Are you thinking how you cannot have plants in your home because they will just die? I actually used to think I could not garden, or grow any type of plant or even have house plants, but that is simply not true. Through the years I have learned a lot. I love gardening and I absolutely love having plants in my home, especially spider plants.
Chlorophytum Comosum is the scientific name for spider plant which is also known as airplane plant, ribbon plant and spider ivy. Spider plants are a particularly easy plant to care for and a great starter houseplant! I received my original plant as a house warming gift from a co-worker and friend. At first, the idea of a houseplant was daunting and I was concerned I would just end up having to throw it out from it dying, but she reassured me that these plants are hardy and easy to grow! And all these years later, it is still growing strong, producing scapes (shoots) from the bracts (leaves that produce plants that send these “shoots” off from the roots) and new plants which can be clipped and planted, a few times per year!
Spider plants require water about once a week, unless it is hot and dry, then they require to be watered more often. The dead foliage can be cleaned every few weeks as needed and once the plant becomes too large for the pot, it can be re-potted.
Spider plants are a fabulous plant to have in the house since they clean and purify the air by removing harmful toxins like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and xylene and like all plants, give us oxygen to breathe. When spider plants clean the air, the tips may become brown or whole leaves turn brown. The browned tips I leave, but once whole leaves have browned, they are easily removed from the plant.
Plants use the energy from sunlight, including natural light in a home, which is absorbed through the chlorophyll (the green pigment in the leaves) to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates which the plant uses to survive and produces oxygen which we breathe, all in a process called photosynthesis. Basically, the plants breathe in our carbon dioxide, and emit oxygen for us!! For these reasons, my home is filled with plants! I literally have plants (and in some cases, multiple plants) in every room. I even have spider plants in my basement where I only have one window, but it provides enough light that my plants are still doing amazing.
Spider plants are also non-toxic, and like all plants, they help to decrease stress by creating a relaxing environment, enriching our wellbeing, and beautifying the home. We have spider plants everywhere! My main spider plant I have had for 20 years now and it’s thriving and doing amazing! One thing I love about spider plants is how they send shoots (scapes) off which first flower and then yields another spider plant.
Once it is done flowering, the petals turn brown and fall off which then a spider plant begins to grow. One downside of spider plants are all of the blooms that fall off and need to be cleaned up!
We often take the “baby” spider plants and re-plant them and always try to come up with new ways to do so. You can plant in a coffee cup, a mason jar, into a decorative pot, or like we did, a painted terracotta pot.
My plants have many scapes right now, growing many plants that will be planted over the next few weeks. I leave the plants on until they are a decent size and have roots growing on the bottom.
Once they are ready to be planted, like this one in the photo, I take the shoot (scape) and clip the plant off. If there are other plants on the same scape and I am not ready to plant them all, I leave it. Otherwise, I cut the entire scape and bract off the plant, as close to the main plant as I can get.
I take sharp kitchen shears or any sharp scissors to cut the plant off the scape/shoot.
Now that I have the plant, I am ready to place it in some potting soil! I always place a few rocks in the bottom of the pot or jar I am planting in which helps with drainage, and then fill it with potting soil. I just use regular potting soil that often has fertilizer in it to help nourish the plant.
I make a small indent in the dirt with my finger and place the plant in. I pack dirt around the root firmly, but not too hard as to not break the roots. At first, I water every 2nd day for about two to three weeks, or until the plant has taken root. Then, I water about twice per week for a couple months and then I water once per week unless the plant is really dry. Once the plant gets too big for the cup, jar or pot, simply re-pot it. I have grown spider plants in mason jars for a few years before needing to re-pot.
With mason jars, we often paint the jar and wrap burlap ribbon or twine around it for a rustic country look. We paint the jar with 2 to 3 coats of paint and let dry for 24 hours before planting. Then throw a few rocks in the bottom to help with drainage and add potting soil.
We also paint terracotta pots into fun things like this “carrot” below, or into a spring time bunny or simply paint it and make fingerprint bugs with the kids, flowers, splatter it, dot or anything you can think of! Terracotta is really so versatile and takes most paints well.
We paint with acrylic paints and glaze with mod podge on the inside and outside as well as the terracotta dish it sits in, so the dirt and water does not wash the paint off. Once painted and glazed, we let it sit 24 hours before placing a handful of rocks in, potting soil and planting the spider plant.
Once planted, be sure to water it.
Use your creativity with terracotta pots or mason jars when planting spider plants — or any plants! These are a great way to plant herbs as well! These beautiful plants make great house warming gifts, teacher gifts, birthday gifts, or just because gifts and a wonderful way to have some mother’s day fun!
Spider plants can be found at greenhouses or where indoor plants are sold or from anyone who has a few too many scapes to deal with!!
Get your hands dirty and dig in some dirt! Not only do plants provide us with benefits, but caring for plants and gardening can be quite relaxing and therapeutic and an excellent way to help reduce anxiety and stress.
Faith plants the seed, Love makes it grow
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours
