Why Is My Snake Plant Turning Yellow?
The beauty of the snake plants is enhanced when the shiny green leaves start turning yellow. When that happens, the whole space begins to look dull and lifeless. Snake plant owners must comprehend what causes their leaves to turn yellow, and what they need to do to correct the issue.
Snake plant leaves turn yellow when their leaves are exposed to sweltering sunlight, inadequate watering, and lack of proper ventilation. In addition to these, other factors such as pest infestations, excessive fertilisation, root rot, temperature fluctuations, and humidity fluctuation, can also cause the yellowing of leaves.
It will be difficult to restore the leaves that have already turned yellow. However, the issue must be rectified to ensure the remaining and new snake plant leaves remain healthy and green. The issue concerning yellow leaves can be resolved through following the steps required and by learning about the issue.
In addition to discussing the causes of the yellowing of your snake plant leaves, preventive measures are listed as well to safeguard your snake plant from further yellowing.
A snake plant’s leaves may turn yellow for several reasons, so don’t ignore them as seasonal factors for the snake plant, as it may cause your snake plant to wilt.
Overexposure to sunlight
Snake plants prefer bright sunlight, but some gardeners keep their plants in extreme temperatures. This can result in yellow leaves, sunburn, etc. Light is absorbed by plants and converted to food energy through photosynthesis.
Planters who keep their snake plants near windows, wondering if the plants will receive enough light, are making a mistake. Keeping plants near windows can result in getting overly much light. The window helps magnifying light hence producing a stronger light.
Since the scorching sun can directly affect the snake plant around this spot, it is susceptible to direct damage.
As a result, the entire plant loses its moisture. The leaves turn brown and yellow, leaving behind a dry plant because the sun is still hitting them directly.
Overfertilization
What is the reason we should not keep adding fertilizer to our snake plant? It feels like new plant parents are being told they cannot love their plants, but that is far from true. In fact, we want to help parents nurture their plants to keep them healthy.
Most snake plant species that are self-sufficient are light feeders and should not be over-fertilized to find additional growth. You’ll only find leaf burnt or yellow leaves if you over-fertilize.
Ensure that snake plants do not receive too much fertilizer as overfeeding can contribute to salt buildup in the soil. By doing that, they remove moisture in the soil, affecting the uptake of water and nutrients by the rest of the plant. This results in yellow leaves.
As a result of the excess fertilizers used in snake plants, the algal blooms that occur in the soil block the flow of water. After it dies, this algae sits in the water, reducing oxygen levels in water and impacting the soil’s functioning.
Fertilizer consists of micro and macronutrients which are essential for a plant to grow and do well. Various kinds of fertilizers that are suitable for a snake plant are also important.
There is a problem with many planters who feed all of the plants with the same fertilizer, which might be right for one type of plants but not suitable for others. This then causes a problem with the plant’s health, which can lead to yellow leaves.
Root Rot
A snake plant can survive for quite some time if it is not under too much pressure. Too much pressure can lead to the decay of a snake plant’s roots.
- Overwatering frequently
- Poor drainage system
- Heavy potting mix
- Overfertilization
- Contaminated soil
- Fungal or bacterial growth
Root rot may occur on snake plants for the reasons mentioned above. During the process of overwatering, which already affects roots, soil, leaves of snake plants, a favorable environment is provided for the pathogens that are already present to grow and attack roots.
Root rot only happens when they get the right environment. If the snake plant owners fail to give them adequate care, the roots’ condition will progressively deteriorate.
If they are continuously over watered, the plant suffers most as they interfere with water flow, airflow, and nutrients supplying the leaves. Plants suffer from the roots of a snake plant if water remains in the soil.
Temperature Fluctuations
It is good news for any hobbyist, and especially beginners, that snake plants are less affected by factors common to many indoor plants.
Heat fluctuations are extremely stressful for any plant. Snake plants are tolerant of temperatures from very low to very high degrees. However, they cannot survive in extremely low temperatures for long.
Snake plants may display yellow leaves if they experience a sudden change in temperature, whether from a low level to a high level or vice versa.
That does not only involve temperature shifts because of environmental changes, but also shifting spots.
Even if we employ these methods intentionally to help a plant, moving plants from one location to another, keeping them near a heating system, or moving them indoor-outdoor frequently will still affect the plant’s health overall.
Fungal Diseases
Plants that are infected with fungi lose much of their ability to maintain photosynthesis and growth. Snake plants with fungal diseases will have their leaves affected.
It is generally believed that fungal diseases advance as a consequence of poor drainage, waterlogged soil, cold weather, and overcrowded plants. The primary reasons for developing fungal diseases are jotted below.
Inadequate Watering
The snake plant is injured by inadequate watering, either by overwatering or by underwatering.
Overwatering only for a few days can damage the snake plant even after overwatering, and it can last until the end of the month.
People growing snake plants should also realize that keeping them dry is not healthy, and that they do not do well under these circumstances. The yellow leaves happen when the snake plant’s leaves and soil lose their water content.
If snake plants are overwatered, they will give returns in the form of yellow leaves, curling, root rot, etc. Since their roots and soil have become clogged because of too much moisture.
Under such conditions, the roots and soil won’t be able to provide water and nutrients to the leaves; oxygen will be blocked in the soil and roots.
By doing so, bacterial, fungal, and pathogen growth is promoted, which damages the roots and soil of snake plants, causing them to be weaker.
Pest Infestation
Keeping snake plants in unfavorable conditions for too long or getting in contact with other infected plants can cause them to become infested with many pests.
This causes the snake plant to become weak and be afflicted with several problems including yellowing, browning, and curling of the leaves.
Infecting snake plants can also lead to the plant’s death. Here are some insects, a few common ones:
Aphids: Aphids have soft bodies in a wide range of colors, but have rarely a wing, and usually feed in large groups on new growth. Large aggregates are usually an indication of feeding.
Snake plant leaves may become yellow, curling as a result of heavy aphid infestations.
Thrips are active, wingless insect with black skin and black wings. It is an active pest that feeds on small and large bodies of food. It feeds on plants and flowers. It drinks the sap, which turns leaves yellow and wilts.
The Mealybug is a soft-bodied insect with oval shape covered in wax. The small nymphs are free of wax and keep moving as they aim to find a suitable spot to feed on.
Yellowing, curving, and soft plants will be signs of a higher level of pests.
A scale is like a bunch of little bumps rather than a bug. There are two groups of scales, soft and armored.
In addition to secreting a waxy film, soft scales produce honeydew in large quantities.
The scales of armored fish do not secrete honeydew, nor are they attached to a hard covering.
Chlorotic leaves are caused by heavy infestations, which decrease plant health.