Spider plants make excellent houseplants because they are very easy to grow, require little maintenance in order to thrive, and adapt well to the conditions of most homes and other indoor spaces. They are also used frequently in schools because they are easy to propagate and require so little care. Particularly if you are a beginning gardener, spider plants are excellent starter plants to add some greenery to your home.
Spider plants are happiest when grown in containers or hanging baskets, which will provide plenty of room for their shoots. However, you should not grow them in containers that are too large for the size of the plant, because they enjoy being a little rootbound.
At the end of their long stalks, spider plants will begin to grow new baby plants. If you wish to grow more spider plants from your original plant, just cut these small plants off the ends of the stalks, and place their roots in water. When the roots of these new plants have grown to be an inch long, transplant them into containers filled with potting soil.
When you are growing spider plants, keep in mind that they like well drained, rich potting soil, although they can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions. You should water them at least once every week. Give them liquid fertilizer once or twice per month, but take care not to over water them or give them too much fertilizer. In fact, you may want to dilute the fertilizer to half its recommended strength, or skip fertilizer entirely if your plants are healthy and thriving without it. If you are over watering or over fertilizing, you will know it because the tips of your spider plant's leaves will turn brown. If this happens, remove the brown leaves, and adjust the amount of fertilizer and water. Your plant will soon grow new, green leaves to replace the brown ones. If this does not solve the issue, you may want to try distilled water, as some chemicals in tap water may be harmful for your spider plants.
Although your spider plants will do just fine in the low light conditions found in many areas of the typical home, they also enjoy some sunshine. You can place your plants in a sunny window once or twice per week, but you should not forget them there. If you leave them in direct sunlight for too long, the leaves may turn brown. Also be sure not to leave them near the window on cold nights, as they prefer warmer temperatures.
Caring for Spider plants are very rewarding to grow. If you take proper care of them and grow new plants by replanting the baby spider plants on the end of the shoots, you will soon have a whole house filled with beautiful spider plants. Keep in mind that plants can help improve air quality by cleaning the air. They also make wonderful gifts to help your friends and family begin their own spider plant gardens. Spider plants can be grown by beginning gardeners, and require only a little effort to help them thrive.
