A snake plant is often found on home window sills. Caring for it is not difficult; however, you need to know when to start watering. Read more about how to tell if an underwatered snake plant needs water in this article.
Signs of lack of moisture
There are several underwatered snake plant signs. More about features when snake plant requires water will be discussed below.
The underwatered snake plant leaves are wrinkled
The first to suffer from a lack of moisture is the leaf plates of the snake plant. They begin to wrinkle. Visually, they resemble wrinkles that appear on a person’s face.
The lines fill the entire surface of the sheet plate.
They may vary in length and depth.
Leaf fall
If you have an underwatered snake plant for a long time, the leaves will begin to fall off. Initially, they will look lifeless, and begin to droop.
Leaf tip discoloration
Due to lack of moisture, snake plants tend leaves can lose their pigment. Therefore, the tips become discolored. They are often brown. This happens if there is not too much moisture inside, which delivers nutrients.
Nutrient components will not be able to penetrate some areas, in particular, the outermost parts of the leaf blades. It will be quite difficult to return the green pigment.
Dryness of the edges of the leaf plates
The lack of moisture provokes not only discoloration of the leaves. It is safe to say that for this reason, the brown tips begin to darken and become dry. If you touch brown tips, they will crunch. The edges dry first. After that, the problem can spread over the entire surface of the sheet plate.
Leaf curl
Many people do not like to watch how the sheet plates begin to curl. Similar situations occur if the snake plant does not have enough moisture. Therefore, you should analyze when you last water your snake plant. If it has been for a long time, then you need to urgently correct the situation.
Brown leaves
If the underwatered snake plant stays in drought conditions for too long, then the leaf plates, as already mentioned, become dry and crispy.
This suggests that the plant does not receive enough moisture, as well as nutrients.
Because of this, leaf plates may be brown in whole or in part. Due to the lack of watering, not only leaf plates but also the root system can suffer. If the roots are damaged, they may stop functioning properly and the snake plant will die.
Dry soil in a pot
Almost all gardeners know that most snake plants are drought resistant. However, the bushes need to be watered. If there is dry soil in the pot, then you have ignored this recommendation.
It must be understood that due to a lack of moisture in the potting mix, enough nutrients will not enter the snake plant. After all, water is considered a great conductor of natural fertilizers.
Slow growth
Quite often, gardeners notice that the snake plant grows quite slowly. In most cases, this indicates that the bushes are not getting enough moisture. Because of this, the progress of growth and development is blocked. However, you should not panic because you have the opportunity to fix everything.
Snake plant care
If you notice that an underwatered snake plant is not feeling well, you should not immediately get upset. You can bring it to life with a few tips. You can read more information later.
Choosing the right container
First, you need to choose a container that will meet all the requirements of the snake plant. More details about the factors to pay attention to will be discussed below.
Choose containers that are slightly larger than the plant’s root system. The optimal difference is 2-3 inches. If the container is too small or large, it must be discarded. Small pots will block root development. Large containers will retain moisture, which can lead to root rot.
It is recommended to give preference to pots with a porous texture. This allows water and oxygen to better penetrate the root system. The best solution would be to buy a clay pot.
They will be much better than plastic containers. They help prevent the development of root rot. In clay pots, the dry potting soil will dry out faster. At the same time, they further enhance the protection of snake plants if they are on the street.
In clay pots, the walls are quite thick. Because of this, the roots will not face sudden temperature changes, and the snake plant will stay healthy longer. Another advantage of a clay pot is the difficulty of tipping over.
On average, snake plant height varies from 4 to 5 feet. Care must be taken to ensure that the containers have enough holes for drainage.
If necessary, you can increase the number of holes. Under the pot itself, you need to put a tray into which excess water will drain.
This will keep things in order. Drain the water periodically to keep the pan from overflowing.
Proper watering
Watering the snake plant should be moderate. If you notice the potting soil is too dry, then insufficient nutrients will penetrate the snake plants.
If you exceed the recommended doses of water, the roots may rot. Due to damage, the roots will no longer be able to supply nutrients to the snake plant.
There are several tips to follow when watering, namely:
- Perform a ground check. You need to touch it with your finger or use a moisture meter. Watering should be done when the top 1-2 inches of soil is dry.
- Listen to the ground. Tap on the potting mix. If the sound is sonorous, then watering is required.
- Weigh the pot. If the potting mix is dry, then the container will be a little lighter.
- Check the shade of the mixture. The soil will lighten as it dries.
Use of quality water
It must be understood that the revival of the snake plant is carried out not only under the influence of watering.
It is important to understand that you need to use the right water. Give preference to filtered water.
The use of poor-quality water leads to the fact that harmful components will accumulate inside the soil. Because of this, photosynthesis cannot take place.
If photosynthesis is absent, the snake plant will not be able to thrive. There are several ways to prevent such cases, namely:
- Stop using tap water. The composition of such water contains fluorine, which can spoil the bushes.
- Use a water purification system. Yes, you will have to spend. However, the investment will soon pay off.
- Use rainwater or melted snow. You can even use distilled water. You can buy it or make it yourself.
- Use warm water, which is 62-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Using warm or cold water can stress the snake plant.
Creating the right environment
For a snake plant to grow properly, you need to create the right atmosphere for it. Particular attention should be paid to temperature, lighting, and humidity. Everything will be discussed in more detail below.
You need to install containers with a snake plant in places where there is bright or moderate lighting.
Areas that are the best lit will be covered with light stripes running across the leaf plates. If there is not enough lighting for the bushes, the snake plant’s foliage will have a rich, dark green hue.
Yes, the snake plant can be in full sun conditions. However, this can cause sunburn. Therefore, the plant’s leaves will be covered with dark spots. Therefore, do not leave the pots in direct sunlight. To correct the situation, you should follow a few tips:
- If brown spots have formed on the leaves, it is better to cut off the entire plate. Over time, a new shoot is formed.
- If the snake plant will be outdoors, it is better to install it in shady areas. Additionally, you can add fabric, or leave bushes under a tall tree.
- Every 2-3 days you should turn the bushes. This allows them to be evenly illuminated by sunlight. It will also encourage vertical growth. In this case, the bushes will not bend in one direction.
The correct temperature
It is important to pay attention to the temperature at which the snake plant grows. Optimal readings should range from 55 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the temperature is high or low, health will deteriorate. To avoid risky events, follow these tips:
- Do not place plant pots in places where the temperature changes constantly and abruptly. Therefore, avoid placing pots near windows or doors where drafts are constantly observed.
- Use additional devices to normalize the temperature readings. The room can be filled with additional heat using a thermostat. It is better to use a fan to cool the room.
Humidity indicators
Snake plants are unpretentious. However, they need accurate moisture readings to thrive.
If the bushes are in a warm room where the humidity is low, then they should be watered more abundantly. Due to the dryness of the air, rapid transpiration can occur.
Because of this, moisture will quickly leave the sheet plates, so they will be more abundantly lost.
This can cause deterioration of the condition of the bushes. To make it easier for the plant to cope with low humidity, follow these tips:
- Periodically spray the bushes.
- Place the snake plant near other plants. This will increase the humidity levels.
- Install a humidifier in the room.
Watering frequency
The frequency of irrigation depends on various factors.
If the bushes are in places with good lighting, you should water the plants more often. After all, they will dry out more abundantly.
If the bushes are grown in clay pots and filled with dense soil, they will require much less water when compared to light soil and plastic containers.
In hot weather, moderate watering is required. It is carried out when the upper part of the soil dries out. In winter, watering is not required.
FAQ
When it comes to watering a snake plant, there are many questions that you may encounter. The answers to them will be presented below.
How do you tell if a snake plant is underwater or overwater?
How often does a snake plant need to be watered?
What does an overwatered snake plant look like?
How do I know if my snake plant is dehydrated?
Results
As you can see, determining the lack of watering for snake plants is quite simple. It is important to carefully monitor the bushes and their condition.
