sick spider plant - advice pls.

[Linda B]

Anyone have ideas on how to help this plant ? The tips are brown and some long leaves have brown or rotting down the middle. It has been like this for many months now. Recently I have repotted it (thinking it was root-bound, or that water wasn't draining properly, or the soil quality has declined), but it doesn't seem any healthier.

Thanks in advance for advice.

LB

[CdnChelsea]

The dried out leaves could be caused by over-watering or under-watering. From reading your post, my guess would be over-watering.
Spider plants like to dry out a little bit between waterings. Not totally dry but enough so when you stick your finger about an inch into the soil, it should come out barely moist. Then you can give your plant a drink of water.

Also, whenever you transplant to another container, the plant will be busy growing roots instead of putting out new leaves. After a month or so, you will notice the foilage starting to grow.

[B_BQ]

I used to have quite a few house plants in days gone by, but I've given up in recent years as we seem to be away a lot these days! I could say the same thing about animals, having, at one time, four Goldens and a Labrador. Now we don't have an animal!

Spider plants love to be root bound and under-watered! It's when they get stressed that they seem to send out more babies, as if they need to reproduce because their life is in danger!! lol

I would say keep them in a fairly smallish container, and don't over-water or over-fertilize them.

In the meantime you could make sure there's enough light, and trim off any brown tips.

To make a new plant just pinch off a 'baby' and put it in a new pot.

~BBQ

[bluebird]

If you've ruled out the cause by over/under watering, standing in water, salt build up in old soil, lack of or too much fertilizer, and low or too high humidity, then the problem could be fluoride toxicity. Spiderplants (and a few other houseplants including draceanas) are susceptible to brown tipping and brown splotches from fluoride that is found in most treated water sources. It can also be found in some fertilizers and even in some prepared soils.

It won't kill your plant, but it does spoil the appearance.

Try using room temperature rainwater (or melted snow at this time of year) or natural sourced spring water for your spider plant and you may solve the browning problem. (Not distilled.)

Good luck!

[Peggy2296]

YES! Spider plants love being pot-bound! When you must finally transplant them, give them a new pot only about 1" bigger than the old one.

I've transplanted some of mine and by the time I did, there was literally no soil left, just masses of the bulbous roots.

This is one plant that seems to thrive on neglect in all forms and it really is possible to "kill it with kindness".