Snake plant (Sansevieria)

I think I've killed my snake plant. Purchased it last year, it was full and doing well. Over the last few months the leaves have been dying (soggy where the leaves meet to soil) and falling out of the pot. I don't water it often, only when dry. It's near a bright west window on the floor (not in direct sun).

Here's a picture ...

Sounds as if your snake is rotting. You have to really get your finger deep in the soil to see if its dry at least 4" below the surface before watering. If you're watering when only the surface is dry, it could still be very moist at the roots. Take off all the squishy leaves and any others that you suspect may be rotting. Then let the plant dry out thoroughly and you MIGHT be able to save some of the plant. Its a common mistake to water when only the top inch or so of the soil is dry. Snakes are succulents, so in other words, treat like a desert plant. If, say, yours is in a 6" pot, you may only need to water maybe once or twice a month. My snake is in a 10" pot, and it only gets watered maybe once every two months in the winter. Good luck!

I agree. Also, by the looks of yours, you may want to put it into a narrower pot. Mine seem to like being planted close together. I only repot them after the roots are showing at the bottom and the sides of the pot is bulging. By doing it this way I have come up with snake plants that are almost 4' tall. Be sure to use a pot that drains well.

Sounds like rot to me also. I would remove it completely from that pot .... cut off any and all soggy growth and repot the rhizomes in fresh, dry soil that has a lot of perlite (I sometimes even mix in orchid bark for good drainage) in the mix to keep it light.

Thank you for all this wonderful advise. It was actually in a 6" pot and looked cramped so I repotted into a a 10" pot ... looks like it going back to the 6" pot. I'll get it into new dry soil. Should I use regular potting mix with perlite or get a soil for succulents?

I use regular potting mix and add lots of perlite and sometimes orchid bark mix as well .... gives good drainage that way.

Good, I've got plenty of potting mix, just need to get perlite and orchid bark. Thanks again plantladylin.

You might want to post your photo's and question over on the Cacti & Succulent forum. There are some experts over there who know more about these plants than I do and I'm sure they would have some great advice!

Here's a link to that forum:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/succulents/all/