They will root readily if you start in water, but the new plant will establish faster if you skip that step & root in a damp, well drained soil in bright light (but not direct sun). Once established, you'll find this plant most responsive and happier if you water with rain water, melted snow, or distilled water.

Al

Spider plants are supersensitive to stuff in tap water.....which is what Al was driving at.
Linda C

Spider plants are supersensitive to stuff in tap water.....which is what Al was driving at.
Linda C

When the flower is replaced by a plantlet I would bend the flowered stalk down to a small pot placed alongside the parent plant and pin the tip into potting compost so that the underside of the plantlet sits just below the surface. Keep the compost just moist and allow to remain until the young plant is growing and evidently rooted into the compost; then severe its connection with the parent plant. The weaning process is more gentle than removing the plantlet and sitting it on compost independent of the parent plant.

Peter

Here is a link that might be useful: My Pages

Of course, Peter is right in his advice. What he describes is essentially the technique of ground layering, but because this plant is so vigorous and is so readily propagated, the extra step is unnecessary.

Al

since you just got this plant-some ideas on how to grow it. its leaf tips turn brown if it is too wet. I usually leave the plant alone until the green starts to get a light, or greyish tint to it. then I water it, and it turns bright green again. I usually only water it about once a month. my 3, that I've had for over 8 years, thrive all winter with barely any light, they are 4 feet fron a west window and doing fine. they do summer outside, where I forget about them. I do seperate and repot them in the spring, every other year.

I have just received a spider plant,propagating in a compost, soaking in water. I made the mistake of placing it in direct sunlight, but yet it thrive's (only a few leave's have turned yellowish),when should I place it in solid soil?

I'm not sure I understand your propagation method, but if you have compost and water as your media, now is the time to get plants out of it. The bacteria in the water will consume all the O2, making the water an anaerobic soup that won't support plant life.

Though roots form readily and often seemingly more quickly on many plants propagated in water, the roots produced are quite different from those produced in a soil-like or highly aerated medium (perlite - vermiculite - seed starting mix, e.g.). Physiologically, you will find these roots to be much more brittle than normal roots due to a much higher percentage of aerenchyma (a tissue with a greater percentage of inter-cellular air spaces than normal parenchyma). If you wish to eventually plant your rooted cuttings in soil, it is probably best not to root them in water because of the frequent difficulty in transplanting them to soil. The "water-formed" roots often break during transplant & those that don't break are very poor at water absorption and often die. The effect is equivalent to beginning the cutting process over again with a cutting in which vitality has likely been substantially reduced.

If you do a side by side comparison of cuttings rooted in water & cuttings rooted in soil, the cuttings in soil will always (for an extremely high percentage of plants - nearly all) have a leg up in development on those moved from water to a soil medium for the reasons outlined above.

Al

I have recently taken a baby from my spider plant and set it in some soil still connected to the mother plant. It is growing and seems to be well anchored to the soil. I'm just wondering if I should cut it now, or if it will be even better off if I leave it connected to the mother plant for longer. Also, if I never cut it, will the mother plant eventually wean it anyway? Thanks!

I also have one that grew so big when I went to water it ,it broke off.I then cut the individual sections that had about 7-8 leaves on it and then put it in a vase with some water to grow some roots.Was this the best way or should i just plant the sections in soil?