Reader here, and I thought I’d give y’all a little bit of an update on my spider plant, Boris.
To sum it up, at this point, Boris ain’t looking so hot.
In case you’ve forgotten, I brought this particular plant home from the office a few months ago., when our office manager Leslie was cleaning up the lobby, and asked if I were interested in taking another crack at keeping a plant alive.
And I said “Sure! Why not?”
Famous last words…
The last plant I had before Boris was a plant gifted to my Auntie Marie. One of her plants had gotten to big, and she sent me home with a cutting in a pot. Try as I might, it just didn’t survive, much less thrive.
I admit, I’m not the best at remembering to water my plants. And my apartment windows all face north, so getting any direct sunlight is a bit of an issue. But, negligent as I may have been in caring for my plant, I’m not ready to call it a day yet.
If anyone has any tips, I’m all ears!
I put the word on our socials the other day, seeking advice:
Some folks mentioned to cut off the brown leaves, some said to put it in the tub and soak the soil, and another listener suggested downloading the Planta app, which provides helpful hints on placement for light and how to water your plant.
I’ll have to check it out!
Also as we often do, I was looking to YouTube for help, and found this video…
So, pretty much everything I’ve been doing is wrong! I guess the first steps are to trim down the brown leaves, and maybe I’ll keep it up on my kitchen table near the window, to get some of that sweet, sweet indirect sunlight!
And I’ve actually been trying to give it some water here and there, but apparently I may be overwatering it. Go figure!
Maybe I’ll have to be a little more stingy with the water!
My history with plants has never been really good when it comes to actually growing plants.
My experience is more in terms of mowing grass, pulling weeds, and helping mom in the garden.
One time, when I was a kid, I thought I’d take some initiative for a change, and weed the garden without being asked. I though I was being helpful. But, you know what is more helpful? Knowing what all the vegetables look like, as opposed to weeds.
After spending a hour or more in the garden, I had the job done, or so I thought. I couldn’t wait to show my Mom what I’d done to help. However, when she got a look at my handiwork, she was less than impressed.
You see, I literally pulled EVERYTHING out of the ground, and there was nothing left. A lot of stuff hadn’t really started growing yet, so it’s not like there were big ol’ carrots coming out of the ground. I’m not that much of a dumbass.
I just didn’t know what each leaf looked like. Lesson learned.
But, I’ll do my best to keep Boris alive. I did some digging and found some tips related to said spider plants. Here’s what I found:
Rescue Your Spider Plant!
1. **Bright Indirect Light**: Keep your plant in a spot with plenty of indirect sunlight. Avoid harsh, direct rays!
2. **Watering**: Water your spider plant when the top inch of soil feels dry. Don’t let it sit in waterlogged soil.
3. **Humidity**: They love humidity! Mist your plant occasionally, especially in drier months. ️
4. **Temperature**: Maintain a cozy room temp between 60-75°F (16-24°C). Keep away from cold drafts. ❄️
5. **Fertilization**: Feed them monthly with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer during the growing season (spring and summer).
6. **Repotting**: Repot your spider plant every 1-2 years to give it more space and fresh soil.
7. **Pruning**: Trim away brown tips to encourage new growth.
Keep these tips handy for a happy, healthy spider plant! #PlantCare #GreenThumb #SpiderPlant #IndoorPlants #GardeningTips
Wish me luck, friends, and maybe my plants will look as good as this guy’s!
