How To Trim Snake Plants For Unbelievable Results

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Snake plants are splendid beginner-friendly, hardy, robust, slow-growing, low-maintenance plants that are easy to propagate and maintain. Growing a snake plant can be a rewarding experience for a new gardener or a green thumb.

Snake plants can be trimmed any time of year with any sharp blade or set of shears. They can be cut at the base of the leaf, triangular to shape it, or straight across. Trimming a snake plant will be influenced by the desired appearance.

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We will discuss how, how often, when, why, and what to trim your snake plant. Read on to discover the answers to all of your questions about trimming your sansevieria.

How Do I Trim My Snake Plants?

If the leaves of your snake plant get long, you can use a sharp knife, shear, or scissors to cut the leaf. You can cut it off at the soil line to thin the plant out or cut it halfway if the plant has just gotten too tall for your preference or space.

Most snake plant owners prefer to take the entire leaf to give the plant a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. Another alternative is to trim the leaf triangular or taper it to blend in with its counterparts, and it isn’t necessary, but it creates a more appealing impression.

How you decide to trim your snake plant will depend on how you want your snake plant to look. If the appearance of your plant isn’t a concern to you, cutting the leaf straight across may be appropriate. If you want a more appealing aesthetic for your plants, you can taper the leaves or remove entire leaves at the base.

How Much Should I Trim Off My Snake Plants?

As with any plant, your snake plant will still require some leaves for it to continue to grow. It’s best to leave at least 2-3 healthy leaves intact on each plant. A minimum of 1 leaf is required to keep the plant alive, but three is more optimal, giving the plant a fair chance for survival and a speedy recovery.

If the leaves are long, you can trim them down or cut them off in the soil to thin out your plant.

Your needs or wants determine how much you trim from your snake plant. If you have limited space, the plant may need to stay below a certain height. If you want the plant to be thinner, you’ll want to remove some leaves to create a thinner appearance.

Why Should I Trim My Snake Plants?

You may find that pruning the damaged, cracked, or broken leaves from your snake plant can increase the overall health of your plant. Over time, it may heal itself, but your plant can focus on new healthy growth by removing the damaged leaves.

If you have a small space or you want your snake plant to be thinner, you can also trim your snake plant leaves so it still fits your space or needs; I wrote an article talking about “How Tall Do Snake Plants (Sansevieria) Get? Can I Control It?” to read more about maintaining the height of your snake plant.

Some reasons for trimming your snake plant could include (but aren’t exclusive to) the following:

• the height
• the thickness
• broken leaves
• sick leaves
• cracked leaves

Why you decide to trim your snake plant is entirely up to you. Over time, a snake plant can heal itself from cracks, bruises, breaks, and trimmings. A snake plant will continue to grow as long as the conditions it lives in aren’t severe or extreme. Trimming is not necessary, but it can help the overall health of your sansevieria.

How Often Should I Trim My Snake Plants?

It’s advisable not to trim your snake plants too often. Since they’re slow-growing plants, trimming your snake plant often could harm its general well-being.

Before trimming your snake plant again, it would be wise to wait on the plant to show new growth between cuttings or trimmings. New growth ensures that your snake plant is still healthy and happy. The new leaves should look healthy and content before you decide to start trimming again.

What Can I Do With My Snake Plant Cuttings?

If you don’t want to throw your cuttings out after trimming your snake plant (sansevieria), you may find it more appealing to propagate more snake plants. You can also give your cuttings to friends or family members so they can propagate their snake plants at home.

If you’re interested in propagating snake plants, you should take a look at How To Propagate Sansevieria (Snake Plant) To Increase Plants. This article will walk you through the process and various propagation methods, including how to propagate with cuttings.

What Do I Use To Trim My Snake Plants (Sansevieria)?

You’ll want to use a sharp tool to trim your sansevieria plants. You can use shears, scissors, or a knife, given that the blade(s) are sharp enough to leave a clean cut.

You’ll want to sterilize your tool of choice before using them to prevent any bacterial, fungal, or other infections. Clean tools mean clean cuts and quick and healthy recovery. If you’re trimming your snake plant with clean tools, you’ll likely see a successful recovery with minimal issues.

When Should I Trim My Snake Plants?

Snake plants are hardy plants, making them tolerant to (almost) any condition. Trimming them in the Spring or Summer will yield the best results because they’re in their active growing season, and however, you can trim them at any time of year.

Roots grow at night, and foliage frows during the day. Due to these growth patterns, it would be best to trim a snake plant in the late evening, ensuring that the cut has time to begin to callous over before the sun hits it the following day.

Keeping the cuttings out of direct sunlight is essential until the plant is healed or calloused over.

Should I Water My Snake Plant After I Trim It?

To determine if your snake plant needs water after trimming, you’ll want to check the soil. If the soil is dry, go ahead and give it a drink. If the soil is damp, it’s probably okay to give it a few days before watering. Snake plants are prone to root rot, so less is more in this case.

For best results, you’ll want to water your snake plant the 1-2 days before you trim it for maximum health and water absorption when you cut leaves. Clean and healthy cuts mean healthy and swift recovery.

To learn more about when, how often, and how much to water snake plants, check out my article How Do You Know If Your Snake Plant (Sansevieria) Needs Water?

FAQs about Snake Plants

Conclusion on Can You Trim Snake Plants (Sansevieria)?

Since sansevieria are hardy, tolerant, and well-tempered, they don’t get distressed when you prune them. If the plant is in poor health (cracked, broken leaves, or browning leaves), trimming some unhealthy parts away can revive your plant.

The plant’s root system is healthy, so trimming a snake plant is unlikely to cause any harm or distress. Just be sure to leave at least three healthy leaves per plant or pup to ensure swift recovery.

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