Growing Spider Plants in Hanging Baskets is not difficult but different to a certain extent; read the easy tips for successful planting.
Spider plants are known for their resilient nature and beautiful lush appearance. They are a great option for hanging baskets. These tough houseplants grow fast and live for decades. However, Growing Spider Plants in Hanging Baskets is a bit different from planting in regular pots. These easy tricks will help you in planting Chlorophytum comosum in hanging pots.
Tips For Growing Spider Plants in Hanging Baskets
1. Select a Small Basket
Spider plants are a great option for hanging baskets because they have long, cascading leaves that can cover the pot as they grow. When they reach maturity, they look stunning, especially with baby spider plants around.
Here’s a trick: if the hanging basket is too big, the beauty fades. If you plant a spider plant in the center of a large basket, it looks small and not as beautiful. The leaves might not even reach the sides, hanging on the soil and risking some problems for the plant.
To avoid this, start with a small hanging basket, not too big. There should be only about 2 inches of space around the edges. Don’t worry about the plant feeling restricted; spider plants are okay with that.
If you already have a big basket you want to use, think about planting more than one spider plant in it. This way, they can be closer to the edges, and as they grow, you can either move them to smaller pots or leave them as they are.
You can also fill larger baskets with other plants that go well with spider plants. Just be careful with Pothos because they grow a lot and might take over, suffocating your spider plants.
2. Go for Light-Weight Pots
When you’re growing spider plants in hanging baskets, be careful about how heavy they get. Big pots get even heavier when you fill them with soil and water. This affects how you hang the basket and how easy it is to move around.
Choosing the right kind of material for the basket makes it easier to grow spider plants. Plastic is a good choice because it’s super light, comes in lots of shapes and colors, and is cheap as well. Plus, you can reuse plastic pots when you need to change things up.
Some people don’t like the look of plastic and want something more eco-friendly. Wire baskets with coconut coir lining are attractive to look at, but they can get messy when you water them. They’re also wider than plastic baskets, so they might not be great for hanging plants.
You can check online or at a store for other options made from different materials. Just make sure whatever you pick is light and easy to carry when the pot is full.
Avoid using heavy materials like terra cotta or ceramics, even if they look beautiful. They’re too heavy for hanging baskets, even if the ropes holding them are strong.
3. Use a Correct Growing Medium
The material of your hanging basket isn’t the only thing that can make it heavy. The kind of soil you use also matters for your plants’ weight and health.
Spider plants, like most indoor plants, need soil that is light and lets water drain well. If the soil is too heavy and holds too much water, it can harm the roots and cause them to rot, which is bad for the plant.
Regular potting soil is too heavy for indoor spider plants. Instead, use a special mix for houseplants that you can find online or at a store. You can also make your own mix by combining two parts of potting soil, one part perlite (for good drainage), and one part of coconut coir (to keep some moisture without making the pot too heavy).
You can change the recipe based on where you’ll hang your plant and how much light it will get. If it gets a lot of light, the water will evaporate faster, so you might use less perlite and more coir to control how often you need to water.
4. Don’t hang the Basket Near Open Windows
Good air circulation around your houseplants is good for keeping them healthy, but too much can be bad. Cold or warm drafts from open windows can dry out the soil in the pots quickly and stress the plants.
Even though it’s great to place your plant in front of a bright window, it’s better to keep that window closed to avoid strong drafts around the plant. Too much airflow not only harms the health of the plant but can also weaken the spot where the basket is hanging, possibly making it fall.
Make sure there’s just a gentle breeze around the hanging basket, not strong winds. If you notice the air is making the plant’s leaves move a lot, either change its location in your home or keep the windows closed.
5. Hang the Basket at the Right Height
Taking care of hanging baskets indoors can be a bit tricky. You don’t want them in the way, but hanging them too high makes it hard to water and limits the light they get.
If you hang plants really high in a room with tall ceilings, watering them will be a hassle that you may often forget. This can lead to your spider plants not doing well or not living as long. So, make sure they’re easy to reach, so you don’t avoid watering them.
6. Provide Good Light
Spider plants enjoy bright, indirect light. So, it’s best to hang them close to a bright window but not at too much height. If they’re too high, they won’t get enough sunlight, and the soil might stay too wet, risking root rot. Let them ‘see’ the sun from a nearby window for good growth.
7. Put Down the Basket for Watering
Spider plants can survive without much water, but they appreciate a good watering routine. When they’re in hanging baskets, giving them water can be a bit tricky, especially indoors.
Sometimes, we try to water them quickly so it doesn’t spill out the bottom onto the floor. But let’s be honest; it’s not easy to do that without making a mess.
Here’s a tip: Take the whole hanging pot down and water it over a sink or a bucket. This way, you can water it evenly until the soil is soaked. Once the extra water drains out, just hang it back up, and your spider plant will be happy and healthy.
8. Repot When Needed
If you have a hanging spider plant, don’t forget about it completely just because it’s up there. Like any indoor plant, spider plants need to be repotted eventually. Some grow quickly and may need it every year, but usually, it’s more like every two or three years.
When it’s time to repot, you can do two things. You can either split the plant and use the same hanging basket or put the whole plant in a bigger basket. But since baskets can get heavy and big, it’s often better to split the plant. This not only helps it grow better but also gives you more spider plants.
Take the plant out of its basket and separate it into sections with strong roots. You can then plant these sections in smaller hanging baskets or pots for shelves. This way, you can have spider plants all over your home.