How and when to fertilize spider plant
The spider plant or by its scientific name Chlorophytum comosum is a perennial herb whose origin is South Africa. It is currently very popular as a houseplant, both for its striking leaves and its ease of care. As you can imagine, its name comes from the resemblance its hanging leaves have to the legs of a spider. In this post we will see how to apply fertilizer for spider plant, both the type of fertilizer and the doses and the appropriate time of application.
Another characteristic that makes it one of the best indoor plants is its purifying capacity in environments affected by carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. These can be sprays, various varnishes, and even products from the cosmetic industry. So now you know, if you want to breathe cleaner air at home, grow some spider plants. 😉
Table of Contents
1. How to grow spider plant
Although we have already anticipated that these plants are easy to care for, we always like to start our articles with some tips for growing the plant in question, and this will be no exception.
- Temperature: one of the weak points of this plant is its low resistance to cold. It is not recommended to expose it to temperatures below 7 ° C. It is not good for it to suffer sudden changes in temperature, being ideal for its development at temperature of 27 ° C.
- Lighting: it should be in well-lit environments, but not exposed to many hours of direct sunlight. The sun’s rays will burn your leaves and affect the overall health of your spider plant.
- Soil: it is not very demanding with the substrate. Although if it is of quality it will help a better multiplication and development. The most important thing is that it has a very good drainage capacity.
- Irrigation: irrigation must be abundant, but always without causing flooding. During the development season like spring and summer you will have to water every three days. In autumn and winter it will be enough to water every 10 days.
- Pests and diseases: in general they do not suffer attacks by insects or diseases. The biggest problem can be caused by excess moisture in the soil. This can end up producing rot in the roots.
2. What are NPK values in a fertilizer
Although we will see below that there is no ideal fertilizer for these plants, in fact we can use organic fertilizers directly, it is always good to know what the NPK values are. Since it is a key concept when buying a fertilizer for your plants.
To define it in a simple way, we can say that the NPK values are three numbers that represent the concentration by weight of the three main nutrients in the fertilizer (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium).
- Nitrogen (N): it is undoubtedly the most important nutrient in the development of plants, helping to produce leaves and maintain a good green color.
- Phosphorus (P): this nutrient helps to form new roots, produce seeds, fruits and flowers. Its application also helps plants fight diseases.
- Potassium (K): helps plants develop strong stems and maintain rapid growth. It is also used to fight diseases.
Let’s take a simple example. In a 1 kg bag of 15-20-10 fertilizer we have 15% nitrogen (150 g), 20% phosphorus (200 g) and 10% potassium (100 g).
If you are reading this post, you will probably be interested in learning about fertilizing these other plants.
3. Best fertilizer for spider plant
When selecting which fertilizer to apply to our spider plant, we must bear in mind that an excess of fertilizer can be a problem in these plants. This will be reflected at first by brown spots on the tips of the leaves. As we always say in this blog, it is better to fertilize less than more.
When selecting which fertilizer to apply to our spider plant, we must bear in mind that an excess of fertilizer can be a problem in these plants.
When you go to the nursery to buy fertilizer for your spider plant, look for a general-purpose fertilizer for garden plants or houseplants. In general, these fertilizers are usually balanced (that is, the same main nutrient ratios), so their NPK values will be 20-20-20, 15-15-15 or similar. You will find them both in liquid and granular format, although it is usually easier to apply the liquids on a plant such as the spider plant, especially if it is in a pot.
You can also use homemade fertilizers, with which you will always make sure not to overfertilize. Among these types of fertilizers you can use organic compost, worms, well-fermented guano, coffee grounds, etc.
4. Fertilizing spider plant
We have already seen which are usually the best fertilizers to apply, it is time to know how and when we should apply it.
4.1 When to fertilize
The moment in which the fertilization of a spider plant must be carried out is when it is in the development season (spring-summer). In the autumn and winter months we must let the plant rest without applying any type of fertilizer.
As for the regularity, it will depend on the type of fertilizer we use. If we select a slow release fertilizer, only one or two applications per year may be sufficient, while for other types of fertilizers we may need to make more applications.
4.2 How to fertilize
The first thing you should do is read carefully the instructions for use of the fertilizer, as long as it is not a homemade fertilizer. Then apply a lower dose than recommended in the instructions, making sure not to over fertilize.
If you are one of those who do not like to always opt for commercial fertilizers, which generally have chemicals that can damage the plant in the long term, you can carry out a mixed fertilization plan. In this plan, the two types of fertilizers can be interspersed. That is, once you apply the commercial fertilizer and the next the homemade compost.
Remember to spread the fertilizer regularly in the pot, a concentration of nutrients in a single point can damage the plant. Finally, remember to water abundantly, this will help to better homogenize the fertilization.
5. Fertilizer for spider plant video
To end this post we will dedicate a section to leave you a video of the Let’s Talk About Plants channel, in which you can see how you should carry out the fertilization of your spider plant with a fish fertilizer.
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