A spider plant is a great choice for a houseplant. It is attractive and easy to take care of. It is possible to over or under water, but they are much more resilient than other plants. They also have a long life span.

The plants have long leaves that are narrow and come in other variations such as dark green with yellow striping, variegated, speckled and more. A spider plant will grow fast and produce a lot of foliage, which means they are a great choice for decorating. When they grow, they also tolerate being root bound quite well.

The watering requirements of the plant require a very small effort, however do not over water because it can cause root rot. A consistently moist soil with occasional dry periods is best recommended. Spider plants can go for several days without being watered, especially during the fall and winter, when they are less active.

If you see the tips are growing brown or become spotted, you need to change the kind of water you are using. If you have been using tap water, then it is okay depending where you live. If in the city, the water supply may have a high chlorine concentration and possibly fluorine as well. These minerals can damage your plant, so try using rainwater or purified water free of minerals to see if the problem will be alleviated.

Spider plants are flexible with light requirements, they do quite well in indirect sunlight, but can also handle direct and bright lights for several hours daily. The idea is to give them a few hours of light that is not in an area that is too hot or too cold. They can stand temps anywhere from 55-65° F, this is a part of their natural environment.

The plants are very easy about fertilizer requirements also, but it is important no to overdo it. A liquid NPK mix applied to the plant every three to four months is sufficient during the growing season. There is no need to do it in the fall or winter, that means generally they only get two or three feedings per year.

In the summer time, spider plants produce small, star shaped flowers that are white. The flowers grow along the stalk that can reach over three feet in length. If you notice the stalk is leaning or bending, it is a good idea to stake it. The plant may also bloom more than once and can develop flowers again in spring or early fall.

Spider plants make a beautiful hanging basket, particularly when they are older and have an abundance of leaves. They can grow out of a pot, so you need to divide and replant about every two years. Spider plants can reach a few feet wide and even apart from flower stalks, can get up to two feet in height. A healthy plant can grow so much it will crack a clay pot.

You can add a beautiful look to your indoor plant garden with this plant that is easy to take care of, you should try a spider plant.

By: Kent Higgins
Now you can remove the confusion in your mind on the topic of caring for spider plants. Don't be shy - check us out at plant-care.com.

Pilea is a genus of about 600 species, found in rainforests throughout tropical regions worldwide, except Australia. The name Pilea comes from "pileus", a Roman felt cap (which the seed resembles).

Pileas require indirect light and must be sheltered from the sun. The low or moderate light of a north or west window will work best. As with most tropical plants, Pilea will not tolerate temperatures below 50o F. Nighttime temperatures of 65° to 70° and daytime temperatures of 75 degrees to 85 degrees are ideal.

Pileas love humidity but do not like soggy soil. Water only when the potting mix has dried out, about once every two weeks or so. However, water your pilea immediately if it is dry and begins to wilt. Pileas have a hard time recovering if they wilt for more than one day. To maintain humidity place your plant on tray of moist pebbles and mist regularly.

Pilea are generally very easy to root from cuttings. As the plants have a tendency toward leginess, it is a good idea to start new cuttings every spring instead of wrestling with older pilea. Place cuttings in moist peat and keep warm until they root. Rooting hormone usually isn't necessary.

Because Pilea love humidity, they are a favorite plant for use in terrariums. A terrarium is a collection of compatible plants grown in an enclosed, or partially enclosed, clear container. Terrariums allow you to create a miniature landscape plants which require a high degree of humidity, like pilea and ferns. Once established, the terrarium begins to create a climate of its own. The plants transpire moisture through their leaves, which then condenses on the glass, and flows back to the soil. This 'rain effect' means that most terrariums are generally maintenance free.

Pilea are not hard plants to grow. With even minimal attention toward water, they will generally thrive and continuously put out new foliage through the summer months. In the winter, growth slows. All pilea tend toward leginess and have fairly brittle stems. To encourage a compact, bushy plant, pinch off growing tips every so often.

By: Briscoe White
In 1985, Briscoe White opened The Growers Exchange in an abandoned Texaco station on a busy urban street corner in Richmond, Virginia. In 1987, Briscoe opened a nursery in Charles City County, 25 miles east of Richmond along the shores of the historic James River. Currently there are 5 distinct growing environments with 5 acres under cover and it allows him to grow a variety of plants: herbs, perennials, annuals, fresh flowers and produce.

The past twenty years have been spent growing an environment within the store and the community that encouraged an exchange of plant and gardening information. In the summer of 2005, he closed the doors to the local market, and moved onto the Internet. The company is now based at our facility in Charles City, and have been connecting and exchanging with gardeners all over the country. Visit anytime: http://thegrowers-exchange.com.

Briscoe has over 25 years of gardening experience. For further information on gardening products or gardening tips please contact Briscoe White at bwhite@thegrowers-exchange.com

Crassulas: The Coolest Houseplants

Wanted: Easy-To-Grow Houseplant that doesn’t look like it is!

Crassulas, commonly referred to as Jade Plants, are fascinating succulents. Their sculpted shape make fine specimens not unlike bonsai trees. They are easy to grow, they grow slowly, can live pot-bound for years, easily propagated, adapt to temperature variations, and don’t require a lot of water. What more could you ask?

There are as many as 300 species of Crassula, and most are native to the dry areas of southern Africa. Although the jade is the best known, and most commonly grown, there are a number of unusual crassulas that share all of those wonderful characteristics with their cousin, Jade!

The jade plant can reach a height of almost 2 feet, and has smooth, fleshy leaves 1 to 2 inches long. There is a miniature variety, Crassula 'Baby Jade', that is noted for its small round leaves rimmed with red tones. Clusters of delicate white flowers bloom in the summer if the plant receives fertilizer. When the plants are old or pot-bound, they often bear small, fragrant white flowers in the winter.

Jades do best in full sunshine, so make sure to find a bright sunny location. They will grow well outside as a patio plant during the summer and their leaves tend to color with a reddish tinge. It will stop growing at temperatures much above 90 degrees, and they can survive cold conditions to just above freezing as long as the soil is dry and frost free.

However, they do best with nights in the 50’s and days near 70 degrees. The soil should be allowed to dry out between thorough watering, and if you have less sunlight, water less. Feed the plant every 3 to 4 months. And, remember to keep an eye out for pests, particularly mealy bugs. If you notice these critters in the crevices where the leaves meet the stems, treat them immediately with alcohol and a cotton swab.

A word of caution: One of the most common mistakes plant owners make is to love this plant to death by overwatering. In order to avoid disaster, simply close your eyes and envision a dry hillside covered with crassulas under a blazing African sun. Rain is infrequent, and usually happens in the winter months. As long as you can keep that picture in your head, you’ll do just fine!

By: Briscoe White
In 1985, Briscoe White opened The Growers Exchange in an abandoned Texaco station on a busy urban street corner in Richmond, Virginia. The facility has grown over the years, and is now 5 distinct growing environments with 5 acres under cover. Briscoe has over 25 years of gardening experience. He has now gone virtual, and in the fall of 2006, he launched his online garden center. For further information on gardening products or gardening tips please contact Briscoe White at bwhite@thegrowersexchange.com

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Spider Plant Botanical Name: Chlorophytum comosum

Spider plants are an extremely easy, beginner houseplant. They are very forgiving plants, tolerating neglect and thriving in nearly all conditions. Because of this, they are also very common.

The reverse variegated spider plants have leaves with white outer stripes, and a green stripe between. The variegated have an inner white stripe with green outer stripes. There is also the common all green variety.

Spider Plants are one of the plants on NASA's Clean Air Study as an air-filtering plant.

Light Requirements: Spider plants prefer a medium to high light area, filtered afternoon sunlight. Variegated varieties will require more sunlight than the regular all-green variety.

Watering Needs: Spider plants have large roots which store water. They prefer to dry out a bit between waterings to prevent root rot.

Use rain water, distilled water, aquarium water or tap water if you let it sit for more than 24 hours before using. Spider plants do not like the chemicals in tap water. Brown tipping on leaves may be due to tap water.

That said, once or twice a year, I usually stick each of my plants in the bathtub and give them a shower. This gets the leaves clean, gives them a good soaking.. and just seems like it would feel good.

Propagating: Spider plants are a viviparous plant, in which it produces seeds that germinate before it detaches from the mother plant. In spider plants they produce both seed and plantlets growing from stolons.

As a spider plant becomes more root bound, the more babies - or offshoots, it will produce. The plant will require more water, as well. To reduce the stain the babies put on the mother plant as they each, in turn, grow and mature, clip the babies and put the small root system in water or soil. Each baby will quickly grow into a mature plant.

The mother plant may also be divided to gain new plants.

Dividing: I found a reverse variegated spider plant at a local hardware store. It was a reverse variegated spider plant. There were 4 mother plants in the pot. I couldn't resist purchasing it specifically to repot.

Here's how I go about dividing and repotting. Pull the plant out of the original pot. This may require some gentle pulling. I use a butter knife to loosen the inside side of the plant and it usually comes out easily.

The plant had a lot of root system growing at the bottom. It had grown around the plastic drain in the bottom of the pot. I took a sharp knife and cut the bottom roots off. This may not be recommended by others, however, I have always cut the bottom portion off of a root bound plant

Now, the main plant is divided into sections - in this case, 4 separate sections.

I gently cleaned each of the plants root systems off, baring most of their roots.

I used a potting soil mixture with added sand for good drainage.

Finally, I repot into smaller pots, because spider plants do like a snug fitting pot.

I keep empty water jugs filled with tap water, which sits for at least 24 hours before use. Periodically, I add bat guano to it for fertilizer.

By: Judi Cox
Judi Cox is a work at home mom living in the Ohio Valley with her husband and 4 children. She enjoys gardening for fun and for the birds, playing with the kids, and reading. She has been making soap and lotion since 2001. Visit MommaMuse.com.

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