When and How to Prune Spider Plants

I like my spider crops, and a part of the reason being that they want little or no consideration from me to develop effectively.

With their strappy leaves and cute spiderettes, Chlorophytum comosum make enjoyable, low-maintenance houseplants that just about appear to thrive on neglect.

However even essentially the most easygoing crops want somewhat little bit of upkeep from time to time.

A close up horizontal image of a spider plant growing in a pot indoors pictured on a soft focus background.

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I’ve to get out the scissors and go to work on my spider crops at the least yearly if I need them to look and develop their greatest. You need to, too.

In our information to rising spider crops, we focus on the best way to domesticate these widespread houseplants.

Developing, we’ll discuss how and when to prune C. comosum. Right here’s what I’ll cowl:

Prune Spider Vegetation

When to Prune

Spider crops don’t want precise pruning like woody shrubs do, they only require some tidying up from time to time.

Because of this, it actually doesn’t matter once you prune your spider plant.

A close up vertical image of two hands from the bottom of the frame using a pair of scissors to trim off brown tips from a Chlorophytum comosum.

Spring is greatest, because the spider plant is actively rising and can shortly produce new progress. Nevertheless it gained’t damage your C. comosum to prune at any time of 12 months.

After all, in case your purpose is to take away the spiderettes to scrub up the specimen or to propagate them, you’ll have to attend till they’re truly current.

In any other case, prune each time your specimen begins to seem like it wants a trim. Should you want a shaggy look, you may solely have to prune when just a few leaves die.

Should you want to maintain it wanting neat and tidy, you may end up grabbing the scissors each six months or so.

Let’s begin by speaking about pruning offsets.

Offset Pruning

Spider crops ship out lengthy stalks with flowers that ultimately develop offsets, also called plantlets or spiderettes. These flowers and offsets take power from the father or mother.

A close up horizontal image of a houseplant in a hanging pot against a concrete wall.

You may determine you don’t just like the look of those or that you simply need to lower them off so you possibly can develop them elsewhere.

Should you’re planning to propagate the offsets, you’ll have to allow them to develop giant sufficient that they begin growing root buds or precise roots.

In any other case, you possibly can take away the offsets as you see them.

A close up horizontal image of an open palm with recently trimmed spiderette ready for propagation.

Earlier than you make any cuts, be sure you clear your scissors or pruners. And by “clear” don’t imply wipe them with a unclean dishrag.

Use isopropyl alcohol or wash them with sizzling, soapy water, and permit them to dry earlier than use.

To take away offsets, lower the stems off on the base as near the crown as you possibly can. That’s all there’s to it. The C. comosum may ship out new stems to switch it, or it won’t.

Once you take away the offsets, if you wish to propagate them, learn our information to propagating spiderettes to be taught all in regards to the course of.

Leaf Pruning

All the leaves emerge from a central rosette, which suggests there aren’t stems and branches to prune off as within the case of woody shrubs.

However you continue to may have to prune the leaves sometimes if they’re beginning to look a bit discolored or have useless components.

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the bottom of the frame holding a brown tip on a variegated leaf.

C. comosum are delicate to metals and salts within the soil or water. Over time, this will trigger the ends of the leaves to show brown.

Tip burn can be brought on by an excessive amount of solar or low humidity. Foliage that’s affected by illness could begin to look lower than stellar.

Previous leaves that die off naturally needs to be eliminated to maintain the houseplant wanting tidy.

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the left of the frame holding variegated foliage of a houseplant with brown tips.

After all, if illness or different issues are current, you’ll want to repair the trigger along with pruning out the unpleasant leaves.

To prune useless ideas or ends, take a pointy, clear pair of scissors or pruners. Then, rigorously snip off simply the brown space and barely into the wholesome leaf so there’s a margin of fresh tissue.

I wish to snip the leaf to make a brand new level in order that it appears the identical as the opposite leaves, which naturally come to a degree.

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the left of the frame holding a brown leaf tip of a C. comosum growing in a small pot indoors.

If a complete leaf has died or turned brown or yellow, it gained’t get well, so you need to take away it as near the soil as doable, as a result of it’s a drain on the specimen’s power.

The spider plant will put out new foliage to switch something you take away.

It’s Time for a Haircut

Spider crops don’t want a lot in the way in which of upkeep and it’s not essential to prune them in the identical means you’d trim your woody shrubs. They’re fairly easygoing like that.

A close up horizontal image of a houseplant with variegated foliage growing in a pot indoors with water droplets on the foliage.

Whether or not you need to take away the offsets to create a neater look or you have to take out just a few browning leaves, you possibly can’t completely ignore them. Slightly pruning is so as from time to time.

What are your pruning targets? Are you tidying up your spider plant? Or making an attempt to snip just a few offsets to propagate some new specimens? Tell us within the feedback part beneath.

And for extra details about rising spider crops, try these guides subsequent: