How To Prevent Snake Plant Leaves From Turning Yellow
The snake plant is a beautiful plant that is easy to care for, grows in many different environments, and looks good almost anywhere. But even with all these wonderful benefits, there are some things you should know about this plant before you buy it. If the leaves of your snake plant turn yellow, it might not be a problem immediately, but when you see more yellow leaves, you should try to find out why.
The snake plant is a houseplant with small clumps of white or cream-colored flowers at the end of long stalks. Let’s find out why snake plant leaves turn yellow and possible solutions.
Causes of Snake Plant Leaves Turning Yellow
There are a few reasons that snake plant leaves turn yellow. Discussed below are some of the major reasons.
1. Lack of Water
The snake plant needs a lot of water to stay green. Therefore, it is essential to see and treat this problem very soon. Water should be provided at least once a week and more often during the summer when the plant is growing faster. Daily watering might not be sufficient at all times.
2. Overwatering
The leaves will turn yellow if a snake plant is left in water for too long. This happens because the roots of the plant cannot absorb all the available water and can be soaked up by the soil. Some snake plants are better than others because they don’t seem to mind being watered too much. Others might not be strong enough to handle over-watering, so it’s important to check for this problem often.
3. Lack of Nutrients
The snake plant doesn’t need many nutrients to remain healthy, but they do need some. If the plant has been neglected for longer than a week or two, the problem will be more serious and require a solution for more than just water. A nutrient deficiency occurs when you feed the plant too little over time. The leaves will start to have a yellowing problem which will spread over time.
4. Over-fertilization
Over-fertilization is particularly a problem for people who like to feed their plants but don’t want to buy fertilizer. The difference between fertilizing and over-fertilizing the snake plant is that fertilizers have slightly different ingredients in various mixtures. This can confuse people unfamiliar with the difference and think it’s okay to use certain things like coffee grounds, which are not good for the snake plant. The way you know if you are over-fertilizing is that the plant will get too much water and too many nutrients. The plant will also turn yellow on the leaves, and it might look unhealthy, which is bad.
5. Poor Drainage
Sometimes the snake plant leaves turn yellow due to poor drainage. Although the snake plant doesn’t enjoy getting wet, you must keep it from sitting in water. If it is too dry, the plant can get an infection and start to rot. This sort of thing is tough for most people to recognize, but if you notice bare patches in some of your snake plants, this problem could have a yellowing effect on the leaves.
6. Low or High Humidity Levels
The snake plant can handle humidity. But like any other plant, you should control the humidity level. If your snake plant is in a container, then you should try to keep it out of the bathroom where you take a shower or bath because of this problem. You should also keep it away from dry heaters and vents to avoid having the humidity in the room go from low to extremely high when you are not expecting it. The snake plant doesn’t like the humidity to go up and down because it can get sick on either end of the spectrum.
7. Temperature
The snake plant should be kept in temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher or lower than this range is not good for the plant. If you live in a place with cooler temperatures for most of the year, you might have to move your snake plants inside during the winter when it’s too cold outside. On the other hand, if you live in a warm place, you might find that the snake plant doesn’t like to be out of doors at all and will be fine inside your home.
8. Insects or Pests
Aphids are the one kind of insect that loves to attack the snake plant. You can find these little bugs crawling all over the plant, and they seem to concentrate on the new leaves. They will suck out all of the healthy juice and cause it to turn yellow. If you see this, then you should take action and remove them as fast as possible. The best way to deal with aphids is with a soap spray you buy from your local store.
9. Poor Lighting
The snake plant is very tolerant and can handle a lot of different environments. But if the plant does not get enough light, it will develop yellow leaves. It’s best to avoid under-lighting problems by finding an area in your home that gets a lot of natural light from the sun. If this is not an option, the next best thing is to use a good artificial light bulb.
10. Old Age
If your snake plant is old and you have had it for several years, it may start to lose its color and look unhealthy. You might need to re-pot the plant or get a new one if you plan to keep having snake plants in your home. Sometimes you can get a new one, which will still be healthy enough to look good while the old one continues to decline. Or perhaps you will keep it in a different location so that people don’t see how bad the plant has become.
11. Fungal Diseases
Fungal diseases can kill your snake plant, but they don’t generally show up for a long time. The first sign that the snake plant is in trouble is usually yellow leaves and the loss of color in some areas. Sometimes the leaves will fall off, and you will know that it’s not just dying. It’s dead. The fungus can be found on the soil or in any places that have been touched by dirt, such as the bottom of a pot or an old container.
Solutions for Snake Plant Leaves Turning Yellow
The snake plant can cope with just about any problem that might arise in the environment. But there are some situations where it’s best to use a solution to keep the leaves from turning yellow. Here are some solutions you should consider to prevent your plant leaves from turning yellow.
1. Re-Potting
If your snake plant looks weak and is starting to lose its green color in some spots, you should consider re-potting. If the plant is getting root rot and brown leaves, this is a good sign to re-pot because there isn’t enough room for the roots. When you re-pot it, you can also add in some new soil that might not be good for the old plant but will be better for the new one. However, the roots will be connected to the old soil, which can cause problems with your plant’s health.
2. Change Plant Location
Sometimes the snake plant leaves turn yellow due to too much sunlight. If this is the case, you can change your plant’s location in hopes that it will stay relatively cooler and dryer. It might have to be moved to a more enclosed space where it won’t get as much sun, but that’s better than letting the temperature get too high or dry out.
3. Watering
You might have to water the plant less or move it where the ground drains well. The snake plant likes to be on the dry side, and too much moisture will cause big problems getting the leaves to change color.
4. Humidity Levels
It’s best to keep the humidity around your snake plants between 40 and 60 percent. Too much or too little humidity is not good for the plant and can cause problems with the leaves. So set them where it’s drier but still around 60 percent humidity.
5. Prevent Overcrowding
Sometimes the snake plant gets crowded, and it can be hard to keep it from getting too much sunlight or water. This may cause the snake plant leaves to turn yellow because there isn’t enough airflow under them. It would help if you avoided this by using some pots with good drainage and ensuring that you don’t tamp down on the soil too much while it’s in its container.
6. Proper Fertilizer
A common problem with the snake plant is that people over-fertilize it. The leaves start turning yellow, and the plant may die if you keep feeding it too much fertilizer. Just keep the soil moist and add a little fertilizer maybe once a month to keep the plant healthy, but not too much more than this. Otherwise, you’ll end up with brown leaves and a dead plant.
7. Pest Control
You might have to buy a pest control product for your snake plant or use one of the many ready-made products available. The best way to prevent spider mites on the snake plant is to dust the leaves with dusting spray on several occasions throughout the spring and summer months. This will prevent spider mites from entering the plant.
8. Pruning
Snake plants are used for their foliage and not for their height, so keeping them too tall is unnecessary. But if you have a plant with foliar damage that has been touched by frost or too much sunlight, you might have to cut it back before it dies. It will be better when this is done because you can remove any damaged leaves at that time. Sometimes this is the best way to keep your snake plant alive, especially if it’s in a very high-traffic area of your home.
9. Spray to Prevent Fungal Diseases
Spraying the soil and leaves with a fungicide like Captan is sometimes good for snake plants. This will prevent the plants from getting some fungal diseases, but it won’t help cure them if they are already infected. The good thing about spraying your snake plant with a fungicide is that you can use it once and then never have to do it again. But if you don’t spray your plant, it may get fungus every once in a while, which will kill the plant.
10. Use More Water
One of the biggest problems with snake plants is the lack of water, especially when the heat gets too high. This can cause the soil to dry up, which causes the leaves to turn yellow and fall off. Use more water in your snake plant pot, but don’t drown it, or you will have the disease and root rot problems.
Conclusion
Snake plants are tough and durable but can’t stand too much heat or moisture. If you see yellow leaves and don’t know what to do with them, check the environment first to see if it’s dry or humid. You might have to cut down the plant because it didn’t get enough water or light, but if there is no other option, you will have to try some other options.