Q.I Divided My Spider Plant Due To Being Over Watered.
I found fat white tubers on the roots, and I trimmed off the mushy roots and re-potted the divides. Some tubers fell off and some I cut off. I am going to plant 6 tubers, 2 to each small pot. Will they grow spider plants? One more question, I have had this spider plant for 3 to 4 years and it never had any spider babies? Do you know why that is? Thank you, Debbie
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
These tubers are usually formed, fully, during stress. They do this to store nutrients and water when conditions become unfavorable, such as overwatering. In this case, they halt most processes, including respiration and root nutrient and gas exchange. These root nodules keep them alive until conditions return to something that they can tolerate.
This brings me to the main issue.
These plants are extremely drought tolerant, preferring very dry conditions over moist conditions. In anything other than wet soils, they can become quite invasive, in fact!
Good growth will come from neglect, actually. Just set it and forget it for awhile.
As far as the tubers go... They won't usually produce any offspring if you take them before they have already produced their own shoots. It is best to leave them alone.
Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/spider-plant/spider-plant-swollen-roots.htm
