The manner in which you water the Rattlesnake plantain will depend somewhat on whether or not your plant is in an active growth phase. If so, you should apply water to your plant’s soil and, if the weather is warm, perform occasional overhead watering to allow the plant to absorb moisture through its leaves. By contrast, in winter, and when the weather is cool or wet generally, you should stick to watering the soil directly rather than including overhead watering as well. You’ll know your Rattlesnake plantain needs more water if its roots and leaves become thin and dry or show discoloration. Rattlesnake plantain receives too much water will look mushy and limp. You should grow your Rattlesnake plantain in a pot and ensure that the potting mix you use has fantastic drainage. During the growing season, you’ll need to water this plant multiple times per week. However, each watering should drain quickly through the growing medium to prevent any standing water. The amount of water you give will change based on the size of the pot you use. Generally, pots that are a bit larger will need water less frequently, while smaller pots will have a slightly more frequent watering schedule. Rainwater and distilled water are the best kinds of water to use for this plant, and it is best if the water you use matches the temperature of the air as closely as possible.

Allowing your Rattlesnake plantain to sit in soil that remains too moist for too long is one of the most common ways to kill this plant. While these plants need water frequently during active growth, they also need to live in a growing medium that drains water rapidly. When this plant experiences overwatering, it will become mushy and develop root rot. If that occurs, you should be prepared to use a pair of sterile pruning shears to cut out any roots that show signs of rot. After doing that, you should then repot your Rattlesnake plantain, ensuring that the container allows for drainage and that you fill the container with a fast-draining potting mix. However, Rattlesnake plantain doesn’t typically respond that well to excessive repotting, so it is crucial to get your watering rate right. Underwatered Rattlesnake plantain will begin to shrivel and feel dry to the touch. If this occurs, it is likely because the soil is drying out faster than you expected, which means you should increase your watering frequency.

During the active growth stage, which spans the spring and summer months, you should plan to water your Rattlesnake plantain about once or twice per week while increasing that rate to three times per week or more in the case of long periods of hot and dry weather. In the winter, you will also need to water your Rattlesnake plantain, but not nearly as much. A watering frequency of two to three times per month should be enough to keep your Rattlesnake plantain alive during the coldest months. However, if you keep your Rattlesnake plantain indoors during winter, you should account for the fact that indoor growing locations can cause the soil to dry quicker than usual, which may mean you need to increase the number of monthly waterings. You can use the fall as a time to gradually reduce your watering frequency from the summer rate of multiple times per week down to your reduced winter watering schedule.

There are two important growth phases that you should consider when planning the watering schedule for your Rattlesnake plantain. The first of those periods is the active growth period, which happens in spring and summer, and which calls for watering this plant multiple times per week. The second important growth period is the rest period that the Rattlesnake plantain should experience for about two to three months each year during winter. During that time, your plant will need far less water and fertilization than normal. Water about once or twice per month during this time. During the fall, you should begin to gradually reduce your watering frequency from multiple times per week all the way down to the once or twice per month rate that is appropriate for winter.

The Rattlesnake plantain requires a growing environment that is relatively humid. Unfortunately, most indoor growing locations will lack the level of air moisture that this plant prefers. This causes the plant and its soil to dry out more quickly than it would when growing outdoors. To combat this effect, you may want to include a humidifier in the room where you grow your Rattlesnake plantain. You may also need to water it a bit more frequently as well. However, while Rattlesnake plantains do prefer humidity, they also require adequate air circulation as well, to prevent excessive moisture build-ups and the diseases that can result. Consider including a fan in the room where you grow this plant as well to ensure proper air circulation remains present.

It is helpful to lightly prune this plant periodically during the spring and summer. When performing this light pruning, you should search for leaves that have wilted, become discolored, show signs of disease, or have died completely. Remove dead or damaged leaves by cutting their petioles, or trimming off stems that have died. This will increase the light and ventilation of the plant and help it to grow. Some gardeners also choose to remove the flower buds of the Rattlesnake plantain. However, removing flower buds before they open is a strictly aesthetic decision that will emphasize the beauty of this plant’s showy leaves.

You can prune your Rattlesnake plantain any time you notice dead, diseased, or damaged leaves during the growing season. Once you notice such a leave, locate an unwanted leaf, then follow its stem all the way to the bottom of petiole. Removing dead stems will increase the light and ventilation of the plant and help it to grow. you can cut its stem just above the soil’s surface to remove it. Such pruning can take place as needed during spring and summer. Also, this plant can bloom any time between spring and fall, and some gardeners choose to remove flower buds before they have a chance to open. Removing unopened flower buds allows this plant to focus most of its growing energy on its beautiful leaves. However, pruning in this manner does not necessarily influence the plant’s overall health.

Pruning the Rattlesnake plantain is as easy as waiting until you notice dead or damaged leaves on your plant. When you recognize these leaves, equip yourself with a pair of sharp and sterile hand pruning shears. Hand pruning shears will work best as larger tools like loppers will not be well suited to the precise cuts you need to make. Once you have a proper set of pruning tools, locate an unwanted leaf, then follow its stem all the way to the bottom of petiole. Removing dead stems will increase the light and ventilation of the plant and help it to grow. Cut the stem just above where it exits the soil to remove it entirely. If you wish to stop this plant from flowering, you can use the same pruning shears to remove any buds before they open. Finally, you may prefer to just trim off dead or damaged portions of the plant, including deadheading spent flowers, to keep it looking its best. This can be done at any time of year. Diseased or damaged stems should be cut right at the soil line and removed completely. Blooms should be cut off just below the flower head.

Since pruning for the Rattlesnake plantain should take place periodically throughout the season, what you do after pruning can vary. For instance, if you prune to remove selected leaves and stems from your Rattlesnake plantain, you won’t need to do anything except continue your regular maintenance routine. At times, you may choose to remove healthier leaves and include them in a display of cut flowers and foliage. However, there is no crucial maintenance task to perform for this plant after typical pruning. The only thing to note is that when watering after pruning, you need to be careful not to touch the wound to prevent fungus from infecting the plant through the fresh wound. Placing Rattlesnake plantain in a well-ventilated location will also help the wounds to dry out and heal in time. The timely replenishment of Rattlesnake plantain after pruning will help the Rattlesnake plantain to recover as soon as possible.

For your major pruning, use sharp pruning sheers that will make clean cuts to avoid damaging your plants. As you are pruning your Rattlesnake plantain, step back occasionally to check the appearance of the plant to make sure it has the shape you want and that you are pruning it symmetrically. If the overall growth of the plant is weak, the flowers need to be pruned back in time for flowering to be able to save nutrients for leaf growth and allow the plant to grow more vigorously.

Rattlesnake plantain requires about 3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive. However, it also needs some shade during the hottest parts of the day to prevent sun damage. Morning sunlight is ideal for Rattlesnake plantain, but it can also tolerate some afternoon sun if the temperature is not too hot. To provide the perfect balance of sunlight, try planting Rattlesnake plantain in an area that gets partial sun, such as under a tree or on the east side of a building.

If Rattlesnake plantain is exposed to too much direct sunlight, its leaves may turn yellow, dry out, or even burn. You may also notice that the plant wilts or becomes stunted. To prevent sun damage, make sure to give Rattlesnake plantain some shade during the hottest parts of the day. You can use a shade cloth or plant Rattlesnake plantain near taller plants that can provide some natural shade.

If Rattlesnake plantain doesn't get enough sunlight, it may grow tall and lanky, with sparse foliage. The leaves may also turn yellow or pale green, indicating that the plant is not producing enough chlorophyll due to lack of sunlight. To remedy this, try moving Rattlesnake plantain to a sunnier spot, or prune nearby foliage to allow more light to reach the plant.

The leaves of the Rattlesnake plantain comprise most of its main structure, and fertilization is one of the most impactful ways that you can ensure that those leaves look great while also serving their function. Proper fertilization will help your Rattlesnake plantain hold leaves with consistent color and a healthy texture. Fertilization also works below the soil's surface to help your Rattlesnake plantain generate new roots and maintain the roots that are already part of the root system. This means that fertilization will not just keep your plant healthy now, but it will also help your plant be better capable of absorbing soil nutrients in the future.

If you grow your Rattlesnake plantain outdoors each year, this perennial plant will send new growth shooting out in early spring. The emergence of those leaves is a sign that the time is right to begin fertilization for the year. Often, a Rattlesnake plantain will perform just fine with a single application of fertilizer when the spring arrives. However, if you wish to maximize the growth of your Rattlesnake plantain, you can repeat the feeding multiple times throughout the spring and early summer. If you choose this route, you can feed your Rattlesnake plantain about once every month to a month and a half.

In the late fall and winter, your Rattlesnake plantain will enter a dormant phase in which it will no longer produce new growth. At this time, you should avoid fertilizing your Rattlesnake plantain. If you choose to fertilize multiple times during spring and summer, you should begin reducing your fertilization rate as summer approaches, as your Rattlesnake plantain 's growth rate will also slow. Overall, it is never a wise choice to fertilize your Rattlesnake plantain during times when the weather is unseasonably hot or when the soil is extraordinarily dry. Fertilizing in either of those cases can stress your Rattlesnake plantain and cause it to perish prematurely.

Fortunately, choosing the best fertilizer for a Rattlesnake plantain is a very straightforward task. These plants will thrive on a general-purpose garden fertilizer that has equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. A fertilizer that has a ratio of 10-10-10 or something similar will be very effective. When in doubt, be sure to avoid fertilizers that have high amounts of nitrogen. Most of the best fertilizer for a Rattlesnake plantain will come in a granular form. These fertilizers should be slow-release and will be very easy to apply to the soil. It can also be helpful to feed your Rattlesnake plantain using an organic soil amendment such as compost.

Wait until your Rattlesnake plantain has just barely poked its first leaves through the soil's surface in early spring. Once you see that sign, apply a granular slow-release fertilizer with a balanced formula to the soil that surrounds the base of your Rattlesnake plantain. You can repeat a similar process later in the season if you choose. When reapplying fertilizer to a Rattlesnake plantain, you should, again, apply the fertilizer to the soil at the base of the plant rather than to the plant itself. At times, this may require you to move some leaves out of the way to access the soil above the roots. It's also often a good choice to water your Rattlesnake plantain before and after you feed it.

The Rattlesnake plantain doesn't necessarily need to receive high volumes of fertilizer each year, which means overfertilization is entirely possible. If you overfertilize your Rattlesnake plantain, you will likely notice first that the leaves have turned brown. Overfertilization of Rattlesnake plantain is especially common if you use a fertilizer that has higher concentrations of nitrogen. High nitrogen content will likely cause the leaves of your Rattlesnake plantain to become discolored, lose much of their moisture, and begin curling at the margins. Many gardeners avoid such complications by limiting fertilization of their Rattlesnake plantain to once per year in early spring.