It is essential to fertilize snake plants if you wish to maintain them in the best shape. When you use fertilizers on snake plants , you could provide the necessary nutrients they need.
Snake plants are quite popular house plants which you could spot in many varieties. They would make attractive houseplants along with their dark stiff leaves which tend to grow in upward manner.
Usually, snake plants do not depend on a lot of feeding. However, it would be necessary to fertilize snake plants appropriately so that you could provide the necessary nutrients for them.
Consequently, they could maintain their best shape and thrive well too.
What fertilizer snake plants need?
It will be somewhat challenging to select the most appropriate fertilizer to feed for these plants. There are several options you could select from.
Plants require nutrients to grow all parts of the plants such as leaves and roots etc. Further they want fertilizers to form flowers also. Best is to utilize a balanced fertilizer which could boost faster growth.
You could select either chemical fertilizers as well as organic fertilizers to feed the snake plants.
Usually, it is better if you could fertilize snake plants which contain main macronutrients such as are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
You could use a balanced houseplant fertilizer for snake plants and that means there will be the same percentage of these three macronutrients included in the fertilizer.
In terms of fertilizing the snake plants, you could also use a fertilizer which is designed for succulents and for cactus.
If you wish to go for a fertilizer which is designed specifically for snake plants, you should go for a N:P:K (Nitrogen: Phosphate: Potassium) ratio 10:10:10 or 20:20:20 strength fertilizer.
In addition to those three main nutrients there could be some fertilizer which contains iron copper, boron, and zinc too.
it is not compulsory for you to provide these macronutrients however if you do so, it will be an added advantage.
In addition to that there are organic fertilizers such as worm compost, blood meal, alfalfa meal corn gluten which would work well on these plants.
They comprise macronutrients and vitamins and some plant hormones also.
Snake plants fertilizer requirements
It is important that we fertilize snake plants occasionally to supply it with the necessary nutrients which will consequently keep it in good health.
It will boost the faster growth of the plant as well. Apart from that, it could stimulate the flowering of the snake plant and boost the immunity as well.
Usually, they would grow in a little amount of soil where the plant would absorb all nutrients during a couple of months.Then you should fertilize them.
Whenever you water the plants, there is a chance of nutrient depletion too. If the plant is going through diversified environmental conditions, you should think of feeding them too.
How often should i fertilize my snake plant
Snake plants do not depend on fertilizers a lot. However, if you feed them a couple of times in a year, it will tend to grow well.
During spring you could feed them once and feed them once again in summer. If your plant is in healthy condition, feeding them once a year would be sufficient.
If it is essential, you could feed them once a month in both spring and in summer. Avoid overfeeding them as it could badly affect them.
On the other hand, you should feed the outdoor snake plants a little more than the indoor plants as they thrive in fluctuating environmental conditions. However, ensure that you do it within the limit though.
If your snake plant gets a low level of light, you need to feed them less. Do not apply any fertilizers for snake plants in winter as it is their resting period.
How to add fertilizer to snake plant
You should add the fertilizer to the surface soil of the plant. That way, when you water the plant it is easy for the plant root to absorb the fertilizer.
If you put fertilizer to the stem or leaves of the plant, there will be no use. Snake plant stems or leaves can not absorb any fertilizer.
Snake plants fertilizer ratio
You should fertilize them during their actively growing season. You should utilize a balanced 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 fertilizer .
Best is to dose half of full strength so that it will refrain from over fertilization.
Indoor snake plants fertilizer
Fertilizer types
In addition to the aforesaid chemical fertilizers, there are organic fertilizers such as manure, mulch, worm compost, blood meal, alfalfa meal corn gluten which would work well on the indoor grow snake plants.
They comprise macronutrients and vitamins and some plant hormones and some amino acids also.
Best organic fertilizers would be such as seaweed extract, fish emulsion as they could supply the plants with nitrogen. Moreover, you could utilize an all-purpose organic fertilizer as well.
How to add fertilizer
You could follow the following steps when you feed them. Ensure that you choose the accurate fertilizer and proceed with this. You should keep in mind to utilize less than the recommended quantity.
Next, you could mix the fertilizer of about 01 millimeter into a water gallon and make use of that water when you feed the plants.
In terms of feeding them with compost, you should ideally add a handful of it regularly. Once you fertilize them, make sure that you water them too.
Outdoor snake plants fertilizer
Fertilizer types
Best is to feed the outdoor snake plants with an all-purpose plant food in heated times. They require the additional nutrients during this period the most.
Refrain in adding fertilizers in winter and in autumn also since these plants do not require additional nutrients during colder temperatures.
How to add liquid fertilizer
You should apply these fertilizers right into the watering can. It could control the quantity of fertilizers. Further it has a very less chance of creating fertilizer burn too.
If you apply this method, you need to do it more often compared to other methods. During their dormant season, you should not apply any fertilizer whilst on the other hand, you may adjust the dozes by observing the plant’s condition.
If you are using this method for the feeding of snake plants, you could do this once a month in their growing season.
You may use a 10:10:10 balanced fertilizer or even a half strength 20:20:20 liquid fertilizer. If you wish to use this method while using organic liquid fertilizers that is also possible such as warm tea, humic acid, liquid bone meal, liquid kelp etc.
Homemade fertilizer for snake plants
Applying homemade fertilizers would be easy and convenient to do. You may use eggshells, banana peels, coffee ground, aquarium water and green tea for this purpose. Brief on each homemade fertilizer is as follows,
Egg shells – mainly consist of calcium. You could crush and pulverize them and mix them into a potting mix. Alternatively, you could even make a fertilizer tea also whilst using these.
Banana Peels – They have mainly a high level of potassium and little quantity of Nitrogen and phosphorus. You could just peel them directly in the soil or even you could cut them into tiny pieces and mix with the potting soil.
Coffee Grounds – you could just blend this with potting mix and utilize this as a compost type. Additionally, you could just let them soak in water and later use it as a liquid coffee fertilizer.
Aquarium water – Their wastewater is rich in nutrients and you could apply them directly into the soil.
Natural fertilizer for snake plants
You could add worm compost and compost as natural fertilizer for snake plants. you could do it while adding a light layer of compost.
Should I water after adding fertilizer?
You may water them lightly
Read Next: Do Snake Plant Purify Air?| 5 Amazing Facts You Should Know |
