Suddenly, you find that the leaves of the snake plant are tilted and falling off. Why are my snake plant leaves falling over? This is probably the question you will have to ask if you encounter this situation.
As you know, the snake plant is a succulent plant related to cacti. Therefore, it has strong vitality and survives in harsh living conditions such as lack of water, light, and drought.
However, the cause of the leaves falling continuously and destroying the entire tree may be related to your bonsai care habits. Let’s learn about the causes and remedies for leaf drops in snake plants in this article.
Why Are My Snake Plant Leaves Falling Over?
There are many causes of leaf drop in snake plants such as too much watering, lack of light, or too tight space between plants leading to fierce competition.
In addition, other causes such as moisture, pests, height between plants, and pot size as well as improper pruning will also cause leaves to drop.
Watering too much
Water is an indispensable element for plant growth and development. Water plays an important role in maintaining the life of the entire plant growth process.
For each type of plant, the need for water is different, so you cannot apply the principle of watering to all plants in the room or office.
As you know, the snake plant is related to succulents, it is a succulent plant. Therefore, this plant prefers sunlight, dry soil, and open space.
Why does the snake plant not need a lot of water? The reason is that their succulent leaves act as a water storage plant so they can be used when needed and survive drought conditions. Therefore, you do not need to water the snake plant as much as other tropical plants.
Overwatering the snake plant causes increased waterlogging, which in turn causes the root system to overwork. Waterlogging for too long causes the roots to rot, from which the whole plant will wilt, and soften and the leaves will begin to fall.
When the root system is weakened, it won’t be able to transport the water, nutrients, and minerals it needs to the leaves, so wilting and falling leaves are early warning signs of waterlogging.
You only need to water for 1-2 weeks once in the growing season and once a month in winter for snake plants. Make sure the pot has a vent hole, remove excess water, and don’t water at night. Watering the leaves to wet them at night will create favorable conditions for the growth of fungi.
Severe lack of light
The snake plant is famous for being able to live in harsh conditions, so many people have not paid attention to the living space of this plant. For a snake plant to grow and develop at its best, it needs at least 6-8 hours of light per day.
Light will promote photosynthesis and metabolism to help plants grow and develop better. If you place the pot in a place that is severely dimly lit, the leaves tend to grow longer to reach the light.
Longer leaves mean that the ability to support in space will be weaker, from which the leaves will be thin and long. Over time, the vitality of the leaves will be severely weakened, which in turn will fall due to a lack of light for photosynthesis.
Pests attack
One of the common causes that you need to pay attention to is pests. Pests, fungi, and insects attack will destroy the entire leaves and make them infected all at once.
Common pests and insects that often attack snake plants are spider mites, whiteflies, soft flies, white scales, or fireflies. They usually appear in conditions of high humidity, waterlogging, and wet leaf surfaces.
These insects attack the leaves directly, sucking the sap and injecting toxins into the leaves. From there, it breaks down the cell structure and creates brown, yellow spots or holes in the leaves. These diseased leaves, if not isolated, will quickly spread to other leaves and destroy the entire plant in a short time.
Extermination of these insects is quite difficult due to their small size and large number. They often hide on the underside of leaves, tops, or crevices between leaves and stems, making it difficult to see with the naked eye.
To prevent insect pests, you need to clean the leaves regularly and remove white and brown patches because they can be fungal spores or insect eggs.
Small pot size and tight space
Many people love to grow many snake plants in one pot to have an eye-catching whole due to the combination of many types. However, a pot that is too small means that the amount of soil, water, and nutrients is not enough for many plants in it.
Lack of soil, water, and nutrients will cause the leaves to become thin and severely reduce vitality. From there, it will appear disease spots or insects easily break through the hard protective cover of leaves to penetrate and attack. Leaves will fall gradually or mass in a short time.
You should change the pot every 3-5 years to free up the snake plant’s roots and stimulate their growth. However, you should not change the pot too large as it will cause more water to be stored while the snake plant prefers a dry environment.
When replacing a new pot, you should completely remove the old soil and use potting soil because the larvae and fungal spores may already be present in the soil. Do this gently and avoid cutting the roots of the snake plant.
A new pot with abundant nutrients, good drainage, and open space will help the snake plant grow best. At the same time, you need to remove the obstructions and not place the pot too close to the wall or obstruction because they will tear the leaves and cause the leaves to fall.
Read more: Do Snake Plants Like Coffee Grounds?
How Do Limit Leaf Drops In Snake Plants?
Old and long-lasting leaves will fall according to the natural laws of life. However, a scientific care regimen will also help prolong the time and limit the loss of leaves in this plant.
You should pay attention to a few basic things when caring for a snake plant as follows.
- Do not water too much
- Water only when the soil is dry by measuring moisture or checking with your finger
- In winter, water once a month because the plant is in a dormant state, so it is less active
- Keep the soil moist and porous and avoid waterlogging
- Provide adequate light for 6-8 hours a day or indirect light
- Regularly rotate the pot on the sides to ensure that the entire plant receives enough light
- Use a pot with a vent hole and check it regularly to avoid a blockage that prevents excess water from escaping
- In pots should use the last liner of perlite, gravel, or pebbles for better drainage and air circulation.
- Prune drooping, pest-prone leaves with clean scissors and treat the cut to prevent insect and fungal attacks on the open wound.
- Fertilize periodically to promote plant growth. Do not over-fertilize as snake plants can shock and burn leaves due to too high nitrogen content in the soil.
- Use neem oil to apply to the leaves to prevent insects from attaching and attacking the leaves.
- Do not mist often because wet leaves will facilitate fungal growth
Final Thoughts
Leaf drops of snake plants can result from many subjective and objective reasons. However, many reasons are related to the process of taking care of our bonsai. Some common causes such as improper watering, pest attack, lack of light, and tight space all cause leaves to fall off in a short time.
To remedy this situation, you need to have a specific care schedule and regularly inspect the entire tree. Cleaning the leaves, especially the undersides of the leaves, will also help you get rid of any larvae and fungal spores.
Hopefully, this article will provide a lot of useful information for you to take care of a healthy snake plant.