How To Fix The Snake Plant Soft, Mushy & Soggy Leaves!

What is happening to my snake plants? Leaves are getting soft, mushy, and soggy instead of striking elegant spears. Let us find out why!

Let’s take a look how a healthy and soggy snake plant looks like.

If you’re a gardener, you know that snake plants are a popular and hardy choice for indoor or outdoor spaces. But even the most resilient plants can experience problems, and one common issue that snake plant owners may encounter is soft, mushy, and soggy leaves. This can be a frustrating problem to deal with, but don’t worry, it is fixable! In this article, we’ll take a look at the causes of this leaf problem and provide some practical tips for fixing it.

First things first, let’s take a look at why this issue may be happening. In most cases, soft, mushy, and soggy leaves are caused by overwatering. This is a common mistake that many new gardeners make, and it can be easy to do with snake plants as they are known for being drought-tolerant. But when you give them too much water, their roots can’t absorb it all, leading to waterlogged soil and soggy leaves. Other factors that can contribute to this problem include poor drainage, high humidity, and pests or diseases.

In the next section, we’ll dive into how to fix soft, mushy, and soggy leaves and get your snake plant back to looking its best. With the right care and attention, you’ll be able to revive your plant and keep it healthy for many years to come.

Under your fingertips, healthy snake plant leaves should feel sturdy and springy. But sometimes, these leaves start to slump over, get mushy, and ooze liquid. Many reasons can cause this issue, like the dirt in your snake plant’s pot being too damp, due to root rot, bringing a fungal infestation from another plant into your home, the entire plant might become mushy and creep up to the leaves.

To rescue your plant, extreme measures will be required, and the precise solution will depend on the root cause of the problem. In this article, we’ll go over the most frequent causes of damp snake plants.

Reasons for the mushy, soft, and soggy leaves of your snake plant!

As we mentioned earlier, the main reason for soft, mushy, and soggy leaves is overwatering. But fungal infections, root rot, and temperature shock can also make the leaves of your snake plants soft and mushy. So, now let us explore these reasons in detail so that you can fix the root cause of this issue permanently!

1. You water too frequently!

Plants grow poorly on damp soil. The container of your snake plant never dries up if you water it more frequently than it can absorb it. That makes an ideal environment for bacteria and fungus. They’ll proliferate like crazy and finally get into the roots and leaves.

Your snake plant’s leaves will begin to develop mushy areas at that point. Usually, these mushy patches first become yellow, then brown. They will first appear on the lowest portions of the plant before moving higher.

As a result, the leaves may flip over because their bases are too floppy to support them. Because Sansevierias don’t require much watering, it’s simple to overwater them. It is, therefore, better to steer clear of watering them regularly. Instead, check the top 2-3 inches of the soil with your finger every 5-7 days, watering if it seems dry.

Naturally, altering your watering practices won’t be sufficient to rescue your snake plant by the time it starts to get spongy. We have listed some steps below that you must follow!

• Remove your plant from its dirt and clean it well. 
• Pruning scissors should be cleaned with rubbing alcohol or a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. 
• Every time you cut, repeat this procedure. 
• Remove any roots that smell bad, feel slimy, or seem grey, brown, or black.
• All leaves with tender places should be removed. 
• You should eliminate everything that even seems somewhat suspect. 
• Put the roots in a solution of 3 parts hydrogen peroxide to 1 part water. 
• Put your snake plant in a fresh container with clean, sterile potting soil. 
• Your plant will experience stress, but there is no other way to rescue it. 
• After you transplant it, be very careful not to overwater it over the following month or two. During this period, you should also keep it out of direct sunlight.

2. The Soil is Too compact!

Even if you water your snake plant carefully, your soil may still betray you occasionally. For a Sansevieria, some potting mixtures hold much too much water. Despite your best efforts, they take so long to dry up that they cause root rot in your plant. We have listed some steps below that you must follow!

• Avoid these types of soil when selecting it for your snake plant-something that resembles dirt for gardens, Peat moss, coconut coir, or any other spongy plant material in mixtures over 50% 
• Soils like vermiculite contain a lot of tiny particles.
• After you water your snake plant, pay attention to how long the pot remains moist. 
• Your plant may be melting if it takes longer than 4-5 days to dry up.
• Choose a rocky succulent mix if you’re buying plants off the shelf.

98% of snake plants die due to improper watering.

Learn Proper Watering in Details

3. Fungal/Bacterial Infection can happen!

Your plant can get an illness that starts turning it into goop in addition to through root rot. Its leaves might have been contaminated by bacteria or fungi in different ways. 

For instance: You unknowingly carried a diseased plant home. Your hands have been invaded by microorganisms from the earth or other plants. Some reasons are given in the following!

• The illness was spread by pests like spider mites and aphids that entered through an open window. 
• You pruned your snake plant without cleaning your trimmers first. You used unsterilized dirt when you planted your Snake plant. 
• Diseases caused by bacteria and fungi can result in rounded, moist areas of black or brown tissue. 
• There can be more yellow in the area around them. 
• These diseased areas can grow and bleed together until they eat up the majority of your plant. 
• Moisture and humidity encourage the spread of many illnesses. Due to the possibility of moisture beads appearing on the foliage, we do not advise spraying a snake plant. 
• Additionally, don’t let water collect in the cupped areas in the center of the leaf after watering.

4. Temperature Shock can affect your plant!

Snake plants are excellent roommates since they won’t dispute with you over the temperature, which is one factor. Their preferred temperature is between 65 to 85 degrees, which is similar to ours. 

The difference is that if we spend a few hours outside of our comfort zone, we don’t start to deteriorate. Perhaps your snake plant will. Its cells may start to die from temperature shock in settings that are over 90 degrees or below 55 degrees. 

As a result, the inner of the leaves develop fragile, decaying tissue patches. When you suddenly force your plant into a new temperature, the danger is increased. Snake plants may gradually adapt to surroundings that are hotter or colder. However, abrupt alterations often startle their systems. We have listed some steps below that you must follow!

• Start your plant off in the new location for an hour or two each day if you’re transplanting it to a warmer or colder place. Then raise its exposure gradually. 
• Keep an eye out for places where the temperature changes often. 
• You may plant a snake plant there without realizing it would get much hotter or much colder in a short period. 
• Among them are draughty rooms, areas close to outdoor entrances, window sills that face south or west and get quite warm in the afternoon, Heater vents surroundings, and the area in front of the air conditioners following fireplaces. 
• Again, to prevent the rot from spreading, you must remove all soft patches from your snake plant. 
• The good news is that neither soil modification nor destroying fungal spores are necessary. Your snake plant should fully recover if you trim it and remove it from the heat or cold.

How to Fix Soft, Mushy & Soggy Leaves

As an experienced gardener, I know that the key to fixing soft, mushy, and soggy leaves on a snake plant is to address the underlying cause of the problem. Here are some practical tips for how to do that:

1. Allow the soil to dry out before watering again: The first step in fixing the problem is to stop watering the plant until the soil has had a chance to dry out. This will give the roots a chance to breathe and allow any excess water to drain away. Once the top inch of soil is dry to the touch, you can water the plant again, but be sure to use a well-draining potting mix and avoid over-watering in the future.
2. Improve drainage in the pot or container: If the soil is waterlogged and the roots are sitting in standing water, you need to improve the drainage in the pot or container. You can do this by adding a layer of gravel or coarse sand to the bottom of the pot or container, or by using a pot with drainage holes. All containers need drainage holes to allow extra water to escape. There’s a chance your pot needs more holes than it already has. Having no drainage holes is the perfect set-up for overwatering snake plants. If you require to add drainage holes to your container at this moment, do it over a sink because excess water will presumably come streaming out the minute you make an exit.
3. Reduce humidity around the plant: Snake plants prefer a dry environment, so if the humidity is too high, it can cause soft, mushy, and soggy leaves. To reduce humidity, you can use a dehumidifier, or simply place the plant in a well-ventilated area away from humidifiers or other sources of moisture.  A drowning snake plant requires air in the root area. Tipping the container or rolling it carefully can help jolt up the soil and form needed air pockets.
4. Inspect the plant for pests or diseases and treat accordingly: Pests and diseases can also cause soft, mushy, and soggy leaves. Inspect your snake plant regularly for any signs of pests or diseases, such as discolored or damaged leaves, and treat accordingly. Common pests that can infest Snake plant are spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects.
5. Give some time: Usually, within a week to ten days, you’ll begin to see signs of healing. Don’t fertilize until you notice constant fresh growth. 

Some common tips about fixing the snake plants

We know you must be very worried if you can cure the issues for your snake plants or not. But it’s not rocket science! We will help you to fix these issues if you follow the simple steps that we have given below!

• Always remove the diseased tissue as the initial step. You should clean your instruments both before and after each cut, as we emphasized before. If any spores have dispersed but haven’t yet grown, you could also wish to treat your snake plant with a fungicide. 

• Apply a copper or sulfur-based solution to the foliage. You may combine 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 gallon of water to make a DIY anti-fungal spray. A few drops of mild liquid soap are also very helpful.

• Keep an eye out for white, threadlike growths in the soil. If your plant has southern blight, according to this, then trimming and treating the foliage won’t be sufficient. As you would in a case of root rot, you’ll also need to clean the roots and refill the potting soil.

Is Your Snake Plant Recoverable?

The Snake Plant, It’s never a good indication when anything becomes soft and pliable. Sometimes it indicates an infection that is so far along that there is little hope for the plant.

You will have the best chance of saving it if you follow the instructions we’ve given. However, you should be prepared in case you have to take a loss.

Even though your plant could be doomed, its descendants might be able to survive. Snake plants are capable of self-cloning from tiny fragments of their roots and leaves. You might be able to regenerate your plant if you can save some intact tissue before throwing it away. Follow the two methods given below so that you can have healthy, elegant leaves for your snake plants!

1. Leaf trimmings of your snake plants

Propagation through soil:

The simplest approach to growing a snake plant is in this manner. Just a few inches of robust leaf tissue are required for the cutting to be able to stand upright in the soil. We have listed some steps below that you must follow!

• Cut away the leaf’s unharmed portions, leaving them outside overnight to allow the wounds to heal. 
• After that, put the leaf in a little container with some aerated, coarse soil. Put it somewhere where it won’t be directly exposed to sunshine but will still receive a lot of bright, indirect light. 
• Use the watering can sparingly while you wait for it to grow. It will first appear that not much is occurring. But after a month or two, you ought to notice fresh leaves emerging from the cutting’s base. 
• You’ll eventually have a healthy young Snake Plant. 
• The young leaves might not have the same variegation as the original plant, so keep that in mind.

Propagation in water:

• Choose one or two healthy leaves from the injured plant. Take clean shears and sever them just above the soil. 
• Slice each leaf into several two to four-inch tall divisions. It is necessary to secure the bottom of each cutting as the part that is positioned in the water, as that’s where fresh roots and development will form.
• Take the leaf cutting, and create a triangle shape in the base with the shears, begin from the edges of the cutting. The end result should look like a decorative ribbon at the bottom. This will ensure that the cuttings are properly oriented for rooting. 
• Leave the cutting for several days so that they can be callous.
• Now it’s time for water planting. Take a glass jar or a container (will advise you to use a transparent glass jar as you will be able to see the root growth from outside, without disturbing the cuttings) and fill half of it with water. The water should be at room temperature. Then carefully place the cuttings in the water, assuring the base of each cutting is thoroughly submerged.
• Place the container in a location where the sunlight is bright but indirect. Refresh the water every other week.
• Once the leaf cuttings begin to extend roots, you can transfer the cuttings to the soil. Roots should be at least three centimeters long before you reposition them to the soil, but you can also keep your cuttings in water until fresh snake plant babies begin to germinate as well.

2. Root Separation of the snake plants

Rhizome-like root extensions from Snake Plant roots produce fresh clusters of foliage. Gardeners refer to these little sprouts as “pups”. Do you have a shoot that hasn’t been affected by whatever the plant is suffering from elsewhere? In that case, you can remove it and transfer it. We have listed some steps below that you must follow!

• The method is identical to taking a cutting, with the exception that you cut through the rhizome as opposed to the leaf. 
• Gain as much robust root mass as you can. 
• Repot it and take care of it as described above after that. You won’t have to wait as long to witness growth because your new Snake Plant already has some root structure. 
• Additionally, this method keeps the patterning of the original plant, unlike leaf cuttings or trimming.

FAQ’s

Q1. What Signs Do Your Snake Plants Give That They Need Water? 

Ans. Only water the Snake plant when the soil seems crumbly and dry to the touch. Since snake plants prefer arid environments, it is best to water them every two weeks.

Q2. How Come My Plant Is Mushy? 

Ans. For other reasons, overwatering is unquestionably the cause of mushy Snake plant leaves. Root rot is brought on by overwatering, which makes the plant mushy and squishy.

Q3. How Should a Snake Plant Be Fixed? 

Ans. When a plant exhibits indications of being overwatered, you should first amend the soil and cut off any brown or squishy roots. After the plant has been repotted, wait a while before watering it. 

This will enable the plant to recover from overwatering. 

Place the Snake plant in a location that will allow it to receive lots of sunshine.

Q4. What Does a Snake Plant Look Like When It Is Rotten? 

Ans. The signs that indicate that a snake plant is rotting: are dark dots on mushy leaves, withering or yellowing leaves, and roots that are delicate and brown. 

These symptoms are simple to recognize since the snake plant has glossy, straight-standing leaves. The damaged plant’s leaves will start to droop and lose their shine.

Conclusion

To protect the parts that are still strong, you must take decisive action and sacrifice the weaker portions. You can prevent soft, mushy, and soggy leaves from covering your snake plant with a little bit of care and a suitable routine. You can accomplish it, so don’t worry. We wish you success in preserving your snake plant and maintaining its health for many years to come.

We hope you like our article, if you have any more doubts regarding this issue, please feel free to comment down below, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family if they are also snake plant lovers like us!

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