leaves on spider plant breaking off waaaaay to easy

Discussion in 'Houseplants' started by ava.k, Jul 7, 2021.

  1. ava.k

    ava.k New Seed

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    My spider plant is having some trouble.
    I checked for root rot and the roots look nice and white so I don't think that is the problem.
    I also gave him some new soil cause the soil he was in was kind of dusty looking/feeling.
    The leaves I noticed are really easy to break off. I just bump them and they snap at the base.
     
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  3. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

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    Perhaps lack of water. Is the green coloring of the leaves faded? How often do you water your plant?

    Jerry
     
  4. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Sometimes on an older plant they lose bottom leaves when the top growth gets going ! Check and see if you have new leaves beginning !
     
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  5. ava.k

    ava.k New Seed

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    Not really. I notice they get pale every once and a while but they look green most of the time. I water once a week.
     



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  6. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

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    How old is the plant? Over time as the plant gets older bottom leaves can be lost.

    Scale could be a problem...are there any small brown dots on the leaves?

    Jerry
     
  7. ava.k

    ava.k New Seed

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    I've had it for a long time maybe 8 or 9 years. and no, there are no brown spots.
     
  8. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

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    Do you have a picture of your spider plant?

    Jerry
     
  9. ava.k

    ava.k New Seed

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  10. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    I wonder what the light and watering situation is for your plant.
     
  11. ava.k

    ava.k New Seed

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    I water it once a week, make sure the soil is dry before I water. The light is probably medium to low. They are inside at a south facing window and an west facing. It doesn't get direct sun.
     
  12. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Nothing unusual-sounding about the watering or light exposure.

    When was the last time you transplanted this jewel?
    BTW does that pot that the plant is in have a hole in the bottom of it?

    I have to say that the leaves look a bit long and sort of pale. Do you think that it is getting enough light? How close to a window is it?
     
  13. ava.k

    ava.k New Seed

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    It sits just below the window pane right maybe 2/3 inches from the wall. There is no drain hole. I haven't transplanted it to a new pot in a couple years but I mixed in new soil maybe two weeks ago because the old dirt was feeling more like ash.
     
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  14. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    I suggest a couple of things and that is to elevate your spider plant so that the whole plant is above the windowsill.

    Another thing would be to transplant it to a plastic or terracotta pot with a hole in the bottom. This is for drainage; as it is, there is no way for excess water to drain away from the roots.
    Another thing is that before lowering your plant into the new pot with a hole in the bottom...place a couple of plant pot chards over the hole. This will help retain your soil so that it will not drain out of the pot with the excess water.

    Fingers crossed for you.
     
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  15. ava.k

    ava.k New Seed

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    Thank y'all so much for the help! Hopefully all goes well!
     
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  16. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Just to be safe, I will say that this new pot that you would transplant into will need to be placed into a shallow or deep pot without a hole to catch any water that may drain out of the hole in your plant pot.
    I guess that this is obvious, but I just say it as a reminder to be safe.

    Here’s an example of what I mean:
    upload_2021-7-25_9-5-36.jpeg

    (This piccy was taken off the internet )
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2021
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