It’s easy to care for a snake plant, but it could develop diseases and other problems if neglected, such as yellow leaves. We’ve researched the reasons why snake plants get yellow leaves. ched the most common reasons for this. In this post, we will answer this for you.
A snake plant’s leaves can turn yellow due to several reasons, such as too much water, poor drainage, inadequate light, nutritional deficiency, cold temperatures, and pest infestation. Here are the steps for restoring your snake plant back to optimal health:
- Recognize water stress.
- Keep an eye out for pest infestations.
- Try a bit of light.
- Check the room’s temperature.
- Test the pH of the soil
Most indoor plants will require watering daily or every other day. However, snake plants do not require this since they are succulent plants, meaning that they can go days and weeks without a drop of water. Please read on to find out how to treat snake plants that have yellow leaves and how to water and maintain them properly.
Treatment for Yellow Snake Plant Leaves
Recognize Water Stress
The leaf may yellow from overwatering or under watering. To check your plant’s moisture level, stick a finger into the soil about two inches deep. If it feels extremely dry and crumbly, it may be under-watered and need a watering session.
Which will cause your snake plant to develop root rot as a result of overwatering. If this is the case, grab your watering can and pour water over the soil until it is completely soaked.
If there is standing water in the plant’s container, move it to a better base. Skip watering for a week or two to give your plant time to recover. Feel the soil moisture level every few days to determine if the plant needs extra care.
Keep an Eye Out for Pest Infestations
When in doubt, test the snake plant for infestation on its leaves. When in doubt, get a microscope, check the leaves for small holes or white spots- this may present signs of spider mites or mealybug larvae.
It is best to spray rubbing alcohol or neem oil onto the leaves or rinse off the plant in water to eliminate pests. Other commercial insecticides can also be bought.
Try a Bit of Light
There is also a possibility that your snake plant needs additional sunlight. Snake plants grow best in sunlight. Leaves that don’t receive enough natural light may turn yellow from their unable to initiate photosynthesis. If your apartment or house doesn’t receive adequate natural light during the day, it’s time to move the plan to a better area.
Make sure your snake plant gets at least 2 hours of direct sunlight a day. If it doesn’t, this may be the cause of the yellowing leaves. Put the snake plant in a different location for about two weeks. This may solve the snake plant’s issue and its health should return to normal once again.
Check the Room’s Temperature
The leaves of your snake plant can also yellow in cold temperatures. Is the plant in a drafty room or near a window? Where is the plant located? The snake plant prefers dry, warm conditions over cold ones, so it may be vulnerable to health issues if it is home to an air conditioner or a drafty window.
Determine the average temperature of the room and the humidity by using a hygrometer. Snake plants need a temperature range of 60 degrees and 88 degrees Fahrenheit, along with a humidity level that is around 50%. However, if the room temperature is cooler, the Snake plant won’t need watering as frequently.
Test the pH of the Soil
Lastly, you may want to check the pH of the snake plant’s soil. Nutrient deficiencies can be behind yellow leaves, as they interfere with photosynthesis. Snake plants cannot regenerate and grow without photosynthesis.
A snake plant lacking nitrogen in the leaves could make the young leaves bright green, with older leaves becoming yellow. To remedy this, find a snake plant fertilizer high in nitrogen and apply it to the plant every couple of weeks.
Make sure to follow the directions on the fertilizer package to avoid creating another problem with the plant’s nutrient levels. Buy a pH testing kit to monitor the soil levels for a few weeks until the snake plant has recovered fully.
Do You Water Snake Plants Every Day?
An added benefit of owning a snake plant is that it is one of the easiest plants to maintain and care for. This is in large part due to the fact that snake plants require very little water to thrive. Ideally, you should water your snake plant every one to two weeks to keep it healthy and thriving, but it is best to conduct a soil test every one to two weeks to ensure that you are doing this properly.
It is likely that if you see the plant’s leaves turning yellow that the plant has moisture issues. You will want to water your snake plant less during the winter months because of temperature changes. This is especially true if your plant environment is a bit cooler, let’s say below 70° Fahrenheit on average.
Whenever you water your garden, make sure you use spring water or rainwater since they don’t contain harmful chemicals as tap water may. You can also use distilled water, though it may not have as many nutrients as the spring water and rainwater do.
The drainage of a snake plant pot is also important when setting up the plant’s watering timetable. If the roots of your snake plant aren’t able to get enough drainage, standing water will cause the roots to dry out too quickly, causing root rot that can be fatal in a matter of weeks.
If possible, make sure your drainage pot can drain water from the soil within one hour, or you can puncture the bottom of it with a knife or a pair of shears. Add a bit of sand to the soil of snake plants to improve drainage.
What To Do When Your Snake Plant Is Overwatered?
Snake plants will notify you quite quickly if you have overwatered their tips. The plants will turn brown or drop a bit if they are over-watered. As the leaves of the snake plant turn yellow, it’s definitely been overwatered since they’ll be softer and mushy rather than hard and rigid.
It is best to simply relinquish the watering sessions and monitor the soil levels every few days before watering the snake plant again. This will take a few days, as it will need to dry out completely as the plant revives itself.
The plant should be re-potted every two to six years if it develops root rot from overwatering. Typically, snake plants only need re-potting every two to six years. If root rot has manifested itself, it must be treated immediately to ensure the plant’s recovery and health. To report your plant, gently transport it to a new pot and shake off all the dirt.
The snake plant prefers to be root-bound, so you will want to place it in a pot that is the same size or just slightly larger than the pot. Once the fresh soil is in the pot, place the snake plant in the pot.
Next, fill the pot with fresh soil until it reaches about an inch above the old soil. You can water your snake plant again after a few days, but don’t water too much. Only water enough to get new roots established in the new soil.
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