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I planted my Snake plant today and chose the best from the bunch. However, some of the tips has either dried off or damaged by some other means. I am posting some pics for better understanding:
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Cut the whole leaf from the bottom or remove the damaged part or leave them?

Bence Kaulics
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4-K
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  • This soil looks dry. A local book insists after repotting it is compulsory to water profusely (once) so that the roots can bind well to the new soil and start extracting nutrients. – Vorac Nov 25 '21 at 03:55

3 Answers3

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It is up to you. Brown tips clearly indicate a problem, usually watering, soil imbalance or too much fertilizing. There is no need to do it. That is a dead part of the leaf and will cause no further damage.

First, do you know what caused it, and have you corrected it? Looking at the soil, watering seems to be the first suspect. Personally, since you just transplanted the plant, I'd give it a few days to establish, before doing anything.

You can cut off the brown tips if you think it is an aesthetic issue. Be careful to cut to the edge, leaving perhaps a little brown sliver, so that the plant doesn't have a new injury to heal.

On the leaf where the damage is to the side, you can cut the leaf all the way to the bottom of the injury, if you so desire.

Srihari Yamanoor
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    My father rescued them day before yesterday, and have no idea what caused it. Another thing, I will get better soil in few days, maybe 3-4, and would have to repot it again in the god soil. – 4-K Sep 02 '16 at 16:05
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    In the first picture, If I cut the stem from all the way down, will it benefit the plant or harm it? – 4-K Sep 02 '16 at 16:09
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    I wouldn't cut the stem down all the way just yet. The general rule is, when you move a plant, even something as resilient as the Sansevieria, it is under stress till it puts roots and stabilizes. Anything drastic down now could hurt the plant. So, I recommend waiting maybe a couple of weeks or more before cutting down. I normally don't even do that. Browning is a part of their injury/healing process. – Srihari Yamanoor Sep 02 '16 at 16:57
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    When you don't know what happened, err on the side of assuming it is lack of water which usually causes browning; so water the plant, and avoid fertilizing/feeding it. Good, draining soil will help and may eliminate the possibility that it was salty soil. This is a very tough plant, so it should perk up pretty soon with your care. – Srihari Yamanoor Sep 02 '16 at 16:59
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You've actually answered your own question. You bought a plant put out on closeout. It has had a tough month or more,

Some of the leaf damage looks like physical damage. You said you want to get better soil. Actually a cactus mix-sand-is best.

THE SNAKE PLANT IS FAMOUSLY HARD TO KILL. From what I see, the pot in the picture is too large for the plant. It will stay wet too long. Be sure your pot has a drainage hole. Partial sun is best. I would not fertilize it. If, you do use half what the INSTRUCTIONS SAY. Ours is outdoors in a protected spot-zone 9b and it is doing fine. TOO MUCH CARE CAN KILL IT.

DAVE S.
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I live in a 8a. I had one for my work that I took home to fix. It was limp, yellow and generally sickly looking. The reason was over watering. Some leaves were even squishy with rot. I repotted it with miracle grow, but mixed that with perlite and bark so it would drain better. I kept it in deep shade for a couple of weeks, then moved it out to where it would get morning sun. Then I moved it to where it got full sun all day. It was still protected where it wouldn't get rained on. I left it out all summer and watered it maybe 6 times. I watered it 3 times this winter. It loved it. The old leaves that weren't deprived of light had been a super dark green. The new full sun leaves are very pretty and have lots of variegation. So I'd recommend lots of light and little watering.

Having said that, when your plants gets settled in, I'd cut off the bad leaves and repot them to make new plants. It's very easy. I had one cluster left from the office and took off one junky looking, leaning blade. I cut it into 4" and pushed them just far enough into the soil to stand upright. That was after a couple of days for the cuts to callous. After a month or so, you'll have lost a few, but most will root. You can very gently try to tug them out of the soil and you should feel resistance. Eventually, they will put out a new plant from this cutting. Soon the whole pot will be filled. They like to be a little root bound. Just keep the original orientation in mind when cutting the leaf. If you take a segment and turn it upside down, I don't think it'll take. You can actually see what looks like little roots on the damaged section in your picture.

That's just what I did with mine, but I'm really happy with the results. Most of my cuttings took, though they quite putting out new plants when I brought it in for the winter. I'll put it back outside this summer and I'm sure the whole pot will be filled with an awesome plant.

Dalton
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