Question
I have a few spider plants hanging in front of a east facing window.  I got them in Nov. Shortly thereafter I noticed they had brown tips(though I hear that is usual with spiders)and a few yellowing leaves.  I picked off the yellow leaves(thinking that maybe the soil was staying too wet)and pulled back on the water.  One plant seems to have yellow leaves almost all the time and is looking very bare(though I do see new growth on all).What is causing this?  Some have told me that it could be root rot but I  pulled them out of the pots they came in and found the roots in order.  Could they be  pot bound?  If so,is it not too early to repot them?  Or should I get fresh soil and repot them in the orginal containers(8 inch).  I have also been told that I should start using leftover water from my aquariums  to water them.  I'm told that aquarium water is high in Nitrogen which is what I am told may be lacking.  I do not want to start fertilizing as I thought it was not time for that yet.
I appreciate any help you may offer.
Happy New Year.
D.Anderson

Answer
Hi Dwight,

You have lots of good questions and lots of not-so-good advice.

It s quite common for spider plants to lose some of their older leaves as they adapt to a new environment. New growth will be better suited to their new location and should be healthy. If that is the case with yours, then you don't have much to worry about, particularly if the number of new leaves more or less balances the number of dying older leaves.

If the new leaves are significantly smaller and thinner than the older ones, then that tells you your spider is not getting as much light as it did in the nursery where it was grown.

Excessive leaf yellowing can have several different causes.  Both over and under watering can cause leaf yellowing. Water your spider plant thoroughly and then wait until the top half inch of soil feels dry before watering again. If your plant only goes a couple of days in between thorough waterings, then it is probably ready for a pot one size larger. Otherwise, do NOT rep[ot it. If your plant goes more than a week between waterings, then root rot is likely and pot downsizing may be necessary.

Replacing soil is never a good idea.

Nutrient deficiency can cause leaf yellowing, but that is very rare. When it does occur, it is usually due to improper soil pH. But I don't think you need to pursue this. Aquarium water may have some nutrients, but you have no way to know what the concentration is and what other debris may be in that water. I do not recommend it for your indoor plants. It is OK to use a commercial fertilizer at half strength when your plants are growing vigorously, but the benefits of fertilizer are greatly exaggerated.

If your local tap water is on the hard side or heavily chlorinated, then use filtered or distilled water. Excess mineral salts can cause leaf tip burning.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.
   
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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