# What do I always do wrong with spider plants?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-always-do-wrong-with-spider-plants/665776>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 9, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-always-do-wrong-with-spider-plants/665776 "2013-08-09T02:17:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-always-do-wrong-with-spider-plants/665776/1 "2013-08-09T02:17:15Z")

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It was growing great, and now the shoots have turned black and some of the under leaves as well. It’s been over 110F here, it’s pretty much in the shade, I water from the bottom, and now it appears to be on its death bed. It was a rescue plant from the nursery (I haunt their pitiful plants section for bargains) but I repotted, and like I said, it thrived. For about 5 mos.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-always-do-wrong-with-spider-plants/665776/2 "2013-08-09T02:36:11Z")

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Do you have it inside or outside? I just picked one up a few days ago and it’s my understanding that they prefer cooler temperatures (60-70ish degrees), they need to be mostly in the shade and you should let them dry out between waterings.

I’m not gardner, but I’d guess you’re over-watering it.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-always-do-wrong-with-spider-plants/665776/3 "2013-08-09T02:40:44Z")

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> [@DummyGladHands](#):
>
> It was growing great, and now the shoots have turned black and some of the under leaves as well. It’s been over 110F here, it’s pretty much in the shade, I water from the bottom, and now it appears to be on its death bed. It was a rescue plant from the nursery (I haunt their pitiful plants section for bargains) but I repotted, and like I said, it thrived. For about 5 mos.

I have one that’s going fairly well. I hang it on a tree in the spring-summer and bring it inside when fall begins. Not a spider plant expert but I have noticed that going in easy on the water is fine. They like the occasional outdoor drenching but watering them too often (like every day) isn’t good for them.

[Spider Plants](http://voices.yahoo.com/tips-care-spider-plants-2123890.html?cat=32)

> [@](#):
>
> When you water a spider plant it is good to let the spider plant dry out before you water the spider plant. Never over water a spider plant since they do not like to be over watered. One of the most common mistakes people make when watering a spider plant is that they tend to water the spider plant too much.