Repotting in Summer? Avoid These 5 Deadly Mistakes

3. The Snake Plant: Ditching the Old Soil Entirely

We all know the Snake Plant, or Sansevieria. It has a reputation for being the most indestructible, un-killable houseplant on the planet.

And because of that, I once got a little too confident.

I was repotting a beautiful, tall Snake Plant, and I thought I was doing it a favor. I decided to give it a completely fresh start.

I took it out of its pot and meticulously, aggressively, washed every single speck of old soil from its root ball. I wanted those roots sparkling clean before they went into their new home.

The result? My “indestructible” plant just… stopped. It didn’t die, but it didn’t grow a single millimeter for almost a year. It was completely stalled.

A Little Too Clean

My mistake was thinking that being aggressive was a good thing. I had completely bare-rooted the plant.

I learned that the plant’s root system has tons of tiny, delicate little root hairs. These are the real workers, the ones that absorb water and nutrients.

In my quest for a perfectly clean root ball, I had basically ripped them all off. I had destroyed the most important part of the root system without even realizing it.

Even the toughest plants have their breaking points, and for the Snake Plant, it’s a disturbance to its roots.

The Gentle Tease: How to Do It Right

So here’s what you do instead. This gentle approach is the key to success.

When you slide the plant out of its pot, just gently massage the root ball with your fingers.

Don’t try to get all the old dirt off. Just loosen it up a bit, especially if the roots are tightly wound together.

Your goal is simply to free them up so they can grow outward into the new soil. Think of it as a gentle wake-up, not a shocking eviction.

While you’re there, look for any roots that are black, mushy, or obviously dead. Trim those off with a pair of clean scissors. That’s all the cleaning you need to do.

The “Less is More” Soil Approach

Now for what goes in the pot. This is just as critical.

Snake Plants are succulents, and they absolutely hate having wet feet. You must use a well-draining soil mix.

Don’t just use regular indoor potting soil, it’s too dense and holds too much water.

Go for a succulent or cacti mix. It’s grittier and allows water to flow through freely, which is exactly what a Snake Plant needs to prevent root rot.

This really connects to a “less is more” philosophy that fits the plant’s minimalist design. Less dense soil, less water, less fussing. This hands-off approach is what helps them thrive.

We’ve now covered the famously tough Snake Plant. But what about a plant that’s famously… not so tough? Let’s talk about the drama queen of the plant world.

Getting the watering right for a Calathea after a repot is a delicate dance, and one wrong step leads to those dreaded crispy brown edges we all hate.

Click the ‘Next’ button to master the art of watering these fussy beauties!