Why are My Snake Plant Growing Sideways

Seeing your snake plants grow well is the most satisfying thing and it is normal if you feel a bit proud about it. On the other side, you might be a bit worried when they do not grow like you expected them to be. You might have a lot of things in your mind when your plant grows sideways, for instance.

Reasons Why the Snake Plant Growing Sideways

For those who are wondering why your snake plants are growing sideways, the first possibility might be they are overcrowded. When they are overcrowded, it is possible for them to lean over with age. It also has been known that the snake plants tend to lean closer toward a source of light. You can check the direction of the light to check if it is true.

Ways to Fix the Issue

It is actually normal when the snake plants to grow sideways as it is the way of them. The first solution, as suggested by BonniePega posted on garden.org, is to buy a narrow but deep pot and plant them down in the pot about a half way down. Please remember to not cover any of the stems and allow the sides of the pot to offer support.

The second method that you can try is to use a pretty small trellis to anchor the plants. This one actually worked for the user named Lindasilklemoine and now everything is pretty to look at. If you are interested in this idea, you can purchase the trellises from the plant supply places. If you are too lazy to go out or if you are allergic to the crowds due to the current pandemic, you can also purchase them online.

Lioba from the same community recommended to use a regular ceramic pot and then put it in a triangular bowl with a wide mouth. WillCC shared the same thought as jessybean. He said that a wider pot would be counterproductive and cause the leaves to lean ever further. This kind of situation usually happens when the plant has been placed in low light for a long time, causing the roots to weaken and die back. In the worst cases, it might be too late to fix the issue. In order to fix the issue, first of all, you can remove the root ball from the pot. If the healthy remaining roots are still there, you can squeeze the rootball into the bottom of a tall and narrow pot with a small amount of potting with pores and add it underneath the rootball. Please sit it very low in the pot so that the leaves are supported by the sides of the pot. After that, you can move it to a location with the sun and the thing might get better.

If your snake plants are the ones with drooping leaves, here is step by step to follow:

1. The first thing that you will need to do is to plant the snake plant in the garden soil that has the organic compost. If you are planting it outdoors, please drain it quickly. It is important to use the fast draining potting soil if you use it as a houseplant. Plus, it is also needed to grow it in a place where there is dappled sun.
2. Then, maintain the temperature. For your information, the best temperature for the snake plants is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The leaves of the plant will droop if the plants are placed in the cool weather.
3. In case the leaves droop, please repot or move the snake plants. This kind of thing usually happens when you water them a little bit too much. To save the day, you can dig them up and remove them from the pot. Then, rinse off all the old soil and replant them in the fresh potting soil or the outdoor area that has better drainage.
4. After that, you have to cut back all the drooping leaves. After repotting, there is no way for them to be revived and the new growth will be upright.

One of the reasons that makes the snake plants grow sideways is overwatering. It has been known that they do not have much water at all, so it is needed for you to make sure that the soil is allowed to dry between watering during the growing season and that the soil mix is a well drained one. In the winter, please avoid watering them too much.

You can read also: Grow snake plant straight correctly

As you probably know, the snake plants are naturally rooted, and it is not a good idea to bury them deeper by repotting them, as it is not healthy for them to be planted that way and it can make the thing worse when the stems have started to rot. As an alternative, you might want to try to spread a little sand over the surface and see if it works.

The next thing that you can try is to report the snake plants into a wider pot. A wider pot can be used to provide them more space. If you want to repot, keep in mind to use a clay pot and a free draining mix and it is also important to not use too much water.

Cutting off the top parts might also work. If you want to make new plants, it is the perfect option. Firstly, take the tip cutting. Then, stick it upright into barely damp sand. When everything is done, the last thing is to be patient as it takes time. After a while, a new leaf will grow beside the cut piece.

If the light is the issue, the best way is to increase the amount of light received by your snake plants and you can try to turn the pot regularly so that every side of the plants can receive the same amount of the light.

In case no one of these solutions mentioned above works for you, feel free to seek help from professionals.