Although snake plants are typically drought-tolerant, most varieties only need to be watered once every 10 to 14 days, or when the soil is completely dry. Weekly watering should be adequate during the summer. Additionally, monthly or biweekly watering should be sufficient during the winter. The location of your snake plant inside your house may also have an impact on how much watering it needs.
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How Snake Plants Hold Water
The use and storage of water by snake plants must first be understood. Snake plants are categorized as succulents because of the way their fleshy, thick leaves store water. They are indigenous to regions of southern Asia and Africa that experience extreme weather. Snake plants also use a special kind of photosynthesis known as Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) to stop water loss during high daytime temperatures to withstand these conditions. In an effort to reduce evapotranspiration, plants that use CAM only open their stomata at night to exchange gases during the daytime photosynthetic process1.
Needless to say, snake plants are tough plants that are made to withstand times of drought thanks to their ability to store water. Additionally, they are more prone to overwatering and root rot than some other tropical plants. But in the end, a lot depends on the growing conditions of snake plants as to how frequently they need to be watered.
How Often To Water Snake Plant
One of the simplest indoor plants to care for is the snake plant. They really don’t need much care, and they can go for very long stretches without any watering. And overwatering is actually the main cause of a sick snake plant. It’s also important to remember that you should never wet your snake plant’s leaves. The simplest way to water it is to use a watering can with a spouted nozzle.
Your plant will typically need more water to stay hydrated if it is located in a sunny area. The plant will typically need less water to stay hydrated when it is placed in a shaded or cooler environment.
The plant frequently gets overwatered in the winter, which can seriously harm the leaves (more on this later). Because it’s fairly simple to overwater snake plants, always check to see that the soil has completely dried out after each watering.
You might need to water your plant more frequently, though still not very often, if it is exposed to more sunlight than shade. Additionally, based on the size of the pot (as opposed to a smaller one), your plant will likely require more water.
Indirect sunlight is ideal for a snake plant because direct sunlight may be too intense and cause the leaves to burn.
Water Needs Depend On Growing Conditions
Despite the fact that snake plants can tolerate droughts in general, each plant will require a different amount of water depending on its growing environment. The amount of water a snake plant needs can vary depending on the amount of light, temperature, humidity, soil type, and type of pot it is planted in.
Light
The main factor affecting how frequently a snake plant needs to be watered is how much light it receives. Snake plants can grow in a range of lighting conditions, from bright light to low light, but their watering needs will need to be altered depending on the amount of light they are receiving. While plants growing in low light won’t require as much water, those growing in high light will require more frequent watering. As a result, if you have more than one snake plant growing in different parts of your house, you might need to water it more frequently than the others. This is totally normal!
Temperature And Humidity
Snake plants thrive in a variety of temperature and humidity levels, but growers should be aware of the effects that these factors will have on their plants’ watering requirements. In general, a plant grown in a warmer environment will need more water than one grown in a colder environment, and a plant grown in an environment with high humidity will need less water than one grown in arid conditions. This means a snake plant growing in hot, dry conditions will require significantly more water than a plant growing in cold, humid conditions, and vice versa.
Soil Type
The best soil for growing snake plants is a sandy, well-draining soil. After every watering, this aids in preventing excess moisture from getting to the roots. They won’t require as much watering, though, if they are planted in less well-draining soil, compared to when they are.
Potting Container
You wouldn’t believe it, but a snake plant’s watering requirements can even be influenced by the type of pot it is grown in. For instance, soil dries out more quickly in terracotta pots than in plastic pots because they absorb moisture from the soil. Likewise, if the pot has drainage holes—which it should always have!) excess water will drain from the drainage holes during each watering resulting in drier soil whereas pots without drainage holes will hold that excess water in the soil for longer. Make sure you are aware of the kind of pot that your snake plant is planted in and how that may impact its growing circumstances!
When To Water Snake Plants
As a general rule, snake plants need to have their soil completely dried out before being watered. As a result of more light, warmer temperatures, and more active growth during the spring and summer, you can anticipate watering your snake plant more frequently than during the fall and winter. For instance, during the spring and summer you might only need to water your snake plant once every week, and only every two to three weeks during the fall and winter. When in doubt about when to water your plant, keep in mind that it is usually preferable to underwater snake plants rather than overwater them. If you want to make sure the soil is completely dry before watering, you can buy a moisture meter.
Signs Your Snake Plant Is Underwatered
It will begin to show signs of drying out if you don’t water your snake plant frequently enough. This could be evidenced by brown, crispy tips, dying leaves, or hard, compacted soil that is separating from the pot’s edge. Give your plant a good watering and keep an eye on it if you see any of these symptoms. A few routine waterings should usually revive the plant; however, if the soil is compacted, you may need to repot your plant and give it fresh soil.
Signs Your Snake Plant Is Overwatered
Overwatering snake plants is a real risk because they can withstand droughts fairly well. Be wary of overwatering warning signs like yellow leaves, mushy stems, or waterlogged soil. Unpotting the plant and checking its roots for root rot, which can kill your plant if not caught in time, is a good idea if you see any signs of overwatering.
FAQs
What’s causing my snake plant to droop?
Probably from too much watering, your snake plant. Check the moisture level of the soil by touching it. As soon as the soil becomes dry again, water your snake plant. Repotting your snake plant might be an option if overwatering isn’t the issue. The plant may become more vibrant with the aid of the new nutrients in the soil.
It’s possible that your snake plant is also outgrowing its container. It will therefore be able to thrive if you transfer it to a larger pot with more nutrient-rich soil.
This comprehensive guide contains additional information on how to care for a snake plant.
What’s Causing My Snake Plant To Turn Yellow?
Probably from overwatering, your snake plant is turning yellow. Not much water is required by snake plants. Normally, you should water your snake plant if the top half of the soil is dry.
Inserting your finger into the soil is the simplest way to determine the moisture content. Take care not to harm the plant. A soil moisture meter is an additional purchase you could make. These meters typically gauge soil moisture by color: green indicates that there is enough moisture, yellow or red indicates that the soil is dry, and blue indicates that the soil is oversaturated.
Why Is My Snake Plant Bending Over?
When a snake plant is submerged, overexposed to sunlight, or attacked by thrips, it curls. To test whether the soil is dry, stick your finger a few inches into it. If so, give your snake plant some water. It might also be a little too near a window. Take it out of the window or out of the direct sunlight.
Pest control is a little more challenging. Check your snake plant’s leaves carefully because the majority of pests cause damage to them. Thrips can be found by looking for tiny black spots on the leaves. All of the diseased leaves should be removed, and the remaining leaves should be cleaned with some rubbing alcohol. You must destroy the plant if too many of its leaves are infected.
How Should I Care For My Snake Plant’s Soil?
For your snake plant, use a free-draining soil mixture. Soil that drains freely is one that doesn’t easily absorb water. It easily drains from the plant and into the bottom tray. Free-draining soil is ideal for snake plants because they don’t require a lot of water. It lessens the chance of root rot, which is exacerbated by soggy soil that doesn’t drain well.
Every week, empty the saucer of extra water to prevent the formation of a pool.
How Tall Can A Snake Plant Get?
The snake plant has one to four-foot-tall leaves. Some larger snake plants can grow leaves that are over four feet tall.