Spider plant

[roseycheeks]

I went to a garage sale this last summer and found a lady who had two spider plants, I have never had one before and thought I would try to grow it. So I have had it for at least 4 months and it does not seem to have grown any, it looks healthy, no brown spots on the leaves or anything it just has not grown much. Do they slow down in the winter? I try not to water too much but I don't want to kill it by not watering it enough. Has anyone on this page had any and if so were they successful in getting it to grow fast? I have it under the grow light now, I want to keep it where I can watch it and the computer desk is right at eye level with the plant. Any advice would be helpful, trying to get my hubby to get me a Christmas cactus, but not successful yet, may have to take a little more nudging!

[ButterflyLady29]

Did you repot it after you bought it? How big is the plant and how big is the pot? Does it have any babies hanging from it?

I had several spider plants years ago. I keep thinking about getting another but haven't yet. Mine were hanging in a south facing window and lived quite a while until I got some bad potting soil and had some health issues.

This site has some good info:
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/housepl ... plants.htm

I can say that they really don't like softened water. Softened water is very bad for most plants. Spider plants also don't like chlorinated water. If you can collect rain water they do much better with that than any other water.

As for the Christmas cactus, wait until after Christmas. Most stores will have them marked down to half price or less. They will either be done flowering for the year or close to it but half price is still half price.

[PaulF]

All good advise for indoor plants. Important part is DO NOT OVERWATER. Concerning treated water: the chlorine will dissipate in a short time if you put tap water into a bucket. Then water from the bucket of water. It will also be room temperature which plants like. We have used softened water for decades with no adverse reaction from our houseplants. So very little salt is carried over from the softening process that at least our plants do not notice, but maybe be more safe than sorry.

[imafan26]

Spider plants grow like weeds here. My water is not hard. It is chlorinated, but not very strong so it is not noticeable after it goes through the charcoal filters. It is a variegated plant so it needs good light, but not usually direct sun. It likes to be kept evenly moist but do not over water. If it was recently divided just before you bought it, then it is probably growing out the roots first. If the top is healthy it just needs more time. You can feed it with 1/4 strength miracle grow weekly. I live in a warmer zone so it may grow faster for me because of that, it may grow faster after the roots tighten up and when it is warmer.

[roseycheeks]

It is fairly small, no babies yet, I took a picture to show you the size of the plant and pot. There are several new shoots, stems, whatever you call them coming up.

The pot does have drainage holes.

[applestar]

I think it sounds like this garage sale lady just clipped off the babies (unrooted) from her plants and stuck them in pots?

I assume you uppotted them in your new container -- did they have tender fleshy white roots or did they look like hard tentacles?

If my suspicion is correct, then they took a while to actually grow soil-roots in your pot. The babies set down roots much easier and quicker/stronger when they are still umbilically attached to the mother plant (the process is a lot like strawberry plants).

It's possible the conditions you had this baby in wasn't the ideal for growing roots -- lower humidity, not quite sufficient water, too much sun, etc.

So if your plant is growing new leaves and shoots now, I'm guessing it's finally established and you should see it take off. It's a foliage plant so give it 1/4 or 1/2 strength fertilizer that is higher in N (first number). Or you could do what I do for my favorite plants and water it with any leftover beverage (coffee, milk, juice) diluted with filtered water (swish to rinse your cup/mug/glass and water)

...I can't grow spider plants -- I think I mentioned before somewhere that ever since I brought my first kitten home, spider plants were doomed. Last and FINAL time I tried, one kitty was teetering on the edge of a deep octagonal aquarium to reach the hanging spider plant babies and managed to push aside the glass 1/2 cover and nearly fell in WITH the AQUARIUM LIGHT. The spider plant was evicted and sent away to my Mom's soon after.

(... But...but! My babies and I didn't DO anything! We were just HANGING AROUND!!!)

[catgrass]

Your plant is way too small to be making babies, yet. It will fill that pot before it sends out a runner. I root them all the time-just put in a pot with soil and water lightly. Yes, they do slow down in winter. Some of the leaves will turn brown/black. Just snip them off and don't overwater. Bright light is ok, but no sun, and not dark, either. An extremely easy plant to grow if you don't overwater.

[imafan26]

Apple, I don't have any plants in the house and I have a living Christmas tree, aka, my rosemary or stone pine outside my front window. Cats like to dig up the plants. The cats I have now are not as bad. I can keep the orchid seedlings I bring home from the meetings in the house overnight and they are for the most part leaving them alone. But, I am not tempting fate or picking up any more christmas trees from the floor.