Cactus Soil for Snake Plant
Snake plants are beautiful green plants with unique patterns on their leaves. They grow tall, sword-shaped leaves that stop growing when their tips are broken. This plant can adapt well to many different environments making it an ideal plant to care for beginners and experienced gardeners alike. The Snake plant also makes for great houseplants as they are known to be great air purifiers.
Ideal Soil for Snake Plants
A quality cactus soil is a well draining soil. This type of soil mix is also slightly low in pH (slightly acidic) and nutrients, making it great for snake plants as well. Always keep in mind that a proper cactus soil dries out pretty easily so make sure to regularly water your snake plant to keep it happy and healthy. Do this once you have determined that the soil has dried out and try not to go for a really long time with dried out soil. You can do this with most dessert cacti, but snake plants like a bit more hydration.
On the other hand, succulent soil is also well-suited for snake plants. Much like cactus soil, it also has a lightweight texture, and effective drainage properties. However, there are subtle distinctions between the two. Succulent soil is slightly denser, which can lead to comparatively slower drainage. Notably, succulent soil is rich in nutrients, making it an ideal match for the nutritional needs of the snake plant. Honestly, you can simply modify a cactus soil by adding in a wee bit more organic matter and some water holding substrates.
Making your Own Soil Mix for Snake Plants
One day, you might find yourself searching for the right soil for your snake plant, heading to the local garden shop only to find out that they’re all out of stock. In such situations, you might decide to make soil mix yourself.
A straightforward approach involves mixing one part of coarse sand with one part of peat moss. Including vermiculite or perlite is optional but would also be great for some added benefit to help keep the soil aerated and well-draining.
You will have to fertilize your snake plant periodically because the mix mentioned above contains no nutrients.
Importance of Using Proper Soil
When choosing the right soil for your snake plant, bear in mind the benefits of using cactus soil, succulent soil, and/or DIY soil blends. Using cactus soil gives your snake plant great drainage, especially when placed indoors where the sunlight does not directly hit the plant.
Succulent soil, on the other hand, will contain the right amount of nutrients needed by the snake plant but will not drain as well. Finally, creating your own homemade mix is plausible, but you’ll have to source many different ingredients which might end up costing you more time and money in the long run; especially if you don’t need large quantities of soil.