How to Care for Spider Plants as House Plants

How to Care for Spider Plants as House Plants thumbnail
Spider plants make excellent hanging plants.

Mature spider plants hung in hanging baskets cascade over the sides creating an attractive houseplant. Young offsets appear on long slender stems and curve downward giving the appearance of floating in the air. With proper care, spider plants live for years, producing an abundance of young "spiders" to fill the window or to start new plants. Relatively carefree, spider plants thrive under normal household conditions. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

  • Peat moss
  • Potting soil
  • Perlite
  • Water-soluble fertilizer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pot spider plants in a mixture of one part peat moss, one part potting soil and one part perlite. This mixture creates a lightweight soil suitable for hanging plants, improves aeration and promotes drainage.

    • 2

      Place spider plants in bright indirect sunlight. Near a southern or western window works well for spider plants, as long as the light is filtered by curtains. According to the Colorado State University Extension website, direct sunlight burns foliage on spider plants.

    • 3

      Keep temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The Clemson University Cooperative Extension website recommends temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit for nighttime.

    • 4

      Water when soil becomes slightly dry. Soil that dries completely or remains dry for a prolonged period often causes leaves to brown.

    • 5

      Fertilize with water-soluble fertilizer every other month. The Colorado State University Extension website explains that over-fertilizing causes leaf tip burn in spider plants.

    • 6

      Allow spider plants to become root bound, as this is when they produce the characteristic cascade of new plantlets. The Kansas State University Extension website explains that spider plants are photoperiodic and respond to short days and long nights by producing flowers that then produce new spiders.

    • 7

      Repot spider plants in the spring when they become overcrowded, but keep in mind that repotting may reduce blooming and the production of plantlets until the plant becomes root bound.

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References

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  • Photo Credit spider in a basket image by Joann Cooper from Fotolia.com

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