How can I be a good parent for my spider plant?

I have never had a plant before, just a cat. Cats are so much easier to care for; botany is more of a mystery to me. I followed a great link from another ? like this on YA, but it raised some other ?s: How do I know if Carol (named after the friend who gave her to me) is in a period of active growth? She's so subtle, I can't tell. Also, how can I tell if she wants a bigger pot to live in? The site says to move her before her roots split the pot so do I get her an x-ray or something? The pot is plastic %26amp; shows no signs of strain. Or maybe I'm just not cut out for this flora parenting thing, I just want Carol to be happy. Not sure if this matters, but she's an inside plant.

How can I be a good parent for my spider plant?
Spider plants are super easy to care for. Just place near a window that gets plenty of light, water (until the soil is damp throughout, and water again when the soil becomes dry, but not cracking dry.) Periodically (every few months) check the underside of the container, looking for roots. When you see roots begin to poke out of the holes in the bottom of the container, it's time to transplant to a larger container. If the leaves begin to yellow, you're watering too much. If the leaves turn brown and dry out, you're not watering enough. If the leaves droop or wilt, it's either not getting enough light, or it needs better soil, or more room to grow. Spider plants don't need fertilizer. But, if you want to see it get excited into a growth spurt, give it a mild dose of Miracle Grow.
Reply:woops, sorry, that's "Pescador". Report It

Reply:Spider plants, or, Chlorophytum comosum, are one of the most common of houseplants. Spider plants are easy to grow and also very easy to propagate, or reproduce. If you take proper care of your plants, and propagate them, you will soon have a house full of spider plants and your friends and relatives will too. Spider plants reproduce like bunnies when they are given the right conditions to grow in and when you know how to transfer the ‘babies’ from the mother plants, you will be able to get many individual plants from one.








Spider plants enjoy natural light, but not direct sunlight. You should place your plants near a window but not directly in them, this will cause browning of the leaves. The plants do well in cool rooms as long as there is enough light. You should keep your plants watered at least once a week and never soak the soil. If you find your spider plant’s leaves turning brown at the tips, this could be from the water you are using. Chemicals in water cause damage to spider plant leaves and you can remedy this by using distilled water.











If you keep your plants in proper condition, you will soon notice spider ‘babies’ forming on your spider plant. These babies look like little miniature spider plants suspended from a longer branch of the plant. In order to separate the baby from its main plant, place the baby on a pot of loose soil, making sure to hold it in place with a lightly tied piece of string or stake. The baby will take root in the pot of soil and once it’s roots are established, you can clip the baby from the main plant. You can also clip the baby from the main plant and place the bottom of it in a glass of water until roots begin to form, then plant the baby in soil or put them straight into the soil. These methods take longer and are not as healthy for the plant as the direct transplant into the soil while the plant is still attached to its mother.








Treat your plants with a bit of house plant fertilizer from time to time, using half of the recommended strength. Spider plants are sensitive and need only a bit of fertilizer to stay healthy. You can even do without the fertilizer if your plants are looking well. If you don’t want to grow separate plants from your main plant, you can leave the babies hanging, they will continue to grow and add beautiful lush branches to your plant. Put your spider plant in a hanging pot and you will have cascades of new plants in no time. Spider plants have been known to help condition air quality, so it is a great idea to have as many plants around as you can manage. Friends will appreciate your transplanted babies with which they can start their own spider plant farm.








Overall, spider plants are one of the easiest plants to grow and are excellent for beginning house plant enthusiasts. You can expect your plant to last forever with proper care and the new plants make wonderful gifts.
Reply:I love that you named her! Spiders thrive on neglect. They need to be rootbound to produce pups. (look at the bottom of the pot) Once she has pups plunk em in water, they'll grow happily there for years. Or just leave them on the mother plant. Fertilize monthly (miraclegro) water once a week. Tell Carol that Rill and Rivulette (grape leaf ivy plant sisters, sadly their mom River didn't survive a mean frost) send their green greetings.