Repotting Sansevieria in My Greenhouse
Winter is a great time to tackle all those indoor houseplant chores.
My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, and I have been doing a lot of work inside the greenhouses - giving many of my houseplants some much needed attention. This week, we’ve repotted a variety of specimens including the very interesting and popular Sansevieria.
Sansevieria is a genus of about 70-species of flowering plants, native to Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia. You may know it as one of its common names, such as mother-in-law's tongue, devil's tongue, jinn's tongue, bow string hemp, snake plant and snake tongue.
Enjoy these photos. And tomorrow, be sure to check in to see some of the great images I captured during my holiday in Australia!
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- While working in my main greenhouse, I noticed that these beautiful Sansevieria plants needed repotting, so I removed them from their pots and placed them in our head house. Certain cultivars of sansevieria have striped, elongated, smooth, greenish-gray cylindrical leaves like these. I am so happy these specimens are doing extremely well.
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- Look closely at the plant’s leaves – they are accented with lighter green bars going horizontally around each leaf.
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- Before repotting, Ryan prepares an appropriate soil medium. The right soil mix will help to promote faster root growth, and gives quick anchorage to any young roots.
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- Sansevierias are very “succulent“ and “heavy plants” and hold lots of water in their leaves. Ryan creates a “heavy soil” by amending the potting mix with scoops of sand and gravel. The gravel will also provide adequate moisture drainage.
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- Next, Ryan adds a generous scoop of the slow-release fertilizer, Osmocote. Osmocote particles are known as prills. The beige shell on the prill coats a core of nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
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- In a large trug bucket, Ryan then mixes all the elements together.
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- The sansevieria plant features stiff, upright leaves that range from one to eight feet tall depending on variety. These plants are among the most hardy of all houseplants because they can withstand virtually any conditions.
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- Sansevieria plants are rapid growers and may need repotting or dividing annually. A well-grown sansevieria can split a clay pot with its mass of underground shoots.
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- Here, Ryan trims the plant of any old, dead or shriveled leaves, so there is ample room for all the new growth. If not diseased, this cut material can go into the compost.
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- To stimulate new root growth, Ryan slices away the outer-most roots. We do this with all our plants that are repotted – it’s called scarifying the roots, which helps them to get more air, water and nutrients.
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- Ryan also slices about an inch off the bottom.
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- Ryan covers the bottom of the pot with the appropriate soil mixture.
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- And then places the sansevieria firmly in place. Do you know… these plants absorb toxins, such as nitrogen oxides – they work great for improving indoor air quality? In fact, it is one of the best air purifying plants to keep.
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- This plant prefers warm conditions and should not be exposed to temperatures below 50-degrees Fahrenheit.
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- Make sure the soil is almost completely dry before thoroughly watering. Plants can be watered about once every two to six weeks, depending on the temperature, light levels, and humidity.
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- Sansevieria plants can be divided easily during repotting. Here, Ryan plants shoots from the parent plant into another pot. Several can fit into one pot – they don’t mind being crowded.
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- Here is a closer look at the bottom. They are rapid growers once established.
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- Ryan tamps the soil down around each plant to prevent any air holes. Although they are very forgiving, Sansevieria plants prefers indirect but steady light with some direct sun. They can adapt to full sun conditions, and will also survive quite dim situations.
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- To help prop up and support the shoots, Ryan uses garden sod staples.
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- He gently inserts the staple at the bottom of the plant to keep it more secure until it is firmly rooted.
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- Ryan fits several independent Sansevieria plants into this pot – it will look great in a grouping.
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- Here are three newly potted sansevieria plants – they’ll be very happy in their new vessels. What indoor plant care tasks are you doing this weekend? Let me know your own tips and tricks in the comments below.
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