Your snake plant can have brown spots due to a lot of different reasons. Avoid simply cutting off the brown part of the leaf, since this will leave an open wound on the leaf. You don't want a huge pot, they like to be "root bound" and actually grow better when less room in pot. Don’t fertilize young plants, sick plants or right after they are repotted. In order to say goodbye to the rotten ends of your leaves, cut the bottoms off well above the 'melty' and yellowed ends. You can also cut your snake plant in half with a sharp knife to gain a brand new plant. Brown edges and tips can also mean your snake plant is suddenly subjected to excessive sunlight. Be aware of the signs and treat your plants accordingly. Yes you can. These low maintenance, evergreen plants have a reputation of being hardy. Leaves will turn mushy, droopy, yellow or yellowish-brown in color. Sometimes the edges of the leaves become wavy and they fold over. Use liquid or slow release fertilizers and apply them cautiously. Water your snake plant when the soil is dry and fertilize them during the growing season with appropriate fertilizer. Using a knife to remove outer leaves at the base However, there are limits to the amount of neglect any plant can tolerate. Proper watering is probably the most important thing you can do to keep your snake plant in good health. Cut away any leaves that are brown or yellow. It will quickly dry out the soil and damage the leaves. can be ideal because it requires minimal care and is hard to kill. Up to 140 species and varieties of this plant exist, but only 15 of them are available as potted plants at nurseries. Always use sterilized tools to cut the leaves, especially if there is any fungus infestation. Plants in low light might need to be repotted every 5 to 10 years. The tips of the leaves sometimes turn brown and entire leaves sometimes die, particularly around the outer perimeter of the plant. Just check with local nurseries to make sure these plants aren’t invasive in your area. Underwatered snake plants are easy to treat as you just have to resume the regular watering. Snake plants have developed the ability to survive on nutrient deficient soil. Here are some of the most common problems that can make snake plant leaves turn brown. This can turn the leaves yellow and develop brown spots. How to Prune and Propagate Whole Snake Plant Leaves Cut the leaf all the way down to the soil line. Grasp the leaf with the dead foliage just below where the brown foliage stops. Mother in law’s tongue or snake plants are a familiar sight in many homes. Repotting: Snake plants are slow growers and rarely need repotting (they actually grow better when pot-bound). On the other hand, if the leaves are extremely soggy, mushy, drooped, dead, turned completely yellow, got red dots all over them or have dried out, it’s better to cut them off. If it's brown and dry, then cut the whole leaf, but not too far from the main branch so that it will grow a new leaf. A. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Check these posts for more information on saving overwatered or underwatered snake plants. If the damage is minimal, you may snip off the brown part of the … Always use sterilized tools to cut the leaves, especially if there is any fungus infestation. Slightly brown tips on the leaves indicate underwatering and can be fixed as well. For snake plants in brighter light, expect to transplant every 3 to 5 years. Sansevieria (commonly known as the snake plant) is a very tolerant plant that is hard to kill. Be careful to cut to the edge, leaving perhaps a little brown sliver, so that the plant doesn't have a new injury to heal. Plant each half in its own pot with some succulent soil. Although the brown tips of the plant cannot be revived, they will be less noticeable as your plant gets healthier. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Those crispy brown tips are dead leaf material and they no longer serve any purpose for the plant. You'll need to fix the cause of the problem in order to prevent future dead foliage, although sometimes leaves simply die without any major problem. If you notice the brown leaves a few days after the feeding, excess fertilizer might be the reason. It’s not that it was totally root-bound, but I thought I’d use this opportunity to show you, dear reader, the process of potting up snake plant pups so you can distract yourself, keep busy, and multiply your houseplant collection practically for free. Into the potting medium remains wet for long into two or more plants for free plant unhealthy watering schedule reducing. Rather than a series of jagged cuts sometimes attract insects like spider mites and mealybugs, use a clean,. 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