The Secrets To Keeping Your Spider Plant Healthy and Happy
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Spider plants are the perfect houseplants for those looking for a low-maintenance addition to their home.
Keeping your spider plant healthy and happy is easy with these helpful tips. To get started, ensure the spider plant is placed in a bright spot out of direct sunlight — not too much or too little!
Then keep its soil moist by watering with tepid water without letting it sit in water; otherwise, root rot might occur.
In this article, we'll uncover the secrets to ensuring that your spider plant gets all of the essential care it needs while also providing critical information on troubleshooting common issues related to spider plants.
- What is a spider plant, and why is it popular
- Keeping your spider plant healthy
- The benefits of having a spider plant in your home
- How to water a spider plant
- How to fertilize a spider plant
- Choosing the Right Pot & Soil Type
- The size, material, and type of pot best suited for a spider plant
- Types of soil that will help ensure proper drainage for Spider plants.
- How to repot a spider plant
- How to propagate a spider plant
- How to trim Spider plant leaves
- Common problems with spider plants and how to fix them
- FAQ:
What is a spider plant, and why is it popular
Spider plants, or Chlorophytum comosum, are a type of houseplant that has become increasingly popular in recent years.
The plant is low maintenance and can thrive indoors with minimal effort from its owner. Spider plants are known for their incredible ability to improve air quality by absorbing pollutants like formaldehyde, xylene, and benzene.
Additionally, the grass-like foliage makes it an attractive addition to any home while providing a unique texture to your interior decor.
Aside from their aesthetic appeal and air-cleaning properties, spider plants require minimal care, making them the perfect choice for anyone looking for an easy-to-care-for houseplant.
Related Post: Spider plants: 9 benefits of spider plants for your home or office
Keeping your spider plant healthy
| Botanical Name: | Chlorophytum comosum |
| Common Names: | Spider Plant, Airplane Plant, Spider Ivy, Ribbon Plant, |
| Light: | Bright, indirect light |
| Water: | Distilled, filtered, or rainwater |
| Soil: | Moist well-draining soil |
| Temperature: | 20-30°C (68-86°F) |
| Humidity: | 40 – 60% |
| Fertilizer: | During spring and summer |
| Propagation: | Division and via plant Spiderettes |
| Bloom: | Small white flowers |
| Toxicity to Pets: | Non-toxic |
The benefits of having a spider plant in your home
Spiders might not be the most popular creatures, but their plant counterparts can bring serious benefits to your home!
Spider plants are among the easiest plants to care for – they love plenty of bright, indirect light and only need to be watered about once a week.
As previously mentioned, these vibrant greens clean the air in your home by eliminating toxins like formaldehyde and benzene.
The next time you're looking for an effortless way to improve your home decor and air quality, reach for a trusty spider plant!
How to water a spider plant
Watering a spider plant is no complex task. They are one of the easiest houseplants to take care of! Ensure you don't overwater them – this can cause root rot and some other issues damaging your poor little plant, which you don't want!
Let your spider plant's soil dry out between waterings, then thoroughly soak the pot. If you live in a very humid area, you may even benefit from letting the soil dry for several days before thoroughly watering again.
Whenever I see my spider plant's leaves start to look a bit faint, I understand that it is time for me to water the plant thoroughly.
How to fertilize a spider plant
Looking after a spider plant is easy and fun, especially if you know the basics of fertilizing.
Starting when the growing season begins in March or April, you can add 1/3 of all-purpose fertilizer (preferably organic) to 1 gallon of water every two weeks to ensure your spider plant is getting adequate nutrition.
My favourite fertilizer is for peat's sake! Hungry Plants?
If your indoor temperature stays fairly high, adding fertilizer several times during the summer months will be beneficial.
Avoid over-fertilizing as this may burn your plant – not something we want!
One good tip is to watch out for any yellowing leaves – this means that your spider plant needs more nutrients, so go ahead and give it some extra TLC with a dose of fertilizer!
Choosing the Right Pot & Soil Type
If you want your spider plant to thrive, make sure its pot and soil are the perfect fit (choose a pot for the size of the root ball, not the plant!)! A good home will help ensure your leafy friend's long, happy life.
The size, material, and type of pot best suited for a spider plant
When selecting a pot, ensure it has drainage holes in the bottom! A porous material like terracotta is a great choice (like these fabulous pots from The Soil Pot), as it allows moisture to evaporate, which prevents issues like root rot.
Additionally, if you want to take extra care of your plant, try repotting it into a larger container with fresh soil every two years or so.
Types of soil that will help ensure proper drainage for Spider plants.
If you want to ensure that your Spider plant can thrive and remain healthy, the type of soil you use is essential.
You will need a light, well-draining, airy potting mix for it to grow best. I use the soils from Soil Ninja for Spider plants. The Calathea & Maranta blend is perfect for spider plants; it includes Coco Coir, Perlite, Vermiculite, Zeolite, Activated Charcoal, and Worm Castings.
How to repot a spider plant
Repotting a spider plant is simple and requires minimal equipment.
- Start by gathering the new pot, soil, and pair of gardening gloves.
- The new pot should be about two inches larger than the current one to give your plant more room to grow.
- Next, remove your spider plant from its existing pot by turning it upside down and carefully shaking the dirt away from the roots.
- Gently use your gloves to place the roots in the new pot and fill the soil around them.
- For best results, lightly press down on the soil after you have filled it, taking care not to damage your plant's delicate roots.
- Finally, water your repotted spider plant until you see some drainage from the bottom of the planter – this will ensure your plant is nice and hydrated!
How to propagate a spider plant
Spider plants are great houseplants because they're so easy to propagate!
If you've got an existing spider plant, it can easily be divided into multiple plants by cutting off the side branches, known as offsets or pups.
Each can then be placed in moist potting soil or hung directly in a planter.
Remember that spider plants need bright, indirect light and ample air circulation to grow successfully, so placement is critical.
Before you know it, you'll have yourself some beautiful new spider plants at no additional cost and barely any effort!
How to trim Spider plant leaves
Keep your spider plants looking lush and vibrant with minimal effort!
All you need is a pair of sharp scissors to trim off older leaves that are yellowing or brown.
This helps promote air circulation, keeping pests away while maintaining the plant's tidy look – plus, it encourages healthy growth too!
Regular care like this can make all the difference in getting beautiful results from your garden maintenance routine.
So snip away…the rewards will be worth it when you admire those happy and healthy houseplants!
Common problems with spider plants and how to fix them
Spider plants are truly amazing – they look great, are easy to maintain, and are incredibly useful for air-purifying indoors!
There's a reason why these plants have been popular for decades. That being said, spider plants can experience some common issues, such as browning or yellowing leaves, soft stems, and brown spots on the surface of the leaves.
Fortunately, none of these problems is difficult to fix:
- For browning or yellowing leaves, you may need to up the water or boost your spider plant's nutrition by adding fertilizer.
- For soft leaves, consider giving them more humidity or even trimming away any wilting leaves.
- Finally, the brown spots on the surface of the leaves can easily be tackled with a damp cloth.
Don't let the sight of your wilting spider plant worry you; with just a few maintenance tips, it will be back to its lush and vibrant self in no time!
FAQ:
Where is the best place to put a spider plant?
Invite a little bit of nature into your home with the beautiful and easy-care spider plant!
Place it near bright, natural light, like in front of windows or by an outdoor entrance – make sure to avoid any area that gets direct sunlight.
Tending to this luscious greenery is worth its weight in oxygen: take care of them properly, and you will be rewarded with cascading foliage which can help freshen up the air around you for peaceful tranquillity.
Do you water spider plants from the top or bottom?
Watering your spider plants is one of the keys to successful care. Some people prefer to water from the top, but the most effective way for the plant is to water from the bottom.
Place a saucer under your pot and fill it with enough water so that it just touches the bottom of the pot. As the roots take up all the needed water, this method helps keep any rot caused by overwatering at bay.
Quenching your plant's thirst this way will also help optimize its growth potential, making this watering technique an obvious choice if you want your spider plants to thrive!
Can I use tap water for my spider plant?
When it comes to watering your spider plant, tap water might be alright – but it's important to remember that the extra minerals contained in this kind of H2O can build up and create unhealthy soil over time.
Using distilled or reverse osmosis water is best to avoid a mineral buildup altogether!
Although tap may do the trick if you let it sit overnight first, think through which chemicals are floating around regularly when adding hydration to your little green friend.
Should I cut the ‘spiderettes' off my spider plant?
Want to watch your spider plant flourish and produce offspring? It can be a little daunting, but don't worry!
Deciding when or if to prune the ‘spiderettes' off your beloved spider plant will depend on what you're going for. If bushy foliage catches your eye, then why not let them stay put?
But if overcrowding is getting in the way of their lifecycle processes (e.g., fewer flowers), it may be time for some trimming action before things get outta hand!
And finally…
If you're looking for a plant that is easy to care for, good for your health, and will improve indoor air quality, then the spider plant is perfect!
By following our simple tips on how to water, fertilize, repot and propagate your spider plant, you'll have it looking its best in no time.
And if you run into any problems along the way, don't worry – we've got you covered with solutions to common spider plant issues.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and get yourself a spider plant today!
Please see all the houseplant supplies I love and use.
