Can Spider Plants Grow Outside? (Explained)

by Alex Kountry
Updated on

Having plants in your home isn’t just great for decoration, they also help boost your mood, reduce fatigue, and lowers anxiety.

Well, Spider plants are great home plants that offer all of these benefits.

Spider Plants are popularly known as indoor plants, they are used as decors for homes, offices, gardens, etc.

This has puzzled a lot of people to wonder if they can be used outside. This article is here to answer the question “Can Spider Plants Grow Outside?” Let’s get right to it!

Can Spider Plants Grow Outside? 

Can Spider Plants Grow Outside

Yes, Spider plants can be grown outside, although they are naturally indoor plants, with the right care they can thrive outdoor.

This plant thrives perfectly well as long as it is not kept directly in the sun.

Excessive hot sun can damage the leaves of spider plants and turn them brown.

While it’s great to grow these plants outside, make sure you protect them from direct sunlight.

Preferably, you can provide a good shade for them, to protect them from direct sun.

Keep reading to learn more about how spider plants can be grown.  

Here is an article I wrote on growing spider plants in water

Are Spider Plants Better Inside Or Outside?

Spider plants are very popular to be house plants.

This plant thrives best when kept indoors. Spider plants prefer temperatures between 55 and 80°F, which make them great indoor houseplants. 

These plants can tolerate lower light conditions.

This is why they still grow when they are kept indoors.

However, spider plants prefer indirect bright light where they thrive best. This indirect sunlight causes the striping on the leaves to be more prominent. 

When grown outside, they can be exposed to excess sunlight and cold. Aside from sunlight, spider plants can be destroyed by frost.

As a result, it is so much easier to manage spider planes when they are kept indoors. You can simply control their water intake and protect them from hot sunlight and frost.

However, when they are planted outside, you certainly don’t have that level of control except if they are potted.

That way you can easily move them from place to place for better growing conditions.

Spider plants can also survive without any form of sunlight.

However, they won’t be big as those with minimal sunlight exposure. This simply means that every plant needs sunlight no matter how little.

How To Grow And Care For Spider Plants 

1. Plant them inappropriate soil

Spider plants thrive best in well-drained loamy soils, they are usually a great option for potting.

Potting these plants controls them from invading other plant.

However, it is advisable to repot them only when their large, fleshy roots are highly visible.

2. Water spider plants

One of the most common ways of caring for plants is by watering them.

Different plants differ in their water requirements. Spider plants do best with moderate watering, preferably once or twice a week.

Excessive watering of spider plants can cause damage to the plant. Excessive watering causes their roots to get rotten.  

3. Give them some sunlight

Spider plants seem not to be extreme plants.

Most of their growth necessities are required in moderate amounts. Spider plants require moderate indirect sunlight.

Exposure to direct or hot sunlight can damage their leaves causing the tip of the leaves to turn brown.

4. Grow water spider plants in hydroponic water

Spider plants can be grown in water jars but for them to function best, they should be grown in hydroponic water.

This is because hydroponic water contains all the nutrients a soil can offer.

5. Use fertilizers 

Fertilizers can also be used to improve the growth of these plants.

However, fertilizers should be used moderately; excessive size of fertilizers on spider plants can cause brown leaf tips.

Also check out this article on the spiritual benefits of spider plants

How Do You Take Care Of A Spider Plant Outside

  1. Shade them: Spider plants should be kept in a way that they don’t have direct sunlight touching them. A good way to do this is by shading them partially when they are outside.
  2. Plant them in pots: Spider plants should be planted in pots; it makes mobility easy especially in harsh weather conditions. These plants shouldn’t be kept outside in seasons like winter and spring. Winter can be too cold for spider plants and spring can be too hot for them. Summer is more weather friendly for spider plants.
  3. Ensure your spider plant’s soil isn’t soggy: Wet soils can lead to pest attacks and spider plants are more prone to pest attacks when kept outside. To prevent this attack from occurring, ensure the soil is dry. You can also use pest control measures such as the use of neem oil to spray on the plant to avoid further attacks.

What Temperatures Can Spider Plants Tolerate

Spider plants thrive in temperatures ranging from 70 – 90°F; at these temperatures, they grow at their fastest.

However, spider plants can withstand temperatures as low as 35°F without harm.

Spider plants, on the other hand, do not grow well in temperatures below 65°F. If spider plants are kept in areas with temperatures below 65°F, they are unlikely to grow.

In addition, if the temperature falls below 65°F, the spider plant will most likely develop brown tip leaves.

When certain plants are kept at extremely cold temperatures, their cells may expand and burst, resulting in mushy foliage.

This also applies to spiders, when they are kept at temperatures below 65°F, they develop mushy foliage.  

When Can I Put My Spider Plant Outside?

As earlier stated spider plants shouldn’t be outside in spring or winter.

This is because these weather conditions are considered harsh to spider plants.

Spider plants are natives of the tropical environment, and they love the warm and humid climate. This is why is it most recommended that spider plants are planted or taken outside in summer.

Can Spider Plants Live Outside In Summer?

Spider plants are tropical plants and they thrive in warm seasons, this makes summer the most preferred season to plant spider plants.

This is because they wouldn’t have to deal with excess water that comes with spring and frost that comes with winter.

Spider plants shouldn’t be planted in winter; this is because they will likely not grow.

During winter already planted spider plants go dormant, however, during the late winter and early autumn, the spider plant re-grows.

Just ensure frost doesn’t get to the roots of this plant as this can kill them.

Here are some other steps that can help you maintain your spider plant in winter.

1. Ensure the dormant spider plant is still provided with the appropriate amount of sunlight. Shade this plant from areas of direct sunlight.

2. The soils of dormant spider plants still need attention. Ensure the soil is well-drained and not watered excessively. 

3. Ensure you avoid the use of fertilizers on dormant spider plants during winter. 

Conclusion

Spider plants are great for indoors, but they also grow well outside in the right conditions.

When kept outside, spider plants can be affected by pests, sunlight, water, and even temperatures.

Spider plants require moderate sunlight exposure, and they should be provided with shade to avoid sunburn.

Excessive watering of spider plants is harmful because it can cause their roots to rot.

Spider plants grow well outside, but they should be planted or carried outside during the summer.

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About the author

Alex Kountry

Alex Kountry is the founder of HayFarmGuy and has been a backyard farmer for over 10 years. Since then he has decided to write helpful articles that will help you become a better backyard farmer and know what to do. He also loves to play tennis and read books

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