How to Make Snake Plant Grow Straight Correctly

Having a snake plant growing straight is such an everyone’s dream. However, a striking feature of the snake plants can be seen from the erect leaves which grow from 8’inches to 5’ feet tall. Unfortunately, a lot of gardeners often complain about their snake plant leaves which fall over or bend randomly.

In fact, many people also wonder why the snake plant leaves are falling over. Sure, this condition can be caused by lighting issues, overwatering or also incorrect repotting practices. Need to know, the snake plant also stores water in its leaves. So, if there’s something incorrect in taking care of the snake plant, it guarantees that your snake plant leaves will fall over.

Then, how to make your snake plant grow straight? Thankfully, this post will guide you the way of making the leaves of your snake plant getting straight.

Here’s How to Keep the Snake Plant Growing Straight!

Take note, that you need to keep the soil moist but not wet is a must. You also have to use extra caution in watering the plant to keep the leaves stay upright. You can water them when 2” – 3” inches of the soil is dry to touch. Well, the snake plants which are exposed to the partial sun really need more frequent watering.

You should water your snake plant once every 2 – 3 weeks and then stop once the water runs through the drainage hole of the container. It’s highly recommended for you to water your snake plant once a month during winter months. Once more, ensure the pot has drainage holes.

In this case, the care of the snake plant includes a fast-draining potting mix or a regular potting soil which is combined with a coarse or perlite added to a pot one size larger.

During winter, it’s better to expose the indoor plant to the southern window and an east-facing window is proper for the rest of the year. Then, if your snake plants have developed rotten roots, you can then wash and trim the rotten roots and then place in a new pot with good drainage.

The best way to keep the snake plant growing straight is pruning. You have to prune the drooping leaves. Just like most plants, the snake plant also needs pruning to grow bushier. To grow snake plant as fast as posible is by prunning and it can help the lose the unrequired leaves as well.

Aside from that, a  good pruning will make your snake plant get the right shape and size. If you have never pruned your snake plant, however, it may be a main cause why your plant gets stunted growth. However, a bit pruning can help your plant to get bushier and grow healthy.

You can also avoid adding any fertilizer to the pot until the roots have restored their health. During dormant periods, please don’t fertilize them. The fertilizer option you can apply to your snake plant is a weak dose of reasonable 10:10:10.

Ensure to not feed them too much fertilizer. In fact, snake plant fans will only fertilize this plant once a year and they will continue to do so for the next year. Avoid fertilizing them for a month after the excess fertilizer is flushed out.

Causes Why Snake Plant Leaves Falling Over

Just like all types of succulent plants, Sansevieria also stores the water in its leaves. Well, it will grow flourishly in its native dry and rock environment. These snake plants do  not like wet feet and suffer from root rot if you overwater them or also the soil is poorly-drained.

Additionally, you should water around the inside edge of the pot to keep the leaves dry and allow the pot to drain freely before you replace it on the drainage saucer. Once you water them, please don’t water them again until the top of the soil is getting dry. Water your snake plant only when the leaves start to look wilted. Well, once a month is commonly enough.

Another reason why the leaves of snake plants falling over is by placing them in areas without any light for prolonged time periods. Even though your snake plant will be extremely hardy and grow well without being exposed to direct sunlight, however, the extended absence from bright light of exposure to intense direct sunlight will cause your snake plant leaves to fall over.

However, if there’s no lighting and watering issues on your snake plant, well, the reason why the snake plant leaves falling over may be the rootbound which is caused by improper repotting as well. Need to know, repotting more frequently than 3 to 5 years or putting them in a pot too large will also cause the rottings roots.

The Damage Caused

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why your snake plant is falling over. However, the snake plant leaves falling over is an indication of an underlying problem with your plant. In this case, the roots of snake plants when they get overwatering will become wet and thirsty for the much needed nutrients and oxygen from the soil.

Moreover, rotten roots will influence the overall health of your snake plant and can spread to the healthier roots as well. Aside from that, fungus in the poorly-drained soil will develop because of over-watering which can kill the roots.

Additionally, the roots of your snake plants are commonly firm and black or pale in color, while the rotten roots will get mushy, soggy and blackish-brown in color. While the roots are still buried, the snake plant leaves falling over is a tell-tale sign of rot.

Your snake plant will also experience a damaging root condition named root bound. This condition occurs when the roots of the snake plants are restricted or bound by a barrier. When the pot of your snake plant is too small for it, you can start to inhibit healthy new growth.

Well, if you grow them outdoors, you can use footers, walls or piping to act as barriers. Consequently, the snake plant leaves will be falling over to indicate stunted growth.