Prune foliage at the base of the plant if it becomes overgrown. Spider plants usually grow around 12 in (30 cm) in diameter and 12 in (30 cm) tall. If your plant is getting too large for its space, cut away healthy, growing leaves near the base of the plant until you've removed some of the excess growth.
For the most part, spider plants do not need pruning. To prevent your spider plant from forming its poisonous seeds, prune away any withered flowers. You can also cut off the offshoots, known as spiderettes or pups, and use them to propagate spider plants. Pluck any completely withered leaves off the plant.
If an established, or larger plant becomes leggy, then they can often be saved by pruning them well and pinching the top off the plant. This encourages the plant to grow bushier and put its energy into something other than growing tall.
For the best-looking new Spider Plant, plant several spiderettes in a pot together to encourage a more bushy and full appearance as the plant grows. Keep the soil slightly moist until new growth shows, then revert to your normal care habits.
To manage its growth, early summer or spring is the best time to prune your spider plant to speed up its recovery process. You should also trim damaged or unwanted foliage if you see signs, such as leggy appearance, yellow leaves, brown tips on the leaves, etc.
Regular pruning encourages bushier and more compact growth by removing excess stems and promoting branching. Solution: Trim back leggy stems and prune your plants regularly to maintain their shape. Focus on removing weak or unhealthy growth to stimulate new, more robust shoots.
You've solved the light problem, but is there any way to tame the legginess once it's already happened? Yes—you can cut leggy plants back to encourage new stems to sprout, restoring your plants to lushness.
Trimming, pinching, and pruning are all helpful activities for eliminating leggy growth. Start by pruning back the longest stem. You can cut right above the uppermost growth node, which should encourage the plant to create new growth at the side of the stem rather than continuously upward at the top.
Reviving a Dying Spider Plant
Overwatering is a common misstep. To promote recovery, let the soil dry out before watering again. This isn't a cactus, but it's not a fan of soggy feet either. Check the top inch of soil; if it's dry, it's time to hydrate.
While it's totally OK to leave your spider plant's babies attached to the vine, you may need to give the main plant more water and fertiliser so it's able to support itself as a result.
The long stems with the plantlets are why spider plants look best as hanging plants, or on a pedestal so that the long stems can hang down. Spider plants do best in bright, but indirect sunlight and some humidity. They have fleshy roots that store water so only water them when they are dry.
Spider plants usually grow around 12 in (30 cm) in diameter and 12 in (30 cm) tall. If your plant is getting too large for its space, cut away healthy, growing leaves near the base of the plant until you've removed some of the excess growth. You may want to re-pot overgrown plants.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
They appreciate the nutrient boost from coffee grounds. Benefits: Enhances foliage growth. Helps maintain soil health.
If you want to give your spider plant a boost, feed it some liquid fertiliser once a month during warmer seasons.
Leggy, sparse, or off-color foliage is the plant's way of pleading for a trim. It's like your Spider Plant is saying, "Help me help myself!"
The tall and skinny plant is primarily due to a lack of light supply.
It's really easy to stop a plant becoming leggy, or to help it stop creating more leggy growth: put it somewhere with the right level of light. If a plant has become leggy, move it a little bit closer to a window. Don't take it right from deep shade to bright sun – this will cause shock – but move it gradually.
Pin the leaves down
One of the easiest ways to make your potted plant look fuller instantly is to clip the nodes of the leaves back into the soil. This method works best for vines, pothos, or leafy plants. To accomplish this, all you need is a bobby pin (or a plant clip if your stems are thicker).
While leggy growth can be a natural growth pattern for some plant species, it is usually a sign that the plant is not receiving enough light. Ensuring your plants get adequate light is crucial to prevent leggy growth and maintain their health.
One thing that impacts the health of a stem is sunlight. Plants that are given lots of sunlight develop short and thick stems, while plants in more shade tend to have tall, leggy stems with less branching. For some plants, less sunlight is preferred, while others need plenty of sun to develop a strong and healthy stem.
Pinching out the stem tips of your young plants will prevent this happening, and encourage the buds lower down on the stems to produce side shoots. This creates a stronger and bushier plant with even growth and lots of flowers throughout.
Pothos can become leggy, especially during winter, as the vines grow long and spindly in an attempt to reach weak, low light. By pruning your pothos regularly, you can maintain a reasonable size, create a bushier growth habit, or encourage new growth.