How to water a snake plant

Snake plants (including dwarf cylindrical forms like Sansevieria cylindrica var. patula) naturally store water in their leaves, which means they prefer long intervals between waterings. Let the pot dry out all the way, then water generously until the soil is evenly saturated and excess water drains out. Frequent, light watering leads to root rot because the soil stays damp for too long.

These plants tolerate neglect extremely well. If a snake plant goes too long without water, the leaves may soften or lose firmness, but a full watering usually corrects that quickly. During warm, bright months when the plant is actively growing, you can add a diluted general-purpose liquid fertilizer every other watering to keep new growth thick and green.

While some houseplants react poorly to softened or mineral-heavy tap water, snake plants aren’t sensitive. Reverse osmosis water isn’t necessary, but you can use it if you prefer. The main goal is simply allowing the soil to dry fully between each soak.

I saw this dwarf version of a snake plant at Lowe's and it was dropped into a self watering pot that I thought was really cute. You would just pour water into the side opening and then the holes in the bottom of the inner pot allow the water to seep up into the root ball.