What to Do with Your Spider Plant in May – 6 Easy Ways to Ensure Lush Leaves and Lots of Spiderettes

Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is an enduring favorite among houseplants for many reasons. It has a unique look, with its long, arching bi-colored leaves and adorable little plantlets (also known as spiderettes). It’s also very easy to grow, even for beginners.

Although generally low-maintenance, spider plants do benefit from some care. Thoughtful spider plant care in May is important because this is when the active growing season begins. Your spider plant is about to start putting out new growth, and even pups, and good support will ensure that the growth is vigorous and healthy.

1. Clean Up Your Plant with a Light Trim

Most plants can benefit from occasional pruning, and a spider plant is no exception. Although they don’t need much maintenance, a light prune now or in spring will encourage new growth, manage size, and improve the plant's overall appearance.

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Use sharp, clean shears or scissors to prune spider plant leaves that are damaged or have yellowed or developed crispy brown tips. You can also trim off or shorten long runners to keep your plant a smaller size and to give it a tidier appearance.

2. Increase Watering Frequency

One of the factors that makes growing a spider plant so easy is that it tolerates a decent amount of neglect. If you forget to water it, it will bounce back pretty readily once you do. Still, it’s best to water your plant regularly to keep it healthy.

As active growth begins this May, prepare to up the watering frequency a little. Your plant needs more water now to support new growth and plantlets. As temperatures rise, the soil in the pot will also dry out more quickly.

Water your spider plant whenever you can feel with your finger that the top inch or two of soil is dry. Water thoroughly, letting excess moisture drain out of the bottom of the pot. Ideally, water your plant with distilled water or rainwater, as chemicals in tap water can cause the tips of the leaves to brown.

3. Start a Summer Fertilizing Routine

As with water, your spider plant needs more nutrients as it enters the active growing season. To support healthy, attractive new foliage, start a routine now for regular spider plant fertilizing. Plan to keep feeding your spider plant every two to four weeks throughout the growing season.

Choose a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer, like this one from Amazon. Follow instructions on the fertilizer, but also take care not to feed too much. Spider plants need less feeding than some other houseplants, and over-fertilizing can cause leaf tip burn.

4. Repot if Needed

Your spider plant might not need repotting every year. In fact, it will do best when slightly rootbound. Some signs that you need to repot a spider plant include roots growing out of drainage holes or over the top of the soil, compacted soil, and soil that dries out very quickly.

Choose a new container that is one to two inches (2.5 to 5.0 cm) larger than the current pot. Since spider plants like to be a little rootbound, don’t go too big with the container. Get fresh soil for the new pot. A light potting mix that drains well is best.

5. Propagate Plantlets

One of the most fun aspects of growing spider plants is the appearance of little plantlets. These offspring look just like baby spider plants, and they spring up quite readily, making spider plant propagation easy. Also known as pups, babies, or spiderettes, plantlets will begin to grow in earnest this time of year, especially if you’re supporting the parent plant with good care.

Removing plantlets now will help you get new plants through propagation, but it also makes the parent healthier by redirecting energy back to the main plant. If you don’t need new plants, simply snip off the babies.

If you do want to propagate them, look for plantlets that have already developed some roots. Snip them off the main plant, keeping their roots intact. You can repot the plantlet in a small container with potting mix. You can also put the plantlet in water and let the roots grow more before potting.

6. Check for Pests

Spider plants are usually healthy and disease-free, but like any houseplant, they are susceptible to pests. Spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs are typical pests you might see on a spider plant in your home. May is a good time to get ahead of and manage any infestations before they become severe.

The presence of pests might be obvious if you can see them, but there are also subtle signs of an early issue: webbing on leaves, a sticky residue, and speckled or distorted leaves. If you catch pests early, you can usually manage them by giving your plant’s leaves a good rinse in a sink or outside. If this isn’t enough to get rid of them, use a natural product like neem oil to kill pests.

May kicks off the growing season for spider plants, making care now essential for future growth. Taking these small, simple care steps now will lead to full, healthy growth later and all season long.

Spider Plant Care Essentials