How to grow spider plant

What it needs

Light

Bright indirect light. Direct sun scorches the leaf tips.

Water

Keep lightly moist in summer, drier in winter.

Soil

Ordinary multipurpose compost.

Temperature

13-27C.

Container

A 15cm pot. They flower and produce plantlets more freely when slightly pot-bound.

Time to harvest

Not harvested. Plantlets appear from about a year old.

Best season to start

Year-round — a houseplant that grows steadily whenever it is warm and light.

Step by step

1. 1

   Day 0

   Pot it up

   Ordinary compost, pot with drainage. Nothing special required.

2. 2

   Day 0

   Find bright indirect light

   Near a window but out of direct sun is ideal.

3. 3

   Ongoing

   Water and feed lightly

   Keep lightly moist through the growing season and feed monthly in spring and summer.

4. 4

   From year 1

   Pot the plantlets

   When a plantlet has small root nubs, pin it onto a pot of compost while still attached. Cut it free once rooted.

What usually goes wrong

• Brown, crispy leaf tips

  Cause: Usually fluoride and chlorine in tap water, sometimes dry air. Very common and mostly cosmetic.

  Fix: Use rainwater or water left to stand overnight. Trim the brown tips off with scissors if it bothers you.

• Pale, washed-out leaves

  Cause: Too much direct sun.

  Fix: Move back from the window into bright indirect light.