Is your beloved spider plant on its last legs? Don’t fret! The most common cause of a dying spider plant is root rot from overwatering.
This results in drooping leaves, a yellow appearance, and an overall lifeless look.
You're reading: How to Revive A Spider Plant From Drooping: 2 Main Causes and Solution
Other factors that can contribute to a dying spider plant include excess fertilizer, under watering, and low humidity.
Luckily, you can learn how to revive a spider plant in simple steps. Keep reading to discover why your spider plant is fading and how to bring it back to life.
Spider Plant Leaves with Brown Tips
If you notice your spider plant’s leaves turning brown, particularly at the tips, there are a few potential culprits.
Low humidity, under watering, over watering, excessive wind or air flow, too much fertilizer, sunburn, cold temperatures, and even fluoride in the water can all cause this browning effect.
It’s important to note that spider plants thrive in warm, tropical climates with relatively high humidity and moderate rainfall, such as their native South Africa.
Failure to recreate these conditions can result in brown leaf tips and an overall dying appearance.
Drought Stress
Spider plant leaves commonly turn brown at the tips when they experience drought stress.
This can be caused by under watering, low humidity, or air currents that rapidly evaporate moisture from the leaves, leaving the roots unable to absorb water quickly enough.
While spider plants can tolerate some drought due to their water-storing abilities, complete soil dryness can lead to brown tips.
The low humidity in our homes, as well as air conditioning, draughts, and other sources of air movement, can exacerbate this issue.
How to Revive A Spider Plant
To revive a spider plant with brown leaf tips due to drought stress, there are several steps you can take:
Spray with water
Read more : Tips of Snake Plant Brown: 6 Potential Issues To Address
Spray the leaves with water to create a humid microclimate around the plant, mimicking the higher humidity of its tropical habitat. This helps reduce water loss from the leaves.
Adjust your watering schedule
Water the plant when the top 2 inches of soil feel slightly moist to somewhat dry, rather than waiting for it to completely dry out. The frequency may vary depending on your climate and conditions.
Water generously
When watering, give the plant a generous soak. Light watering only moistens the top inch of soil and doesn’t reach the roots, leading to brown tips. Allow excess water to escape through drainage holes to ensure even moisture distribution.
New place
Choose a location for your spider plant that is free from significant draughts and avoid placing it in direct airflow from air conditioning or forced air systems. Spider plants prefer a more humid environment.
Tip
If drought stress was severe, you may need to trim the brown ends of the leaves to stimulate new growth and improve the overall appearance.
With time and proper care, your spider plant should show signs of recovery after a few weeks.
Brown Leaf Tips due to Fluoride in Tap Water
Spider plants are highly sensitive to chemicals present in tap water, such as fluoride and chlorine.
Exposure to fluoride can cause brown tips and even dieback in the leaves.
To avoid this, it’s best to water your spider plant with filtered water or rainwater instead of tap water.
Trimming the affected leaf tips and refraining from using tap water should help your spider plant recover fully.
Excess Fertilizer
Spider plants don’t require heavy fertilization but do benefit from feeding during the spring and summer months.
Overfertilization, especially with high concentrations or when the plant is in a slow-growth period (like winter), can stress the plant and result in brown, crispy leaf tips.
Spider plants typically need a half-strength application of balanced, general houseplant fertilizer once a month from spring to mid-summer.
Read more : Snake Plant Turning White: 10 Causes and 7 Solutions
If excess fertilizer is the cause of your spider plant’s brown leaf tips, follow these steps to revive it:
- Remove the spider plant from its pot and discard the soil around the roots, as it may contain accumulated salts from excess fertilizer.
- Replace the soil with fresh potting soil and repot the spider plant.
- Give the plant a thorough watering after repotting to help dissolve any remaining excess salts and alleviate transplant shock.
- If the leaf tips don’t recover in appearance, trim them using sterilized pruners to stimulate new growth.
Temperatures and Sunlight
Extreme temperatures can also cause brown leaf tips in spider plants. The optimal temperature range for these plants is between 65°F (18°C) and 75°F (23°C) during the day and above 55°F (12°C) at night.
If the temperature exceeds 80°F (27°C) or drops below 55°F (12°C) for extended periods, brown or black leaf tips may occur.
Spider plants prefer bright indirect light rather than direct sunlight, so it’s important to avoid placing them in the sun for extended periods.
To address temperature-related issues, follow these tips:
- Move the spider plant to a shadier area if it’s currently exposed to direct sunlight.
- Avoid placing the plant near cold windows, as the leaves can come into contact with frost, causing further damage.
- Trim away brown and damaged leaf tips to encourage new growth.
How to Revive A Spider Plant With Yellow and Drooping Leaves
If your spider plant’s leaves are turning yellow and appearing droopy or lifeless, overwatering, slow-draining soil, excessive fertilizer, and large pots that hold excess moisture could be the culprits.
Spider plants, native to tropical areas in South Africa, have adaptations that make them more sensitive to overwatering rather than underwatering.
How to revive a spider plant with yellow and drooping leaves
- If you suspect overwatering, remove the plant from the soil and inspect the roots. Cut back any brown and mushy roots caused by root rot, ensuring you use sterilized pruners to prevent spreading fungal pathogens.
- Rinse away the remaining soil and replant the spider plant in a new pot with fresh potting soil, as old soil may harbor fungal pathogens.
- Keep the soil evenly moist for the next four weeks and mist the leaves regularly to mitigate transplant shock.
- Ensure the pot has proper drainage to prevent waterlogging, and empty any saucers or trays beneath the pot regularly to avoid water accumulation.
While severe root rot may be challenging to overcome, repotting your spider plant gives it a fighting chance.
If excessive fertilizer is the cause of yellow leaves, discontinue its use and water the soil thoroughly to dissolve any accumulated salts.
If the plant doesn’t show signs of recovery after four weeks, consider replacing the soil.
Key Takeaways
A dying spider plant is often the result of root rot caused by overwatering, leading to yellow leaves and drooping.
Low humidity and excess fertilizer can also cause brown leaf tips and dieback.
To revive a dying spider plant, recreate its native conditions by providing moderate watering, higher humidity, and warm temperatures.
By following these tips and giving your spider plant some extra love and care, it can thrive once again.
Source: https://thelittle.garden
Category: Houseplants