Spider plant plantlets, also known as spiderettes, babies or pups, form at the end of the long offshoots where the mother plant blooms. To ensure the spiderettes will survive on their own, leave them attached to the mother plant until they have grown at least five leaves that are about 5cm long.
If there are too many spider plant babies and you don't plan on replanting them all, remove some to save the parent plant energy. You can also cut off excess leaves if your plant is overgrown, but it's best to repot if the plant is getting too big.
🕷️ Pruning Spiderettes
Those little offshoots, the spiderettes, can be a handful. If you're looking to propagate, snip the stem right near the base of the baby.
As you can see from the photo above, spider babies are actually tiny spider plants suspended from a longer branch of the plant. You can leave the babies on the plant and they will grow while attached to the mother!
You should repot a spider plant before its growing season, typically in early spring or summer. This helps prevent transplant shock.
Spider plants grow relatively quickly to fill out their existing containers. They also like being a little pot-bound as this encourages them to push out more flowers and pups. But if they become so overgrown that the roots circle each other and have no more space to grow, it's time to consider repotting.
To ensure survival, leave the plant babies attached to the long offshoots until they're at least 2 inches long or have at least five leaves. Another sign it's ready for cutting is it shows new growth.
Why do spider plants grow babies? The 'babies' you see growing from your spider plant are a form of reproductive growth from which a new spider plant can develop, and are a sign your plant is happy and healthy.
A: You can leave spider plant babies on the parent for some time if there are just a few of them. Ensure to water and feed the mother plant sufficiently. But if the number increases rapidly, it's best to trim them off when the offshoots start developing nodes and leaves.
When well-cared for, these plants can live anywhere from 20-50 years! Ready for this? The typical lifespan of a chlorophytum comosum vittatum or chlorophytum comosum variegatum, the two most common varieties, is around 20 years.
Propagating a spider plant in soil is the easiest and quickest method. Plus, it usually produces stronger roots as they weren't sitting in water prior to being transplanted. Some plantlets may have small roots starting to develop, meaning they are more mature and will develop root systems sooner, says Langelo.
How often should I water my spider plant? A light drink every week or so is all your spider plant needs, watering less frequently in autumn and winter. You're just looking to dampen the compost. A good way to check if it needs watering is to dip your finger into the soil, up to the second knuckle.
A spider plant likes bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight as it has the potential to scorch the leaves. Spider plants will grow in low light, but they'll grow slowly and may not produce plantlets. In low light, striped spider plant leaves may lose their variegation.
The humidity is too low.
If the air around a spider plant gets too dry, its leaf tips can dry out and turn brown. Spider plants are tropical plants that need 50% to 60% humidity. You may naturally have this much humidity in your home during the summer, but in winter, indoor humidity levels tend to drop.
Since Spider Plants enjoy being a bit root-bound, it can be easy to miss if they overgrow their pot and start blocking drain holes. Pay close attention because if your plant's roots don't allow for proper drainage, the roots will sit in excess water and rot.
The main reason for removing spider babies is to propagate new plants to enjoy or share. Removing the plantlets also reduces the demand for nutrition and moisture from the mother. The primary specimen uses the remaining nutrients to support its regular processes and to continue growing and reproducing.
Find baby spider plants growing from the tips of the mother plant's stems. Just make sure the baby plants have knob-like protrusions growing at their base. Then, cut off the baby plants about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the base of the stem using clean scissors or shears. Dampen a paper towel and lay it inside a bowl.
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.
Water thoroughly and discard of any excess water in the saucer. Your Spider Plant will do well in normal household humidity but will thrive with a bit more humidity. Brown leaf tips may indicate the air is too dry, so mist your Spider Plant regularly using a Mister. Your plant prefers temperatures between 60–80° F.
Low humidity, excessively dry soil, salt accumulation and/or chemicals, particularly fluoride or chlorine, in tap water may cause brown leaf tips.
Spider plants produce babies on long stems called runners. They only do this when they are mature and conditions are right. They generally have to be a year or more old. The baby spider plants are a form of asexual reproduction: so they don't need another plant to produce mini replicas of themselves.
Planting spiderettes in potting soil is the easiest and quickest way to propagate spider plant babies. However, if you like, you can stick the spiderette in a glass of water for a week or two, then plant the rooted spiderette in a pot of soil.
You know your spider plant is thriving when new long, viney stems emerge from the centre of the plant for baby plants (or spidettes) to grow on. Spider plant babies are so easy to grow; you just need to cut the spidettes off from the stem and pot them in damp compost.
You can make your spider plant bushier by pruning it regularly. To do so, firstly, prepare your sharp scissors or pruning shears by sterilizing them. When you're ready to trim, cut the fronds at the base, at a 45° angle.