How Long Do Spider Plants Take To Grow Babies?

Spider plants are an excellent choice for newbie gardeners because they are tough and easy to care for. They also produce babies, known as spiderettes, in the spring as more daylight happens. Only mature spider plants that have enough energy stored can actually produce babies.

Provided that your spider plants are mature and have enough energy they will occasionally produce mini spider plants that are often called their babies.  Spider plants will usually only grow babies in the sunnier spring and summer months. By allowing your spider plant to become root-bound, which takes about a year, the chances of spiderettes growing will be increased.

How To Care For Spider Plant Babies

Spider plants are excellent houseplants as they are very easy to take care of that even the most newbie gardener won’t struggle. A good trick for producing healthy, thick, and bushy spider plants is to plant multiple spiderettes in one pot. They can also be added in with a mature plant if you feel like that plant is as full as it could be.

Watering your growing spider plants should be done on an as-needed basis, just enough to keep the soil moist. They do not want to be in soil that is oversaturated and prefer their soil to dry out slightly before the next watering. Once the baby plant is showing healthy growth that will indicate the plant has rooted. At that point, you can switch back to a normal care routine for a spider plant.

How Do I Make My Spider Plant Grow Babies?

The first thing to consider is the age of your spider plant. They need to have entered maturity before they will start to produce babies, just like mammals, plants only reproduce when they are old enough. If you have recently propagated a spider plant then it should be considered a baby and may not reach maturity for a few years. That’s because they need the time to be able to develop a rich root network and become accustomed to its environment.

The next thing you need to consider is the environmental conditions that the plant lives in. A spider plant can only reproduce if it has enough stored energy to be able to do so. A spider plant should be in evenly moistened soil and they won’t produce babies in dry conditions. They also need adequate access to natural light, but not direct sunlight. Lastly, you should allow the plant to become root-bound as this seems to increase the chances of spiderettes.

Should I Cut The Babies Off My Spider Plant?

You can cut the babies away from the adult plant and plant them in a new container, however, there is no rush to do this. The babies will grow to be more full and bushy if they can stay with their mother plant, or are planted with other offsets. Once the babies start to grow the container may become too crowded so you will need to propagate them eventually. It just doesn’t need to be done the moment you notice the new spiderette.

A good idea is to wait until the babies have started to grow their own root formations before being cut away. Check to see if the roots have grown but if there are no roots or there are only knob-like protrusions then leave them in the pot a little longer.

How To Propagate Spider Plant Babies

When your spider plant produces babies you can allow them to stay in the soil with the mother plant until the spiderette starts rooting. Take a close look at the spiderette as it dangles away from the adult plant, looking out for knob-like protrusions and some tiny roots. Once you can see these growing from the bottom of the plant you have two options for moving it. The best thing to do is to replant the spiderette in a small pot of a lightweight potting mixture.

Alternatively, you can root the plant in water by sticking the spiderette into a glass or bowl of water for a couple of weeks. Then you can plant the baby in a potting mixture once the roots have started to grow. The pot should have a drainage hole in the bottom as spider plants will suffer from root rot if the soil is too damp for too long.

To remove the spider plant from its parent all you need to do is snip the runner. It’s a good idea to let the spiderette stay attached to the adult plant but you can separate them earlier if you wish.

Summary

Your spider plant will produce babies called spiderettes once it has reached maturity and only if it has enough stored energy. The plant will need to be kept in good environmental conditions to allow it to collect enough energy required. It can take years for a plant to reach maturity so you may have to be patient before it starts producing babies. They will also only be able to produce babies during sunnier months over spring and summer.

You will find that caring for your spider plant is easy and they make perfect additions to the home. They’re known for their long leaves and spider-like formations that can be displayed in hanging baskets or containers. They are tough and can tolerate a lot of abuse making them a great investment for inexperienced plant owners.