When to Repot and Propagate Snake Plant

Snake plant runs on a simple yearly rhythm: it grows from spring to fall and nearly stops from fall to late winter. Every job on this page, from repotting to dividing to taking cuttings, goes best at the start of that growing stretch.

Best Season to Repot

Repot in spring or early summer. University of Illinois Extension and Colorado State Extension both recommend repotting houseplants when they are starting or in active growth, and spring is when snake plant wakes up. A plant repotted then has the whole growing season to root into the new mix.

Avoid repotting from fall through late winter. The plant is barely growing then, and NC State advises watering only every one to two months, so a freshly potted plant would sit for weeks in new mix before it could make use of it.

Signs It Needs Repotting

The University of Wisconsin notes that snake plant seldom needs repotting, and a somewhat crowded plant is normal. Repot when you see one or more of these signs, which University of Illinois Extension lists for houseplants:

• Roots growing out of the drainage hole
• Roots or rhizomes showing on the soil surface
• A root ball so full that there is little soil left
• New leaves coming in smaller than usual

To check, tip the plant out of its pot. Colorado State says a white mass of roots circling the container means it is time.

Pot and Mix

Colorado State recommends moving up only 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The Missouri Botanical Garden suggests a clay pot that is wider than it is tall, which keeps the plant from toppling, filled with a well-draining potting mix. Plant at the same depth as before, water once to settle the mix, and then let it dry before watering again.

When and How to Propagate

Iowa State calls early spring the ideal time both to divide houseplants and to take cuttings, though most can be propagated at any time of year. Spring division fits neatly with repotting: once the plant is out of the pot, split it.

• Division: separate offsets or sections of the clump, each with leaves, rhizome and roots. Pot them in fresh mix and wait a few weeks before fertilizing.
• Leaf cuttings: cut a leaf into 3- to 4-inch sections and set the lower end 1 to 2 inches deep in moist perlite or a similar medium at 65 to 75°F. Plantlets should appear in about two months.

Use division for yellow-edged cultivars such as ‘Laurentii’. Iowa State notes they lose the yellow margin when grown from leaf cuttings.

When to Move It Outdoors for Summer

In frost areas, a snake plant can spend summer in a shady spot outside. Extension services set the night temperature a little differently. Iowa State says to wait until nights are consistently above 50°F, which is mid to late May in much of Iowa. University of Maryland Extension waits for nights to stay above 60°F, usually mid-May or early June there. Waiting for the warmer figure is the safer choice.

Start the plant in full shade and give it more light gradually over 10 to 14 days. Iowa State warns that succulents moved straight into full sun can be permanently scarred.

When to Bring It Back In

Watch the night forecast in late summer. Iowa State says to bring houseplants in when nights start dipping to around 50°F, typically mid to late September in Iowa. Purdue says before it reaches 55°F, and Maryland says when nights begin to fall below 60°F, usually mid-September there. NC State notes snake plant tolerates about 50°F, so treat that as the floor, not the target.

Before it comes inside, inspect the leaves and the leaf bases for insects, especially mealybugs, and rinse the foliage with a hose. Iowa State suggests keeping returning plants apart from your other houseplants for 3 to 4 weeks, since pest problems usually show up within the first month indoors. Then switch to the winter routine: very little water until spring.