“Do snake plants like humidity?” is a question most snake plant owners have. This is a valid query since this plant is known to be resilient and not that picky about its growing environment.
To help you determine the adequate humidity level for your snake plants, our gardening team will tell you all that you should know about this plant’s humidity and watering requirements, so let’s dive right in!
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Does Your Snake Plant Like Humidity?
Yes, your snake plant likes humidity and grows well when the humidity level is around 40 percent. This is typically higher than what other indoor plants might be able to tolerate. As a result, snake plants can thrive in areas with increased moisture and humidity like bathrooms.
Snake plants are known to be among the best choices for beginner gardeners because they’re easy to maintain and not that easy to kill. They can tolerate humidity better than other indoor plants but can’t grow well if the humidity levels are too high or too low.
Sansevieria trifasciata, or snake plants, can survive in multiple climates and conditions, so they will work in any setting as long as the weather isn’t too hot or cold. They can tolerate heat better than cold and can withstand high humidity levels better than lower ones.
Yet, your indoor plant can still survive if the humidity levels are higher or lower. As a result, snake plants are suitable for drier environments like the office.
They can also survive in colder weather where the humidity level is typically lower. Of course, too much or too little humidity will be bad for your snake plants, but these problems can be fixed in multiple ways.
– Measuring Humidity Level
You can easily measure the humidity level in your snake plant’s room using a hygrometer, a simple device that can measure the humidity level in the air. Bathrooms and bedrooms tend to have the highest level of humidity when you compare them to the rest of the house, so these will be excellent spots to grow your snake plants.
However, you can also keep your plant in a drier area as long as the humidity level doesn’t fall below 30 percent.
The hygrometer is pretty straightforward to use, as you will only need to switch the power button and wait until it’s calibrated before the first use. Then it will read the humidity level accurately in your room, and you can use it in multiple rooms to decide on the best place to grow your snake plant as an indoor plant.
You can also measure the humidity levels in your house using the ice cube test, although this method won’t give you an accurate reading.
All you should do is put an ice cube in a glass and wait for a few minutes. If you see water drops collecting on the outside of the glass, then this room is humid enough for your snake plant. If you see no moisture, then this room is too dry.
This test won’t work in the kitchen because it’s typically warmer than in any other part of the house because of the presence of the stove and the oven.
The heat from these appliances will melt the ice cube too soon and will change the test results. At the same time, you shouldn’t do this test in the bathroom because it’s naturally more humid than in all the other rooms.
What Are the Signs That My Snake Plant Needs More or Less Humidity?
The signs that your snake plant needs more or less humidity include the potting mix being dry, the leaves turning yellow, and the tips of the leaves turning brown for when they are in need of more humidity. A sign of high humidity is the soil being too wet.
Plants need humidity and air to grow and stay healthy. So, when the plant is living in very low humidity conditions, it will struggle because it doesn’t receive enough nutrients through the soil. At the same time, the plant’s airflow will be jeopardized at high humidity levels, which can lead to several problems.
Looking at your plant and examining it is crucial to help you adjust your plant care routine. Snake plants are indeed pretty resilient, but if you neglect some signs, your plant won’t be in the best shape, and it might eventually die.
– Signs of Low Humidity
Low humidity levels affect snake plants by making them too dry. Here are signs that show that your plant needs more water.
- The soil or potting mix feels bone dry when you touch it. Snake plants don’t need to grow in soggy soil, and the soil should be relatively dry. But very dry soil will kill your plant because it won’t absorb the essential nutrients.
- The leaves are turning yellow because of the lack of water and nutrients.
- Due to the lack of nutrients, the tips of snake plant leaves will turn brown as these tips are short on necessary nutrients that keep them healthy.
- When you neglect the yellowing, the leaves will curl to reduce their surface area, thus lowering the amount exposed to the sun. Curling leaves also happen when the plant is trying to minimize transpiration to save some moisture in low humidity conditions.
- The leaves begin to wrinkle and droop because they’re too dry. If you don’t do anything about it, you’ll begin to see the leaves falling off the plant.
– Signs of High Humidity
High humidity is bad for your snake plant and can suffocate it. This is why it’s crucial to pay attention to the telltale signs to keep your plant healthy.
- The soil or potting mix feels too wet because the plant isn’t absorbing the water. Plants won’t absorb more water than they need.
- Too much water will create the perfect environmental conditions for the growth and spread of mold and mildew, and you can start seeing mold forming on the top of the soil or potting mix.
- Your snake plant will be more prone to fungal infestations.
- If you take your snake plant out of the pot, you’ll notice that the roots are mushy and brown or black. This is root rot, and it’s caused by too much moisture in the soil.
How To Help My Snake Plant Overcome Humidity Problems?
To help your snake plant overcome humidity problems, you can try adjusting the watering schedule, choosing the right location, picking suitable potting soil, grouping your plants together, or adjusting the grow lights. Understanding how levels of humidity affect snake plants is essential if you are growing this species at home.
Using some tips and tricks can help you maintain suitable humidity levels that can help this plant thrive.
– Adjust the Watering Schedule
It’s important to adjust your watering schedule according to the climate and your plant’s needs. So if the humidity levels are too high, you might want to readjust your watering schedule.
If you live in a tropical environment or don’t have temperature control, high humidity in your house could affect your plants. Plants can absorb water from the air, just like they absorb it from the soil.
So you shouldn’t stick to a certain amount of water and apply it every week, no matter what. When you do this, you could be underwatering your plant because the weather is too dry. You should also avoid overwatering your indoor plant, as this can lead to root rot.
When the humidity levels are too low, you can mist your plants to keep them moist. You can also use a gravel tray under the pot, so when the water passes through the drainage holes, it can help create more moisture around the plant. At the same time, the water won’t stay trapped in the potting soil.
Ensure that your pot has enough drainage holes so that the soil or potting mix doesn’t feel too soggy, and keep an eye on your plant to see how it reacts to the adjusted watering schedule. Touch the soil and apply water if the surface feels dry.
Other than that, you shouldn’t overwater it. For example, when you grow your snake plants in the bathroom, you might rarely have to water them.
– Choose the Right Location for Your Plant
In some cases, picking the wrong spot for your snake plant might be the reason why it has stunted growth. Snake plants are tolerant of sunny and shady locations, but receiving indirect sunlight is the best as it helps keep the foliage in perfect shape.
If you notice that the soil stays wet for too long, you might need to move the plant’s pot closer to a window where it can receive some sunlight.
This is crucial, especially in colder months, as this will keep the roots healthy. In addition, opening a window will let some cool air in to help adjust the humidity levels.
In warmer months, placing the plant near a window will improve the airflow and eliminate any extra moisture in high-humidity conditions.
It will also help prevent the growth of mildew and mold. If you can’t place the plant near a window, you can use a fan to maintain good humidity levels and airflow.
– Pick Suitable Potting Soil for Your Snake Plant
Humidity problems in your snake plant might be related to picking the wrong type of soil. The perfect soil or potting mix for snake plants should have excellent drainage to help get rid of any excess moisture. Poor-draining soil will allow the water to sit around the roots for too long, leading to the formation of root rot.
If you feel that your plant is losing too much moisture, you can create a greenhouse effect using a plastic bag. This method helps retain the moisture to keep your snake plant well-hydrated. It also works if you’re leaving the house for a few days, as it will keep the plant moisturized.
To create a mini greenhouse effect, you need to tie a plastic bag around your snake plant. As the plant performs the transpiration process, the water droplets will collect on the bag’s surface, but they won’t evaporate. Instead, they will fall back onto the plant leaves and to the soil to keep your plant hydrated.
– Group Your Plants Right
Grouping plants can be an excellent way to improve the ambiance in a room, but it might affect snake plants negatively. Make sure that there’s enough room for all plants to breathe, and don’t place them too close to one another.
This is quite common if you live in a tropical or humid climate or your room’s humidity levels are too high.
Remember that you need to provide good ventilation to keep your snake plants healthy. Likewise, if you think that the weather is too dry for your snake plant, you can group different plants together to increase the humidity levels.
– Adjust Your Grow Lights
Plants’ grow lights are essential to maintain their health, especially if you don’t have adequate access to indirect sunlight. However, the extra heat from the grow lights can increase the humidity levels in your house or grow room.
In this case, you can invest in a dehumidifier that helps absorb some of the humidity in the air. You can also use an air conditioner to regulate the temperature.
Conclusion
Snake plants are pretty simple to take care of, but they thrive in moderate humidity levels. It’s essential to understand how levels of humidity affect plants, as too much or too little humidity can stunt the plant’s growth and eventually kill it.
- Snake plants thrive in good humidity levels of around 40 percent, but they can tolerate slightly higher and lower levels.
- Too little humidity can cause the leaves to curl, turn brown, and eventually fall off the plant.
- Too much humidity will make the plant prone to mold and mildew.
In our final thoughts, we want to remind you that adjusting your plant care regimen by paying attention to any symptoms will keep it in perfect shape for many years. Just follow our snake plant care guide, and it will always be healthy.
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