The roots of snake plant turn black from root rot, which is caused by damp soil around the roots, overwatering, or high humidity. Snake plants need well-draining soil and pots with drainage holes in order to avoid root rot, which causes the leaves to turn black. Follow these steps to prevent your snake plant leaves from turning black and to revive it once they have.
Over Watering Causes Snake Plants to Turn Black
An overwatered snake plant turn black most often. The snake plant is native to Africa, where it thrives in drought-like conditions with infrequent rainfall. You are overwatering your snake plant if you water it more than once a week. As snake plants go seasonally dormant and stop growing in the Winter, moisture demand decreases, so in order to prevent root rot, it is advised to water once a month in the Winter months (with a soak to develop healthy roots).
Frequent watering of snake plants creates the conditions for a fungal disease called root rot, which causes the leaves to turn black. Overwatering can cause snake plants to turn yellow and droop with black leaves indicating root rot.
How to Save Snake Plant Turn Black
First thing fist if you want to save snake plant turn black watering should be reduced. In order to replicate its natural environment, snake plants should be watered in a cycle that soaks the soil and then allows it to dry completely. Snake plants prefer to be watered every two weeks, but the easiest approach to figure out the right watering frequency for your environment is to feel the soil at the bottom through the drainage hole in the base to see if it’s dry or wet.
If the soil is dry, now is the time to water; if it is still wet, wait until it dries before watering. Once rot has set in, reviving a snake plant can be tough.
Because black rot spreads and eventually kills the plant if left untreated, the best approach is to trim back any black areas from your snake plant and leave only healthy tissue.The plant has a possibility of regrowing once the black infected area of the plant has been removed and your watering procedures have been adjusted.
If a large portion of your snake plant has turned black, it will be difficult to revive it, and the plant will most likely die back. I propose taking cuttings for propagation if there is any healthy tissue on the plant. Snake plant cuttings are easy to propagate and have a high success rate.
Slow Draining Soils
Snake plants have evolved to thrive on naturally gritty soils that don’t hold much water and drain quickly. If your snake plant is in regular potting soil, it will most likely hold too much moisture around the roots, causing the leaves to become black. Snake plants must be grown in soils that closely resemble the well-draining properties of the soil in their natural habitat to avoid snake plant turn black.
Planting snake plants in specially mixed succulent and cactus soil, which is available at garden centers and on Amazon, makes them grow. Special succulent potting mixes have just the appropriate drainage characteristics for snake plants, allowing water to permeate effectively to reach the roots while swiftly draining away to prevent root rot.
Replace the soil with succulent and cactus soil if your potting mix stays moist for a long period after watering to prevent extra stress to the plant.
Even with the proper watering frequency and well-draining potting mix, it is still necessary to completely remove any black areas of leaf to prevent rot from spreading and for the plant to thrive.
In the case of black snake plants, you may have to take any cuttings you can from any remaining green leaves for propagation.
Pots Without Drainage Holes in the Base Cause Water Stress
Snake plant turn black due to water stress since they are grown in pots with no drainage holes in the bottom, allowing water to collect around the roots. If your snake plant is in a pot that doesn’t have drainage holes, repot it right away to save it. Snake plant leaves going black is caused by a variety of factors, including a lack of drainage holes in the pot’s base.
Saucers and trays are used. If you have a saucer or tray underneath your pot to protect water from overflowing, it should be emptied periodically to allow excess water to escape rather than pooling around the base of your pot, which causes root rot.
Roots or compacted earth have filled the drainage hole. If the soil in your pot is draining slowly, check the base of your pot. The drainage holes might become clogged by dense roots or compacted soil at times. The potting soil in succulent and cactus soil is less likely to be compacted and is more likely to remain porous and well draining.
Snake plants are frequently marketed as gifts in stores, with a fancy outside pot. This pot can prevent excess water from escaping, resulting in water stress and the blackening of your snake plant’s leaves.
Pots that don’t have drainage holes in the bottom. Snake plants require the soil to dry out between waterings to avoid rot and blackening of the leaves, so make sure your snake plant is in the right pot and that excess water can drain after watering. Cutting away any black leaves back to healthy tissue and propagating from cuttings if necessary applies to snake plants that are water stressed for any other reason.
Humidity Slows Water Loss from Leaves and Causes Black Leaves
Snake plants are native to hot, arid climates and prefer low-humidity settings. Humidity can limit the rate of transpiration (water loss) from the leaves of snake plants, which is how they manage their moisture levels. Due to the excessive humidity, less transpiration can contribute to the water stress that causes snake plants to turn black.
Higher humidity levels can be caused by a variety of factors, including: Spritzing the leaves with water or spraying them. The snake plants, on the other hand, prefer dry circumstances to spray their leaves. To avoid producing a humid microclimate, water snake plants should be placed towards the base of the plant rather than above it.
Rooms in the house that are humid. Snake plants dislike humid environments, such as the bathroom or kitchen, where there is a lot of moisture in the air. Place your snake plant in a room that isn’t too hot. Climates that are humid. Snake plants struggle to thrive in high-humidity environments, so if at all feasible, place your snake plant in a shady spot. Keeping your snake plant in a low-humidity environment might help it recover from rot and avoid further harm to the leaves.