Snake Plant Leaves Falling Over

Snake Plant Leaves Falling Over

Why are my snake plant leaves falling over? Snake plants are fantastic plants that are known for their dramatic vertical growth. The leaves of a snake plant are firm and grow directly up, sometimes reaching impressive heights of four to five feet. If they are looked after correctly then these leaves should be able to grow vertically with little issue. However, occasionally you will find the leaves of your snake plant may soften, fall over or even die. This can be incredibly distressing and you might find yourself desperately asking why are my snake plant leaves falling over?! as you try to save your plant. But don’t worry, there are normally common causes and they’re not too difficult to fix as long as you spot them early enough. You might not save every leaf but it isn’t necessarily too late to save the plant.

Causes Of Snake Plant Leaves Falling Over

Let’s take a look at some of the most common causes of snake plant leaves falling over, how we can identify these causes and what we can do to save our plant and prevent this issue from happening in the first place. The main issues are often over and underwatering these plants, but luckily it’s usually quite easy to tell the difference.

Overwatering Snake Plants

The main cause of snake plant leaves falling over is overwatering, and this is the main issue that comes up generally with these amazing plants. Snake plants can go a relatively long time without water as they store their water in their long thick leaves just like a cactus or succulent. You shouldn’t be blindly watering your plant on a weekly schedule. Instead it’s important that you test the moisture of the soil and allow it to dry out between each watering. If you water your plant too often then you may notice the leaves starting to soften and feel squishy to the touch, they may also turn yellow or even black in places and your plant will start to decline rapidly. If you’re still not sure start testing the moisture in the soil, do you allow it dry out or is it wet to the touch? Try using a moisture meter to measure deeper and closer to the root ball.

Is this is sounding like your plant? Then you’ve probably found your cause. It’s important that you work to fix this situation immediately as these plants can be prone to root rot which can eventually kill them. If it’s only a couple of leaves, then you might be fine letting your plant dry out and then going forward with a less regular watering schedule. Make sure the pot your plant is in has drainage holes so that excess water can leave the plant and doesn’t end up sitting around the roots. Terracotta pots are great options for snake plants as they suck moisture into the pot and away from the roots.

If your plant is in serious decline then get it out of there and work the wet soil away from the roots. Allow your plant to dry out and cut away any rotten plant matter before repotting. Make sure you use a light well draining potting mix to avoid this from happening again. Potting mixes made for cactus and succulent work great with snake plants and you can add perlite to help with aeration.

If your plant is now mostly rotten and you can save the mother plant then you may be able to save some leaves to propagate. Simply cut a healthy leaf as close to the plant as possible. If there is any rot be sure to cut this away as it will slowly work its way up the plant and make sure your scissors are clean. Once you have cut your plant place the leaves in a warm spot for a few days so that the ends dry out. If you plant your leaves too soon they will suck up too much moisture from the soil and will start to rot. Once the ends have healed over it’s time for repotting. Choose a light mix and pot with drainage holes and you’re good to go. With your new watering schedule your plant should be just fine and if you do struggle then try using a moisture meter to help you know when it’s time to water your plant.

Underwatering Snake Plants

Although this is less common, it’s also possible that the reason your leaves are falling is because they’re being underwatered. When people hear that snake plants don’t need much watering and it’s easy to overwater them they often go to the other extreme and dehydrate their plant. But it’s important to remember, just because they don’t need watering often doesn’t mean they don’t need watering at all. It’s vital that you let your plant dry out between waterings but once it has dried out you need to water it again. If you live in a hot place or if you’re leaving watering for weeks at a time then this could be the cause of your snake plant leaves falling over.

Test the soil in your pot, is it bone dry? Do you go weeks without watering? Do you live in a hot place where your plant gets lots of sun? If you’re answering yes to these questions then it’s very possible that underwatering is the cause. The leaves may also shrivel and turn brown if they’re dehydrated. Luckily a snake plant can survive in a drought so unless the plant is on the brink of death you should be able to save it by watering your plant, then monitoring it and once it’s dried out watering it again. If any leaves are beyond saving then don’t feel guilty about pruning them off. This just means that the plant can put more effort into saving the other leaves.

Your Snake Plant May Need Fertilising

This is a less common cause of snake plant leaves falling over but if you’re on top of your watering schedule you might want to consider this. If you’ve used new potting soil you can get away with skipping plant food. However, if you’ve potted your plant in old soil, it may be possible that the nutrients are depleted and you need to start adding fertiliser to your plant. Once a fortnight during the growing season should be enough for your plant and make sure you stop during the winter months.

Hopefully this has helped you to diagnose why your snake plant leaves are falling over and to rectify the situation. If you’re still not sure then tell us in the comments below. Try to include as much information about your snake plant care and its environment as possible and we will do our best to help you solve the issue.

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