You may have heard that Snake Plants, also known as Mother-in-Tongue Law’s (Dracaena trifasciata), are nearly unbreakable. While this is accurate, it’s crucial to keep in mind that “nearly”! Letting your snake plant’s roots rot is the only surefire method to kill it.
So, does snake plant need drainage hole? You must be extremely careful not to overwater your snake plant if you put it in a pot without drainage holes because doing so will result in the rot of the plant’s roots.
Although drainage holes are not always necessary, snake plants cultivated in containers will be considerably easier to care for in a pot with holes. Use a pot with drainage holes to protect your snake plant from root rot, which is the worst killer of these plants.
Does Snake Plant Need Drainage Holes?
Whether you put your snake plant in a pot with or without drainage holes is entirely up to you.
Although it is possible to keep a snake plant happy in a container without drainage holes, your plant will be far less prone to issues brought on by overwatering or soggy soil in a plant with them.
Just keep in mind that you will need to monitor your plant much more closely and keep an eye out for root issues.
It would be wise to err on the side of caution and pick a pot with lots of drainage holes if you are a novice gardener or frequently overwater your plants.
Simply simply, a snake plant that receives excessive water might quickly experience stress and starvation. You may add a drainage hole to a plant pot even if you buy one that doesn’t already have one by using a utility knife or a pair of wire cutters.
Why Do Snake Plants Need Good Drainage Holes?
Great indoor plants are snake plants. They are simple to grow and easy to take care of. They come in a variety of sizes, hues, and shapes, and they are very lovely. Additionally, they require watering just like other plants do. However, snake plants need less water than other types of plants. In fact, some species may survive without water for up to three weeks. This indicates that your snake plants won’t require much water.
Because they are water-sensitive, snake plants usually do better in areas with good drainage. For the potting soil to stay dry, your pot’s bottom should have adequate drainage holes that allow any excess water to drain out of the container where your plant is growing.
These drainage holes aid in the quicker drying of your potting soil and lessen the chance of developing root rot.
That’s excellent news for your snake plants because if you don’t provide good drainage holes for your snake plants, you can wind up with damp potting soil, which can be unpleasant for your snake plants.
When you have soggy and moist soil, several other issues might arise and can be very frustrating.
Do Snake Plants Like To Be Crowded?
Are you trying to grow a snake plant but worried that it might like being crowded?
The answer is that snake plants do prefer a dense root system. If you leave your snake plant in a small pot rather than repotting it every 6 to 8 months, you’ll see that it grows higher and more quickly. A snake plant’s roots will get larger and begin to protrude as their root system matures. They may even break the pot in some circumstances, which is a strong argument for repotting the plant.
You don’t need to re-pot a snake plant, though, if there are no indications that the plant’s roots are restricting its growth. If the plant has a bacterial or fungal infection, if the roots are beginning to protrude from the soil, or if you want the snake plant to grow higher, you may need to repot it.
How Do You Know If Your Snake Plant Is Healthy?
If your snake plant isn’t healthy, it will let you know right away. If a healthy snake plant has root rot, pest infestations, under- or overwatering, or environmental factors, it may struggle to thrive.
A healthy snake plant’s leaves are stiff and a meaty green color. The leaves can be flat or rounded with pointy tips and yellow edges, depending on the type of snake plant.
To ensure that your snake plant is content and healthy, it’s best to check on it at least once a week.
What Are the Problems Caused by Lack of Drainage?
Without drainage holes, growing your snake plant in a container could lead to a number of problems for your plant. Let’s examine these concerns in more detail:
1. Root Rot
A container plant’s potting mix is the ideal environment for fungal organisms to live and reproduce when it is consistently moist. The most prevalent fungi that cause root rot are those in the Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium, and Rhizoctonia families.
These fungi swiftly proliferate and eat away at the roots of your plant in waterlogged pots by taking advantage of the moist environment, resulting in significant quantities of damage.
2. Oxygen Deficiency
Usually, when we think of plants, we think of their need for carbon dioxide. This is true, but it is less well recognized that they also require oxygen.
Through pores on their leaves known as stomata, plants take in carbon dioxide and oxygen. They also take in oxygen through their roots.
The roots of your plant will start to suffocate if they are submerged in water, as they would be in soggy soil.
3. Too many minerals and salts cause root burn
A pot without drainage holes makes it much more probable that your snake plant will experience chemical buildup issues and root burn.
Salts and minerals are included in fertilizers and tap water, and while they may be helpful to your plant in very small doses, they can be quite damaging in greater amounts.
These compounds accumulate around your plant’s roots when water cannot drain from the pot. The roots are damaged by this and are unable to grow properly. Browning of the leaves and roots as well as slowed growth are signs of root burn.
How Can I Water My Snake Plant Without Drainage Holes?
It’s crucial to modify your watering approach if you want to keep your plant in a container without drainage holes. Due to their high drought tolerance and low water requirements, snake plants are far more vulnerable to harm from overwatering than from underwatering.
Your plant will require watering anywhere from once a month to once every three months, depending on the conditions in which you store it.
Your plant may require less watering during the summer, when temperatures are higher. It will likely need to be watered once a month. You might only need to water your plant every two to three months during the fall and winter.
How Often Can I Water My Snake Plant?
Are you trying to avoid overwatering your snake plant? Are you curious to know how often you can water your snake plant?
It largely depends on the surrounding circumstances. You just need to water the snake plant once a week during the summer.
On the other hand, throughout the winter you can water them once every two weeks.
In addition to plant size and soil type, other factors that affect watering frequency include plant size. So, while watering your snake plant, keep these two things in mind as well.
What Do You Put in the Bottom of a Planter For Drainage?
Are you a first time gardener trying his/her hands planting a snake plant? Do you want to know what you should put at the bottom of you planter to aid drainage?
To create a drainage layer, you can fill the bottom of the planter with gravel or stones.
A drainage layer speeds up the process of excess water leaving the soil and moving away from the roots, protecting them.
Even if the water is still in the planter, a drainage layer can serve as a barrier between too much moisture and your snake plant.
To further aid in the absorption of extra moisture, you can also sprinkle charcoal over the pebbles and gravel.
Additionally, charcoal has inherent antibacterial properties that may help you keep those bothersome bugs out of your snake plant.
Do Snake Plants Like Humidity?
Are you growing a snake plant for the first time and worried that it doesn’t like humidity? Or are you curious to know the level of humidity it can survive?
Snake plants like low to moderate levels of humidity.
You won’t have many problems with it if there is a large shift in humidity or other similar circumstances because it is a low maintenance indoor plant.
Best Planter Pots With Drainage
1. Chive ‘Tika’ Ceramic Planter Pot
By leaving the rims of each pot scalloped to give them an organic feel, we set out to create a hip alternative to the conventional terracotta pot and saucer. The Tika Planter, which comes in a variety of colors and sizes, blends in well with any decor.
This substantial Tika planter is made of fully glazed ceramic and includes a saucer and a useful drainage hole. The Tika indoor planter is 8″ in diameter and 7.5″ tall, and it is simple to clean with warm soapy water.
Pros:
- It has drainage holes to allow water in the soil to drain freely.
- It has a detachable saucer for easy access to excess water.
Cons:
- Expensive
Conclusion
There is a simple fix if you adore the aesthetic of beautiful containers without drainage holes but are concerned about your plant suffering.
Simply plant your snake plant in a pot with lots of drainage holes, fill your container with gravel or pebbles, and then insert your plant. Through the drainage holes in your plant’s pot, water will leak out and into the other container.
Even though you still need to be careful not to overwater your plant, using this method makes it much simpler to drain excess water if you do.