When it comes to Snake plant care, there are many things to take into account to be able to grow one successfully for a long time.
You have to make sure you have the right lighting, watering, soil and be able to deal with anything else that comes your way.
Thankfully it’s fairly easy to grow and care for a Snake plant which is also referred to as Sansevieria or mother in laws tongue quite often as these are pretty resilient plants and are perfect for indoor growing.
So if you have just recently got your hands on a Snake plant and want to know how to take great care of it, then let’s get into what you will need to know to have a healthy and happy one.
Snake plant light requirements
One of the very first things you will need to know is how much light a Snake plant needs and what type of light is the most ideal for optimal growth.
In general, Snake plants will grow and look their best when grown in bright indirect light daily rather than full sun or low light conditions.
Snake plant’s require between 5-10 hours of bright indirect light daily with 8-10 being the most ideal.
You can certainly provide more though.
You just have to be careful about giving too much full sun as this can potentially cause sun scorched leaves as Snake plant’s can’t handle all that much full sun.
Limit full sun to only a few hours a day.
When it comes to low light conditions, Snake plants can surprisingly handle growing in low light, but it’s not ideal for long periods of time as problems will eventually occur.
If you plan to grow your Snake plant indoors, try using an East facing window for optimal light levels if you’re living situation allows.
You can also use South facing or West facing windows, but you will have to keep the plant a few feet away from those.
For more in depth information, you can check out my article on Snake plant light requirements.
How to water a Snake plant
Another major part of Snake plant care is being able to water properly so you don’t run into issues down the road, especially when it comes to root rot which can be a nightmare to deal with.
One thing to avoid is sticking to a regular watering schedule since this often leads to overwatering due to factors changing over time such as the season changing for example.
A snake plant will require more water during the spring and summer than it will during the winter and if you keep the watering frequency the same year round, you will eventually overwater.
The best way to water Snake plants is to only water them when the soil has completely dried out.
Instead of relying on a schedule, you should check the soil each time before you water.
If the soil ever feels moist near the top then hold off on the water until it dries up.
When the soil has become fully dry, give your Snake plant a good soak with some filtered water until water starts flowing through the drainage hole.
The time it takes for the soil can vary depending on a variety of factors such as temperature, indoor or outdoor growing, the type of soil you’re using and so on.
In general you can expect to be watering anywhere from once a week to only once or twice a month.
It just depends.
Overall it’s safer to underwater a Snake plant than it is to overwater as it’s much easier to fix if you forget to water than if you water too much so keep that in mind.
For the full guide, check out my article on how to water a Snake plant.
Snake plant soil requirements
Another way to provide great care for your Snake plant is by using the correct type of soil.
Sometimes when you buy a Snake plant whether in person or online, they aren’t always planted in the correct type of soil or potting mix unfortunately.
This can be a pretty big problem, especially if the soil doesn’t drain well.
Overall, Snake plants require soil that is loose and well draining since it doesn’t like standing water or having wet feet.
Even if you feel like you’re not watering all that much, if the soil doesn’t drain well then your Snake plant can still run into issues.
A great soil mix you can use is a mix of succulent and cactus soil since this type of soil drains really well on it’s own and will allow the roots to have room to breathe.
You can also add in some sand and or Perlite to the mix for the best drainage possible.
It’s also recommended to have a drainage hole if you’re growing in a container so that the water has somewhere to flow out of.
So as long as the soil you’re using is loose and well draining, your Snake plant will be very happy.
For some solid choices and more info on selecting the right type of soil, check out my article on best Snake plant soils.
Snake plant pot type
You can get away with using different types of pot’s or containers when caring for a Snake plant, but the overall best pot type for them are Terra cotta pots.
The reason for this is due to the material allowing for enhanced drainage compared to using other types of containers such as plastic.
When it comes to Snake plants, as you know by now they require great drainage and Terra cotta containers are the best for this purpose.
Just be sure you use one that fits your Snake plant well as in not too small and especially not too large.
Having a container that is too small can cause the roots to become cramped and ineffective.
Using a too large container can cause the soil to drain slower and make your Snake plant more prone to becoming overwatered.
If you bought a Snake plant that looks perfectly fine, but is not in a Terra cotta pot, just swap the current container for a new one that is the same size or only one pot size bigger to play it safe.
Just be careful not to disturb the roots too much or damage them as this is a big reason for transplant shock in Snake plants.
Where to plant Snake plants
Thankfully Snake plants can be grown both indoors and outdoors as long as your home temperature and growing conditions allow or if you live in a constantly warm location for outdoor growth.
Indoor growing
If you plan to keep your Snake plant as an indoor houseplant then be sure you have some space to grow near a window or under a grow light.
As mentioned before, your best bet is to place your Sansevieria near an east facing window to get optimal bright indirect light daily.
Be sure to keep the plant away from any vents that can cause unexpected cold drafts as this can stress the plant out.
You may find everything to be more consistent when growing indoors due to the temperature not changing all that much and the humidity staying pretty consistent.
If you’re growing near a window, you should rotate your Snake plant a quarter turn once a week to ensure all parts are getting equal amounts of light.
This will prevent your Snake plant from getting leggy or stretched out growth which happens when a part of the plant isn’t getting enough light.
Overall as long as you have normal indoor temperature 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit then you will be good to go.
Outdoor growing
Growing a Snake plant outdoors is also feasible as long as the temperature doesn’t drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and you plant in a spot that gets enough bright indirect light.
This can be done by growing under a porch, covered balcony, under some trees or really anywhere that gets some good shade to protect the plant from the harsh afternoon sun.
As long as your Snake plant stays in the temperature range between 60-90 degrees Fahrenheit and is limited to only a few hours of full sun then it will be good to go.
However, if you can’t get enough shade for the afternoons you may need to use some shade cloth to prevent your Snake plant from getting sun scorched.
Also if you anticipate the temperature dropping below 50 degrees Fahrenheit then you will need to bring the plant indoors for the time being.
It definitely helps planting in a movable container for when that happens or when cold fronts suddenly appear.
Snake plant pruning
Eventually after growing and caring for a Snake plant for some time, you will want to prune to keep everything in check.
Maybe you want to get rid of unhealthy growth such as yellow leaves on a Snake plant.
Or maybe you have seen massive growth over time and just want to keep your Snake plant small.
In any case, pruning is the way to go for keeping your Snake plant happy, healthy and looking it’s very best.
To get started you will need some sterile gardening shears, a sharp clean knife or scissors.
Once you have the required gardening tools at the ready, you will need to select one leaf at a time and make a clean horizontal cut as close to the soil as possible.
It helps if you can lightly pull the leaf upwards when making the cut so it comes off easier and you get a cleaner cut.
Keep in mind when you prune you will have a sort of leaf stump near the soil, but this is completely fine and won’t ruin the aesthetics of your Snake plant since it will only really be visible when looking down into the container.
That’s really all there is to it!
Repotting a Snake plant
Just like pruning, when it comes to Snake plant care, there may be a time when the plant needs to be repotted for a variety of reasons.
Eventually after growing long enough, the roots will start to get cramped and you will need a larger container to grow in.
Or maybe you just want to make the switch to a terra cotta container right away.
In any case you will need to perform a repot for your Snake plant to get back on track and thrive.
Keep in mind it’s best to repot your Snake plant in the spring or summer when it’s actively growing so it can bounce back faster.
So to get started you will first need to select the new container you wish to use and fill the bottom with some fresh, well draining soil.
Next carefully remove your Snake plant from the current pot, while keeping the rootball as intact as you can.
It helps to water the soil before removing to reduce friction between the roots and the soil by the way so you reduce the odds of damaging the roots.
Once you have removed your Sansevieria, now is a good time to prune any unhealthy roots which are dark or mushy or any unhealthy growth in the leaves.
Now plant your Snake plant in the new container and fill in the rest of the soil just like it was before.
Be sure to not pack the soil in too tight so the roots can breathe as well.
Keep in mind when repotting, there is a chance your Snake plant can experience transplant shock as repotting can stress plants out.
If you want to learn more about that then you can check out my article on Snake plant transplant shock.
How to fertilize a Snake plant
Thankfully Snake plants don’t require all that much fertilizer to grow well so you will save not only time, but money as well by caring for these plants.
With that said, if you plan to fertilize, you can use a balanced fertilizer with equal parts nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium usually seen as 10-10-10.
Fertilizing once a month during the spring and summer will do quite well as long as you dilute the fertilizer to 1/4 to 1/2 strength of the normal amount since most fertilizers are pretty strong for houseplants.
Overall follow the manufacturers directions and less is usually better so you reduce the chances of your Snake plant getting damaged roots from fertilizer burn.
Also you won’t need to fertilize at all during the winter since it won’t be growing like it would in the spring and summer.
Snake plant propagation
If you have been providing great care for your Snake plant then over time you will be rewarded with the option to grow new ones for free through propagation.
One of the best ways to propagate a Snake plant is by using leaf cuttings and propagate using water.
You can even use leaves that you have pruned, as long as they were healthy and were only pruned for aesthetic reasons.
In any case, as long as you have healthy leaves you can propagate.
So to get started you should have a mason jar or vase that is clean and filled with fresh water.
Now use some sterile gardening shears or a sharp knife to cut away a leaf near the base of the plant like you would if you were pruning.
From here plant the base of the leaf into the jar or vase with about 1/4 of the leaf submerged in water.
Keep in mind that the base needs to be in the water so if you have it upside down then you won’t see roots growing and you definitely don’t want to waste your time.
Speaking of time, this process can take several weeks to undergo and you won’t see roots forming until usually a month or two has passed.
Keep the leaf cutting in bright indirect light and replace the water with fresh water whenever it starts to get cloudy or once a week will do.
After some roots have started to show, you can replant in soil and go from there.
Snake plant pest control
Unfortunately, Snake plants just like many other plants have the possibility to get infested with bugs or pests.
This is especially true if your Snake plant becomes unhealthy or is already under some stress.
Some pests or bugs you may encounter when growing and caring for your Snake plant include the following.
- Aphids
- Mealybugs
- Spider mites
- Scales
- Fungus gnats
These pests can be a real nuisance and cause all sorts of issues for your Snake plant as they will feed on the leaves causing nutrient loss, drooping and annoying discoloration among other problems.
Thankfully there are a few different ways to get rid of them which include the following.
- Wipe down the leaves with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol (effective but tedious)
- Use water and pressure to spray the pests off your plant (easy but less effective)
- Insecticidal soap can be sprayed (very effective on contact)
- Neem oil can also be sprayed (very effective on contact and as a repellant)
For a more detailed guide on dealing with bugs or pests, you can check out my article on how to get rid of bugs on Snake plants.
Final thoughts
By now you know the vast majority of things needed to not only grow a Snake plant, but provide the best care possible.
If you made it this far congratulations as it’s a lot of info to digest and I thank you for taking the time to read all of this.
As always, have fun and enjoy the process!