Spider plant is scientifically known as feng shui plant primarily because of its air-purifying properties. It has an elegant gorgeous appearance, yet it demands minimal care.
That explains why most people choose it as their house plant.
In the real world, it is super easy to grow it which even a novice can do when they have the right guide on spider plant propagation in the water.
Nonetheless, I will guide you on growing spider plants in the water among many other details on how to maintain them.
Spider Plant Propagation In Water
Propagating spider plants is simply transferring the spider plant spiderettes or the roots to create a new plantation or increase the houseplants’ collection. Let me explain!
As the spider plant grows, it produces new shoots known as spider plant babies or spiderittes.
If you are unwilling to incur an extra cost of purchasing spider plant seedlings to increase your large indoor houseplants, you can transfer the spider plant babies to make a new plantation.
This section will discuss the several techniques that you can apply to propagate a spider plant.
- Rooting Spider Plant Babies
Rooting the spider plants either in water or a chamber is among the most straightforward techniques of increasing the spider plants.
To root them in water, first cut off any leaves at the plant’s base. Submerging the plant with the leaves will cause them to rot, resulting in the plant’s death.
After, fill your vase with demineralized, which is only enough to cover the roots. Later place your plant in the vas and keep it in direct sunlight.
Growing the spider plant babies in a chamber is also a good technique of rooting the spider plants. The chamber provides optimum humidity levels that minimize the plant rooting risks.
To root a plant in a chamber, you require a mini greenhouse kit, propagation kit, or a DIY propagation box.
The rooting chamber requires a lighter soil mix of pumice, peat moss, or vermiculite because the regular soil is heavy for the chamber
- Transplanting The Plant Babies
Transplanting simply means planting spider plants in any location. To do that, you must first wait for the spider plants to grow roots.
Then you can move them to a pot with soil. It would be best if you regularly watered the pot. However, you need to be careful not to over-wet it.
- Propagating By Division
Lastly is propagating the spider plant by division. This technique is appropriate if your existing plants do not have offshoots yet.
However, you need to ensure that the plant to be divided has at least two clumps growing. Split the clumps leave one in the water, and propagate the other one to the new pot.
In case the plant’s roots are too strung, which is impossible to split with bare hands, you can consider using a sterile knife.
How To Grow Spider Plant In Water?
Spider plant does well in both soil and water. However, it cannot withstand intense sunny seasons.
For houseplants, it is always recommendable to plant the spider plant in water. How do you do that?.
You should first collect the spider plant babies. You can cut them from your existing plantation if any, or else you can opt to purchase from a nearby nursery.
I would recommend that you plant the spider plant babies in water for house plants.
Demineralized water is recommendable for planting spider plant babies or roots. However, for the tap water, let it settle for approximately 24 hours before inserting the plant in the container.
Fill the demineralized or any non-chlorinated in a jar and place the spider plant seedlings. After, the jar’s seedlings need to be in direct sunlight until their roots are well developed.
To top off, you should also consider regular changing of the water in the jar to prevent disease-causing organisms’ growth, which may result in the death of your plantation.
So simple, right?
Addedly, you will not require any fertilizer for the seedlings to grow. However, after, you may need it to supply the likely lacking nutrients or fasten the plant’s growth later.
When adding the fertilizer, you should remember to change the pot water every week. That prevents the salt from building up, which would destroy the plant.
Further, it would be best to have the leaves supported above the water.
Why?
In case the leaves are submerged in the water, it will result in rotting and later the plant’s death.
Pruning Spider Plant: The Right Way!
Spider plant foliage grows and makes excellent hanging leaves on the pot or the basket. If they exceed the basket height or your ideal height, you may need to prune them.
The spider grass is quite delicate; hence they need to be cut with care.
Pruning the spider plants gives them a more desirable height and rejuvenates their health and growth vigor
How do you prune the spider grass?
The needed tools for pruning the spider plant are sharp scissors and a disposal bag if you will not transplant them.
Start by pruning all the discolored, dead, and diseased foliage. Hold the scissors securely and cut the unwanted foliage’s on their base.
Be careful not to injure the other parts of the plant. Also, you can remove all the overgrown foliage.
After pruning the plant, you can also consider repotting the spider plant in water.
Repotting spider plants simply means moving them to a bigger pot if they have outgrown their previous pots.
Specifically, the roots of a spider plant grow fast, and they may find their way out by cracking the pot if repotting is not done soonest.
With that said, let us have an in-depth discussion on how to repot a spider plant.
First, remove the plant from its existing pot and empty the pot’s water. After, trim the roots of the plant carefully.
Then, fill the new vase with soil up to the ideal height. Later you can put the plant in the new larger pot. And that is it. You have just repotted your plant!
Next, you can wet the soil to provide moisture essential for plant growth. However, you should also ensure that the pot has a good drainage system.
Now, watch this video to learn propagation from the baby spider plants!
Why Should You Grow Spider Plants?
Before we dive right in, it would be best to look at the benefits of having spider grass as your houseplant.
- First, spider plants are also known as air purifying plants. Today, there is a higher increase in air pollution, which results in the inhalation of contaminated air. Needless to say, that has led to an increase in breathing-related problems. Consequently, having the spider plant is a good strategy for ensuring that your family has clean, breathing air.
- Secondly, this plant has a gorgeous appearance. It is an excellent houseplant that you can use to make the rooms livelier and improve their decor.
- Yet, this plant is super simple to grow and propagate. I will explain that later.
- Spider plants are easily accessible. They are grown in most nurseries as well as they produce the spiderittes in no time, which simplifies the propagation process.
- Lastly, this plant requires very minimal care and maintenance
Spider Plant Care
Spider plants have fewer maintenance demands, though they are pretty delicate. Hence, if they lack the needed care, they will quickly die.
To ensure that your plant lives for a longer period, observe the below tips.
- Do Not Use Mineralized Water
Spider plants require demineralized water. If you are using tap water, wait for at least 24 hours before using it. Otherwise, you can use the rainwater.
- Avoid Heavy Soil
The normal soil is heavy for the spiderrites. Hence, it is likely to inhibit their growth. Special types of lighter soils such as vermiculate are recommendable.
- Direct Sunlight
Just like any other plant, the spider plant requires sunlight for germination and growth. Consequently, when propagating them, you should place them in direct sunlight.
Nonetheless, you should note that the spider plant foliage cannot bear intense sunlight. Hence you should keep the plant at a room temperature of approximately 55 to 800 F.
- Prune And Repot
Should I cut off the spider plant babies? You are likely to be disturbed by that question if the plant is growing out of hand.
Pruning is essential for the well-being of a spider plant. It does remove not only the diseased plants but also rejuvenates the plant for more growth vigor.
Prune the plant using sharp scissors and ensure that you cut the foliage’s on their base.
- Keep The Soil Moist
Spider plants cannot withstand long periods of drought. Especially during the summer season, you will need to regularly water the soil.
However, you should avoid overwetting the soil or drill a few holes on the pot to drain the excess water.
- Fertilize
Yes! You need to add fertilizer to your houseplant to provide the essential growth nutrients and also quicken the growth of the plant
Conclusion
Spider plants have an eye-appealing appearance and less maintenance cost. Hence exceedingly recommendable as a houseplant.
If you are planning to have one in your house, you should know the spider plant propagation in the water and growth process.
If that is what you need to learn, this piece has all the details. It highlights the planting procedure and different techniques for propagating your plant.
Also, they are highlights on how to maintain and take care of the spider plant.
References:
- Nutritional compound analysis and morphological characterization of spider plant (Cleome gynandra) – an African indigenous leafy vegetable.
- Current knowledge and breeding perspectives for the spider plant (Cleome gynandra L.): a potential for enhanced breeding of the plant in Africa.
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