Benefits of Snake plants

What Causes Brown Spots on Snake Plants? (and How to Fix It)

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Snake plants are well-known for their toughness. Their fleshy, succulent leaves are constantly losing water and do not need to be replenished regularly. That may explain why snake plants are familiar and recognisable members of many families.

Snake plants, like all succulents, are valued for their toughness. We love recommending them to novice gardeners and people with black thumbs because they’re among the most accessible types of succulents to care for.

You won’t ruin your snake plant if you fail to water it for a month, so don’t let your lack of gardening skills keep you from owning this excellent plant!

Sansevieria (Snake Plants) are among the most resilient plants on the planet. These spiky beauties can do almost anything, whether they’re indoors, in your backyard, or on your balcony. They’re simple to grow, but there are a few things to remember.

This article will assist your plant in fully recovering by recognising the issue early on.

What is the Snake Plant, and what does it do?What is the Snake Plant, and what does it do

The microscopic pores on the herb’s leaves, known as stomata and used for gas exchange, are only opened at night to prevent water loss due to evaporation in the hot sun. As a result, unlike most plants, which exchange gases continuously during the day, stored oxygen is released at night when the stomata open.

Dracaena trifasciata is known as “mother-in-tongue,” “Saint George’s blade,” or “snake vine” due to the shape and sharp margins of its leaves.

What is the presence of a snake plant?What is the presence of a snake plant

The most common snake plant species is Sansevieria trifasciata. It has tall, dark green leaves with horizontal light greyish-green stripes. ‘Sensation of Bantel’ Narrow leaves with white vertical stripes reach a length of around 3 feet. This kind of variety can be challenging to come by.

The snake plant’s color changes from dark green to a bluish-green hue as it matures. The deep grooves running the length of the leaves are another way to classify sansevieria patens. Place the sansevieria in a well-lit area away from direct sunlight to get the leaves’ best color.

Origins of Snake Plant

Dracaena trifasciata is a flowering plant belonging to the Asparagaceae family native to tropical West Africa, from Nigeria to the Congo. The snake vine, Saint George’s sword, mother-in-tongue, law’s, and viper’s bowstring hemp are some of its other names.

Causes Brown Spots on Snake Plant

brown spots on snake plant
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  • Watering that isn’t consistent.

Grey tips or brown spots on the leaves of the snake plant are caused by infrequent watering. It encompasses both over-and under-watering.

You may be aware that one of the most common problems with snake plants is overwatering. It can lead to plant decay and rotting roots. If you catch root rot early enough, you can treat it by transplanting your snake plant.

Repot the plant with a dry soil mixture of perlite, grit, peat moss, or coarse sand. Simply cut off the rotting ends of your leaves while keeping as many good ones as possible. Gently press the cut leaves into the fresh soil and expose them to intense yet indirect light. Maintain moist but not wet soil.

  • Furthermore, due to its recognised water conservation properties, which are similar to cacti, underwatering is a common problem for this plant type.

Water Without Filtration

When it comes to watering snake plants, the type of water you use is essential. Chlorine is considered to be present in tap water, ensuring that it is safe to drink. Because of their reaction to this chemical, snake plants display signs of stress. Chlorine buildup in the soil can affect nutrient availability.

Brown spots on the snake plant may be caused by a potassium(K) deficiency. As a result, it’s essential to water your snake plant with filtered or chlorine-free water.

  • Sunlight that is too bright

Snake plants can survive in the absence of direct sunlight. Another reason it’s one of the best indoor plants is because of this. If your snake plant receives too much sunshine, the leaves may develop brown spots or sunburn.

In this situation, the snake plant consumes too much energy for it to bear. As a result, it damages the tissue of the leaves, causing brown spots to appear.

  • Damage from the cold

Snake plants have a lower tolerance for cold weather. It can be stressful to leave them in a position where the temperature drops below 55°F (12°C). Browning of leaves can occur as a result of the cold.

The root system is harmed by extreme cold because the water can freeze to ice. As a result, the roots cannot absorb enough nutrients, resulting in brown spots on the leaves.

  • Fertilizer in Abundance

Snake plants can live without fertilisation due to their hardiness. However, too much fertilizer will damage your snake plant, causing brown spots or fertilizer to burn on the leaves.

The nitrogen and salt levels in the soil can rise due to too much fertilizer, resulting in fertilizer burn.

  • Excessive watering

Overwatering allows the potting media to stay damp for the majority of the time. Decreases root aeration and potting media aeration, allowing anaerobic bacteria and fungi to flourish, possibly contributing to root rot.

It can cause the plant to consume too much water at first, resulting in oedema or even blisters on the leaves. This can cause bacterial or fungal disease in the leaves, resulting in brown or black spots.

The plant will no longer absorb water and nutrients once the roots have been infected by root rot, so you’ll s of nutrient and water deficiency symptoms in the leaves, such as discoloration and crispy brown tips.

  • Humidity is poor

Many indoor conditions are drier than houseplants. Excessive water loss from the leaves is a common cause of brown tips on snake plants due to dry air. Snake plants don’t need a lot of water and don’t need a lot of humidity.

On the other hand, low humidity allows the leaves to lose too much water, resulting in brown spots on snake plants.

  • Pest

Mealybug and spider mite infestations are common on snake plants. These pests feed on the sap from the leaves, causing tension and the appearance of brown spots.

How to Fix Brown Spots on Snake PlantHow to Fix Brown Spots on Snake Plant

  • How to Deal With Inconsistent Watering

Having a schedule and tracking to see if they require watering or having any other problems arise is one of the best ways to water your snake plant properly.

It is essential to just water the soil and not the leaves when watering your snake plant. Spilling water on the leaves may make them susceptible to fungus. A fungal infection primarily causes brown spots on snake plants.

  • How To Fix Unfiltered Water Issues

Filtering the water with any standard water filtration device you have on hand is the most common solution. You can also soak the water you’re going to use to water your plant for a day before using it.

You may be aware that sunlight is exceptionally efficient at removing chlorine since sunlight will decompose 90% of chlorine in just two hours.

  • How To Deal With Excessive Sunlight

If your snake plant isn’t used to a certain amount of light, gradually increase the light and heat levels to help it adjust.

As a result, keep your snake plant out of direct sunlight. It does not have any problems rising in indirect sunlight. The best way to maintain a healthy snake plant without brown spots is to work out the best lighting conditions for your plant.

  • How to Prevent Cold Damage Issues

To avoid the risk of cold damage, keep your snake plants away from temperatures below 55°F (12°C). Keep them between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 27 degrees Celsius) during the day and 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (12 and 21 degrees Celsius) at night.

You can also give them a lot of sun in the summer and carry them indoors in the fall and winter.

The best advice for preventing overwatering is to feel the potting media through the drainage holes at the pot’s bottom before watering. Your snake plant does not need watering if the soil is moist.

  • How To Deal With Fertilizer Overuse

In the spring and summer, fertilize your snake farm. During the growing season, a potted snake plant only needs a small amount of fertilizer. Take care not to overdo it. You should add a small amount of worm compost to the soil of your snake plant pot. Snake plant can also use this fertilizer on your other indoor plants.

Since snake plants are dormant throughout the winter, fertilizing them during this time can be dangerous. Remember to read the package instructions for precise measurements before adding fertilizer.

Slow-release organic or compost fertilizers provide more natural plant nutrients required for growing a healthy houseplant.

  • How to Avoid Low Humidity Problems

Maintain a relative humidity of about 40% to satisfy humidity requirements. You may also use devices like a digital hygrometer or a humidifier to track the air’s humidity around your plants regularly.

Fill the tray halfway with water, then add the pebbles—only enough water to keep the rocks moist. The plant can now be mounted on top of your pebble tray. By slowly evaporating the water around the plant, it will increase humidity.

  • How to Avoid Being Infested With Pests

The easiest way to keep pests at bay is to inspect the leaves for signs of infestation. If the plant is already heavily infested, it’s best to toss it out to avoid contaminating nearby plants.

Washing snake plants and using natural or chemical pest control are two of the most effective ways to eliminate pests. Spider mites and aphids can be dehydrated by a solution of dish soap and water. Insects can be effectively repelled from houseplants using alcohol spray. The seeds of neem trees, which are native to India, make neem oil sprays. It is effective against mites, scale, aphids, and other small insects.

How to Keep a Snake Plant Looking Strong and StableHow to Keep a Snake Plant Looking Strong and Stable

The Snake Plant has many advantages, including releasing oxygen and purifying the air we breathe. According to Nasa, the Sansevieria Laurentii variety is one of the best air-purifying houseplants, and it is especially good at filtering out contaminants such as formaldehyde and xylene. It’s also a tremendous nighttime plant because it transforms carbon dioxide into oxygen. Here are some easy tips for keeping your Snake Plant healthy and reaping its many benefits over time.

  • Repotting 

Houseplants grow at a much slower pace than wild plants. This should be done every 2-3 years, depending on your plant’s size and the roots’ density, to provide fresh nutrients and promote new growth.

If you want your plant to grow bigger, use a nursery pot that is 2” larger in diameter than the current one. You can reuse the same pot and simply adjust the soil if you want your plant to remain at the same height. If this is the case, you will need to separate some of your Snake Plant’s stalks, as they will most certainly no longer fit in the jar.

Spread newspaper on the surface, remove the plant from the pot and shake off as much of the old soil as possible to ensure that the roots are clean. Place the plant in the pot’s middle, fill it with new soil and firmly pat it down. It will take 2-4 weeks for your plant to recover from the shock and adapt to its new surroundings.

  • Contaminating

Since snake plants are water-sensitive and vulnerable to root rot, it’s essential to plant them in well-draining soil. Since it contains added sand to aid drainage, commercial succulent or cactus soil is ideal for them. To find out what the best soil mix for your succulents is, read our best soil post.

You can also create succulent soil from the ground up. You’ll save money and have complete control of what goes into it, so give it a shot if you can. There are several homemade soil recipes on the Internet, but we tend to use three parts potting soil, two parts coarse sand (like builder’s sand), and one part pumice.

  • Pruning a Tree

Pruning a Snake Plant is easy, whether it’s overgrown or has some damaged leaves that need to be removed. Simply cut off the stalks you want to extract at the root, as close to the soil as possible, with a sharp, clean blade. You may also tug on the leaf and pull it out from the root if it’s drooping, dry, or otherwise on its way out.

  • Light is Required

Place your snake plant near an east-facing window to keep it safe and happy. This plant thrives in direct sunlight for a few hours in the morning and indirect sunlight for the rest of the day, which these windows provide. If you want to keep it close to the brighter south or west-facing window, just close the blinds a little to protect it from the sun’s rays. Your snake plant’s leaves would be burned if exposed to too much direct sunlight.

  • Organizing

Wipe the top of each leaf with two soft tissue cloths to show a healthy shine.

Some Important FAQs

These are some questions and answers commonly asked by What causes brown spots on snake plants with solutions. Here basically we try to give information about it. Check them out, and they may be of great help.

  • What’s the best way to get rid of fungus on a snake plant?

Dissolve one teaspoon of baking soda in 1 quart of water to make a regular baking soda mist. To help the solution spread and adhere to the leaves, apply a few drops of insecticidal soap or liquid soap. Using only liquid soap, such as Ivory, rather than laundry detergent.

  • What is the safest way to revive a snake plant?

Maintain a moist but not wet consistency in the mixture. The roots will wither and die if they are exposed to too little water, but they will also wither and die if exposed to too much water.

  • How can you tell if your snake plant is in good shape?

Pump, fleshy green leaves define a good snake plant. If the leaves have wrinkles, it may be a sign of root rot, which means the snake plant has been overwatered to the point that the roots have been destroyed.

  • Should you prune your snake plant’s droopy leaves?

You’ll want to get rid of the weaker lower half of your body. Make sure the cuts are straight and clean. If you like, you can always propagate the lower leaf parts. Simply bring the ends of the soil into the propagation mix, not the other end from which you cut the top portions off.

  • Do plants like being stroked?

Plants are susceptible to contact, according to a study, and repeated touching can significantly delay development. From field-based farming to intensive horticulture processing, the findings could lead to new approaches to maximizing plant growth and productivity.

  • Is it true that snake plants develop quickly?

Sansevierias are slow growers who rarely need repotting, but they will overgrow and need repotting or dividing once a year if given enough sunlight. In the spring, repot these plants. Still use new potting soil when repotting.

Conclusion

The best fix for snake plants’ browning is identifying the primary cause and improving the growing conditions to resolve the problems. 

Fertilizer and fungicides There are preventative measures that it must take before signs show up on the leaves. Moisture is an essential factor to consider. Enable the soil to dry before rewatering the roots, not the leaves. Pruning and spacing Waste removal is needed.

A fungal or bacterial disease is also indicated by water-soaked black and brown spots on plant leaves and stems. Adjust the watering schedule as required, and don’t let plants sit in standing water. Remove any rotting roots and repot in a fresh potting mix in a slightly larger tub than the roots remaining.

You’re probably itching to go to your nearest garden center and buy one of these plants right now. Snake plants are low-maintenance houseplants that anyone, regardless of gardening experience, can grow and enjoy.

Their beautiful tall leaves, color variations, and greenish-white flowers are among our favorites. If you have a green thumb or not, we hope this guide has helped you find out how to care for a snake plant once you get it home from the nursery!

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