The snake plant is also called Sansevieria or Mother-in-law’s tongue. Their leaves directly come from the soil, and leaves can be tall up to 12 feet. This plant can turn a dull corner into a bright, cheerful place. I like this plant for a lot of reasons. It is not only beautiful but also very easy to take care of. You can place this plant in any corner of the room because it tolerates low, medium and bright light. There is no need to overthink watering because sometimes I water three or four weeks later. This plant is also able to remove some toxins from the air. Also, there is a minor pest problem with this plant.
Remembring 2017, I was a new grower, and I read articles to choose a plant that would be easy to grow. So, after reading many articles, I decided to buy a snake plant. I didn’t find a snake plant on the first day after visiting six plant nurseries. In 2017, this plant was not that much popular in our country. I found that plant in a greenhouse the next day, and I bought it and propagated it into three plants. Now, this plant is trendy, and you will find almost every nursery in your country. On top of that, with low maintenance, the snake plant is widespread in offices or corporate companies. However, a particular caution to pet lovers is that snake plant is toxic to dogs and cats, and eating leaves can suffer nausea and vomiting.
Caring Snake Plant:
Light: The best part of this plant is that it can adapt in low, medium and bright light conditions. For better plant health, find a sunny area in your home where it gets a few hours of direct sunlight. It can be south, east or west-facing window. It is better not to move the plants frequently because adjusting to different light conditions takes time.
Water: Water is an essential part of plant life, so it is always wise to be careful about watering it. It doesn’t like much water as it is a succulent type, and too much water causes root rot. Let the soil dry, then water the plant. Try to check with your finger or a stick. If you find the soil is dry, then water. If not sure, it is better to wait for a couple of days.
When soil is dry, the soil needs to be adequately soaked. It is always recommended that the roots should be soaked into the water properly. Water the plant from the bottom rather than pouring water from the top to get an effective result. However, this plant does not need much water in the winter and is better to water carefully.
Soil: Quick draining soil is suitable for the Snake plant. Using succulent potting mix or a cactus mix for this plant can be recommended in this case. The succulent or cactus mix is available in most plant shops. However, custom-making soil of this particular plant also can be possible, and it is also very easy. Following is the recipe.
Mixture: This plant is fond of sandy soil. Therefore, use two parts of coarse sand, and otherwise, perlite is also fine. Then, mix one part of garden soil with the other part of coconut coir or peat moss.
Container: Make sure the pot has a drainage hole.
Temperature: Snake plant grows well between 21° Celsius to 32° Celsius (70° to 90° Fahrenheit). But this plant can tolerate between 7° Celsius to 40° Celsius (45° Fahrenheit to 104° Fahrenheit). In low temperatures don’t keep the soil soggy.
Fertilizer: This plant does not need too much fertilizer. In winter, don’t give fertilizer to this plant, which harms the plant. In the growing seasons, give some fertilizer but not too much. Interval can be 1 to 1.5 months. Equal type fertilizers like 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 are better for this plant.
Propagation: You can make a new plant by plant dividing or leaf cutting. To divide, pull the plant from the pot, and you will see a thick rhizome connected to other divisions. Use a sharp knife to separate. And then pant it in a pot with recommended soil.
Another method is leaf cutting. Water and sand both are popular for propagation. Take a leaf and put it in a jar with water or plant the leaf-cutting into moist sand. Within a few weeks, you will see roots. Then plant it in a pot with recommended soil.
But you will lose variegation in the leaf-cutting method. If you want to keep the variegation, use the plant division method.
Types: Two types of Snake pants are very common within many varieties. One is Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ and another one is Sansevieria trifasciata. 1st one is variegated and 2nd one is very common non-variegated.
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