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Indoor Plant Care
Repotting · Spider Plant

How to Repot a Spider Plant

Often: UW Extension says spider plants grow quickly and need frequent repotting, and Clemson HGIC says fast growers may need it yearly. Best time: Spring or summer, while the plant is actively growing, per Clemson HGIC. New pot size: 1–2 inches wider, per Clemson HGIC. UW Extension notes spider plants grow and produce plantlets best when slightly pot-bound.
Spider plantChlorophytum comosum
  • Bright indirect
  • Dry slightly between
  • Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA)
Frequency
Often: UW Extension says spider plants grow quickly and need frequent repotting, and Clemson HGIC says fast growers may need it yearly
Best season
Spring or summer, while the plant is actively growing, per Clemson HGIC
Pot size
1–2 inches wider, per Clemson HGIC. UW Extension notes spider plants grow and produce plantlets best when slightly pot-bound.
Soil mix
A general-purpose potting soil or soilless medium, per UW Extension.

Signs your Spider Plant needs repotting

Pot cracking or bulging from the thick, fleshy roots, which MBG warns can burst a container; soil mounded above the rim; soil drying faster than usual after watering, a sign UW Extension lists.

Step-by-step

  1. 1Water about an hour before repotting so the plant is hydrated, as Illinois Extension advises.
  2. 2Slide out the rootball — expect a dense tangle of fleshy white tuberous roots.
  3. 3If the roots are too tight to loosen, score the rootball with a knife, as Clemson HGIC advises. Larger plants can also be divided, per UW Extension.
  4. 4This is the best time to remove a baby plantlet for propagation or trim damaged leaves.
  5. 5Pot in fresh mix at the same depth.
  6. 6Water well so excess water drains out of the pot, as Clemson HGIC advises.

What kills Spider Plant after repotting

  • Burying the crown — causes basal rot in the central growth point
  • Watering with tap water — NC State notes its chlorine and fluorides can cause leaf tip burn

Species sources: UW–Madison Extension — Spider Plant, Chlorophytum comosum; NC State Extension — Chlorophytum comosum; Missouri Botanical Garden — Chlorophytum comosum.
Repotting guidance: Clemson HGIC — Indoor Plants: Transplanting & Repotting; Illinois Extension — Tips for Repotting Houseplants; UW–Madison Extension — Houseplant Care; UW–Madison Extension — Root Rots of Houseplants; Iowa State Extension — How to Care for Houseplants.

For full Spider Plant care, see the Spider Plant care guide. For the basics that apply to any plant, see how to repot a plant (general).