What to Do With Snake Plants in March for Strong, Healthy Growth That Lasts All Spring and Summer

Snake plants are a favorite among many first-time plant parents because they are so easy to grow. You can pretty much ignore them for most of the year, just give them the occasional drink, and they’re fine. But spring is when snake plants enter the active growing season again, so giving them the right care during this time of year is key.

Whether you’re a brand new indoor gardener or you’ve been growing snake plants for decades, there are certain care tasks you need to check off your list this month to ensure your plants thrive for the rest of the year.

Here’s what you need to do to your snake plants in March for lush and healthy growth that lasts all year long.

1. Do Some Spring Cleaning

When dust builds up on leaves over the winter, it can cut down on the amount of light your snake plant gets for the necessary process of photosynthesis. That’s why cleaning houseplant leaves in spring is a great way to give your plant a boost of energy.

Use a damp microfiber cloth or plant cleaning gloves, like these adorable pastel pairs from Amazon, to give your snake plant a thorough wipe-down. You can follow up with a quick spritz of neem oil, which you can also get on Amazon, to give your plants an extra shine.

A dose of neem oil also doubles as prevention and treatment for many common snake plant pests and diseases. If your plants are showing signs of aphids, spider mites, or fungal disease, then a little neem oil can go a long way to getting them healthy for the growing season ahead.

2. Let Plants Soak in the Sun

Snake plants are one of the best houseplants for low-light. But even these shade-lovers can use a boost of sunshine when spring arrives. Move your snake plants to a spot near a window that has bright, indirect light.

If you don’t have much natural light in your home, supplement your snake plants’ light needs with an inexpensive grow light. This LED clip light from Amazon is a great option that’s easy to set up almost anywhere. Just clip it onto a tabletop.

3. Give Them a Big Drink

Snake plants are beloved for their ability to thrive on neglect, including when you forget to water them. But in March, as the growing season begins again, it’s good to give your snake plants a nice, big drink. This will help fuel them for all the growth they have ahead of them.

Bottom watering plants is a fantastic way to give them a little extra love this month. Fill a large dish or shallow bowl with water, then plop your potted snake plant into the water for about 20 minutes or until the soil is evenly moist.

This method of watering snake plants ensures that all their roots are getting the moisture they need, which is sometimes difficult for these plants because they prefer to be rootbound and a bit dry. But when soil is too dry and you water from above, the water just pours through the gaps in the soil without soaking in. Bottom watering prevents this.

4. Repot Your Plants (Maybe)

As I mentioned above, snake plants like to be rootbound. The snugger the pot, the better generally. But eventually it will be time to repot snake plants at some point.

One sure sign it’s time for transplanting is if your snake plant’s roots break your pot. These hard-to-kill houseplants are tough and have strong roots that can crack clay and plastic pots, if they are extremely rootbound.

If you want to avoid hurting your pots and having to buy new ones, then now is a good time to move your snake plants into bigger containers. Only move up one pot size, an inch (2.5 cm) larger diameter than the old pot is just fine. Your snake plants will appreciate being snug in their new container.

When you repot, be sure to fill the new container with a well-draining potting mix. A cactus or succulent potting mix, like this one from Miracle-Gro is ideal.

5. Feed Them

Snake plants are the ultimate low-maintenance houseplants, so they don’t require much fertilizer. But in March, as they start actively growing again for the spring and summer, it’s a good idea to fertilize snake plants with a dose of plant food.

If you repotted your snake plants, they may not need any extra fertilizer because many potting mixes include plant food. If you did not repot and have not fed your snake plants since last spring, then it’s time to give them a nice, nourishing dose of all-purpose indoor plant food, like this one from Miracle-Gro.

Check these easy snake plants care tasks off your to-do list in March and soon your snake plants will be healthier and happier than ever!

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