Last Updated on May 6, 2022 by Fabiola L.
Every person would love their snake plant to grow upward. Snake plant spreading out or growing outwards can have you worried because they are supposed to grow in an upward direction. There are reasons why your snake plant may be growing outwards and this is what we will be looking at in this post.
The plant can grow up to 4 or 5 feet tall and the leaves of the snake plant can stand upright between 8 inches and 5 feet tall. Their upright leaves are one stunning feature that makes them so appealing to watch.
Now, when the snake plant refuses to grow upright and it begins to spread, it usually has gardeners worried. Then we begin to wonder why this happens.
In this post, we will be digging into the reasons why your snake plant may be spreading out and give some possible solutions to getting your plant back upright.
Reasons Why Your Snake Plant Is Spreading Out
Before we look into the ways you can correct snake plant spreading out, let’s look into the reasons behind it.
· Snake Plant Variety (Big Or Small Variety) And Young Plant
Snake plant spreading out may be as a result of the type of snake plant variety you are planting. There are large variety and smaller varieties of snake plants to choose from.
If you have the smaller variety that do not spread so much out of bound except when they are in their young or early stage. But they will later become straight once they are maturing.
However, the larger variety can spread more and protrude out of their container or pot. When they spread out, the snake plant can look untidy especially if you don’t maintain the plant well. But you can prevent this issue by planting your snake plant in a bigger clay or concrete pot then you bury the pot into the soil.
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· Insufficient Lighting – Snake Plant Spreading Out
Even though snake plants can still grow in low light or even no light conditions, light is still required if you want them to grow properly. So, insufficient light can cause the plant to grow outwards instead of upright.
· Inadequate Care For Snake Plant
Although it is fine to take less care of snake plants and they will do just fine. However, if you neglect the plant too much, it can cause the plant to lose its touch.
Snake Plant Spreading Out: Tips On How To Correct The Situation
So, here is what you can do to help in correcting the situation of your snake plant spreading out:
1. Light Should Be Supplied In All The Plant’s Directions
Ensure your plant receives light from all sides so that it can naturally grow upright. If some parts are deprived of light, those parts will have more tendencies to spread out rather than grow upright.
It is the plants that are indoors that usually suffer from not getting light in all directions. When your snake plant only gets light from one side, it can cause your plant to lean to that side where the light is coming from. This is why you have to ensure your snake plant receives light in all directions.
To further help your indoor snake plant, you should rotate the plant every now and then.
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2. Correcting Young Snake Plant That Spreads
Sometimes, during the young stage of snake plant, it may begin to spread but they tend to get back on track and become straight as they mature.
However, if the young plant is spreading too much, you can help correct it by tying the leaves together. Then once the babies emerge from the plant, you can then untie them and allow them to grow naturally.
3. Watering The Right Way
Ensure you provide the right amount of water and avoid overwatering. Wait for the soil to dry before you water again.
4. Trim Regularly – Snake Plant Spreading Out
Regular trimming can help prevent and correct the spreading out of snake plants. Trim and cut off any damaged or old leaves.
5. Choose The Ideal Pot Size
The right pot size can help reduce the spreading out of snake plants. So, select pot that is of good materials such as terra cotta pots as they allow soil dry faster.
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Snake Plant Propagation Progress
Snake plants are a wonderful gift to share with your families, friends, and neighbors. The plant is a nice plant to have in your home because they can help clean the air and enhance our home with its beautiful leaves.
Propagation is even a good way to avoid your plant from spreading out because rather than growing just a single snake plant, you can have multiple of them.
Propagating snake plants is easy and it can help us get baby snake plants. Below are the ways we can propagate snake plant:
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Rooting Snake Plant Inside Water
Use a clean sharp shear to cut off a healthy snake plant leaf. Cover the bottom quarter of the tissue of the cut end with water and put it in a container. Position it in indirect sunlight and you should begin to notice small roots. Then you can plant the rooted leaf.
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Propagation Using The Cutting Method
Cut a healthy snake plant and allow it to callus for a day or two. Dip the cut end into little moisture and sand in a container and watch it root.
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Propagation Using Division
From the mass of rhizome of snake plant, pull the plant from its container and cut the base apart into sections. Then each section can be planted in a fresh potting mix.
Conclusion On Snake Plant Spreading Out
Snake plant spreading out can be quite frustrating when they are supposed to grow upright. There are reasons to why this happens and you just need to figure them out and proffer the right solution to get your plant in shape and growing upright again.
FAQ’s
Why is my snake plant spreading?
Your snake plant may be spreading out for different reasons such as inadequate light, the plant is still young, or the plant is not properly taken care of.
Why is my snake plant growing out instead of up?
Your snake plant may be growing out instead of upright because the plant may still be in their young stage. But once the plant has grown passed the young stage, it should be able to grow upright. Other causes may be improper drainage, over-watering, incorrect repotting, and insufficient light.
How do I get my snake plant to grow straight?
You can get your snake plant to grow straight by first figuring out the cause of improper spreading. Then you can proffer the right solution to correcting the situation.
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Eunice is a gardener who loves to play in the dirt. She starts her day early in the morning, watering her plants and tending to her garden. She loves the smell of freshly cut grass and the feeling of sunshine on her back as she works. She‘s a master at creating beautiful flower arrangements and can often be found humming a tune as she tends to her plants. When she‘s not gardening, she loves to read books about nature and share her knowledge with others. Eunice loves gardening so much that she‘s even been known to talk to her plants!
