Question
My plant (that I've had for well over 10 years and is close to 6 feet high) has started dying.  The spears are separating from the roots.  I've sprayed with Ortho's insecticidal soap, which hasn't helped.  I've stated pulling up some of the roots with the spears and they are shriveled.  It may be too late to save, but am curious about "what happened?".  Thank you, in advance, for your help.  I am very carefuly to not over water.

Answer
Dear Marla, This is an interesting question.  You possibly could have scale or you might have fungus.  Since there is the possibility of both, I would suggest that you should spray the plant thoroughly with horticultural or biorganic oil for scale, and NEEM for possibility of fungus.  You should be able to mix the two chemicals together and spray like that, and you will probably need to spray a few times.  Scale are hard shelled unmoving bumps on the leaves or near the stem of the plant and you will know they are dead when a moderate stream of water loosens them from the plant.  The NEEM which is organic, will kill spider mites, insects and fungus, so this should take care of whatever is bothering your snake plant.  I would throw away any shriveled roots and if you haven't replanted this plant in a long time, now would be a good time, discarding any bad sections.  Generally, these plants don't like to be replanted much and they will bloom when rootbound, but sometimes they simply exhaust the soil and they get so big that they tend to pull sections loose from the soil.  So spray with the oil and NEEM, try replanting, and make sure that when you water you empty the tray underneath the plant to prevent it from standing in water.  Let me know if you need more assistance.  Good luck, Melissa