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Last Updated:April 27, 2023

How Often Should I Water My Spider Plant: The Ultimate Guide

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How often should I water my Spider Plant? Besides this answer, you will also read about the symptoms of overwatered/underwatered plant, the best type of water, the proper time for watering the plant, the best planters for your Spider Plant and other questions you may have.

You should water your Spider Plant every 7 to 14 days. However, the exact frequency heavily depends on your plant’s environment – the amount of light, potting soil mix, plant size, pot type, and humidity in the home or office. Keep in mind that Spider Plants prefer being on the dry side.

If you overwater a Spider Plant, its roots may rot, eventually killing the plant. To help avoid this, always check the soil and water only when fully dry. You can simply use a chopstick to check. Stick it all the way down the soil and pull it out. If the chopstick is moist, or if there is lots of soil stuck to it, wait a few days before watering Spider Plants again.

Spider plant in the pellet basket on the white table in front of a shelf with other plants

Spider Plant in a Pot

Symptoms Of Overwatered Spider Plant

If you overwater Spider Plants, you will see symptoms that indicate it – yellow soft mushy leaves, as well as soft and mushy roots. Recognizing the symptoms of an overwatered Spider Plant is essential. If your plant becomes overwatered, you must immediately repot into well-draining soil and remove any root rot.

Symptoms Of Underwatered Spider Plant

Most common symptoms of an underwatered Spider Plant are:

  • brown leaf tips
  • droopy plant
  • light green color for Spider Plant varieties that have completely green leaves
  • dead dry brown older leaves

If your Spider Plant is underwatered, water it thoroughly to revive it. If the soil is too dry, sometimes the water will moisten only the topsoil and just run down the sides of the pot. In that case, water multiple times to thoroughly soak the soil, or try bottom watering to make your Spider Plants healthy again.

How Long Can A Spider Plant Go Without Water?

How long a Spider Plant can go without water depends on how developed the roots are. Spider Plants have thick roots that store water. So the more developed they are, the more water they can store, thus going without it for longer.

Spider Plants can survive without water for around two weeks to three weeks.

Of course, there are some exceptions. For example, using radiators and other sources for heating a room may reduce humidity and increase the temperature. This can cause the soil to dry out faster. In that case, only regular watering of Spider Plants can help to combat the drying effects.

How Much Do You Need To Water A Spider Plant?

You need to water a Spider Plant until the soil is fully saturated. The best way to water your Spider Plants is to soak the potting soil thoroughly and let it dry before watering again.

To keep Spider Plants healthy, avoid water logging and use a pot with holes. These indoor houseplants are sensitive to overwatering, so less water is always a better option when in doubt.

Should I Bottom Water My Spider Plant?

No, you shouldn’t bottom water your Spider Plant because that will keep extra salts and other minerals within the soil; they will not be leached out of water. Over a period of time, this can damage the roots and affect the look of your plant. However, you can do it occasionally, but make sure to also occasionally water from the top so that the excess salt would be leached out of the Spider Plant soil.

What Is The Best Time To Water A Spider Plant?

When the soil is fully dry, or at least the top two inches feel dry, that is the best time to water a Spider Plant. As we stated in the article above, always check with a chopstick how wet the soil is before watering a Spider Plant.

A hand is holding a plant with soil and roots

Spider Plant Soil

What Type Of Water Is The Best For A Spider Plant?

The best types of water for a Spider Plant are distilled water or rainwater which will give the best results in growing and maintaining a Spider Plant. This is because tap water frequently contains salts and chemicals, such as fluoride, that the species dislikes. No big damage can be done by watering Spider Plants with tap water, except for the leaves turning brown.

Four gallons of distilled water

Distilled water

How Moist Should A Spider Plant Be?

Spider Plants do not like to be moist for prolonged periods of time. An exception to this is if Spider Plants are getting bright sunlight and are potted in well-draining soil. In that case, Spider Plants can stay moist most of the time and you can fully saturate the soil when watering. Bright sunlight speeds up photosynthesis and increases the speed of the plant pulling water from the soil. And well draining soil is providing oxygen for the roots.

These 2 factors need to be noted in order to keep your Spider Plants healthy; bright light and well-draining soil reduce the chances of root rot. If not in bright light and well-draining soil, it’s best to water them once the soil is fully dry. Spider plants are forgiving if you forget to water them.

Keep in mind that your Spider Plants prefers temperatures ranging from between 65°F to 75°F (18°C to 24°C), but the plant can tolerate as low as 50°F (10°C) below which it will get damaged. This Spider Plants preferred temperature for growth makes them excellent indoor houseplants.

The hand hold baby Spider plants

Baby Spider Plants

What Kind Of Planters/Pots Do Spider Plants Like?

The best planters/pots for Spider Plants should have the following characteristics:

  • Be slightly larger than the roots of the plant
  • Have enough drainage holes located at its bottom

The second thing that needs to be remembered is decoration and functionality. For example, wood can be modern, rustic, or traditional, while the fabric is lightweight and flexible, allowing Spider Plants to get all the oxygen needed.

Remember that Spider Plants grow fast and can quickly outgrow their pots.

four pots with drainage wholes on the ground

Drainage holes on the flower pots

Why Do Spider Plants Get Brown Tips?

Here are the causes and solutions for why Spider Plants get brown leaf tips:

  • Water Stress
  • Fluoride Levels in Water
  • Fertilizer Residue and Salt Build-Up
  • Low Humidity Levels
  • Diseases

To learn in detail why each of the causes mentioned above cause brown leaf tips and how to prevent each of them, check out our article about brown tips on Spider Plants.

Chlorophytum comosum in its white pot on the brown table

Spider Plant Brown Leaf Tips

How Often Should I Water My Spider Plant – Final Words

If you asked yourself “how often should I water my spider plant?”, we hope this article answers your question and helps you take better care of it. As you can see, Spider Plant is a low-maintenance plant that will improve your indoor greenery.

Still, struggling with Spider Plant care? Read our next guide and learn everything about growing and keeping this popular houseplant healthy and blooming!

Yours Truly,

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