Handbook for growing snake tongue for townhouses and offices

The blade is suitable for townhouses and offices because it withstands drying well, has a compact shape and requires little maintenance. If you want a durable plant, you need to choose a pot with drainage, an airy substrate, place it in a place with scattered light and avoid watering too often.

Summary: Snake plant is one of the easiest plants to survive in the house, but it is easily damaged because it is taken care of too carefully. The tree tolerates dryness better than waterlogging. Therefore, when growing snake plant in an apartment or office, the number one priority is a drainage pot, a fast-drying substrate and a sparse watering schedule according to the actual dryness of the pot.

Applies to: Townhouses, apartments, offices, small lobbies, desks and covered balconies.

Duration: 30-45 minutes to set up a new pot, monitor for the first 2 weeks.

Difficulty level: Basic. It is important not to keep the root collar wet for a long time.

Estimated additional costs: 100 thousand to 600 thousand VND depending on the size of the bush and pot.

Characteristics of tiger tongue

Tiger tongue has thick leaves that grow upright and store water well, so they can withstand drying for a long time. The plant does not need as much watering as soft-leaved plants. In a closed room environment, the rate of evaporation is lower than outdoors, so the substrate dries more slowly.

What plants need:

• Moderate to strong light scattering.
• The pot has drainage holes.
• The substrate is mineral, airy, and holds little water.
• Water sparingly, but water enough when the pot is dry.
• The root collar is not filled too deeply.

Tiger tongue can live in a corner with little light, but the leaf color is often pale, the tree is slow to produce new leaves and the shape is not as beautiful as when there is good scattered light.

Choose plants when buying

Signs of healthy snake bush:

• The leaves are hard, upright, not wrinkled.
• The leaf base is firm, not soft.
• There is no damp or rotten smell at the root collar.
• The leaves have no transparent patches and are waterlogged.
• The gourd should not be soggy.

If the leaves are only slightly scratched due to transportation, it is acceptable. But if the root is soft or the leaves gradually tilt from the root collar, the tree may have been waterlogged before.

Choose a pot

The snake plant pot needs to be heavy enough so that the tree does not fall, especially with tall bushes. But the pot should not be too deep or too large when the root system is still small.

Principle:

• The pot must have drainage holes.
• The diameter of the pot is just right for the dust, without too much excess soil.
• The pot is moderately high, not filling the root collar.
• If you use decorative ceramic pots, you still need a pot with holes inside.

With tiger tongue for the floor or hall, heavy pot helps the plant stand firmly. With table plants, small pots with good drainage are more important than appearance.

Suitable substrate

The substrate for snake tongue must be more airy than the substrate for betel nut or peace lily. Can merge:

• Clean land.
• Hun Husk.
• Pumice or perlite.
• Large grain sand.
• A little well-rotted compost if needed.

Reference formula:

Avoid using too much untreated coconut fiber or strong water-retaining media. The tree may not die immediately, but prolonged moisture at the root collar will soften the leaves.

Potting properly

Steps:

1. Remove the plant from the old pot, be gentle so as not to break the roots.
2. Remove rotten roots or too tight substrate.
3. Allow a layer of substrate at the bottom of the pot.
4. Place the bush upright.
5. Fill the substrate up to the level of the root collar, don't fill it too high.
6. Lightly compress just enough for the tree to stand.
7. Place the plant in scattered light.

After potting, if the substrate is still moist, you should let the plant rest 3-5 days before watering for the first time. This helps the root scratches become more stable.

Plant placement

Tiger tongue tolerates many light levels, but the best position is:

• Near the window with curtains.
• The lobby has natural light.
• The balcony has a roof, avoiding the constant rain.
• Office with strong scattered light or bright enough lights.

Do not leave the plant in a completely dark corner for many months. The tree can live, but at least it is a seedling, has poor leaf color and easily leans towards the light source.

Water after planting

Tiger tongue should be watered according to the dryness of the pot, not on a fixed day.

How to check:

• Use a wooden stick to stick it into the substrate.
• Pull it out and see that the stick is still damp, so don't water it yet.
• When most of the growing medium is dry, water slowly around the base.
• After watering, water must be seen escaping from the bottom of the pot.

Do not water less every day. This type of irrigation keeps the surface and root collar moist, but the roots below do not have a dry cycle.

Tiger tongue planting checklist

• [ ] Choose bushes with hard leaves and strong roots.
• [ ] The pot has drainage holes and is heavy enough.
• [ ] The substrate is airy and has mineral materials.
• [ ] Do not fill the root collar too high.
• [ ] After potting, let the plant rest for 3-5 days if the substrate is still moist.
• [ ] Put it in a place with scattered light, not too dark.
• [ ] Irrigate when most of the substrate is dry.

Mistakes to avoid

Water sparingly but water continuously: the root collar is always moist, the plant will easily soften.

Using a pot that is too deep: the lower part retains water for a long time, the roots easily lack oxygen.

Filling the root collar: the leaf base is damp, rotting from the bottom up.

Putting the plant in a dark corner for too long: the plant leaves slowly, has bad color and weak shape.

After potting, water immediately while the substrate is still wet: roots can easily shock and rot.

Related articles

• Caring for snake tongue: preventing root waterlogging and maintaining leaf shape
• Handbook for growing betel leaves in urban apartments
• Handbook for growing succulents on balconies and windowsills