snake plant need water. That’s perhaps why snake plants are such well-known and popular houseplants.
Although snake plants are more prone to overwatering, submerging them is not difficult. When you underwater a plant, it doesn’t always mean you’re giving it too little water. It means that the majority of the soil was extremely dry before the water was given. Continue reading to learn about dehydration’s signs and symptoms, as well as how to determine the cause and save your drowned snake plant. Here how you can tell if your snake plant need water.
Why Does a Snake Plant Need Water?
Snake plants are tropical plants that don’t need a lot of water to thrive. As a result, some people are hesitant to overwater succulents when they first begin growing them. They have a habit of sticking to the watering schedule regardless of the status of the plants.
During the growing season, snake plants should be watered moderately every 1-2 weeks. They require less water in the winter, perhaps every 1-2 months, depending on their climate. These are general guidelines that should be followed in most situations. These ideas, on the other hand, are adaptive. The amount of water a plant needs depends on the amount of light, temperature, and humidity it receives. Neglec
Sansevieria plants thrive in warm, humid environments. When the temperature drops below freezing, they go dormant. As a result, they use less water and fertilizer during the winter months. Light is a good example of this. The less light a snake plant receives, the less water it requires.
If your snake plant is housed near a heater or a sunny window, though, it will require extra water. When there is greater air draft, the air is overly dry, or the pot is made of a porous material like terracotta, there will be more moisture loss from the soil.
The soil itself might be a concern at times. Snake plants need a potting media that drains quickly and isn’t too dense. If it’s too loose, however, it won’t hold any water. As a result, adding peat, coco coir, or pumice to the soil mix to boost its water holding ability is recommended. The coarseness of these elements is greater than that of garden soil. They help to promote soil drainage and oxygen levels while also preserving moisture.
Tell If Snake Plant Need Water by Appearance of The Leaves
First and foremost, check the appearance of the snake plant’s leaves to see if it has been submerged. The first sign that your snake plants are dry is the appearance of brown tips on the leaves. Typically, the tips are dry and crispy. The brown region starts to grow down from the tips and down the margins after the earth has been dry for a while. It appears to be wrinkled and shriveled.
The leaves can begin to curl at any time. To the touch, the brown sections seem dry, thin, and papery. If the leaves are submerged for an extended period of time, they may bend over, become limp, and die.
The oldest leaves may become brown and then yellow all throughout. Yellow leaves might indicate either too wet or too dry soil conditions. This can be a little perplexing. The texture of the leaf, rather than its color, is the most noticeable feature. You’re overwatering the plant if the damaged leaf section is mushy or pulpy. Plants that have been underwatered have dry, brittle leaf tips or edges. Plants of this type usually develop slowly.
Tell if Snake Plant Need Water by Dryness of Soil
The moisture content of the soil is the second most important indicator of underwatering. If you want to know if a plant needs water, look at the soil surface. It’s fine if the top soil layer is dry. The top 1-1.5 inches of soil should be dry before watering your snake plant.
A excellent potting mix for snake plants evenly distributes moisture throughout the pot. Even though the top of the pot is dry, the soil at the bottom of the pot can hold little moisture. However, it’s a symptom of underwatering when the soil is excessively dry throughout. It signifies that all of the water was drained or evaporated far too quickly. Examine the soil dampness with an electronic moisture meter or a probe.
Tell if Snake Plant Need by Brittle Roots
The most typical symptoms of an underwatered snake plant are brown tips on leaves and dry soil. They usually appear before any root damage occurs. However, in the worst-case scenario, when the plant is left without water for an extended period of time, the roots are also harmed. Snake plant roots, like the rest of the plant, store moisture (leaves, rhizomes). They become dry and brittle as a result of dehydration. It’s probably too late to preserve the plant if the roots are dead and crumble off in your fingers.