Spider Plant

Appearance:

The native place of spider plant is in subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia. This is a common house plant. It is a good air purifier plant. It does not require any special care. It has long strips of leaves of white and green colour combinations which look so beautiful. Mature spider plant grows a shoot from its center and on that shoot, it develops plantlets. Using those plantlets, we can grow new spider plants. It has small white flowers that come in clusters on shoots. It is a fast-growing plant.

Potting Mix and planting:

Spider plants don't like being too dry or too wet so prepare well drained soil for it. To make a potting mix for spider plant, take 60 percent garden soil, 20 percent cocopeat, 10 percent river sand (optional), 10 percent compost. Take any 6–8-inch pot or hanging basket, make 3-4 drainage holes at the bottom of the pot and cover those holes with some stones, so the excessive water will come out through drainage holes. Now fill ¼ the pot with potting mix and put the plant at the center of the pot. Now add potting mix around the plant and press gently. Water the plant thoroughly and place it in shade for 2-3 days. Then after that shift it in any partial shade.

Sunlight:

Spider plants require bright indirect light. Do not expose spider plants in direct hot sun; it will burn the leaves and also make the leaves tips brown. Spider plants can also be planted in Shady places. It requires bright sunlight but it grows well even in low light also. Spider plant is also identified as a low light plant. Morning or evening direct sunlight is good for spider plants.

Water:

Spider plants like moist soil, so keep the soil always moist, not soggy. It does not Like too dry soil, if the soil gets very dry the tips of the plant start to dry and if the soil gets very soggy then the leaves of the plants turn to yellow and start to fall off. So first choose a well-drained soil for spider plants and make sure there are 3-4 drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. In summer water the spider plants twice a day if required and in winter once a day. On rainy days water the plant by checking the soil, if it’s upper 1 inch layer of soil is dry then water it.

Fertilizer:

Spider plant does well without fertilizer but to boost its growing, it with balanced (20-20-20) fertilizer once in 2 months in its growing or active time. Do not fertilize it in winter because it is not in active state in winter so if it gets fertilised in winter the leaves tips turn to brown.

Repotting:

When the roots are rounded in soil and cover the pot under the soil and the plant growth slows down means the plant needs to repot. The spider plant even grows in a small pot also, so choose a slightly bigger pot to repot the spider plant. Make 3-4 drainage holes at the bottom, cover those holes with stone and fill ¼ part of the pot with potting mix (garden soil 70 percent, 20 percent cocopeat, 10 percent compost). If you have sand, you can also add 10 percent sand into the potting mix. Now remove the plant from the current pot and pot into the new pot and add potting mix around it. Press gently with your hands. Water it thoroughly for the first time. If you want to replant the spider plant into the same pot just trim the lower ¼th part of roots with sharp sterilized pruner and repot it into the same pot. When you repot the spider plant, put it away from direct sunlight for 3-4 days.

Propagation:

Spider plants can very easily propagate in soil as well as in water. To propagate the spider plant in soil, choose light soil. Fill the small pot with a light potting mix and just put one plantlet into it and add some more potting mix around it then press gently. Make sure about drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Water it thoroughly. Keep that pot away from direct sunlight for 3-4 days.

Also, you can place the shoots of mother plant with plantlets into the soil and wait until you see the new growth in plantlets, when it shows new growth cut the shoots from the plantlets.

To propagate spider plants in water, take any glass container, fill that container with water and put the plantlets into the water. Keep the plantlets into the water in such a way that only the roots get dip into the water, not the leaves. Change the water once every 4 days. Plant it in soil when 1–2-inch roots are developed. After planting in soil, keep away at least 4 days from direct sunlight.

Diseases:

Leaf rot and the root rot are the common disease ever seen in the spider plant. Over watering and the poor drainage is the main reason for it. Due to poor drainage the water gets stuck into the pot and the soil gets soggy and the roots become rot. The plant gives some indication before the roots rot. It turns their leaves yellow and that leaves fall off. Hence when the plant turns yellow leaves immediately check the drainage holes. If those holes get blocked then reopen it and cover with some stones and change the soil. Replant it in dry soil and do not water it for at least 2-3 days.

Leaf tip drying problems are also seen in spider plants that happen due to under watering. Spider plants do not like completely dry. It likes moist soil. If the soil gets completely dry the leaves tip gets dry.

So do not overwater it as well as under water it just keeps always moist.

Toxicity:

The spider plant is non-toxic for humans and pets also.

Common problems:

Leaf rot, root rot and root tip dry these are the common problems spider plants have. These happen due to off underwatering and over watering so first check soil before watering the plant. If the upper 1-inch layer of soil is dry then water the plant.