Attractive and easy to grow, a spider plant makes an excellent houseplant. It tolerates low-light conditions and thanks to thick roots that store moisture, you can get away with watering it about every two weeks or when the soil starts to feel dry. Spider plants do especially well in a corner of your bathroom, where they get a little extra humidity. When your plant is happy and healthy, its best feature will likely appear—long, thin stems trailing out from its center, each with a plantlet on the ends. It's easy to learn how to propagate your houseplants, so you can bulk up your collection for free.
Find the Roots
If you look closely at the baby spider plants dangling from your mother plant, you'll see some small, brownish knobs on the underside of the cluster of leaves. Those are the beginnings of roots, and with a little help, they'll develop into full root systems.
Start New Plants in Water
There are two ways to take the plantlets off the ends; you can gently pull them off, or use scissors to snip them off near where they attach to the stem from the mother plant. Set the new baby plants into a cup of water for a few days (about five should do it) to help the roots grow out a bit, and then plant them in potting soil.
Place Plants in Containers
To plant, fill a four-inch (or smaller) pot with potting mix. Make a little hole in the center with your finger. Press one of your plantlets into the hole, and gently press the potting soil in around it so the plant is firmly held in place, but the leaves are above the soil. If you want to skip the cup of water step, you can just remove the plantlets from the mother plant and put them in separate pots of damp potting mix.
Keep Plants Hydrated
No matter which method you choose, keep the soil evenly moist until the roots are fully developed. You'll know that has happened if your plantlet holds firmly in the soil when you give the leaves a gentle tug. Before long, your new little spider plants will start producing their own babies.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Should I cut all the babies off my spider plant?
You can cut all the "babies" off at once, whether you're planning to propagate them or not. If it's the latter and you only need a certain amount of them, it is beneficial to remove them all regardless. That way, the "parent" plan can rest and save its energy to keep growing properly.
- Is it better to propagate spider plants in water or soil?
Both ways are acceptable, and if done correctly, will definitely propagate. If you propagate spider plants in water, the root may grow faster, about 10 days. If you do so in soil, it will take longer but the roots will be much stronger and well-developed.
- Why does my spider plant not have babies?
If your spider plants don't have "babies" or spiderettes, it means your plant hasn't matured enough. There are other causes, though—underwatering is one of the most common culprits. Spider plants don't like a dry environment, and need to be watered thoroughly to fully develop itself into a "parent."
