Spider plants have truly become quite popular in recent years, and so many people keep them as houseplants now. You likely love your spider plants, and you definitely want to take care of them to the best of your abilities.
When you discover that one of your spider plants appears to be wilting, it’s going to be normal to worry. You might be curious about what went wrong, and sometimes it isn’t easy to determine what’s going on.
Wilting could be caused by a few different things, and you’ll want to go through the possibilities to see what’s going on. Read on to explore all of the possible causes of spider plant wilting that you’re likely to encounter, as well as what you can do about it.
1 – Watering Issues
Typically, watering issues will be the most common cause of spider plant wilting, and it’s something that you should look into first. When the weather is hot during the summer, spider plants need more water than usual, and you’re supposed to prevent the soil from completely drying out.
Try to remember your watering habits and think back to whether you have been letting the soil dry out during the summer months. If you have, this could be the cause of the wilting, and you might be able to fix things by watering the plant better.
However, it’s also important to note that watering a spider plant too much can cause wilting issues as well. When you water a spider plant more than normal, it’s going to be too much for it to take, and you’ll likely notice the plant start to wilt.
Another sign to look out for when you have been watering a spider plant too much is that it might start yellowing. Better watering habits can fix things so that it will be able to get healthy again.
You need to avoid letting the soil get soggy during the summer, but you also can’t let it completely dry out. In the winter months, you’re supposed to let the soil dry out before watering it again.
2 – Light Issues
Plants need light to be able to thrive, and if a plant isn’t getting the right light that it needs, it can start to wilt. When you’re raising plants, you’ll learn that the wrong levels of light and heat can have a very bad impact on your plants.
Spider plants do best when you provide them with indirect sunlight that is bright. Experts state that you should have your spider plants in a south-facing window to get good results, but you can also find a spot where the plants will get fewer than six hours of sunlight each day.
Sticking to this arrangement will prevent your spider plant from encountering issues related to light or heat. If you think that light issues might be the cause of your problems, try moving your spider plant to a shadier spot or a sunnier spot, depending on what’s wrong.
Just do your best to find a good spot in your home where your spider plants can get the light that they need. Sometimes rearranging where you keep your plants is all that you need to do to solve wilting issues.
3 – Soil Quality
Sometimes people figure out that the soil that their spider plants are potted in just isn’t good enough. When you have soil quality issues, it’s going to make it tough for them to get the nutrients that they need.
There are a few things that you can do to try to fix an issue like this, though. The easiest is just to give your plants some fertilizer to make up for the lack of nutrients in the soil.
Giving spider plants a well-balanced fertilizer boost every two weeks during the summer months will make a difference. You can give them fertilizer a bit less often during the winter months.
The other potential solution is to repot the spider plant so that it can have better soil. This could shock the plant a bit at first, but it would be better for the plant to have soil that will work well for it.
Go out and get some soil that is specifically meant for spider plants if you want to. You can also look up soil requirements and create your own potting mixture to get good results.
4 – Outgrowing the Pot
Outgrowing the pot is something that can cause spider plants to wilt, too. You might even notice roots coming out of the drainage holes of the pot that the plant is in if things are really bad.
When spider plants get too crowded in the pots that they are in, it’s going to be necessary to repot them. You should get some high-quality soil and a pot that is the right size for the plant.
Once you have repotted the plant, it’s going to be good to pay attention to it so that it can thrive in the new pot. Make sure that you are watering it properly so that it can start to come back from its wilted state.
You might need to give it some fertilizer as well to get it going. So long as you’re paying attention to the needs of the plant, it shouldn’t be too hard to get your spider plant to come back and look healthy again.
Waiting too long to repot a plant that has outgrown its current pot is never a good idea. Try to pay attention to your plant and keep an eye on how it’s doing in its pot.
The Durability of Spider Plants
One good thing to keep in mind after reading the tips above is that spider plants are actually incredibly durable. They are hardy plants that will be able to bounce back pretty nicely so long as you do your best to care for them.
It can be very worrisome to notice that your spider plant is wilting, but this doesn’t spell the end for your plant. If you notice that something is wrong, you can make the necessary adjustments to fix things before the plant dies.
You have a very good chance of getting your plant back to good health if you’re someone who pays attention to plants. Noticing the problem is the first step, and you now have the necessary tools to determine what is going wrong.
In all likelihood, the wilting is being caused by watering issues, light issues, soil issues, or having a pot that is too small. You can fix these things after doing just a little bit of troubleshooting.
Once you have an idea of what has been going wrong, it won’t take too long to start seeing your spider plant getting better. Making a few adjustments really can make all the difference in the world.
Do your best to be mindful of the watering and light requirements of spider plants moving forward. You’ll be able to enjoy them for a long time if you’re vigilant about caring for them.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.