A Practical Guide on How to Grow and Nurture a Spider Plant Properly

Houseplants make a great addition and actually improve the look of the interiors. There are many species of indoor plants that can be grown in pots and kept in any corner of the room. Some of the ornamental plants are such that they can thrive indoors as well as outdoors. The spider plant, whose botanical name is Chlorophytum comosum is a popular indoor as well as outdoor plant and is so named because of its many leaves that spread in different directions. This plant is grown indoors since it is believed to reduce the amount of indoor air pollution. You can also display this as hanging plants in the portico. The characteristic feature of this plant is the yellowish-white bands which can be seen in the middle of each leaf. Hardy in nature, spider plants can be grown quite easily and are low maintenance. You don't have to be a person with green fingers to grow spider plants, a novice can do as well as an expert. In the following paragraphs we will take a look at the ways to grow a spider plant properly.

How to Grow a Spider Plant from Cuttings

Spider plant propagation can be done from saplings and even from cuttings. The fully mature plants produce spiderettes which are baby plants growing from flowers. In whatever way you grow the plants, make sure that you provide them with good potting soil and fertilizer so that they flourish without any problems. Here are some of the guidelines for growing spider plants, from shoots as well as from grafts.

• Always remember that roots are an important component for growing spider plants. If you are planning to grow a spider plant from its grafts, then you have to see that it has proper and well-developed roots, so that the end result is a healthy plant.
• For the formation of roots, place the plant cutting in a jar of water. Make sure that the stalk is submerged in water, leaving the top of the plant above water. For this purpose you can use a narrow necked glass jar, where only the stalk is submerged.
• Allow the plant to stay in the jar for a few weeks till you notice tiny, white colored hairlike outgrowths at the end of the stalk. These are the roots of the spider plant. Let the jar stand for a couple of days till the roots develop completely.
• Now remove the developed plants from the jar and allow water to drain from the roots. Meanwhile prepare a pot with well drained soil, compost and place the sapling in it. Cover the roots with soil and mist with water. Make sure that you do not make the soil soggy, lest it leads to the rotting of the roots and plant, as a whole.
• Place the pot in an area where it will receive bright, yet, indirect light. The temperature of the room should also be cooler, near about 50 to 60 degrees for the plant to have healthy growth. Water them only when you notice the soil is dry. Liquid houseplant fertilizer can be added to the soil once in a month, especially during summers.
• Once the plant begins to take root, you will notice the stems growing stronger. Transfer the pot to the window sill, so that the plant receives ample amounts of indirect sunlight. Pruning the plant on a routine basis will ensure the proper growth and development of the plant. Discard the old leaves from the plant for fresh new plantlets.

With proper spider plant care techniques, you can have a healthy plant in every room of your house, if you wish. And if you are planting it outdoors, you can have an entire corner of your garden dedicated to this exquisite plant.