Resecue mother in law's tongue

[davholla]

I have a mother in law's tongue which looks like it hasn't been cared for, for 3 years + (someone else was looking after it).  The soil is very dry and it is drooping.
Any ideas on what to do to revive it?
I have watered it and will give it some asprin.   Should I repot it?

Thanks in advance.

[davholla]

[antipodes]

can't help but I am just laughing at the plant's name!!! What does it look like?

[Yorkshire Lass]

I revived my MIL's tongue a while ago. It was looking very sorry for itself probably because it was in a too hot conservatory. I repotted and kept soaking it and then kept it moist and out of sunlight.  It's rewarded me by growing new shoots and looking a lot stronger with healthy leaves.

[davholla]

can't help but I am just laughing at the plant's name!!! What does it look like?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sansevieria_trifasciata

[gray1720]

I'd suggest if it's drooping it's either already dead (eg frost), or it's dry and it will come back with water and patience. I wouldn't flood it or soak it, but if you can get the soil moist and keep it that way it should respond. If it's been dry for three years it might need the old soil replacing with fresh that will take up water more easily, but usually they tell you when they need repotting by pushing themselves up out of the pot, or by bursting it. Yes, the roots are that strong!

Adrian

[davholla]

I'd suggest if it's drooping it's either already dead (eg frost), or it's dry and it will come back with water and patience. I wouldn't flood it or soak it, but if you can get the soil moist and keep it that way it should respond. If it's been dry for three years it might need the old soil replacing with fresh that will take up water more easily, but usually they tell you when they need repotting by pushing themselves up out of the pot, or by bursting it. Yes, the roots are that strong!

Adrian

It hasn't been exposed to frost as there was a cactus that is still alive next to it.

[goodlife]

I have M-I-L plant that I brought with me from Finland (side shoot from my mother's plant) 20 years ago.....last summer it got split first time since it was originally planted. I lived happily all those years in same 'compost' receiving watering only every now and then and some Baby bio even less often. The compost was very sandy mixture as I saw these plants growing in Tenerife, planted into ground (heh, some garden plants ), and they were HUGE.
Some of the leaves on my plant are 1 metre tall! Not bad for uncared mother-in-law 
I only split the big plant of mine because the plastic pot it was in became totally distorted..it was grown absolutely solid and the pot had to be cut off.
I didn't have heart to chop my mother in law into pieces...just into 2 halfs ..and potted again into similar compost mix in 10" pots. This time I tried to show bit of more care and attention and the plants have been watered about once a month and  they've recovered well and already put new growth on
I've got 2 more mother in laws..

Oh..sorry for all the 'rambling'...to answer to your questions....I would not re-plant it at this stage, it might be too much shock for its system if it is trying to recover from neglect. If there is room in the pot, I would leave it be. Over watering is only 'usual' killer for these plants and as you probably noticed, they like being kept more of dry side. I would not be surprised the 'floppiness' down being over watered and some of the roots have started to rot away. If it shows any signs of recovery after its watering..keep it indoors and fairly dry over winter and come spring, take it out of pot and have a look what is going on..if the pot is not solid with roots and new growth, I would just 'tidy' up any dead stuff and re-pot it into same pot with little bit sandy compost.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Some cacti survive frost quite happily provided they're dry.

[davholla]

Some cacti survive frost quite happily provided they're dry.

Good point.  I should have said I think they have stayed in the same office for 3years so I guess wouldn't have had frost (although it is possibly during the Christmas shutdown.