Have you wanted to propagate a Spider Plant but were afraid to try? Fear not – propagating Spider Plants may seem intimidating, but I promise to take you through all the steps (there aren’t many) to successfully grow a healthy rooted Spider Plant!
Do you have a Spider Plant that you love, but it’s getting a little too large for its pot? Or maybe you want to share your spider plant with a friend? Propagating spider plants is easy and can be done in just a few simple steps! This blog post will cover everything you need to know about propagating mature spider plants, so read on for all the information you need to start making baby spider plants!
About the Spider Plant
Scientific Name: Chlorophytum comosum
Common Name: Spider Plant
Spider plants are very popular houseplants. The Spider Plant, Chlorophytum comosum, is a hardy perennial native to Africa. It thrives in warm climates and does best when planted in partial sunlight. The spider plant gets its common name from how its leaves grow – they are long and thin with small “spider-like” extensions. Spider plants do occasionally develop small white flowers at the ends of their long arching stems.
Read more at Gardening Know How: Does A Spider Plant Flower: My Spider Plant Is Growing Flowers https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/spider-plant/spider-plant-flowers.htm
Spider Plants are easy to care for and propagate, making them a great choice for beginner gardeners or those who want a low-maintenance houseplant. They can be used as indoor plants or outdoor plants and are great for container gardens or smaller pots.
Where can I buy a Spider Plant?
You will need a parent plant to propagate little babies from.
- Etsy (check the reviews and comments to find the best Etsy Houseplant Shops )
- Amazon: Bonnie Curly Spider Plant
Pro Tip: Beyond the handmade goods, you can also purchase plenty of plants on Etsy! I like to buy houseplants from Etsy because the reviews are honest and include plenty of photos to help me make the right choice. Many shops have insanely high ratings, which also makes me feel confident that my houseplant will arrive healthily.
How Do You Propagate a Spider Plant?
There are three popular ways to propagate your spider plant to create a full-grown healthy plant.
3 Ways to Propagate a Spider Plant from Mature Plants:
- Propagate spider plant cuttings in water.
- Plant spider plant cuttings directly in the soil.
- Root spider plant pups from the main plant in the soil while still attached to the mother plant.
What You Need To Propagate a Spider Plant
Before propagating your Spider Plant at home, you must gather all the appropriate tools and materials. Here are some of what you need to propagate a new spider plant:
- A Healthy Mature Spider Plant with a Spider Plant Babies
- Sterilized Sharp Knife or Plant Scissors
- Clean and Chemical-free Water
- Sterilized jars to hold the water; the size is up to your discretion
- Optional: Rooting Hormone
- A couple of weeks
There are other additional or optional items that you may require, depending on the propagation method you will be using.
How to Prepare Cuttings for Spider Plant Propagation
Regardless of the propagation method you want to use, you will start with cutting. The process should be meticulous in increasing your chances of growing a healthy Spider Plant. Here are the steps to help you make a clean cut:
- Sterilize the tool you choose to use for cutting and ensure it is sharp enough.
- Check and identify the parent spider plant’s mature parts with a root node or aerial root.
- Make a clean cut without interfering with any part, such as the root node. It includes the necessary cells to grow new stems, roots, and leaves.
- (Optional) Dip the clean edge of the fresh cutting into your chosen rooting hormone. Although some people swear the synthetic auxins in rooting hormones make their plants stronger, it is rarely considered essential for propagation.
Propagate Spider Plant Cuttings in Water
Propagating your spider plant in the water allows you to let your new plant roots grow in water first, then transfer them to the soil. The process is pretty simple.
Here is an outline of the steps to follow:
- First, look for a spider plant baby with little nubs. These nubs are what will create the new roots.
- Cut your baby spider plant effectively using the technique provided above.
- Fill your sterilized jar with clean tap water. Measure the volume of water according to the size of your cut and ensure the water covers only the roots.
- Place the fresh cutting upright in the filled jar.
- Place the jar in a spot anywhere in the house exposed to plenty of bright indirect light.
- Monitor your plant regularly and keep changing the water in the jar every week or so.
- After the spider plantlets grow about an inch or two, transfer them to a smaller pot containing well-drained soil.
- Resume regular care when the plant gets settled in.
Plant Spider Babies Cuttings Directly In Soil
This is probably the simplest way to propagate spider plants. It involves cutting each plant carefully and directly putting it down in moist soil contained in a pot of your own. The method is relatively slow, and it will take a little longer for the little plant to settle in, show the growth process, and grow new roots. However, this should be the least of your worries.
The plant will start growing from its roots first. Therefore, the soil should remain moist but not too wet until leaves develop.
The steps to follow are:
- Chose a pot with proper drainage holes and fill it with a potting mix of your choice. Saturate the soil enough with water and ensure there is good drainage
- Prepare the cut properly
- Plant the stem in the soil without burying the leaves.
- Place the pot in an accessible place with indirect light.
- The plant will grow roots after a few weeks and requires regular maintenance. You will not believe how fast a strong root system will grow. After a few months you will have to repot your plant into a larger pot.
Root Spider Plant Cuttings in Soil While Still Attached To the Mother Plant
When you think of it, growing your baby plantlets attached to the mother is like how they grow in their natural habitat. The mother is responsible for pushing the long stems and developing her babies all around. The babies that hang down will come into contact with soil and root next to their mother.
In this way, the spider plant gets strength from its oil and, simultaneously, gets cared for by the mother. Then, when the baby starts showing growth, cut it away from the plant parent.
You can mimic the same natural process using the following steps:
- First, carefully cut your baby plants loose
- Fill a pot with soil and place the mother plant in it.
- Put the baby spider plant next to the mother plant, and for best results, don’t pot it too deeply, allowing its starter roots to touch the soil.
FAQS
How long does it take to propagate a Spider Plant in water?
It takes about a month for the roots to grow long enough that you can put them in the soil or growing medium.
How do I know when my Spider Plant is ready for planting?
You will need to wait until your plant has at least one inch of roots before repotting it. Only then is it ready for the soil or splitting off from its mother plant and transferred into new soil on its own (without any additional watering)?
This could be between three weeks and four months, depending on how fast it grows in your region! Again, the key is patience; if there isn’t enough root growth, the cutting will not survive on its own.
What is a rooting hormone for plants?
Rooting hormone is a substance used by gardeners when propagating cuttings to help the new plant develop roots faster and more reliably than without them.
How do I use rooting hormone for plants?
You need to dip the end of each cutting into a rooting hormone before inserting them into their soil mix or water so that nutrients are readily available.
What is plant propagation?
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from existing ones. This can be done in several ways: from seed, by division, or from cuttings. The most common method of propagating houseplants is by taking stem cuttings.
Where is the best place to put my propagated plant?
Your propagated plant should be placed in a location that receives bright indirect sunlight. Keep your new plants out of direct sunlight. Too much sun can damage the leaves of your new plant.
What should I do if my propagated plant starts to wilt?
If your propagated plant starts to wilt, likely, it is not getting enough water.
Are Spider Plants toxic to dogs?
According to the ASPCA and the National Capital Poison Center, aka Poison Control, Spider plants are non-toxic to cats and dogs. I have a post about Safe Houseplants for Pets HERE.
Why does my Spider Plant have brown tips?
Overwatering or underwatering your Spider Plant is a common cause of browning tips on new leaves.
Thank you for your information on propagation of a Spider Plant! I got this!
Yay!! Best of luck! I be-leaf in you!!!
Hello, can you please tell me how to propagate a String of Dolphins plant? Mine is dying for some reason and I’m trying to save it !!! Thank you!!!
Hi!!! I don’t have a post for that yet, but I will write one this week!! In the meantime, you can read this one >> https://housefur.com/the-simplicity-of-propagating-your-string-of-pearls-houseplant/