How to Grow Spider Plants

Spider plants are extremely easy to grow, making them the perfect houseplant for beginners, frequent travelers, absent-minded individuals, college students, and, well, just about anyone. Their name refers to the tiny plantlets dangling from wiry stems that resemble spiders floating on a bit of web. Whole plants are composed of loose rosettes of leaves that grow from fleshy underground tubers. Common leaf colors include solid light green and variegated dark green with a white center stripe.

Grow spider plants indoors in bright, indirect light. Most types tolerate fairly low light conditions, but plants will grow faster if given more light. Keep out of direct sunlight, though, as they can cause the foliage to scorch. Gardeners living in zones 10-12 can grow spider plants outside as groundcovers, in partial to full shade locations.

Spider plants are excellent for growing in hanging baskets because of their fountain-like habit and trailing plantlets. Select a container that is no more than one-third larger than the root ball of your plant. Fill the container one-third of the way with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix, which is designed to be less prone to gnats (it contains no compost or bark to shelter them), a common issue with spider plants. The mix also contains coconut coir, which holds and releases water to help maintain even moisture.

Place the plant in the container so that the top of the root ball is about 3/4 to 1 inch below the top of the container. That will leave space to water the plant without the water running over the sides of the pot. Fill in around the root ball. Thoroughly water the plant and let it drain, then move to its permanent location in the house.

Every few days, check the moisture level in the potting mix by sticking your finger into it. Water spider plants when the top inch of soil is dry, aiming the stream of water at the base of the plant, not the leaves.

Beginning a month after planting, feed spider plants with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food according to label directions. This will supply your plants with instant nutrition. Apply directly to the soil and water as normal.

Mature spider plants will also produce plantlets (baby plants) at their end of long, stiff stems. Simply cut off the small plant, stick it in a small pot of moist Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix, and water gently.