Spider plants share themselves generously. A healthy plant sends out long stems with baby plants at the ends, and each one can become a new plant for your home or a friend’s. It’s one of the easiest ways to start propagating.
What you’ll need
- A healthy spider plant with babies (plantlets) on its runners
- Clean scissors
- A small glass of water, or a small pot of light potting mix
- A bright spot out of hot direct sun
1. Choose a plantlet
Look for babies with small roots (or root bumps) starting at the base. Plantlets that are a few inches across root fastest.
2. Root it in water or soil
- In water: snip the plantlet from the runner and set its base in a glass of water, keeping the leaves dry. Change the water every few days. Roots usually grow within one to two weeks.
- In soil: press the base of the plantlet into a small pot of moist potting mix. Keep the soil lightly damp while roots form.
3. Or let the mother plant help
Set a small pot of soil next to the mother plant and rest the plantlet on it, still attached to the runner. Once it’s rooted, usually in a couple of weeks, snip the runner. The mother plant feeds the baby while it settles in.
4. Pot it up
When water-rooted plantlets have roots about an inch or two long, plant them in a small pot with drainage holes and keep the soil lightly moist for the first few weeks.
5. Care for your new plant
Bright, indirect light and watering when the top of the soil feels dry will keep it happy. Before long, it will send out babies of its own.
Spider plants are generally considered safe for cats and dogs, which makes them a lovely gift. Want to watch propagation step by step? It’s part of the Plant Club.
