How should spider plants be pruned? Mastering the correct method is key

The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is one of the most traditional hanging houseplants, and it grows very quickly. Some plant lovers have spider plants that grow so lushly that the pot is almost bursting apart, with many roots reaching down to the bottom of the pot. But many plant lovers do not want their spider plants to grow too large, so how should you prune a spider plant to make it look better and grow better? Let us take a look together at how to prune spider plants properly!

How should spider plants be pruned?

1. When pruning a spider plant, cut off the dead branches and yellow leaves on the outer edge, and also cut off the scorched parts at the leaf tips.

2. When pruning a spider plant, do not cut straight across; cut at an angle. It is best to make one angled cut on each side, which will look more natural.

3. Spider plants should have yellow leaves cut off at any time, and can be repotted once every year in March, cutting off old roots, rotten roots and excess fibrous roots.

4. In early to mid-May, cutting off some of the old leaves of a spider plant will encourage it to sprout more new leaves and small spider plantlets.

How do spider plants propagate?

1. Cuttings: Spider plant cuttings can be taken at any time from spring to autumn. Cut off the clustered stems and leaves on the stolons and plant them directly into a flower pot, water thoroughly and place in a shady spot for care. When taking cuttings, do not bury them too deep, otherwise the center is prone to rot. The number of cuttings depends on the size of the pot; generally 2 to 3 in a small pot, 3 in a medium pot, and up to 5 to 6 in a large pot.

2. Division: When dividing a spider plant, you can lift the plant out of the pot, remove the old soil and rotten roots, cut apart the old roots so that each divided plant retains three stems, and then transplant and grow them separately. You can also cut off the clustered stems and leaves on the stolons of the spider plant and plant them directly into a flower pot for cultivation.

3. Sowing: Seed propagation of spider plants can be carried out every year in March. Because the seeds are not large, after sowing the covering soil should not be thick, generally 0.5 cm is enough. At a temperature of 15°C, they will sprout in about 2 weeks. After the seedlings take shape, transplant and grow them. When seed propagation is used for varieties with leaf variegation, the offspring will revert to an all-green variety.

How are spider plants grown?

1. Light: Spider plants prefer a semi-shady environment and are very sensitive to light. In summer and autumn, direct sunlight will cause the leaves to wither and yellow, or even kill the whole plant. In winter, since the sunlight is not strong, the spider plant can be given some direct sunlight.

2. Temperature: Spider plants prefer a warm and humid climate, and cannot tolerate severe cold or intense heat. The optimum growing temperature is 15 to 25°C, and the winter room temperature must not be lower than 5°C. During hot periods, avoid direct strong light; when it is cold and cool, it is better to give more sunlight.

3. Watering: Spider plants like water and have fairly strong drought resistance. From March to September, during the peak growing period, they need a large amount of water, so water and mist frequently to keep the potting soil completely moist. During the winter dormant period, water only after the top roughly 1 cm of potting soil has dried.

4. Fertilizing: Spider plants are fairly tolerant of fertilizer. Insufficient fertilizer and water can easily cause the tips to scorch and the plant to age, with leaves turning yellow and losing their ornamental value. For spider plants that have begun to grow small plantlets, apply a nitrogen fertilizer once every half month; well-growing spider plants can also go without fertilizing.

5. Soil: Spider plants are best grown in loose, fertile sandy loam soil, which should contain humus and have strong permeability. For pot cultivation, you can use equal parts of leaf mold or peat soil, garden soil and river sand, mixed with a small amount of base fertilizer as the growing medium.

6. Repotting: Spider plants should be repotted once every year in March. If the pot is relatively deep and the base fertilizer is sufficient, they can be repotted once every two years. When repotting, knock the plant out of the pot, cut off the withered and rotten roots and excess roots, replace with new growing soil and apply sufficient base fertilizer.

7. Pests and diseases: Spider plants generally are not prone to pests and diseases. When problems occur, they are usually root rot and root decay caused by waterlogged potting soil and poor ventilation, and should be treated promptly by spraying. When the plant clump is dense and ventilation is poor, it is susceptible to scale insect damage, so prevention should be the priority.

8. Pruning: Spider plants should have yellow leaves cut off at any time, and can be repotted once every year in March, cutting off old roots, rotten roots and excess fibrous roots. In early to mid-May, cutting off some of the old leaves of the spider plant will encourage it to sprout more new leaves and small spider plantlets.