How to Divide a Spider Plant

Reviewed by Ben Barkan

Last Updated: November 28, 2022 Approved

Spider plants, also commonly known as ribbon plants, spider ivy, St. Bernard's lily or airplane plants, are perennial members of the lily family. Easy to grow as house plants, spider plants propagate themselves by shooting off baby plants, or plantlets, while the mother plant continues to grow in size. When the mother plant gets so large that it is spilling from the pot, or becomes pot bound, it is time to divide and transplant it.

Steps

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Spread newspaper or plastic down on your work surface to catch soil spills.^{[1]
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You may need to add more later, depending on the size of the pot and root ball. The soil in the bottom should raise the base of the plant to surface level and allow ample room for plant growth.

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Loosen the soil and any roots that are attached around the inside of the mother plant's pot.^{[2]
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- Insert a butter knife or hand shovel into the pot along the side.
- Move the tool around the inside of the pot, keeping it close to the inside perimeter. Wiggle the knife as needed to pry away attached roots.
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Remove the plant from the pot.^{[3]
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- Place one hand palm-side down on the surface of the soil. Spread your fingers on that hand to cover as much of the surface as possible.
- Turn the pot upside down using your other hand, dumping the spider plant into your palm.
Use your fingers to loosen and remove remaining dirt to get a better look at the plant's root base.
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Separate the tubers to divide the plant. The root base of a spider plant is made up of water-rich tuberous roots. A network of roots grows from each tuber.
- Pull the tubers apart into 2 to 3 smaller clusters using your fingers. The roots of the plant will separate from each other to stay with their attached tuber. Don't worry if some of the roots tear off, new ones grow quickly.
- You can also use a clean, sterilized knife to slice through the tubers.^{[4]
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- Determine the size of your divisions by the size of the pots you are using for your new plants. The root base of the new plant should sit entirely below the soil in the pot and have room to grow before needing transplanting or division. The roots of these plants grow quickly.
Place the roots under the soil and make sure the base of the plant is at surface level. Fill the space around the root base with moist potting mix.
^{[5]
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Research source} Keep the soil moist to encourage the tuberous root base to grow. Spider plants take quickly when divided and transplanted and rarely show signs of transplant shock or distress.

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Question

How do I replant baby spiders from my mother plant?

Community Answer

Put the babies in a glass of water to grow their own roots. When the roots are long enough (about 1" long), plant in a new pot.

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Is there a better time of year to separate a spider? During the summer while it's growing, or in the winter while it's dormant?

Community Answer

I was taught that winter is not a good time to disturb them. I have followed this philosophy for over 40 years, although I have also had emergencies when I was forced to repot in the winter. I have found that they will survive in that event, but they seem happier when moved in warmer weather.

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Can I transplant the mother plant if it has new plantlets growing out of it?

Community Answer

Yes. These are very hardy plants. Just transplant as you normally would. I don't like to remove the babies until I have a new home for them. They are fine to stay with the mother even during transplant. I often like to wait for them to get bigger before I move them so mom can be moved independently. Sometimes there are so many babies that I only take the big ones.

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Tips

Spider plants are commonly grown as hanging plants, used in window gardens, or potted and perched on shelves and other areas where they are encouraged to grow hanging babies.

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Spider plants thrive in moderate to cool environments with bright, indirect light. They might lose their green pigment or sunburn if grown in direct sunlight. In areas without enough light, the spider may fail to produce spider babies.

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Spider plants can also be propagated by planting the babies. Place a prepared pot next to the mother plant and allow the plant to rest on the soil in the new pot. Roots will develop and a new plant will grow. You can also cut the babies off of the main plant and root them in water or plant them immediately in moist soil. Baby spider plants transplant easily.

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