The most popular spider plant variety is Chlorophytum Comosum ‘Variegatum. This plant can purify indoor air and produce baby spider plants, making it a fun addition to your houseplant collection. To grow spider plants, it is essential to follow the best soil, water, light, and temperature conditions. Spider plants are easy-to-care for with arching, strappy leaves and tiny pups.
To care for spider plants, keep the compost moist throughout the growing season, but reduce watering in winter. Spider plants prefer light shade, but heavy shade may not be as robust. Direct sunlight scorches the leaves, so feed your spider plant with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every month during the spring and summer when the plant is actively growing.
Spider plants thrive in bright, indirect light, so placing them near a sunny window or providing artificial light can help stimulate growth. From pruning and repotting to propagation, these techniques will have your spider plant flourishing like never before. Fertilize spider plants monthly in spring and summer with an indoor plant fertiliser, such as Scotts Osmocote Pour+Feed for indoor plants.
In summary, spider plants are a low-maintenance and easy-to-care houseplant that can purify indoor air and produce baby spider plants. Proper soil, water, light, and temperature conditions are crucial for their growth and health.
📹 How to Make a Spider Plant Bushier & Lush 8 Tricks
It might sound a bit out there, but a little bit of background music could encourage your spider plant to grow. And a simple sprinkle …
Why is my spider plant not growing?
Spider plants should be placed in bright, indirect sunlight to avoid scorch marks on leaves and negatively impact their health. Too little light can cause the plant to struggle with photosynthesis, while too much light can cause the plant to go into survival mode. Underwatering can also cause spider plants to not produce spiderettes. Water when the soil volume is 50-75 dry, thoroughly, and discard excess water. Use distilled water to prevent brown leaf tips and evenly distribute water over the soil.
If a spider plant grows too big for its pot, it risks becoming rootbound. Re-potting the plant every couple of years to accommodate the growing root system and give it optimal room to grow and stay healthy. Rootbound plants may die off older leaves and discourage new spiderettes from growing. Check for roots poking out of the top or bottom of the pot and check for water rushes through the pot when watering.
What are the disadvantages of spider plants?
Spider plants are easy to propagate by planting “spiders” or plantlets that succeed the flowers in their own pots. Fertilizing every 3-4 months is usually sufficient, or feed more frequently using half-strength fertilizer solution. Heavy fertilization may not form as many plantlets and excessive fertilizer may lead to tip browning. Spider plants generally have few pest problems other than scale insects and mealybugs. Tip burn of the leaves can be caused by low humidity, excessively dry soil, salt accumulation, and chemicals in tap water.
Using distilled or rainwater helps prevent tip browning, while overwatering or planting in poorly drained soils can lead to root rot. Spider plants can be grown outdoors as an annual in cool climates and make a good addition to containers with their grass-like foliage. They can also be grown from seed, but seedlings may not have the same leaf coloration as the parent plant. Spider plants are suitable for containers and hanging baskets, and can be divided for larger plants.
How do I revive my spider plant?
To revive a dying Spider Plant, adjust watering practices by letting the soil dry before watering again. Provide proper light conditions by placing the plant in a north-facing window or a bright, filtered place. If the plant appears peaky, consider its spot to avoid sunburn. Pruning damaged foliage, such as brown tips and yellow leaves, encourages new growth and prevents diseases from spreading. This is like giving your plant a haircut to let its inner beauty shine.
How do I get more shoots on my spider plant?
Spider plants, which are more root bound, tend to send out more shoots. To increase growth, add worm compost to the soil and fertilize every two weeks with liquid half-strength houseplant fertilizer. However, be cautious with fertilizer as too much can promote leaf growth and burn the plant’s roots. Fertilize in the spring or summer months instead.
Propagation of spider plants is easier due to the spiderette’s connection to the parent plant. Fill a small pot with soil (best for spider plants) and place the spiderette’s roots almost completely in the soil. This makes propagation faster than most other plants, as it receives nutrients from both the soil and the parent plant. After a few weeks, the spiderette is ready to be cut off from the mother plant, resulting in a new spider plant. If you have a spider plant hanging basket, use a smaller pot to place the spiderette without taking it down.
What is the best fertilizer for spider plants?
Spider plants thrive with a balanced fertilizer, which contains equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Fertilizers can be liquid, granular, or slow-release, and using a slow-release fertilizer helps in remembering when to fertilize. Fertilizer requirements decrease when plant growth slows from late fall to early spring. During the active growing season, fertilize monthly with a half-strength balanced fertilizer, and from September through April, withhold fertilizer.
If a newly purchased potted spider plant already has fertilizer in the soil, transplant it into your own potting soil and let it acclimate for a week before transplanting. Check the ingredients on the soil and check if commercial soil mixes contain slow-release fertilizers. Frequent transplanting is recommended due to spider plants’ root system, yearly during the first three years and every other year. Transplanting should only go up one size in a container, and can occur in any season.
How do I make my spider plant bushier?
To make your spider plant bushier and more beautiful, choose the right pot, repot at the right time, prune the leaves, and maintain regular feeding. Choose a slightly smaller pot for root growth and foliage expansion, and repot when the plant grows. Regularly feed the spider plant, ensuring it gets enough light, maintains proper moisture and humidity, and has proper soil drainage. Trim the yellow leaves from the base to make the plant more lush. Remember to consider the light, moisture, humidity, and soil drainage when choosing a pot.
How do you make a spider plant flourish?
The strategic removal of older and discolored leaves in close proximity to the plant’s base is an essential aspect of proper pruning techniques. This process, when effectively executed, can result in a notable increase in the plant’s overall density and visual appeal.
How do I make my spider plant grow faster?
Spider plants are a popular indoor plant that can thrive on neglect. To maintain their health, they should only be watered when the top two inches of soil feel dry, avoid direct sunlight, and provide a small boost of fertilizer during warmer months. Spider plants don’t require much attention to thrive, making them a great choice for those looking for a fast-growing, compact indoor plant that can fit into busy lifestyles. It’s essential not to overthink about their care, as spider plants don’t require much attention to thrive.
How do you perk up a spider plant?
Spider plants are a popular and visually appealing plant that can be cared for with simple tweaks. Re-pot a drooping spider plant that has been there for over a year, add fertilizer, and touch up cosmetic blemishes like brown tips. Spider plants are found in various stores, from big box stores to online retailers and hardware stores, and their variegated leaves make them a statement without much elaborate plant care. By following these simple steps, spider plants can live happier and healthier.
Why do you add sugar to a spider plant?
In order to revitalize a moribund plant, it is recommended that a sugar solution be applied in order to elevate the levels of sucrose and glucose. This will facilitate the utilization of soil nitrogen, aided by microorganisms, thereby providing the plant with the requisite energy to survive. This process assists in maintaining the plant’s overall health and growth.
How do you treat a struggling spider plant?
Spider plants often face common issues such as root rot, brown tips on leaves, and spider plant fungus. Root rot is caused by overwatering and poor drainage, while brown tips indicate fluoride or chlorine toxicity. To combat these issues, repot the plant in well-draining soil and adjust watering habits. Brown lesions on leaves or web-like growths suggest fungus due to overwatering or poor air circulation. To combat these issues, switch to distilled water and consider using a room humidifier.
📹 10 Tips To Stop Brown Tips On Your Spider Plant
This is why your Spider Plant has brown tips on the leaves and what you can do about it. ——————– Download my FREE …
Growing up, my mom had the non-varigated variety. She always had them in the west window and they were sooo bleach out and sad looking. She wasn’t very good at watering any of her houseplants and somehow I got stuck with the chore. I hated it because I had no interest in plants whatsoever back then and felt they were her plants not mine so they should be her responsibility not mine. Funny thing, once I left home I started buying my own plants and slowly over time I became obsessed with them. It’s a mystery to me what the reason for my change of heart was but I’m just glad it happened.
I find my spider plants love diluted old, cold coffee. It sounds weird but they produce babies like crazy if I do this. Also, if you see them get brown tips, just cut the tip off at an angle (think pretty ribbon) & you can hardly tell. Lastly, put them somewhere in your home far far away from children or pets because their leaves are so sensitive that one can look shabby after just one tail whipping or accidental ball being flung at it. 💚
I have a spider plant given to me April of last year. It was just a baby spiderette when I brought it home. I put it in a glass of water and let it develop good roots. Then I put it in a pot with Miracle Grow potting soil. Today it’s a beautiful thriving plant. It is in a room with south facing windows and gets bright indirect light. I recently repotted it in a slightly bigger pot. It hasn’t put out any babies yet. I think that’s because the pot is just a tad too big. I know with time, love and care she will give me some plant grandbabies. On Richard’s advice I bought a moisture meter and don’t know how I have lived without that. I didn’t know such a thing existed until I started perusal his articles. It is a life saver or should I say a plant saver! I am a newbie subscriber and have been binge perusal your articles. They are very informative and helpful. Lynda from GA, U.S.
Informative spider plant care article, mate. Gracias! My baby curly spider plant in one inch terracotta pot requires watering everyday. One leaf out of the 7 or so leaves consistently had brown tip. I never cut/trim. The brown tip continued until the whole leaf turned brown. None of the other leaves affected. This is over 3 months. Didn’t understand 😕 but now realize it was its SOS signal to call for the beverage cart.
Recently, the large peace lily I bought started withering away! It’s in a self-wicking pot and I couldn’t figure out why it was so unhappy. I have always heard peace lily plants are easy to care for – not mine! It is fussy just like you described 😂 I’ve had to cut her back and try to salvage what I can. I’m hoping she recovers soon. Thank you for all your tips!
Grow lights were the answer for me. I struggled for at least a year, maybe two trying to figure out if I was over or under watering, always brown tips no matter if I tried going longer or shorter in between watering. Got some grow lights, haven’t altered my watering routine and they have perked right up.
My Aunt once told my Mom that the reason the leaves turn brown, is because they don’t like to touch other plants. If you keep your spider away from other plants and touching the pot itself, they will not brown. I did that and now my spider has a long shoot growing and theres little flowers! Thank you for all your very helpful tips. I especially like the idea of cutting the brown parts off. Still have some brown leaves in Chicago………
I have bought Contrace which is minerals for us, but it is excellent for plants especially if they don’t have great soil. Just 10 drops in their water once a month makes a big difference. My spider plant literally put on major growth and turned super dark green. The plants love it . Liquid fish fertilizer and kelp is excellent as well, just make sure you dilute it properly. I would dilute it down majorally at first to get plant use to it. Then you can increase it up to where they say over time.
Thank you for all of your helpful articles. I’ve had this spider plant for maybe 2-3 years and purchased it as a baby. Soil is too moist and the tops and brown and curling and leaves are dripping. I noticed one of the sections of the plants roots are a bit higher than the soil. So maybe new soil and let it dry out a bit. I hope it doesn’t have root rot. I’ll check and snip off the bad parts and repot
I have two one gets indirect all day and maybe a tiny bit at sunset but not much and then one gets some evening sun and she flowered this year and they are from a huge plant i had to break down they are both making babies and one has two big ol babes lol these were my first ever plants and they are both very happy 😃
.. You can boil the water, cool it off, run it through a paper coffee filter and then it’s ready to water the plants.. My spider plants (and others) are outside on my east side porch from May to October (just before the very first night frost).. They love it out there and they are the most beautiful when coming back in for the winter..
You can use tap water, just let it sit in the bucket overnight or for a few days after the chlorine evaporates. You can grow them in an aquarium, just remove all the soil, it’s great for filtration; the aquarium water has lots of oxygen and nutrients from the fish waste and also can be grown in a vase of water, just remember to remove all the soil and the water has to be changed weekly.
I also want to say thank you for your pruning tips. I haven’t been a prunner, but you are converting me. I ruthlessly prunned some spider plants this morning that seem to have become infested with something. Actually, whatever it is is devouring a lot of my spiders. I am now hoping to get rid of the infestation by cutting it out. On a side note, you spoke on another article and a little on this one about cutting off the brown bits, particularly leaves. I sit outside in the mornings to pray and read my Bible, I love to sit and look at my mini garden. With some 40+degree weather we have had recently (West Australia) some of the plants got a bit of burning. One of my umbrella trees in particular had a bad patch on a leaf. I thought about trimming it as you suggested on your article, but then yesterday when I went out, a critter had beat me to it. I was intrigued that all the burnt bit had been eaten, leaving just a scant rim of the burnt material all along the edge. The green part was untouched. It got me thinking, if this is God’s design, to leave a margin of the already damaged leaf so that it doesn’t have to re-heal another edge, then perhaps I should take note and trim this way. If I remember correctly, you trimmed and shaped your leaves, leaving green healthy leaves exposed? I worried that these could also brown with healing, or be open to infection. Perhaps a better way is to keep a small margin of the already sealed leaf. It may not look as good, but may yield a healthier result?
Man, I’ve been doing it all wrong. My plants are in the sun, I drench them when I water them, I water from the faucet because buying distilled is pricey, the soil I bought always looks bone dry on top so I never know when they need watering, and I moved them outside where the humidity varies because they grew fungus gnats. Needless to say, there’s a lot of brown and yellow in my plants. Thanks for this article, let’s see if I can save my plants.
I am a very very new plant parent and am starting with a spider plan someone gave me. However, the leaves are very thin and yellow. There were some new shoots around the two main ones, but they have turned brown and wilted. I feel like I might be in over my head on this one. I love all the tips in your article and have put it in a slightly sunny area with out direct sunlight and have cut back on watering. Is there anything else I should do to help it be successful? Thanks so much for sharing so many useful tips with us.
My medium-sized spider plant was growing well initially. But after several months, the new leaves and new grown parts of old leaves turn very thin, brittle and light green. I already put fertilizer every now and then, but it doesn’t help. What should I do? Really need your help and advice. Thank you so much !
Thanks, that was helpful. My spider plant is hanging in a bay window, but I did notice some brown tips. I’ll try moving it away from the window. I’ve had the plant for about 3 years and it has gotten to be a good size, but it still isn’t putting out any spiderettes. I’ve been told this doesn’t happen until it is root bound. If you have an aquarium, water your plants with the used aquarium water after water change. It’s got lots of good stuff in it.
I had 7 beautiful thriving spider plants but I recently moved from bring on the 8th floor apartment. I kept my spider plants on my enclosed window ledge year long. Since moving to a new apartment on the ground floorand we can’t put plants outside (only to get sun during the day.). I’ve lost 5 of my plants. They all died. I have two left and I’m devastated. What’s wrong with them?
What is the best soil for them? 2 years ago I planted some with a bag of soil my parents had at home. They grew big and healthy and I gave a couple of them to friends. Well a couple months ago my dad threw away my spider plants in the compost saying they were “dead” when they were totally normal and healthy! I ran into the garage and dug them out of the compost, he destroyed them by ripping up all but one and I also managed to save a couple of clippings. This really breached my trust. But I went to the store right away to get soil to replant them, asked the man in the garden section and he told me Miracle-Grow but it made my plant sick and caused it to grow mold in the dirt and I know it’s the soil since I only water once a week and I give it plant food too like normal. Then I tried AGAIN with another soil brand. Thankfully it’s not molding, but my plant is turning brown even though I’m doing everything else right. I wish my plants never got thrown away otherwise this would have never happened. Can someone please help me by letting me know a good brand of soil for spider plants?
This is crazy. This is the girl that was gifted her Mom’s 9 foot skinny snake plant from Canada. I’m also the girl the went on a plant buying spree yesterday. Believe it or not, three days ago my friend gifted me three spider pups. But I decided to grow them in water in this awesome glass jar. We will see how it goes. I just don’t want bugs. Love and Peace.
I have found with trimming the brown tips off, that if you cut through the main vein through the middle of the leaf(regardless of type of plant) the brown tip will only grow back. if you leave a TINY amount of the brown on it when trimming, it will not. So, why in the world do they keep coming back otherwise on this plant?
I have a quick question, I am sorry if I missed it in one of your articles, what is the best ways to remove hardwater marks on leaves? When I googled this, I found suggestions like diluted vinegar, diluted soap, even milk! I tried just wiping leaves with a damp cloth but the waterstains remain. Thank you SO much! 😊
You seem to know a thing or two about plants so may I ask you or your followers a burning question please? It’s about fungus gnats. I have real trouble with them on my plants. I’ve followed tips not to over water. To put gravel on top to stop them living in the top part of the soil and even got sticky fly catchers in each plant which catches loads of them. Yet still the little gnats love and pester us!! Anything else I can do anyone ? Please😅 Ps I will take your advice re my Spider plant too thanks !
Thank you for this. Now just to try and stop my cat eating it! However curious. I have read that spider plants can be grown with the roots in an aquarium, but wondering if that’s the case (with what you’re saying about over watering). Have some spiderlings I was going to experiment with. I know it can be done with pothos, but also toxic for cats.
I was using dechlorinated tap water, super hard tap water, on mine. It’s now showing signs of being too dried out and has trouble pulling in water. So I’ll be repotting it and using distilled! Going to give the roots a good rinse with it too. Also, do you knock out all the old soil from their roots when you repot them? Also also.. I live in Alaska, we have 20-30% humidity most days. My poor plant, lol.
My spider plants have brown leaves, past the tips stage. I don’t water ofen only when the soil is dry. I’ve read so much conflicting info. I think our water quality may be too harsh. I was going to use water from the waterbutt but now thinking no due to water organisms. Is there something I can add to harvested rainwater to filter the bugs? Even the spider babies planted have brown tips 😢
Hi. I need help with my indoor plants. They are pandanus amaryllifolius. I bought some small seedlings about 5 inches tall in November. When I received them, they are all yellow. Two out of 6 slowly turned green. 3 remained somewhat yellow. 1 was transplanted with a little bone meal and epsom salt. That one did really well with new leaves, but all of a sudden, the outer leaves started to yellowed, turned crispy brown and is now dead. After it died, I pulled out the roots to check, no root rot, no pests, and the soil is moist. Now the 3 somewhat yellowed leaves are browning at the tips, folding upward vertically. The tips are soft, not crispy. The 2 green ones have yellow splotches in the new, center leaves. All the plant leaves look dull not shiny. All 6 plants were transplanted at the same time with the same potting soil (Miracle grow potting soil). All 6 are at the same window with no direct sunlight under a grow lamp for 9 hrs. All 6 are watered at the same time with the same amount of water. Moisture meter is always at moist. I have 2 other pandanus amaryllifolius that are doing perfectly well in the same condition. So, do you know what’s wrong with the other 6 plants? I’m new at growing these, please help. Sorry for the lengthy info. Thank you in advance.
Ok but my spider plant has yellow-brown leaves and the soil has departed from the sides. In the summer it was the plant that I didn’t need to think about, it was the one doing just fine, but in the winter it seems like it’s very difficult to find correct indications from the plant to water or not to water. But perhaps it’s upset at the lack of light. Or cold drafts when airing.
My favourite plant ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. My house is full of them . N so so easy n low maintenance. N I’ve grown most of them just from the other plants. N how do icare for them???? I’m a single mother of 23 rescues 🐶🐱🐶🐱. So i just put just about a half or 1 medium glass of water. Every maybe 5 to 6 days when the surface of the soil looks dry. I use just normal tap water. The TDS of this water is bout 70 to 80 to 90. No worries. I just put them in sunlight evry maybe 3 days for 24 hours. N take them back in. Or I even just shift them to the spit where the sunlight comes in thru the closed window( i go for work so can’t leave my windows open 😁!). No meters. Nothing to check anything. I spray water on the leaves to get dust off when I see it. I’m from Mumbai India, so I cannot practically do so much just for a plant. They are in air conditioned rooms as well like my bedroom. No problems with them at all 😀. I have about 50 spider plants Ll over the house. N none of them ever have brown tips 9r dull leaves. All lush n green. ❤️ @KristyVibes… Try this way out… You will no more kill any. Just don’t stress too much 9ver them with meters n stuff. Just the soil a little dry, put just a little water. Just that much that the tray below the planter has a little 9f it coming out. No flooding of the tray. N you’ll thank me for sure… In India, we believe, most 9f us like me that 0lants first need a lot of love n then the care. N no stress in taking care of them.
This is so unrelated to the article, but I’m stressing!! I’ve had a senecio cepholorus(?) from ikea for over a year…. Was doing well… Tied up the “branches” to make it it less wide… Anyway… They flowered in late September /early october… But last 2 months… Leaves have drooped, some have come away….. I’ve used a moisture meter for MONTHS (thank you for the tip)… But all of sudden, soil is constantly moist now (been bottom watering since summer)….. ANYWAY…. healthly stalks but barely any leaves left…. Repot, propogate?? HELP!!! XX
Sorry – drinking chlorine for us is fine and dandy but for plants it isn’t? O….k….a…y.. hmm maybe this could be a contributing factor to the human deteriorating health? Or maybe you’re right. Maybe us drinking chlorine is absolutely fine and dandy. It’s just those ruddy sensitive plants. 😂 All said with love. Just found it entertaining.