Hoping For The Best

Today, I did something I've never done before. My aunt gave me a neglected plant. She's been having health problems, and hasn't felt like working with her plants lately. She gave me a spider plant,,,the kind with solid green leaves. I had mentioned loving my verigated, and wishing I had a solid one. She told me she had one and I could have it. I was expecting some baby plants, but it was the whole thing. It was terribly out of shape, and the only way I saw to get it back, was to repot each little plant separately. Later I plan to put together in the same pot, but in a better shape, but for now, I have spider plant sections lining my porch rail.

I had to separate each section, by teasing the roots apart with my fingers, I planted the indivisual ones, but there were some that wouldn't separate. Instead of forcing them apart, I just potted them together. There were a couple of babies, that I potted up....so you see....I've had quite a day. I've never fooled with a plant's roots before, so I'm hoping I didn't do any permanant damage. I know that spiders are very strong, hardy plants, so maybe things with be fine. Time will tell...

I think they will be fine! I had one that I kept forgetting to water- on a neglected side of the house. Anyway, it pretty much died 2 or 3 times and I kept "brining it back to life." I would dump out the whole plant and cut off EVERYTHING. So I had a massive rootball and nothing else. Each time I had new growth sprout up from the roots. The third time I wanted two plants so I literally RIPPED it in half and stuck each half in it's own basket. I have 2 now and they are fine. So, not that I recommend what I did, but I think if I didn't kill mine you surely didn't kill yours! LOL!

You did fine. Spiderplants are a tough cookie.
:) Donna

They have the thickest roots, don't they? It was really quite interesting.

Thank you both. I feel better now. I really was as gentle as I could be, but I ended up shaking out almost all the soil from the roots to get them apart. it looked like when then baby plantlets came, they just rooted themselves wherever they landed, but over to the side a bit, was the main plant. I guess that's the part I couldn't separate. There were lots of broken blades, so I cut those off. I heard that plants will spend a lot of enery trying to repair themselves if a leaf is broken, but not quite severed. Is that true?

I have never heard it put that way, but it makes sense. I have just always heard you should remove any dying/yellowed leaves and broken leaves because the plant puts out energy for them which is useless. :)

the first time I repotted a spider plant the roots caught me by surprise and I threw it across the porch! I thought the roots were some kind of snake or worm or something. heh heh, live and learn.

Update...

When I was separting the spider plant into sections, a couple of pieces fell off. They had no leaves, but they still had very healthy looking roots, so just out of curiosity, I planted them. A couple of days ago, I noticed they're starting to grow leaves. Isn't the plant world amazing?

I don't know what it is with me and spider plants. I just love them. I have the solid green one that my aunt gave me (the subject of this thread), and I have a varigated one, made up of babies, sent to me from a very generous fellow member (thanks Staci). This is the variety that has leaves with a green middle and white around the edges. I love both of them, and can hardly wait for them to really fill out and produce plantlets.

Now if that wasn't enough, DH and I were looking through a local plant nursery for purple salvia. Didn't find any, but guess what I did find. None other than a spider plant. This one, I'd never seen before. It's varigated, but the leaves are white in the middle, and green around the edges. The opposite of the one I already have. The poor thing was sitting on the ground to the side, as if forgotten. It was terribly root bound, and over crowded, it even had weeds in it. Shameful. I think the owner was really suprized that someone was actually buying it. lol... but it had babies, and blooms on it, and over all pretty heathy. I just couldn't leave it behind. It was like a lost kitten, begging to be taken home. lol

I got it home, and pulled the weeds out of the soil. some of them were even growing up through the middle of them plant. Then my plan was to cut off all the damaged, discolored, or old leaves. As I was pulling one up to be cut, it just pulled right out. I was surprised, because I didn't pull very hard at all. Then I got this wild idea...I went through the whole thing giving each leave a gentle tug. If it pulled out easily, I discarded it, if no, I left it. I then, repotted it into a new hanging basket (it was so root bound that it stood up by itself lol), and you wouldn't believe the difference. Here is a photo of my new baby. I sure wish I'd taken a before picture so you could see the difference, but I just did everything, figuring it out as I went along, not know the results would be so dramatic. So now I have three spider plants.....lol

Wow! Looks very healthy and "balanced." They often look really lopsided for a while when you find one in bad shape and doctor it up. I have one dying in my living room right now- you reminded me to go home tonight and put some water in that thing and get it outside!

I'm the opposite. I water my houseplants diligently, while my garden is practically begging me for water. That, I'm sure, is a huge part of why my first garden wasn't successful. I'd read so many times that over watering is a common mistake beginners make, so I guess I underwatered in my attempt to not be the steriotypical beginner. :)

I just wish you could have seen it before. It had a pretty good overall shape when I got it, it was just so neglected. I bet they could have sold it for more $ if they'd just taken some time with it.

wow - that's very pretty! "I don't know what it is with me and spider plants. I just love them." is how I feel about them too.They're my all-time favorite. I think my love for plants is all because of the spider plants my dad had when I was a kid. I even have (what I think is) variegated liriope because it reminds me of a spider plant that I can grow outside. I just can't get enough of them.

Anyway, Jennifer, if you send me your address - I have a surprise for you.

Wow! I love surprises. You have mail.

Jennifer-

I underwater outside too. In fact, my husband got my death stare a couple of weeks ago b/c I was outside planting and he goes "so, you're out here planting more stuff you aren't going to water?" Grrr. Yeah, he thinks he's funny. Ha! :)

I just got a spider from my aunt-- it is varigated- green and CHARTRUSE! I have never seen one like it! It is soooooooo cool! Actually I got babies so they are in the rooter right now.

Has anyone else seen one lke this?

Heather

No I haven't. Do you have pictures?

Here is one of mine... is this what yours looks like mysticwill??

No-- the enitre "white" part on mine is chartruse instead of white there is no white at all on it no white on the parent plant either- it is the coolest thing-- I have a pic but I can't upload it because the cord on my camera shorted out and DH is dragging his feet about getting a new one or some card reader thingy to load pics- I will get on him more-- I have a TON of pics I want to upload!

Heather

Look at this beautiful spider plant I found in the plant files. Has anyone ever seen one like this?

http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/17460/

the pic by WalterT -- THAT"S what mine looks like!!!! green and chartruse!

Heather

Heather - I've never seen one with those colors but I sure like it - it's gorgeous! Do you know where your aunt got hers?

Very pretty indeed!

It was in my grandfater's house -- I inherited most of his plants-- I have about 10 African violets now and 12 leaf cuttings form the ones my aunt was keeping.

I got 90% of his plants but my aunt decided to keep that one- so I snatched the babies. LOL!

Heather

Gorgeous. You did the right thing to snag some babies for that one.

Good news, all. It looks like the solid green spider is going to make it....

Looks great!

Hello everybody! I hope you'll forgive the intrusion, but I couldn't resist. I love spider plants too, and I wanted to tell texasgarden that I can absolutely relate to you! I have abused and neglected my spider plants and they just keep coming back for more.

I inherited a variegated one about 10 years ago from my father, who inherited it from a shipmate, who inherited it from her mother in Louisiana, so I'm not sure exactly how old it is, but it has been around halfway around the world several times! To make a long story short, I took it outside to re-pot it. I took it out of it's pot, trimmed the roots, cut off the dying leaves, shook off the old soil and put it in a new pot. About a week later, I had babies coming up in the soil (outside) where I had trimmed the roots! When I moved from Florida, that's the only plant I brought with me and I dearly love it.

Also, I was in the grocery store the other day and they had one for sale that had curly variegated leaves. I was mightly tempted to buy it, but I didn't! Like what I need is one more houseplant! LOL!

This is a great thread. Thanks for starting it jdee!

Yaaaayyyy!! I'm happy to welcome another spider plant lover to the forum. lol

We saw another one yeaterday. It was varigated, but the center was lighter green, fading into cream color. I didn't buy it, but I probably will if it's still there the next time I visit that nursery. I'm hopeless. :)

I went back today. I know, I know...I'm hopeless.....but just look at it....

VERY pretty - definately worth the trip :)

Will you have all done it. I knew I shouldn't have read this thread. As soon as I get the bed made and the clothes taken out of the washer and put into the dryer, I think I will make a quick trip to the nursery, and see if I can get a spider plant. My DH is going to kill me. He already thinks I am planning on moving him outside so I will have more room for my plants.

I keep telling him I would love to have a sunroom, but he just looks at me.
Dave's Garden is so addicting, I get on here in the morning and before I know it, it is time to start thinking about dinner. Then every plant that everyone talks about I think I have to have. I read somewhere that Spider Plants are good for the environment of the house cleans the air or something.


These can be hung outside in the summer is this correct. In the sun or out of the sun? Now I am full of questions.

Linda

I heard about a GH near me that was selling out, they were an older couple, and said they were tried of all the work. So yesterday I drove there and got $24 worth of stuff that would have cost me around $70. While I was there I asked them if they had any spider plants. The lady said yes that they are outside sitting on the free table. So I went out to see what they had and they only had the green ones, but still I took 3 of them, sitting with them were some Hibiscus plants, only two but I took them. There were two other kinds of vining plants sitting with them and I latched onto them as well. I really feel like I made a killing.
They also had 4ft. high tomato plants that they were selling for $2. and I got some of them. Some really neat hanging basket pot she was selling for $2. Then of course I got some Coleus and some Petunias. It has been a long time since I have planted Petunia, and was really surprise with all the beautiful colors that they have out.

I just wanted to pass on that I got lucky and did get me a spider plant, plan on leaving outside for the summer then having it for a house plant for the winter. I have seen a lot of them outside under patios, can they with stand full sun or do they need to be kept in partial shade?

I keep mine on my shaded front porch. So far, that's been fine.

Bright light is good.... morning sun and afternoon shade really gets them growing. Last year I had about 20 hanging baskets of spider plants. I gave away most of them before I had to wrap up the plants for winter.

www.puppygal.com/house.html link to some of the plants I had last year and most of them survived being wintered-over.

Judy

Judy, I just love your porch and all your plants. I love to keep mine on the porch for the spring and summer season, but I the inside of my house isn't very light, so they start looking kind of pitiful by the time winter is over.

Here are some of my porch plants.

More...

Here's the overall view of my house...

jdee you have your front porch fixed up very nice. You do have great curb appeal. In the first picture you posted, the plant you have sitting on your porch in the light colored pot to the left, what kind of plant is it and how long have you had it? It is very neat looking.

JudyCooksey I have seen your place with all your cool plants and I also viewed it this winter after you put everything under wrap. You have a very beautiful home and all your plants are something to die for. Can you tell I am jealous with envy.

It's a calathea roseopicta. I've only had it for a few weeks.

Really where did you find it? It's really lovely.

Home Depot for $12. It was pretty pitiful looking, but after we cut off the browned leaves, and repotted it, it really perked up.

Edited to add the link I posted when we first got it....
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/501667/

This message was edited May 7, 2005 3:46 PM