The best time of year to repot a snake plant is near the end of winter or the beginning of spring. Snake plants are dormant in the winter, which makes this the perfect time to transfer your plant into a bigger pot. Although it’s best to repot your snake plant before the spring growing season, these hardy plants can withstand being repotted during any season.
Snake plants (also known as sansevieria) are adaptable and resilient and may not need to be repotted every year. Instead, look for signs that indicate it’s time for your sansevieria to move to a larger pot size. If you notice your plant is no longer able to hold water in its soil, has roots growing through the drainage holes, can no longer stand upright, or has produced many baby plants, it’s time to repot it.
4 Signs to Repot Your Snake Plant
Different snake plants grow at different rates depending on their variety, climate, and placement, but at some point, all snake plants will need to be transferred to larger pots. There are several ways your snake plant can let you know it needs to be repotted. Here are some of the most obvious signs to look for.
It Isn’t Holding Water
When you water your snake plant, the soil should absorb most of the water. It’s normal for a small amount of water to escape through the pot’s drainage holes. It’s not normal for all or most of the water to immediately come rushing out the bottom of the pot. If this happens, it means that your soil has eroded over time and is no longer working to trap nutrients. When excess water occurs, it’s time to repot your plant in a bigger pot with new, nutrient-dense, well-draining soil.
Roots Are Escaping Through Drainage Holes
Perhaps the surest sign that your snake plant has outgrown its pot is the presence of roots growing through the drainage holes. If there are visible roots reaching through the drainage holes, you should repot your plant as soon as possible. This is a sign that the roots are taking up most of the pot, leaving little room for soil, and no space for the plant to continue to grow. If left unchecked, this can cause the pot to eventually crack from the pressure of the expanding roots.
The Plant Won’t Stand Upright
If your snake plant keeps tipping over, that’s a sign that your sansevieria has grown too large for its pot. Snake plants grow upward, creating a top-heavy plant. If the pot is too small, or the base is too narrow, your plant will begin to routinely tip over onto its side. If your plant seems to be sideways more often than it’s upright, it’s time to choose a larger, heavier pot that can support your plant’s ongoing active growth and expansion.
It Keeps Producing Pups
When a snake plant matures, it can sometimes produce offshoots, or baby plants referred to as “pups.” This is a normal part of the plant growth cycle. Seeing one or two snake plant pups coming up through the soil shouldn’t be a cause for alarm.
However, if your plant begins to produce many pups, it can be a sign that it doesn’t have anywhere else to expand. If a plant senses it’s constricted, unwell, or unable to grow, it can produce pups to ensure it will continue on, even if the main plant dies. In this case, you can repot the main plant into a larger pot, and propagate each baby pup into their own, smaller containers.
What Kind of Soil Should You Repot Your Snake Plant In?
Snake plants are succulents, which means they grow best when kept slightly dry. If a snake plant’s roots are constantly damp, the plant is prone to developing root-rot. The best way to avoid this is by choosing soil for snake plants that drains easily. Using a mix of indoor potting soil and succulent and cactus soil will give your potted plant everything it needs to grow.
- Snake plants are succulents, so they like their roots to be slightly dry.
- Choose a soil that drains easily.
- Mix indoor potting soil with succulent and cactus soil to give your indoor houseplant what it needs to grow.
- Buy soil that contains bark compost or coconut coir. These create space and airflow in the soil, helping the plant to thrive.
- Use an indoor plant fertilizer to add any nutrients your soil blend may be missing.
Look for ingredients like bark compost or coconut coir. Both of these fibrous materials create space in the soil, allowing for air to circulate and roots to dry out. Most indoor potting soils contain an even balance of nutrients, but you can always add an indoor plant all-purpose fertilizer to supplement the soil and promote growth.
Do You Water After Repotting a Snake Plant?
After you’ve repotted your snake plant, be sure to give it a thorough watering. This not only feeds the plant and helps it settle into its new pot, but it’s also a great test to make sure the plant is potted correctly.
- You should thoroughly water your snake plant after repotting it.
- If no water escapes through the drainage holes, the soil may be too densely packed.
- If all the water immediately rushes through the drainage holes, the soil may be too loose, or you may need to add more.
- A properly repotted plant should have slow, minimal seepage through the drainage holes.
When you water it, watch the drainage holes. If no water comes out, your soil may be too densely packed. If all the water immediately rushes out, the soil may be too loose, or you may not have used enough of it. If your plant has been properly repotted, a minimal amount of water should slowly seep through the drainage holes.
When Should You Repot a Snake Plant?
Your snake plant will give you clear signs that it’s ready to be repotted. If your sansevieria trifasciata can no longer hold water, the soil has eroded and needs to be replaced. If you see roots growing through the pot’s drainage holes, the entire root ball has grown too big for the pot and needs to be replanted. If your plant is too top-heavy to stand upright, it needs to be replanted into a wider and heavier pot. Finally, if your plant is producing a large number of babies, or snake plant pups, the mother plant should be replanted in a larger pot, and the pups propagated into new plants.