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Indoor plantlets · Beginner friendly · 5 min

Spider plant babies, ready for a new home

Root a hanging plantlet and pass on an easy indoor growing project.

Reference photograph: W.carter · CC0. Display may be cropped. Not the offered plant or packet.

Propagation reference: Royal Horticultural Society. Gulf seasonal context: Dubai Garden Centre. Adapt timing to your own city.

By Growhood · Updated

Watch the technique

Follow this article's GCC timing and care advice alongside the demonstration.

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Growing instructions

  1. 01

    Choose a well-developed baby

    Look along the parent's hanging stems for a small rosette with several leaves and visible root nubs or roots underneath. Leave very tiny plantlets to grow. Some spider plant cultivars produce few or no babies, so do not assume every plant will make them.

  2. 02

    Set a pot beside the parent

    Fill a small draining pot with fresh houseplant mix and moisten it lightly. If the runner reaches, leave the baby attached to the parent while rooting. Stand both plants securely in bright indirect light.

  3. 03

    Pin the base to the mix

    Rest the baby's root area on the surface and gently secure it with a clean plant pin, without piercing the crown. Keep the leaf centre above the mix. Keep it lightly moist, not soaked, while roots grow. Do not wrap it in a sealed bag in Gulf heat.

  4. 04

    Detach after the roots take hold

    After a few weeks, look for fresh growth and gentle resistance when the plantlet is very lightly tested. Once rooted, snip the connecting runner with clean scissors. If you received an already detached baby, root its base directly in lightly moist mix; a baby with its own roots is easier for a beginner.

  5. 05

    Find a suitable indoor home

    A bright room with indirect daylight is a good starting point in GCC homes. Keep it away from direct AC airflow, hot glass and harsh outdoor midday sun. Water when the surface begins to dry and empty any water left in the saucer.

  6. 06

    Give an established plant, not just a promise

    Once the new plant is stable and producing growth, label it with its name, rooting date and indoor care notes. Hand it over locally in cooler hours. When it matures, it may make more plantlets for the next neighbor; young plants can take time to reach that stage.