Sansevieria trifasciata has broad, erect, belt-like dark green leaves, and has a wavy stripe pattern with lighter colors. The strip pattern makes this plant known in English as the snake plant. In addition, especially in Indonesia, this plant is known as the mother-in-law's tongue plant because of the sharp edges of the leaves. There are also species of sansevieria that form a kind of "rose" from their leaves, and these species are commonly known as bird's nest sansevieria. All species of sansevieria are very adaptable. The treatment is also quite easy to do. There are a few tips in this article that you can follow to care for sansevieria.
Step
Part 1 of 5: Planting
Step 1. Plant sansevieria properly
- Use proper growing media for indoor plants, not garden soil.
- Change the pot only if the roots of the plant begin to destroy the pot.
Part 2 of 5: Positioning the Plants
Step 1. Position the plant in a place that is exposed to light
- Place the plant on a window sill facing east, west or north all year round. If you have a south-facing window, place the plants next to the windows about 30 cm apart, year round (this suggestion is for those of you who live in the Northern Hemisphere).
- Provide a bright fluorescent lamp or other lighting medium. This is done to provide sufficient light for the plant to grow properly.
Step 2. Use light curtains to block out the intense sunlight during the day
Step 3. Rotate the pot by a quarter turn each week to give the plant full sun exposure
Step 4. Place the plant in an indoor temperature between 4.4 to 29.4 C
Part 3 of 5: Watering the Plants
Step 1. Use a hydrometer to check soil moisture weekly
Water the plant when the indicator is almost 0 (or when the soil appears dry) to prevent root rot.
Check soil moisture by hand. Make sure the surface of the pot is dry to the touch before you water the plant in the spring or summer
Step 2. Do a little watering in cold weather
Plants should also not be watered too much if they are placed in a cool, air-conditioned room. Wait for the pot to appear dry enough before watering.
Water the plant if the leaves appear wilted and the pot feels dry
Step 3. Water the plant properly
- Use water at room temperature.
- Use distilled water or rainwater if possible. If you're using tap water, let it sit for 48 hours to remove chlorine, fluoride, and other substances. If possible, let the water sit for 1 week.
Step 4. Water the sides of the plant (around the walls of the pot)
Try not to water the plant right in the middle (at the point where the leaves appear). Water until the water seeps into the bottom of the pot, and immediately empty the tray of any dripping water that is splashed on the plant.
Part 4 of 5: Fertilizing
Step 1. Fertilize plants once in spring (or cool weather) using a mixed indoor plant fertilizer, according to the directions for use on the product label
Apply fertilizer with a composition of 20-20-20 to the plants in the spring. Put the fertilizer in the plant sprinkler
Part 5 of 5: Performing General Maintenance
Step 1. Wipe the sansevieria leaves with a damp cloth if they start to get dusty
Step 2. Move the plant to another pot when it gets too big
There are other signs that may indicate that you need to move the plant, such as when roots start to emerge from the drainage holes or the walls of the pot begin to crack (if you are using a clay pot).
- Water thoroughly when the plant is transplanted.
- Add more soil to the pot if the plant manages to stand upright after transplanting.
Tips
- Sansevieria or mother-in-law's tongue plant has several color variations. Some species have golden leaf tips or cream-colored stripes. The bird's nest sansevieria variety sometimes has a pink color pattern.
- The sansevieria plant is one of the oldest indoor plants and was widely kept indoors in ancient China.
- One of the balanced fertilizer products is Flora-Voa Grow NPK (7-4-10). This ratio of content prevents overfertilization and provides the main macronutrients and micronutrients needed by plants.
- If it gets enough light and proper watering, sansevieria plants can have tiny white stalks and very fragrant flowers in summer.
Warning
- NEVER use overly strong fertilizer products (eg Miracle Gro) for sansevieria plants! There is a chance that the plant will die if you fertilize it with the product. This is because the ratio of the content of 24-8-16 so that the nitrogen content in the fertilizer is too strong and can "burn the plants". Eventually, the plant roots will die.
- Sansevieria is a plant that is toxic to pets, especially cats. In addition, there are few reports of the impact of this plant on humans. However, if the plant is ingested (especially if the sap is exposed to the mouth), you may develop a rash and/or temporary laryngitis.
