Question

mother in law's tongue  

Mother in law's tongue   Hello,

I just bought a mother in law's tongue plant from a lady the plant is huge it's about 6 feet tall and it leans so much that I have to put it against the wall for support. Is there anything that I can do to better support the plants leaves. This is the first time I have a plant this big. thanks

Carolyn

Answer
Hi Carolyn,

Other than keeping your Sansevieria in direct sunlight, there is no easy solution to the problem you described. It is something I cope with for many older Sansevierias that I care for. The older these plants become, the more floppy they get.

In nature, these plants grow in strong light that causes then to develop thick, sturdy leaves that will remain upright. They are usually are potted and sold as low light plants that are tough to kill. In reduced light, the stems are not as sturdy and do start to flop over as they age. There is not much you can do about it. I will note that yours appears to be in pretty good light so it will hold up longer and better than those kept in lower light.

A larger pot will actually aggravate the problem and not provide the support that people expect, so don't go that route.

Here are a few tricks that will help you cope with, although not cure, this problem.

* Pack the soil in tight around the perimeter of the plant to provide additional support.

* Pull back individual leaning stems and tuck them behind more upright stems fo additional support.

* Loop soft green string or yarn around the perimeter of the stem just above the soil. Then pull the loop tight so that all of the stems are pulled together and upright.

* Place some short, unobtrusive green stakes alongside leaning stems to keep them upright.

* Cut off any misbehaving stems that just won't stay upright. Cutting stems will not harm the plant.

I have written an article on Sansevieria care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who emails a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com