Snake plants are easy-care houseplants. Every once in a while, repotting Snake Plants is necessary for maintaining a healthy and thriving plant. This tutorial on repotting Snake Plants shows you the steps to take, the mix to use, and when you should repot your snake plant.
Snake Plants are some of my very favorite houseplants. I grow quite a few of them, both indoors and out, here at my home in the Arizona desert. Their spiky, patterned foliage is so interesting to me. Plus, you can ignore them most of the time, and they’re happy as can be!
I actually repotted 5 of my plants but you only see 2 of them here. I call this project the “Snake Plant switcheroo” because I swapped out containers and locations they were in.
What are Snake Plants?
Snake Plants are also known as Sansevierias, Mother In Law Tongues, and Snake’s Tongue Plant. They handle dry air and lower light conditions like champions. You can find a list of our snake plant care guides here.
Helpful Houseplant Care Guides: Guide to Watering Indoor Plants, Beginner’s Guide to Repotting Plants, How to Fertilize Indoor Plants, How to Clean Houseplants, Winter Houseplant Care Guide, How to Increase Humidity in Houseplants, 14 Useful Tips for Buying Houseplants, and 11 Pet-Friendly Houseplants
Repotting my Snake Plants:
Best Soil for Snake Plants
Snake Plants prefer to be kept on the dry side so the mix they’re planted in must drain freely. You don’t want it to hold too much moisture because this will lead to root rot.
That’s why I add in the succulent and cactus mix because it’s chunky and well aerated.
I also toss in a few handfuls of organic compost as I’m planting (I go much lighter on both this and the worm compost when repotting houseplants as compared to container plants in my garden) and a 1/2″ layer topping of the worm compost.
Soil Mix “Recipe”
2/3 – 3/4 organic potting soil
I alternate between Happy Frog and Ocean Forest, and sometimes I combine them. Both are full of high-quality ingredients. Make sure whatever potting soil you use says it formulated for indoor plants on the bag.
1/3 – 1/4 organic succulent & cactus mix
I use this DIY succulent & cactus mix (this has coco chips in it) for added drainage. This one is an alternative as well as this one.
Few handfuls of organic compost
I use Tank’s local compost. Give Dr. Earth’s a try if you can’t find anywhere you live. Both enrich the soil naturally.
Worm Compost
Worm compost is my favorite amendment, but I use it sparingly because it’s rich. You can learn more about why I use worm compost here.
Soil Mix Alternatives
- 2/3 potting soil, 1/3 pumice
- or 2/3 potting soil, 1/3 or perlite
- or 2/3 potting soil, 1/3 clay pebbles
The pumice, perlite, and clay pebbles all up the ante on the drainage factor, enable aeration, and help to prevent the soil from staying too wet.
What Size Pot Should I Use?
They prefer to grow slightly tight in their pots. When I repot a Snake Plant, I go up 1 pot size.
For instance, if yours is in a 6″ grow pot, then an 8″ pot would be the size you’d want to use.
Because Sansevierias like to spread out as they grow, I’ve found that they don’t need a deep pot.
A deep pot has more soil mass at the bottom which could stay too wet which leads to root rot.
Transplanting/Repotting Snake Plants
Gather your soil mix materials. (Sometimes I mix them up ahead, and other times in the pot as I go along.
Loosen the plants from their pots. For one plant I used a dull knife and for the other, I gently pressed on the grow pot. Both ways are clearly shown in the video.
Once the plant is out of the pot, measure how much soil mix you’ll need to raise the top of the root ball up to 1/2″ to 1″ below the top of the new pot. Add the mix in.
Place the plant in the pot and fill in around the sides with mix.
Top with a thin layer of worm compost.
Snake Plant Care After Repotting
I place them back in the spot they were growing in before the repotting.
Snake Plants are succulents. After repotting, I keep mine dry for about 7 days to let them settle in. Then, I’ll water.
How Often Should You Repot Snake Plants?
Snake Plants don’t mind being tight in their pots. They actually seem to do better if a bit pot bound. I’ve seen quite a few which have actually broken their grow pots and they look just fine.
I have a couple of Snake Plants that I haven’t repotted for over 5 years. Don’t rush to repot yours unless it’s looking stressed or it’s cracked the grow pot.
Snake Plant Repotting FAQs
Snake Plants like a chunky soil mix that drains freely & is well aerated. They store water in their rhizomes and thick leaves so you don’t want the soil to stay consistently wet.
I wouldn’t recommend repotting one in straight potting soil because it could be too heavy. Add pumice, perlite or pebbles to up the ante on the drainage & aeration factors. See “Soil” for more details on these amendments.
If the grow pot is cracked, that’s 1 sign it needs repotting. As a general rule, I repot my Snake Plants every 4-6 years.
Snake Plants do fine growing tight in their pots.
No. Their rhizomes spread out rather than grow deep. A deep pot means more soil mass which can lead to them staying too wet.
Yes, they do. As the taller species & varieties grow bigger, they need larger pots. The lower growing varieties do fine in smaller pots.
I go up 1 pot size when repotting a Snake Plant to avoid an excess of the soil mass. I often use azalea pots because they have a lower profile & provide better drainage.
Happy gardening!
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I’m a life-long gardener who still to this day gets giddy at the thought of a trip to one of the local nurseries. Yes, I actually studied landscape and environmental horticulture and the practical experience I have garnered through the years has served me well. Childhood memories of chicken manure “tea” still float through my olfactory senses to this day. I have always been an organic gardener and always will be. From the Earth … To the Earth. I was born and raised in rural, bucolic Litchfield County, Connecticut and now joyfully live a few blocks from the ocean in beautiful Santa Barbara, California.
Those yellow pots really accent the plant!
Can you replant the leaves if they break off?
Hi Julie – Yes you can. A few of the leaves on mine bend completely over & cut them off. I let them heal over for at least a week & then plant them; either back in the same pot with the mother plant or in a separate pot. I’ll do a post & video on this within the next few months. Nell
I thank you for your help I love snake plants and want to be sure I am doing my best for them. However I have a problem. Two of my plants seem to be top heavy and are bending at the top of the soil. What can I do.
Hi Cheryl – I love snake plants too. There could be a few reasons that’s happening so I can’t exactly say what to do about it. The leaves of the taller varieties get heavier as they get tall & naturally bend. 2 of mine do that but not too often. I cut them, heal them & then plant back in. Other reasons: too wet or too little light. Nell
Hi Nell!
Great blog than you Nell!
A friend has a snake plant and told me a number of the leaves had fallen over. I asked her what she did with the fallen leaves and she told me she’d popped them in the compost ?? They’d only spent a couple of days in the compost so, I retrieved them, took them home and popped them (5 in total) in a jar keeping just enough water to cover the very bottoms of them. I checked them nearly everyday in the hope they’d grow roots which they did after 4 weeks. SO happy! I kept them in the jar for about 5 months. Why 5 months? because I had NO idea what to do with them and was hesitant to move them because I didn’t want to kill them! Anyhow, I took the plunge last week and potted them. After finding your blog this morning I’m pretty sure I’ve done the right thing by them. I’m hoping they survive their transplant.
Thanks again for the great info!
Cheers, Lynnie ? ?
Just curious, do you need to add regular potting soil? Would straight c & s mix work?
Oh great Lynnie! Thanks for sharing. I usually let my fallen leaves heal over for a few weeks & then plant them back in the same pot. They’re really tough so I’m sure yours will be fine. Just don’t over water them! Nell
No you don’t. Straight c & s mix would be just fine too Ty. The important thing is that the mix drains well so the roots & rhizomes don’t rot. Nell
Hi Nell,
What a wonderful site with informative information. I live in northern New England and have a beautiful mother-in-law’s tongue a friend gave me three years ago and glad I read your blog because I was just about to order all purpose soil for it. That would have been a mistake and now I will order the right soil and worm stuff. Thank you and I will continue reading your info. Wonderful!
Anita
PS- I have the large 5 ft tall plant in my large, very warm sun room with Southwest exposure.
Hi Anita – Thank you. I’m so glad you find our site to be helpful. You gotta love Snake Plants! I live in the Arizona desert & you live in northern New England & ours are thriving. You can grow them in potting soil but I’ve found from experience that they do better in the mix I refer to in the post. I use worm castings for most of my houseplants (except bromeliads, orchids, etc). Go easy on it indoors (a 1/2 to 1″ layer is enough depending on pot size). I plan on doing a post & video on this subject in 1-2 months. Happy gardening! Nell
Hi there!
Had a question… I planted two separate snake plants together in one large pot. I used the miracle grow cactus and succulent soil mixed with some miracle grow moisture control. I think I made a mistake and should have researched beforehand… I’m a newbie. Do my plants have any chance at survival now? Soil is pretty dry and haven’t watered since transplanting yesterday.
Thanks,
Liz
Hi Nell, I am new to the world of houseplants, and find your videos and website to be very helpful, thank you for all the good stuff! I just brought 2 small snakeplants (Golden Hahnii variety) from the nursery. I want to have them repotted to better pots, but not sure if I should keep them both in a single pot or plant each separately into 2 pots. What would you suggest ?
Ben
Hi Liz – I don’t use moisture control soil mix. Snake Plants, like most houseplants,like to dry out in between watering. I water mine every 3 weeks. Being on the dry side won’t hurt them, being too wet will. Nell
Hi Ben – Thank you – welcome to the wonderful world of houseplants! I’ve planted them together & separately so that’s your call. Snake Plants don’t mind being tight in their pots but if you decide to pot them together, of course you’ll need a larger pot. Just don’t get one too big though! Nell
I love my snake plant. A beautiful shoot grew taller than the main plant. But now the main plant is drooping over. Please help! Need to replant?
P S tried to attach a photo but couldn’t paste here.
Thank you!!
Hi Terri – It’s hard to say because I don’t know what’s causing it. If the main part of the plant is drooping, 1 cause could be over watering. Nell
I have 2 snake plants indoors that I’ve had for several years. Both get sufficient light and I hardly water them since I read they don’t need alot of water. I let them get very dry before watering and I don’t soak them at watering time. However, some of the leaves look shriveled and are starting to bend over. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Gloria – Shriveled leaves are a sign of not enough water. Mushy leaves are too much. To give you an idea: I live in the Arizona desert & water my SPs thoroughly every 3 weeks. A little less often in the winter. Nell
Hi Nell. I have a snake plant still in the plastic pot that I purchased it in several years ago. It sits in a clay pot on my covered patio. It gets watered with the hose when I happen to be outside; not on a regular basis. It’s basically ignored. I noticed that it has busted through the plastic pot. I would like to repot it and bring it inside, which is what I originally intended to do. Shld I replant it in another plastic pot, so that I can remove it from the decorative pot when I water it? Don’t want it to drain through onto the floor. Or, shld I transplant into a terra-cotta pot and leave it outside where it seems perfectly content to being ignored? I live inSan Diego. Thank you.
Either would work fine Maxine – Snake Plants aren’t fussy as to what type of pot they’re grown in. They do break though grow pots over time, as you know. I used to grow them outdoors in bright shade when I lived in Santa Barbara. I currently have mine growing in 3 different types of pots & all are doing great. Nell
How long does Snake plant take to grow?, also, what is the best way to water them (eg. spray them, or straight to the soil?)
Hi! I’ve enjoyed reading over your website and watching your videos. They’ve been very helpful. I recently purchased two snake plants from Lowes that were each in a 9″ plastic pot. My goal was to combine them together to make a larger plant to use indoors. The pot I purchased has a tapered shape and is 13.5″ D at the top of the new pot (does have drainage holes). Is this too large? I thought it would be ok but when I started to repot I ran out of soil; need a few more inches at the top. It’s hanging out like that until I can get more. I didn’t water yet. The plant needs adjusted some for centering but there will still be a few inches of space around the top of the new pot. I wish I could attach a photo. Ideally I would have liked to add more leaves but when I went back for another plant they were out. I would like the plant to continue to grow upwards. There are very tall leaves in the center of each plant but the surrounding leaves were various heights starting about half the height of the tallest leaves.
Thank you!
Hi Carlo – It depends on the growing situation. Here in Tucson where it’s warm for many months, mine grow faster than they did when I lived in San Francisco which has fog & is much cooler. Although they aren’t high light plants, they grow faster with more light. Water them via the soil – they don’t need misting. Nell
Hi Alisha – Thank you! If you’re potting up sansies in 2 – 9″ pots into a 13.5″ diameter pot, they’ll do fine. They don’t mind growing tight in their pots. I’ve combined Snake Plants in various pots & they’ve all done fine. Nell
Hi Nell.
Nice website. Thanks.
2 of my favourite plants are MILT and Aloe Vera which both grow pretty good in pots in my garden here in North Thailand. The pots are sitting on soil and have holes in the bottom so drainage is good and presumably the roots are extending into the soil beneath. I haven’t lifted them so I am guessing. One of my MILT plants has been in the same medium/large pot for at least 10 years cos it was in the garden when we bought the property.
I give both the MILT and the Aloe Vera moderate water and use a small amount of wood ash for mineral replacement I don’t add anything else. They appear to be thriving well.
I tried using wood ash in combination with nitrogen fertiliser that we use on our crops on some other plants I have. Disastrous! The soil turned into an Ammonium factory that I could have sold to Monsanto!
I also have Lucky Bamboo in vertical sided drinking glasses on the table on my verandah. No soil, no pebbles. They get early morning direct sunlight. The rest of the day they are in shade. But UV radiation remains high all day. I just give them a refill of oxygenated water every few days. Nothing else.
Seems to be working. No algae, and the roots are clearly growing.
I also have a cactus which is now 7 foot tall having grown it from a straggling root 4 years ago. He lives
in a medium sized pot with a hole in the bottom resting on soil.
Any advice on looking after Aloe Vera ( which looks like a cactus but isn’t ) and cactuses, appreciated.
I am pretty sure North Thailand is very similar to the Arizona desert. But when it rains here we are talking a serious drenching.
Have a nice day!
Chris.
I repotted 2 snake plants into one. Some of the leaves are very pale yellow at the bottom. Did I not plant them deep enough?
Hi Jimmie – As long as the rhizomes & roots are covered, the plant is fine. Could be too much water. Nell
State of leaf determines state of root. Same for any plant. The leaf is the barometer of the health of the plant. Leaf totally dependent upon the root that feeds it.
If I see a plant in my garden with leaves that don’t look right he is either getting too much or insufficient UV, too much or insufficient minerals, or possibly toxic chemicals. If he has rot at his base it is probably down to too much irrigation. Like Nell said. If the leaves of any plant, high or low, don’t look right. you need to take corrective action immediately. If not, your plant is under threat.
I watch my cactuses, snake plants and Aloe Vera very closely here in Thailand.
Ain’t growing plants just like a Kansas Combine Harvester reaps non-GM corn.
Best US beef is grass fed. Same with free-range chicken.
If the egg has an orange yolk it is highly likely to be OK. If the yolk is yellow the hen lived in a cage and was fed whatever made economic sense for the breeder.
A pretty plant in a pot is a pretty plant in a pot. Feel good factor. I have no problem with that. We need more plants on patios and inside houses.
But an agricultural plant is a totally different kettle of fish.
That applies to herbs and spices just as it applies to Pacific Salmon and Wagyu Beef.
Nature created.
Ain’t plants beautiful?
Home grown fruit and veg not only looks pretty, they are seriously healthy if you eat them.
An oxygen producing plant inside a US home is definitely good news.
Keep planting!
Chris
{ Brit living in agricultural Thailand and a Trump supporter. }
Hi. I recently potted two Sansevieria using MiracleGro’s Moisture Control potting soil assuming it would not retain too much moisture, but as I am reading up on Sanke Plant, I am wondering if I should re-pot them in a mix of cactus soil. A MiracleGrow rep claims they should be fine. Please advise. I know Sanke Plants do not like wet feet. Thank you.
I have a snake plant that I want to make into 2 plants, what is the best way to do that? Also, if I’m just goi going to use potting soil and cactus soil what would be the ratio I would need to use? Thanks
Hi Nell!
I am new to indoor plants. I recently bought golden pothos and spider plant for my living room . I used the readymade soil which was specially designed for indoor plants . I want to keep snake plant in my small bathroom , because it doesn’t need much water and can survive in dark with less sunlight. My question is should I just use the same soil which is specially made for indoor plants or should I have to do all the mixes you showed in the video.
I had used ” miracle grow indoor potting mix ”
Thanks
Zara
Hi Kimberly – I either gently cut or pull them apart. Sometimes you can start by making a cut & them pull them apart, depending on how tight the rootball is. I use approximately 1/2 ps to 1/2 S & c mix. Nell
Hi Jason – I’ve never used that mix before. I know it’s supposed to prevent both under or over watering but don’t know how it works with plants which like to be kept drier. You could always buy a small bag of succulent & cactus mix & try it 1/2 & 1/2. Nell
Hi Zara – Welcome to the world of houseplants! You can use potting soil but you might want to buy a small bag of perlite or pumice & add a bit of that in to facilitate drainage. With potting soil, you have to be very careful not to over water, especially with the Snake Plant in lower light. Nell
I only have 1 snake plant so what soil mixes would work for only 1 small house plant to be repotted. I don’t want to buy large bags that will dry out and have to throw away…your help is greatly appreciated…
Hi Shar – If only 1 small plant, I’d use succulent & cactus mix. You can find that in a small bag. Nell
I adore your content! I’m an AZ beginner plant momma myself and your content really helps me out!
Question for a large snake plant indoors… hope in the world do you find a nice pot that would be appropriate in size and drainage for indoors? I have one about the size maybe bigger than your bigger one you did.. help please!
Hi Chelsea! I’ve found some resin/plastic pots at HD & Lowe’s which are big & not expensive. This way, they’re easy to move around. And, I always paint them. Try Homegoods too. Nell
Hi Nell! Thanks for the video. 🙂
I bought my first Sansevieria Laurentii 6 years ago. I separated it yesterday and repotted each half into a new pot. One in their new homes, I watered them until the water drained into the saucer. Is this okay? I used a combo of pitting mix and succulent mix.
I noticed one of the leaves on one plant has a horizontal crack, almost through and through, on one of the long leaves— should I just cut it? Leave it? It droops.
Thank you 🙂
Hi Kris The mix sounds just fine. I let SPs settle in for 5-7 days before watering. If the leaf is drooping, cut it off. New ones will grow! Nell
I am starting to put my house plants outside. I have a snake plant that Wes in my mom’s room at assisted living. She passed away last year so in inherited her plants. It is doing really well. I am glad I found your site. It was very helpful for my needs as to finding out about watering and light. Thanks so much. Your videos are great too!
Hi there! Thanks so much for the helpful info. I just bought a snake plant for indoors and the pot I’d like to put it in is shallow. Here’s a picture of it: –> https://www.homedepot.com/p/Scalloped-Flare-15-in-Warm-Copper-Plastic-Low-Urn-DU903D/300005921 Does a snake plant have a deep root bed /system or will it be ok in a shallow pot? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Hi Melania – Snake Plants don’t root deep so in many cases, a more shallow pot is fine. However, the bigger & taller they get, the heavier they get. Then, they’ll need bigger pots as an anchor. Nell
Oh thank you Karen! It’s wonderful your taking care of your mother’s plant – I’m sure they brought her joy. Nell
I love the yellow pots . I just repotted a snake plant my grandmother gave me almost 30 years ago. It has been in the same pot ! They are tough but it has started to look not so healthy so we put it in potting mix in a larger clay pot. The mix was brand new but was very damp when we opened the bag. Now I am concerned that we may hasten the demise of this longtime family member. There is a lot of sentimental value since my grandmother passed away 16 years ago.
Roger – Thumbs up on yellow pots! Wow, I love it when plants have sentimental meaning. Hopefully,the mix will start drying out because Snake Plants can get overwatered easily. That’s why I use 1/2 cactus & soil mix when repotting them. I live in the desert & water my 2 large ones (4-5′ tall) every 2 months or so.
Oh, no. I wish I had seen this sooner. I divided and re-potted my snake plants in mostly coco coir, some compost, worm castings, and perlite about a month ago and the soil is still moist. Plant look fine though. Do you think it’s safe to re -pot again?
Kimberly – Snake Plants are tough so you could repot them. Nell
Hi Nell!
I have a beautiful tall snake plant for the past 2 years and absolutely love him! I water him sparingly and he has been growing tall, straight and strong.
However, I started to notice moss is growing in the base of his pot (brownish) — is this bad?
Looking forward to hearing back!
Dayna
Hi Dayna – I love Snake Plants too! Moss needs water to grow. It’s not going to hurt the plant but it does mean moisture is building up at the bottom. Nell
I recently bought a snake plant and would like to repot it. However I have a clear glass container I’m thinking of using, would my plant be negatively effected in any way?
Hi Tracy – I’ve never grown a Snake Plant in a glass container. I’ve seen it done but you’d have to use drainage materials (pebbles & charcoal) & be very careful not to overwater. Nell
I inherited 2 snake plants that are both 4 feet tall. Do you have a recommendation for the size of pot I need? Thank you.
Hi Anthony – My 4′ Sansevieria laurentii is in a 10″ grow pot & doing just fine. They like to grow a bit tight in their pots. Nell