Plant Care: Spider Plant

One of the easiest and most common houseplants to care for is the Spider Plant. And let me tell you why.

Not only is it very forgiving when it comes to neglect, but it can almost thrive in any lighting or watering situation. Not to mention it is also safe for pets! Because it shoots out so many baby spider plants, this is one of the easiest plants to propagate.

Stay tuned to find out the best ways to propagate and how to keep your Spider Plant one happy fella.

Related: Pet Friendly Houseplants

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Plant Care: Spider Plant

Any plant parent can tell you how easy the Spider Plant is to care for. If you are just starting out on your house plant journey, don’t fret. I’ve got you covered on how to properly care for the most unique and most common houseplants.

Be sure to check out Plant Care: Monstera Deliciosa and Plant Care: String of Hearts.

I urge you to take the time to learn about the proper ways to keep your plant growing big and strong. Houseplants are an investment. Let me help you protect your investment for all the years to come.

Where to Buy

I highly recommend purchasing your plants from a trusted source. Last thing you’d want to happen is to receive an unhealthy plant.

If you cannot find your perfect plant at Botanico Collective, please reach out and we can try our best to accommodate your request.

As a go-to, I always recommend checking out your local nurseries or a home improvement store such as Lowes or Home Depot for houseplants. This is by far the most trusted source. By personally going to a nursery and looking at the houseplants in person, you can be sure you are picking out the most healthy plant. Check the soil and foliage for any signs of infestation of pests or disease.

transplant

After you get your hands on your new Spider Plant, assess the situation. Take a look at the roots. Are they popping out from the bottom? If so, you may want to consider repotting your plant into a slightly larger pot.

When repotting, only repot to a pot that is 1-2inches larger than the pot it already is in. Last thing you want to do is drown your plant in too much soil and freak it out.

Ceramic or terra cotta pots will do just fine but if you don’t want to spend the money on hefty pots, just repot into a bigger plastic nursery pot and dress it up with a fun basket.

Related: 20 Affordable Plant Pots

The best time to repot your plant is in the spring. Right before growing season.

soil requirements

Spider Plants are not too picky when it comes to soil. I’d recommend using an indoor houseplant mix such as Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix.

If you are into mixing your own soil, the best recipe is as follows:

60% Peat Moss

20% Coarse Sand or Perlite

20% Organic Matter

Keep your soil well draining to avoid any chance of root rot.

Root rot is the ultimate killer of indoor houseplants.

Fertilizer

In the growing season you are going to want to fertilize your plant. Fertilizer is food for your plant. Just like how we need food to survive, so do houseplants and all plants in general.

Fertilizer is food for your plant. It is what makes it grow big, strong and healthy.

A good fertilizer that is easy to use and effective, not to mention, affordable, are these Miracle-Gro Plant Food Spikes.

Proper use of fertilizer varies based on which fertilizer is used. Be sure to read the fine print on how to effectively use the fertilizer. Some fertilizers may require use every 2 weeks where others may require once a month.

Over-fertilizing can damage the plant, so please protect your investment by taking the extra minute to read about your choice of fertilizer.

Light requirements

Like mentioned before, Spider Plants are forgiving to neglect. This includes lighting.

From my own experience, I have learned that Spider Plants love the sunshine BUT not direct light. Tips of the foliage can easily turn crisp if put in the light for long periods of time.

Try placing your new plant a few feet away from a North facing window. This is ideal as it will receive plenty of sunshine but not strong, intense afternoon sun all day.

Temperature and humidity

Similar to most houseplants, your Spider Plant will thrive best in temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Too cold can cause those little (or large) roots to go into shock.

Keep your plant toasty warm.

Once a week, it is good to spritz your plant with water to increase it’s humidity. These misters are perfect for this task and very affordable. If you have a humidifier, that is even better! Try this humidifier here!

Watering

Too much water can drown your Spider Plant and cause root rot.

Root rot is the number one houseplant killer!

A great way to manage how often to water your plant is by downloading a fantastic app called Planta. I have personally used this app for my own houseplants and it is very convenient.

With our busy lives, sometimes watering your plants can slip your mind. Not to mention, when you have several houseplants, it can be hard to keep track how often a plant should be watered.

Simply upload your plant into the app, answer a series of questions, and Planta will notify you when the plant should be watered next.

It really is that simple.

If technology is not for you, that’s okay! Spider Plants generally like to dry out before its next watering. However, do not let it sit without water for too long.

Our Spider Plant typically will get watered once every two weeks and it seems to be very happy!

Propagtion

Lucky for you, propagating Spider Plants is so easy! In my own experience, water propagation seems to be the easiest, quickest, and most successful way.

For more information on propagation, please visit String of Hearts Plant Care or check out our blog post on Propagation (coming soon!)

Happy Planting!

Spider Plants are also pet friendly! Check out our favorite houseplants that are safe for your pets! Just click here!