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Spider plants are lovely. They look great and do wonders for your home both for aesthetics and indoor air quality. As the number of plant parents starts to grow, more and more eyes are on spider plants.
At Bloombox Club, we welcome new and veteran home gardeners of all kinds. And we’d like to guide you on your journey to plant parenthood and maybe even supply you with your very first plant! Check out our little read and we’ll walk you through the basics.
What is a Spider Plant?
A spider plant is a common house plant that likely gets its name because of its appearance. The plant's long, often stringy leaves give it its spider-like look. It’s also known as spider ivy, ribbon plant, and hen and chickens.
The spider plant is quite a good pickup for the home since it’s actually listed as one of the best plants for purifying air. Having one at home may be a great way to reduce indoor air pollution naturally.
Spider plants also make great house plants because they tend to live long lives. A healthy spider plant can live for as long as 20 years - Though you may hear some people having them for up to 50 years! It all depends on how well you care for your spider plant. That said, let’s get into the basics.
Basic Spider Plants Care Guide
Water
The spider plant generally doesn’t need that much water. Just lightly water your spider plant when the soil is looking dry. Do the finger test if you’re not sure. Dip your finger in the soil up to the second knuckle (that’s about 2 inches). A dry finger means that you need to water your spider plant.
In hotter weather, you do need to water it more than during cold days. A great way to tell if your spider plant is underwatered or overwatered is by checking the leaves. Yellowish leaves indicate too much water! If it’s not getting enough water, the leaves will look dry and maybe feel a little crispy.
Light
Spider plant care at home is easier because it can and will tolerate varying light conditions. It will always prefer brightly lit spots in your home, though.
Do keep your spider plant away from direct sunlight! Try placing your plant by your desk or dresser. The long leaves will look great hanging from the edge.
Soil
Spider plants like a well-draining, organic soil mix. Since the goal is to keep your spider plant in damp, moist soil, this will work best for you.
You can also opt to make your own potting mix by combining one part each of peat moss and perlite and mixing in 4 parts pine bark fines (or mulch).
Trimming and Upkeep
Damaged and discoloured leaves may be trimmed. As for pruning, you can remove leaves that are too long or overgrown - which will only need to be done about once a year. Remember to cut near the base of your spider plant if you’re pruning! As a rule of green thumb, always use sanitised tools for trimming and pruning.
To keep your spider plant’s home in great shape, here’s a tip for you. Take the plant out of the ceramic pot it’s housed in whenever you’re going to water it. This way, you won’t end up damaging the ceramic glaze of the pot or overwatering your plant!
Temperature
If you can manage it, spider plants prefer the air to be a little bit on the humid side. More specifically, spider plants prefer temperatures between 12 and 22 ºC. Your spider plants will thrive in ‘goldilocks’ temperatures - meaning not too hot or cold, but juuuust right.
Fertilizer
Spider plants don’t really eat too much. A light fertilizer will work just fine, even in the growing months. If your plant comes with a fertilizer, feel free to use that or get some liquid fertilizer.
If you’re going to feed your spider plant, do so during the growing season (that season is summer!).
Some FAQs About The Spider Plant
Why is my spider plant turning yellow?
Spider plants’ leaves are a tell-all when it comes to water. If your leaves are looking yellow and maybe even brownish, you might be overwatering your spider plant.
How do I manage spider plant propagation?
The best way to start propagating is by getting offshoots from your main spider plant. Take these baby spider plants (should we start calling them spiderlings?) and place them in some water. Just add enough water to cover the roots. Since they’re shorter, you won’t need much.
Your spiderlings (we’re sticking with it) will need up to a month in water before their roots start to establish themselves. Once they do, just plant them in soil and just go over the basic spider plant care until it becomes big and strong!
Can I hang my spider plants?
Of course, you can! As long as you remember to keep them away from direct sunlight and away from cold draughts, spider plants can be hung almost everywhere indoors.
Since your spider plants like well-draining soil, one thing to watch out for is accidental spills. Water might drip from hung pots and may ruin your floors or belongings!
Is it safe to keep spider plants around pets and children?
Generally, yes. Curious hands and paws are safe around spider plants. They are also non-toxic, so little chews here and there won’t be harmful… to your pets and babies at least. We’re not sure your spider plant will love the idea of being bitten!
Along Came A Spider…Plant!
Thanks for stopping by and giving our spider plant care guide a read. We hope that it helped you out even a little bit!
If you’d like, you can get your spider plant here! We’ve got other plants and accessories worth checking out, too. With Bloombox Club, your indoor garden will look lush and lovely in no time.
