Snake plant turning yellow and soft? We will discuss the reasons why your snake plant is turning yellow in this article, and also provide tips on how to restore your succulent back to its healthy state.
The snake plant is one of the most popular houseplants because it’s easy to grow and tolerate a wide range of conditions.
With long leaves that grow up and out, the leaves are usually green with white or yellow stripes on them.
The snake plant is also known as mother-in-law’s tongue or “Saraca.” The snake plant is succulent, which means that it stores water in its leaves.
It can survive for days without water, but it will look better if you water it regularly.
Reasons Snake Plant Turns Yellow and Soft
When snake plants turn yellow, if not fixed, the stems will start to wither and eventually die. Snake plants are not like other houseplants: The leaves grow in a spiral around their stem. The leaves look super healthy for a long time, but slowly turn yellow and then brown.
Below are some of the reasons why your snake plant may be turning yellow.
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Underwatering:
Snake plants need to be watered thoroughly but infrequently.
When you first bring your snake plant home, water it well, then allow the topsoil to dry before watering again.
The key here is to let your snake plant tell you when it needs water rather than watering on a schedule
Overwatering
This is one of the most common reasons that snakes turn yellow and soft. Snake plants like moist but not wet soil.
Waterlogged soil can cause root rot in many different plants, but it’s particularly bad for snakes because they have shallow root systems that don’t tolerate standing water well.
If your snake has been submerged in water for more than 24 hours, you should remove all excess moisture from its potting medium right away! You should also check your soil regularly during watering sessions to make sure you aren’t overwatering your snake plant.
To water properly, place them in the bathtub or sink with about an inch of water and let them sit until they stop drinking (or your tub is full).
Then return the plant to its regular home. (The Snake Plant also responds well to misting or spraying.) Do this once every two to three weeks; if you’ve been watering more frequently, cut back a little at a time.
If the leaves are yellow and mushy, they’re likely getting too much water than they can handle, so it’s important to let the soil dry out more before watering again.
If your pot has drainage holes make sure the water is draining away from the pot!
If you don’t have drainage holes or if there’s some other problem that’s leading to overwatering, try repotting into fresh soil with good drainage in a container that does have holes in the bottom.
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Light:
Snake plants thrive in the sunlight and will turn yellow if they don’t get enough sun. These plants prefer bright indirect light; even direct sunlight can burn their leaves!
While, they do need some light— not as much as most houseplants—so if one isn’t doing well somewhere very dark try giving it brighter conditions for about half an hour per day and see how it responds.
The leaves will also get burned or bleached out if they’re exposed to too much light.
If you want to keep your snake plant healthy, make sure to give it enough light but not too much.
Check light timing–is it getting more than 12 hours of darkness a day?
If your snake plant is getting less than 12 hours of darkness a day, this could be the reason it’s turning yellow and soft.
All plants need light to live, but they also need darkness to process what they’ve taken in during the day. It’s like humans taking vitamins–we need food for energy, but we also need sleep for our bodies to use what we’ve digested.
You can get light timers online that are inexpensive and make it easy to get your houseplants on a regular schedule (and you can use them to keep your Christmas tree lights from burning all night too!).
Cold:
Snake plants will suffer cold damage below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), so take care when bringing them outside in summer or moving them around during winter when temperatures are low enough to cause damage!
Moving:
When moving snake plants keep them upright and avoid tipping over especially if they’re root bound because they’re prone to falling over due to their shallow roots so hold onto those small pots tightly while moving.
Insect infestation:
If you notice bugs crawling around on your houseplant, it could mean that they’re eating away at its leaves.
This problem can be solved by using a pesticide that’s safe for plants, such as neem oil or insecticidal soap.
Aphids:
Aphids are small, oval-shaped bugs that feed on sap from stems and leaves of various plants, including snake plants.
They cause damage by sucking out sap from plants, leaving behind tiny black spots on leaves and stems that eventually turn brown and fall off.
To control aphids on your snake plant, spray insecticidal soap directly onto them or use insecticidal sprays containing pyrethrins or neem oil to kill them off naturally without harming other beneficial insects in your gardens such as bees or ladybugs.
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Fix For Snake Plant Turning Yellow and Soft
Knowing the cause of the issue is one thing, but fixing the root cause is arguably more important. The next few paragraphs highlight some of the actionable steps that you can take if notice your snake plant turning yellow and soft.
Ensure proper drainage
Always make sure the soil drains well and that it doesn’t get too much water at once.
It’s best not to over-water your snake plant because overwatering is one of the leading causes of brown spots on snake plant leaves.
To avoid this problem, check how often your soil needs watering and only water when necessary.
You should also keep an eye on the overall health of your plant by checking its roots regularly for signs of rot or mold growth inside them or around them.
Snake plants prefer bright but indirect sunlight — so try not to place them in direct sun exposure for more than half the day.
Avoid placing them near heating vents or drafty windows as well; these conditions can dry out the soil faster than normal and cause yellowing leaves on your snake plant.
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Fertilize sparingly:
Do this with a liquid fertilizer every two months during the growing season for indoor plants such as snake plants that have been repotted recently or moved into larger pots (don’t fertilize sickly plants).
In the winter months, stop fertilizing altogether until spring when new growth begins again; this will help prevent leggy growth from overfeeding (e.g., too much nitrogen).
Don’t overwater:
Overwatering causes root rot and kills the plant. Watering once a week is enough if you live in an arid climate or if you use a well-drained potting mix. In humid areas, watering twice a week is better for most types of houseplants, including snake plants.
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Conclusion
Snake plants are very simple to care for, but they can be prone to a few different problems.
The most common issue faced by snake plant owners is leaf loss and yellowing. Fortunately, this problem usually fixes itself or is an easy fix that any beginner can handle.
The key to the care of these plants is letting them rest and not overwatering them. Giving them the correct amount of water is how you can avoid many issues.
