Soil for Snake Plant

Snake plant is one of the most preferred houseplants owing to its multiple qualities. Snake plant is drought-tolerant, which means it can survive for weeks without water, and it requires minimal maintenance. Though they thrive in bright light, they can survive in low or medium lighting, which makes them a favourite office plant. These plants are available in multiple varieties offering distinct colour, shape and size. The only concern is to select the best soil for snake plants and decide the right repotting time. In this blog, we discuss all about snake plants with a primary focus on the type of soil needed.

Features of Snake Plants in a Nutshell

Is It Good to Use Succulent Soil for Snake Plants?

Yes, it's good to use succulent soil for snake plants as it provides aeration, which helps in better drainage. Succulent soil can help the plant thrive. There are two ways to use it: directly using the store-bought soil mix or using it after enriching it with more nutrients.

Best Repotting Time for Snake Plants

The best repotting time depends on the zone you live in. Usually, the right time to repot is early spring to early fall. A very important point to consider is that you should repot only when your plant shows signs of stress or the plant outgrows the pot.

It is advisable to repot snake plants every 3-5 years as a routine requirement of the plant or when roots start to grow out of the holes in the bottom of the pot. Some of the other indications that it's time to repot the snake plant are water draining out from the bottom too soon or roots spreading in the entire container.

Which is the Best Soil for Snake Plants?

The best soil for snake plant is one with all the necessary nutrients which drains well. It requires soil which should be a mix of perlite, coco coir and sand for better drainage because snake plant is a succulent and it can thrive only in a well-drained soil. The soil mix can be bought from the store or prepared at home. Here is the list of different soil mixes for snake plants.

DIY Soil Mix for Snake Plant

If you prefer to use a soil mix prepared at home using a DIY method, this is one of the best mixes you can prepare. It's a simple method, and all you need to do is get the suitable potting mix and add pumice to it. Pumice is used because, when watering the plant, pumice doesn't float on the top of the soil, unlike perlite.

• Mix 2 parts of an all-purpose soil mix or cactus mix with 1 part of pumice.

• Use an all-purpose mix for plants growing in higher light situations.

• Use a cactus soil mix when growing a snake plant in lower light conditions.

The Soil Mix Preparation

This is another DIY method to prepare a soil mix. As a snake plant thrives in well-drained soil, it requires an aerated soil mix. To provide nourishment to the plant, it's good to add organic compost. Here are the preparation tips and methods.

• Take ⅔ potting soil of good quality meant for indoor plants.

• Then, mix ⅓ part of cactus and succulent mix (store-bought or DIY) for better drainage. DIY mix can be made using 6 scoops of coco chips and fibre,1 scoop of coco peat, 4 scoops of pumice, 1/2 scoop vermiculite and half a cup of agricultural lime and elemite. You can add peat moss or coco coir in the mix.

• Mix organic compost into the mix to provide nutrients to the soil.

• Worm compost can also be used, but only after gathering adequate information because it is rich in nutrients. They act as a soil conditioner, which aerates the soil and improves the soil's texture. It also prevents soil from absorbing toxins.

Conclusion

The soil for snake plants should be enriched with nutrients, and it should be well-drained. The soil mix can be bought from the store or made at home using simple methods. In some DIY soil mixes, you can buy a soil mix and add a few things, like peat moss, to provide better nourishment to the plant.