How to Repot a Potted Indoor Snake Plant? [Useful Tips]

Unlike most house plant species in the USA that are susceptible to their external environments and the provided care routine, a snake plant is popular for being a highly-tolerant indoor plant species that can survive on minimum care.

All plant owners need to do is water their snake plants at least once every two weeks and keep their plants in a bright spot in their homes.

However, at times, neglect or incorrect care measures can affect the quality and condition of a potted snake plant’s soil.

When this happens, the best tip is to repot the plant into another pot containing a high-quality potting mix.

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What Makes a Snake Plant a Consumer Favorite Across the Globe?

Over the previous decade, the demand for different indoor plant species has been on the rise almost everywhere in the world.

With the increasing global access to the mainstream internet, people from all regions have picked up on the internationally viral trend to buy and care for different indoor planters.

As a result, critics have gone as far as calling these indoor planters the ‘new pets of today’s era,’ while the plant owners have gone one step ahead by coining the term ‘plant parents’ to express their devotion and dedication to their indoor planters.

One such indoor plant species that continues to gain worldwide popularity is the Sansevieria Trifasciata, commonly known as the snake plant.

Plant parents love this indoor planter for its tall, vertical, green leaves with beautiful and unique snake-skin markings.

Apart from the visual appeal, a snake plant is also loved for its highly-tolerant, resistant, and strong nature, which is relatively rare in other indoor plant species.

Hence, while most potted house plant species lose their health and die prematurely as soon as their external conditions change, the snake plant is able to retain its lush green color, stand tall, and survive against all odds.

Moreover, another unique and highly attractive quality of the snake plant is its ability to survive and thrive on extremely low amounts of water.

Hence, when plant owner has to leave their potted snake plants at home for an extended period, they are usually always able to return to healthy, tall, green snake plant leaves.

As a result, people with highly-demanding jobs and hectic schedules also get the opportunity to relieve their stress by enjoying the therapeutic and reenergizing company of a potted snake plant.

Continue reading to learn more about the top care tips one needs to follow to keep their indoor snake plant healthy and strong.

Moreover, the article also sheds light on the top signs a plant parent needs to notice to know when their snake plant needs to be repotted, along with listing down how they can repot their snake plant successfully.

Let’s get started!

Top Care Tips for a Potted Snake Plant

As explained above, a snake plant’s highly tolerant nature and low-maintenance care routine make it the ideal home addition for people who cannot spend too much time caring for their planters.

However, if you wish to get an indoor snake plant, it is better to be well-informed about the simple care tips to ensure that your snake plant can retain its beauty, quality, and health for a very long time.

The top care tips for a potted snake plant are as follows:

Only water once every two weeks.
However, if the soil gets too dry due to the external hot weather, it is better to water it twice in a two-week period.
Place your potted snake plant in a well-lit place in your house that gets sufficient indirect sunlight.
However, if you do not have a window allowing enough light to enter, you can leave the snake plant outside under a slightly shaded tree.
Ensure that the air surrounding the potted snake plant is not too humid.
To do this, invest in a good-quality ventilation system.
Also, ensure that the potted snake plant’s air is not excessively dry.
To do this, place a humidifier in the plant’s living space and keep it on till the air is relatively less dry.
Ensure the snake plant’s soil is clear of any fungal infections or pest infestations.

Top Signs Your Indoor Snake Plant Needs to be Repotted

Since an indoor snake plant is well-known for its resistant and highly-tolerant nature, some plant parents make the mistake of completely neglecting their snake plant’s unique needs.

When this happens, the snake plant displays signs of distress or poor care to indicate something is wrong, and a repotting is pending.

However, how will you know when your snake plant needs to be repotted?

Usually, the best tip is to keep an eye out for the following top five signs:

When the leaves of potted snake plants turn yellow or brown, or when they begin to get too dry and fall off.
This indicates that the snake plant’s roots are unable to transport sufficient water up the plant, resulting in the plant being dehydrated.
When this happens, some plant parents make the mistake of overwatering the snake plant to cure its ‘dehydration’; however, they are unaware that the cause of the dehydration is overwatering itself.
This happens when overwatering creates a medium that harbors a fungal infection.
Root decay happens when the fungus grows deep enough to cover the snake plant’s roots.
As a result, no more water is carried up the plant.
When the water begins to drain out of the pot’s holes too quickly.
This indicates that the water is unable to properly saturate the pot, and is running down quickly due to the pot’s shape.
When multiple different pups are beginning to grow from the snake plant’s soil.
This shows that the snake plant has outgrown the small pot, and its new pups need more space and nutrition to grow out properly.
If repotting is ignored or delayed, the soil quickly runs out of nutrition, and the new snake plant pups suffer from stunted growth and poor immunity.
If the roots of the indoor snake plant are growing out of the pot’s drainage holes, it is a sign that the snake plant has outgrown its current pot.
This means that it is time you repot the plant into a wider and deeper pot that is big enough so that the roots remain at least one inch off the pot’s bottom at all times.
The snake plant keeps on falling over.
This sign indicates that the snake plant is too overgrown, tall, and heavy for the small pot. Hence, it needs to be repotted into a more suitable pot that can support its heavy weight.

How Do You Repot a Potted Snake Plant?

As soon as a plant parent begins to notice any of the top five signs mentioned above, they need to proceed with repotting without any delay if they wish to save their snake plant from premature plant death.

To ensure a successful transplant, the plant parent needs to follow all the steps listed below:

No matter if you notice just one or all of the five signs mentioned above, the best thing to do is to invest in a larger and wider pot.
Make sure the new pot is clean and clear of any pests or fungal infections before starting the repotting process.
To safely remove the snake plant from its pot, gently begin pressing the pot inwards from all sides. Keep rotating the pot in your hands to ensure all sides are pressed.
Doing so allows the snake plant’s roots to leave the pot’s walls and instead get pressed into the pot’s soil.
Continue this process for at least five minutes before you move toward the removal.
Now, gently grab the snake plant from the bottom of its leaves and slowly start pulling the plant upwards.
Ensure you do not tug hard enough to break a leaf or damage the whole plant.
Once the entire plant, along with its soil and roots, is pulled out, proceed with inspecting the soil for any fungal growth.
If you spot a fungal infection, remove the soil using a soft-bristle brush and gently wash the roots under running water to remove the fungal growth.
If needed, cut off all the roots that are fully decayed.
Finally, repot the snake plant into its new pot and fill the space with a high-quality potting mix.
Pat the soil down to ensure the roots are planted inside the soil.

Final Thoughts

An indoor snake plant is an ideal home or office addition for people who wish to enjoy the plant’s refreshing ambiance and calming company for a long time.

Since a snake plant is a highly-tolerant indoor plant species, its advised care routine is quite easy to follow. Hence, keeping the snake plant alive and healthy for many years is not challenging.

However, if the soil is too wet, is too dry, lacks proper nutrients, is infected or infested, or if the pot lacks proper drainage, the snake plant must be repotted into a new pot and potting mix immediately. Just remember to handle the plant with care to minimize any damage to its leaves or roots during the repotting process to ensure a successful transplant.