Spider Plants for Free

Do you want houseplants? Do you like passive air filters? Are you new to houseplant care?

A spider plant is a great beginner plant. They are hard to kill and will filter pollutants from your air.

Sure, you can buy one, but why? It's almost guaranteed you know someone who has one of these and growing one from its beginnings is easier and free.

Step 1: Find a Spider Plant With Babies

Chlorophytum comosum, commonly known as spider plants, are a great starter houseplant. They spread by throwing out babies on runners. If you come across a healthy plant with healthy babies, find one with good strong root starts. These are the little nubs on the bottom of the baby. Cut it off the runner to separate it from the parent plant.

Step 2: Grow Some Roots!

Take a plastic cup or two paper cups. A single paper cup will leak.

Place your baby plant in the cup.

Fill the cup with water a half inch above the root area. Don't worry about covering the leaves with water, they will survive.

Now let it sit in a place with a lot of light.

When the roots are a half inch or longer it is time to plant!

Step 3: Pick a Pot and Plant

Pick a pot.
At this stage in the plant's life it can be any size. When it gets bigger the next pot will need to be one inch bigger on all sides than the root ball.

Put a small amount of potting soil in the bottom. If the mix is very dry use a spray bottle to moisten it. If you need to moisten the soil, wait until it is soaked in before continuing.

Place the plant where you would like it in the pot. While holding the plant fill in the rest of the pot with soil.

Step 4: Water Your New Plant

Spread out the leaves of your new plant.

Use a spray bottle to wet the top of the soil. Spray carefully until tiny puddles form.

Let it sit.

When the top looks moist but not wet repeat the watering. Do this 4 or 5 times.

Step 5: Placement and Care

Put your new plant friend in a sunny location.

Water your new friend approximately 2-4oz at least once per week.
If your pot has drainage holes measure your water by how much it takes to come out the drains. Remember to put a dish under your planter to contain drainage.

Spider plants are very resilient. If it starts to look dull and limp you've forgotten to water it. No worries! Restart the regular watering schedule and it will bounce back!