What to Do When Spider Plant Leaf Tips Turn Brown and Dry? A Complete Guide to Prevention and Treatment
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) has fresh green leaves shaped like orchid leaves, fresh and elegant, and is a common and beloved household foliage plant. It also has the unique effect of purifying indoor air, bringing people even greater benefits, which is one of the important reasons people like to grow it indoors.
Spider plant is called the "air plant," and it truly lives up to the name: those stolons extending from the leaf axils, both firm and soft, hang down and outward from the rim of the pot, reaching several feet in length, with each stolon tip bearing new plantlets of various sizes, fresh green as if washed, gently swaying in the wind. If the pot is hung under a beam, under the eaves, in front of an indoor window, beside a door, or placed on a balcony or railing, it can create a delightful contrast with other potted flowers above and below. Viewed from a distance, those swaying clusters of new plantlets look very much like cranes spreading their wings, grandly evoking the feeling of riding the wind through the void, all the more indescribably wonderful.
When spider plants are grown in pots at home, under ordinary conditions they often develop dry leaf tips and leaves that gradually lose their luster. To care for spider plants properly, the following measures should be taken.
Repotting and soil replacement: In managing potted spider plants, to achieve lush stems and leaves, the soil should be changed and the pot replaced once every year in March. If the pot is relatively deep and the base fertilizer is sufficient, repotting can be done once every two years. When repotting, knock the plant out of the pot, cut off dead and rotted roots and excess roots, replace with new culture soil rich in humus, and apply livestock hoof and horn pieces or rotted cake fertilizer as base fertilizer. After planting, place it in a semi-shady, warm spot to recover. The optimum growth temperature for spider plant is around 25°C. Once the plant has recovered and resumed vigorous growth, hang the pot under a corridor eaves or in a suitable indoor position. Generally, the height should be such that it does not bump the head, and attention should be paid to ventilation.
Proper lighting: Spider plant prefers a semi-shady environment. In spring and autumn, avoid direct strong sunlight; in summer, when sunlight is especially intense, it should only receive some slanted light in the morning and evening, and 50%-70% of sunlight should be blocked during the day, otherwise the leaf tips will dry out. Variegated varieties are especially afraid of strong sunlight; the golden-edged spider plant grows more beautifully in weak light, with the yellow edges more pronounced and the leaves more glossy. But in winter it should receive more sunlight to keep the leaves tender and fresh green. Potted spider plants at home should be placed in front of a south-facing window, otherwise the leaves will lose their luster or even wither.
Appropriate fertilizing: Spider plant is a foliage plant that is relatively tolerant of fertilizer. If fertilizer and water are insufficient, it easily becomes scorched and aged, with yellowing leaves, losing its ornamental value. From late spring to early autumn, apply organic fertilizer solution once every 7-10 days, but for variegated varieties such as golden-edged and golden-centered spider plants, less nitrogen fertilizer should be applied to avoid the variegation fading or even disappearing, which would affect their appearance. Bone meal, eggshells and other composted organic fertilizers can be appropriately applied; after full fermentation, take an appropriate amount of diluted liquid and apply it once every 10-15 days to make the variegated leaves bright and vivid.
Proper watering: Spider plant prefers a humid environment, and the pot soil should be kept moist regularly. In summer, watering should be plentiful, and around noon and in the evening, water should also be sprayed on the branches and leaves to prevent the leaves from drying out. Indoor areas often have a lot of dust; if a lot of dust accumulates on the spider plant, it not only affects its growth but also diminishes the fresh, bright appearance of the branches and leaves, so the branches and leaves should be sprayed and washed frequently to keep them bright and beautiful. Dead and yellow leaves at the bottom should be removed at any time, and normal humidity should be maintained at ordinary times; it should not be too dry, nor too wet.