Lifestyle

Spider Plant Care: Simple Guide for Beginners

Here’s a detailed, easy-to-follow care guide for your spider plant (the lovely one that often has long, arching leaves

By Felix Pembroke

October 20, 2025

Here’s a detailed, easy-to-follow care guide for your spider plant (the lovely one that often has long, arching leaves and baby plantlets).

Why it’s a good plant to have

It’s very forgiving — this plant is known for being one of the easier houseplants to care for.
It looks good: the long leaves and drooping little “babies” (plantlets) add charm to a shelf or hanging basket.
It’s safe for pets and people — you don’t have to worry much about toxicity.
It adapts well to indoor life and can survive a little neglect.

Choose a spot with bright, indirect light. A place where sunlight comes in but isn’t directly hitting the leaves works best.
It tolerates lower light levels too — though growth may slow.
Avoid placing it in strong, direct midday sun (especially if coming through glass) because that can scorch the leaves.

Let the top part of the soil dry out a bit before watering again. A good rule: when the top ~1-2 inches feel dry, it’s time to water.
When you water, give it a good soak, so water drains out of the pot’s holes. Then empty any excess water from the saucer.
In cooler or darker periods (winter or low light) you’ll need to water less often.
Don’t let the soil stay soggy for long — this can lead to root trouble.

Use a regular indoor potting mix that drains well.
Ensure the pot has drainage holes so excess water can escape.
The plant doesn’t need a huge pot — in fact, being a little root-bound is okay (it may even encourage more baby plantlets).
Consider repotting every 2-3 years (or when you see lots of roots coming out) to refresh the soil and give more space.

Normal room temperatures (roughly 15-27°C / 60-80°F) suit it well.
Avoid placing it right next to heating/cooling vents or drafty windows because sudden temperature changes can stress it.
Moderate humidity is fine. If your indoor air is very dry (especially in winter), the leaf tips may brown — misting or grouping plants can help.

During the growing season (spring and summer) you can feed it about once a month with a general-purpose houseplant fertiliser (diluted).
In the fall and winter you can reduce or skip fertilising since growth slows.
Avoid over-fertilising: too much can lead to brown tips or fewer plantlets.

Issue	What might be wrong	What you can do
Leaf tips turning brown	Possible causes: dry air, tap water with lots of salts/minerals, too much direct sun, too much fertiliser	Trim the brown tips (just the brown part), use filtered/rain water, move plant away from strong sun, reduce fertiliser.
Leaves yellowing or pale	Could be low light, too much water, or old leaves	Move to brighter spot without direct sun, check soil moisture, ensure drainage is good, remove older foliage.
Plant not producing baby plantlets	Maybe too much space (pot very large), too little light, or too much fertiliser	Try a slightly smaller pot, ensure good indirect light, cut back on fertiliser.
Soil stays very wet, plant seems limp or dying	Overwatering or poor drainage	Let soil dry out a bit, check that pot drains well, consider repotting into fresh mix.

You’ll see little “baby plants” (plantlets) growing on long stems from the main plant.
Wait until you see small roots forming on the baby.
You can either:
- Leave the baby attached to the main plant, place its root-end on moist soil, let it root, then cut it off; or
- Cut the baby off once it has roots and plant it directly into a new small pot of moist soil.
Keep the new plantlet in bright, indirect light and keep soil slightly moist until it’s established.