I am sure you have heard about the benefits of having a spider plant in your home. They are beautiful, easy to care for, and add a touch of greenery to any interior. What I love about them is that they are an ideal way to start propagating plants yourself, so if you’re like me and love leafy green things but don’t have a green thumb, this article will teach your how to propagate spider plants.
What are spider plants?
Before we dive deeper into the different methods on how to propagate spider plants, let us learn more about this one!
Spider plants are a houseplant that is easy to care for and can be grown indoors or outdoors. They’re also known as airplane plants and have long, thin leaves that grow in a rosette shape.
The spider plant has been around since the 1800s and is native to tropical parts of Asia. It’s been popular in Europe for centuries, where it was used as an ornamental plant and often used in hanging baskets or window boxes.
It’s easy to grow and doesn’t need much attention: just water it when the soil dries out, and don’t let it get too cold or hot.
Interesting facts about spider plants.
- It’s an air purifier because it removes formaldehyde from the air around it.
- They are also called airplane plants because their long, flat leaves make them look like airplanes.
How to propagate spider plants in two methods
1. Water Method
If you want to explore how to propagate spider plants using the watering method, you’ll need to get yourself a few new plants and a few old ones.
The new ones will be the plants you want to propagate, and the old ones will serve as your “mother” plants. The mother plant will give birth to baby plants that you can take cuttings from and use to start new plants.
Here’s what you need to do with this method.
- Get a clean-cut stem with at least two leaves. The leaves should be green and not yellowing at all.
- Put the stem in water and ensure that the leaves are not touching the water’s surface.
- Find a suitable location where it can be exposed to some sunlight but not too much.
- Check the water daily and change it every week.
- Wait for roots to grow from the base of the stem.
- Transplant it into the soil.
2. Potting Method
Learning how to propagate spider plants using the potting method is great for getting more of these beautiful plants in your home.
Here’s what you need to do.
- To start, fill a 6-inch pot with soil containing perlite, vermiculite, or both, which will help the soil drain well. You can use regular potting soil if you don’t have any of those materials.
- Next, take a 4-inch piece of stem from your mother plant.
- The bottom of it should have at least two sets of leaves growing from it, and cut off all but one set of leaves. Then place the cutting into the potting mix so that its base is buried about halfway down in the soil mix.
- Water gently until water runs out through the drainage holes in the bottom of your container about 1/4 inch. Then cover with plastic wrap or place a clear glass overtop so that light doesn’t hit directly on top of your cutting for at least three weeks while it grows roots back down into new soil.
Tips for propagating spider plants
Spider plants are a great choice for beginners and experts alike. They’re easy to grow, can be propagated in many different ways, and are tough as nails!
Whether you’re just starting out with your spider plant propagation or you’ve been at it for years, there’s always something new to learn about how to get the most out of your plants.
Here are some tips for getting started.
Repotting is important for the health of your plant. It helps prevent root rot and keeps them from becoming too big for their pots. If you notice that your plant has started growing out of its pot, it’s time to repot it.
- You don’t need to worry about pruning your spider plant if you want more shoots or leaves.
They’ll just keep growing back! But if you want more flowers or fruit, then pruning can help encourage them by promoting new growth at the tip of each stem. Just cut off the shoot when it reaches 5 cm long and leave only one leaf on each stem.
- Make sure that the base of the cutting is at least 1/2″ below the soil line and that there is enough water to keep it moist but not soaking wet for about a week.
- Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. The cutting should begin growing roots within several weeks.
- Remove the lower leaves from the cutting and allow them to dry out for two days before planting them in soil or water, depending on what type of root system you want to grow for your new plant.
Do newly propagated spider plants need direct sunlight?
The answer is no.
While it’s true that growing your plants indoors will prevent them from gaining the same amount of natural sunlight as in an outdoor environment, you don’t need to worry about your new spider plant needing direct sunlight to thrive.
If you’re trying to grow your plant indoors, it’s best not to put it in direct sunlight, especially if it’s a young plant or if you’ve just propagated it from another source.
If you do expose a young or freshly-propagated spider plant to direct sunlight, it can easily burn and die.
Once your plant has reached maturity, however, it should be able to handle some direct sunlight but try not to leave it out in the sun for too long at once. You’ll want to gradually acclimate the plant over time so that its leaves are used to being exposed and won’t burn easily.
Propagate your spider plant today!
The spider plant is a great addition to any home, and it’s easy to get started growing. You can either propagate the plant from its own leaves or take cuttings from other spider plants.
The method you choose depends on what you want to do with your new plants.
If you want them all to look identical or at least very similar, then taking cuttings may be the best option. If you’d like to grow some variation in their appearance, then leaf propagation will work just fine.
Either way, this article has given you all the information you need to get started on how to propagate spider plants!