Spider Plants

Spider Plants are an easy to care for house plant which will live in any environment but thrives in a sunny spot with lots of water.  Spider Plants can be hung as a hanging plant or placed on a high shelf.  They do not need plant food but will produce more babies if they are fed weekly.  The botanical name for Spider Plant is Chlorophytum comosum. 

To force the production of babies, keep the Spider Plant in its original pot until it is root bound.  Constrained roots alerts the plant to work on its survival by sending out future generations over the side of the pot.  These babies will continue to produce babies until they hit the floor.  Of course in the spider plants natural state this would the be the floor of the forest. 

Spider Plants are such prolific growers that after a few years you realize that you are about to be in the news with the following headline: 

Spider Plants take over home - occupants found living in car. 

That innocent, cute little spider plant that you brought home from the garden center in the hanging basket will soon take over every inch of space that you give them.  Innocently you will pick a few of the babies and place them into new pots.  Soon they will be as large as the parent plant and demanding just as much room. 

Place spider plants outdoors for a hot and humid summer to watch them really grow!  Always bring them in before the first frost.  The leaves turn to mush at the first touch of cold weather or frost.

Look for upcoming blog posts that will detail nine specific varieties of Spider Plants.  Compare your Spider Plants to the pictures in the upcoming posts to determine the name of the variety that you have.