Is your Spider plant falling over?
The spider plant is one of the most fragile plants in indoor gardening and is quite susceptible to many issues.
So, don't be surprised if you feel the plant is leaning downwards. It's likely because of some of the external factors that often cause such damage to indoor plants.
In this guide, let's discover why your Spider plant is falling over.
I have also shared some tips to revive such plants below, so I hope you find them useful too.
Why Is My Spider Plant Falling Over?
Here's the list of reasons -
1. Overwatered Plant
Does your plant's soil look wet? Have you been watering the plant every other day?
If the answers to these questions are yes, your plant is suffering from overwatering situation.
That's correct! For more confirmation, you can dip your finger into the soil and see if it feels wet or not. This simple test will give you an idea about the moisture content in the pot.
Now, when you water the Spider plant too much, you will see its effects on the leaves. The leaves will lose their shape and fall over eventually.
Here's one of my Spider plants that started to lean over after overwatering -
It happens because of the possible root rot situation in the pot. Since the roots stop working efficiently, they don't bring nutrients and water to the plant. Therefore, it results in an imbalance in the plant's internal system.
2. Lack Of Water
It is the opposite of the one I've discussed above in this guide.
When you leave your plant underwatered for weeks, it won't be easy to keep things going internally. As a result, the plant will fall over and might appear dull overall.
Thankfully, though, the underwatering situation is not as bad as overwatering. You can always revive the plant from this situation. So, act upon it quickly before it gets too late.
3. Exposure To Direct Sunlight
Other than the watering problems, there might be another thing that can make your plant fall over.
And that is the excess sunlight!
Even though the plants like to grow in natural light, you won't see many plants thriving in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight is generally harsh, and it's primarily suitable for the trees that grow outdoors.
For indoor plants, you need to provide light with slightly lower intensity.
Hence, if you have kept the Spider plant in direct sun, you should consider relocating the pot to a slightly shady place.
4. Fungus Attack On The Plant
Fungus attacks are lethal and can damage the plant in many ways.
If your plant's leaves are leaning downward, it could be a sign of such an attack on the plant. Moreover, the fungus often grows on wet soil before advancing to the different parts of the plant.
So, if you see any fungus on the Spider plant, it might already be going through the overwatering situation.
The other thing about this type of issue is that it often takes place during humid conditions. These conditions are suitable for the growth of various fungus species.
Hence, you should consider this factor as well while performing the inspection.
Note: There might also be a bacterial attack on the plant, but you must confirm it through examination.
5. Overpruned Plant
Did you prune the Spider plant recently?
Yes, the plant can experience shock and enter survival mode if you have removed a lot of leaves and runners from it. Generally, when you perform pruning on indoor plants, you should opt for the light pruning technique.
This technique helps in managing the plant over a long period.
On the other hand, the hard pruning method is only suitable for hardy plants. Still, if you think the Spider plant is falling over because of this reason, it shouldn't be a concerning factor.
In the meantime, you must take care of the plant and monitor any possible signs of other issues.
6. Pest Attack On The Plant
You can't rule out the pest attack!
Although there aren't many pests that attack this plant, the weakened plant can surely attract many bug issues quickly. When the bugs attack the plant, they target softer surfaces like leaves and branches.
Since this plant doesn't have branches, you will mostly find leaves affected by such an attack. So, do take a look at the leaves carefully. You should also check underneath the leaves, as most bugs hide and build colonies in such a place.
As you can see, these are the typical reasons for this type of issue in Spider plants.
In most cases, the plant will have issues with watering or sunlight. If you can work on these two issues, your plant will return to life in no time.
In the next section, I have talked more about the ways to revive the Spider plant. So, do take a look at the useful tips below.
How To Fix Your Droopy Spider Plant
There are a few things you can do to revive the plant at this stage. Here's a list of them -
1. Water The Plant Properly
As you know, this whole issue is pretty much related to overwatering or underwatering. So, it makes sense to follow a strict watering routine for the plant.
You should stop watering the plant for a few weeks if it's overwatered.
For underwatered plant, you need to water it immediately. However, do not let it sit in the wet soil for long. Otherwise, it will lead to similar issues in a few days.
2. Do Not Keep It In The Sun For Too Long
Next, you must consider moving the plant to a nice and bright location.
Do not keep it in direct sunlight, as it will do no good to the plant. Find a place to get your Spider plant at least a couple of hours of natural light during the day.
This should be good enough for the plant.
More importantly, the leaves will come back to life and not fall over again.
3. Repot The Plant If Needed
As I said earlier, the repotting method can help address many issues in your plant.
It won't fix the main issue, but it will surely give a better environment to the plant. With repotting, the plant will have relatively dryer and more nutrient-rich soil.
Besides, it will also give you an opportunity to look closely at the roots. You can easily identify any root issues when you remove the plant from your existing pot.
4. Fertilize The Plant
Fertilizers can be very effective if used correctly.
But before using any fertilizers, ensure there are no underlying issues in the plant. If there are any related issues, you will have to fix them first.
It's quite important because the plant needs to be in good condition to receive nutrients from the soil.
If it's already dealing with some issues, there is no point in feeding the plant. So, examine the problem in your plant and try to fix it as soon as possible.
Once you confirm there is no issue with the plant, you can fertilize it. This should greatly help in reviving the Spider plant.
Now, let's check out the FAQs below.
FAQs
If the plant is weak, you need to take care of it.
Follow the standard gardening practices, and your plant should return to its previous look. But if the plant is overgrown, you may need to prune some of its outer leaves.
You can perk up the plant by providing enough sunlight, water, and fertilizer. These are the three key essentials in growing any plant in the garden.
So, try to work on these things with utmost care.
Apart from that, you should also fix any existing problems in the plant.
It's mostly due to the overwatering situation in your Spider plant.
Firstly, you will have to fix the watering schedule for such a plant. Then, you need to repot or transplant it into another pot so that it will not have to deal with wet conditions.
You should also look at the roots, as the roots might begin to rot due to overwatering.
No, the Spider plant doesn't require too much light.
But ideally, you should strive to give it 4-5 hours of natural light. It will help grow better leaves on the plant.
Over To You
When the Spider plant falls over, it could be a sign of a concerning issue. If you can fix this issue quickly, the plant will start thriving again.
In the above guide, I have shared useful tips that should help you in this process. But if you still have any questions or doubts, feel free to drop them in the comments.
In case you liked this guide, do share it with your friends and family.
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