Why Your Spider Plant Is Turning Brown? [ANSWERED]
When a spider plants begins to turn brown, it can only mean one thing. It’s time to grab your detectives hat and magnifying glass, because we have a case to solve – the mystery of Why is my spider plant turning brown!
From our experience, browning spider plants can be caused by:
- inappropriate growing conditions like lighting or air moisture,
- internal issues with water or mineral levels out of the normal ranges, or
- pesky pests and damaging diseases.
In order to determine the source of your brown issues, we need to work our way through the troubleshooting guide by looking at your plants symptoms.
Let’s get moving, because a case is afoot my dear Watson!
Practical Trouble Shooting Guide for a Browning Spider Plant
In this troubleshooting guide, we will be taking a slightly different direction to what other online resources tend to take.
Instead of listing a number of causes for you to trawl and match against your spider plants’ symptoms, we’ll be flipping it on its head. We’ll begin with the symptoms of your spider plant, and then listing the possible causes beneath each symptom.
It’s a small, but important detail that will make a world of difference to the way you approach your gardening problems.
Let’s Begin!
Why does my Spider Plant have Brown Edges?
If your spider plant is starting to develop brown edges along its leaves, it may be suffering from exposure to chemicals. Spider plants are part of the lily family, which is known for their sensitivity to specific chemicals and minerals, like chlorine and fluoride. The chemicals build up in the soil and slowly poison your plant, which shows up as brown coloration on your leaves, similar to burn marks.
You’re probably asking yourself – how is your spider plant being exposed to chemicals? It’s not like you brush it using toothpaste!?
The likely culprit is the source that you use to water your plants. If we were to hazard a guess, you are probably using tap water, which can be full of minerals that don’t agree with your spider plant.
Suggested Solution – Chemical Imbalance
The best remedy is to change water source immediately. Cease using water from the tap. The best water to use for your plants is distilled or filtered water where the chemicals have been removed.
Another option is to use rain water from catchments or water tanks.
Why does my Spider Plant have Brown Spots?
If you begin to see brown spots dotted over your spider plants’ leaves, it is likely that you have a fungal or bacterial disease issue on your hands. Other indicators that your spider plant is suffering from a disease include the tips of the leaves turning black or brown, and the overall appearance of the plant is limp.
If you are only looking at brown spots, then other potential causes for the changes could include environmental changes such as humidity changes (especially in the winter months) or even frost.
Suggested Solution – Fungal Issues
A DIY hydrogen peroxide solution is an effective way to treat fungal infections. Using the following ratios:
- 1 part 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, and
- 9 parts distilled water
Combine and thoroughly mix in a spray bottle, and lightly spray your spider plant all over. The hydrogen peroxide solution should begin to neutralize the fungal infection straight away. But, if you still see spots developing, repeat the treatment again.
It may be intimidating to spray what looks like a toxic solution all over your plant. However, hydrogen peroxide begins to breakdown into harmless water and oxygen gas as soon as you begin spraying your plant.
Suggest Solution – Bacterial Disease
If you suspect your plant may be suffering from a bacterial disease in the soil, the quickest way to remedy the solution is to repot your spider plant into a new pot with fresh soil.
PRO TIP
Remember to sterilize all the equipment and old pots before you reuse them to avoid spreading the bacterial infection.
Suggest Solution – Humidity Levels
If you think lack of humidity is causing your spider plant’s brown spots, you don’t need to blow your budget on purchasing a large, noisy humidifier. Try creating your own DIY humidifiers or capsules for your spider plants. Alternatively, try placing your spider plant on a humidity tray for an instant humidity boost.
Why is my Spider plant Brown at the Tips?
Brown tips on a spider plant indicate your plant is suffering from water stress. To determine if you are overwatering your plant, ask yourself these questions:
How often are you watering your spider plant?
Do you check your plants’ soil to determine the moisture level before watering?
Watering your plants is a tricky concept to master when you first begin your gardening adventures. It is certainly one of the most commonly asked topics we receive from our community.
Overwatered spider plants begin to show symptoms by turning brown at the tips of their leaves.
Suggested Solution – Overwatering
We like to use a method that has not let us down – called the soil moisture finger test. It is a simple and effective technique that indicates when to water your plants.
Simply dig your finger about an inch deep into the topsoil around your spider plant and test the moisture levels. If soil sticks to your finger as you pull it out, there is still moisture present. If your finger comes out relatively clean, then it is time for water.
Why is my Spider Plant Turning Brown in the Middle?
Similar to brown leaf tips on your spider plant, if you begin to see the middle of your plant turning brown, it could be the result of overwatering.
However, the reason why your spider plant is browning from the middle, is because the excess water has caused root rot.
Root rot disease is when the roots of your plant have begun to rot. This is a direct result of the roots sitting in soggy soil due to too much water and a lack of drainage.
Suggest Solution – Root Rot
You will have to act quickly to save your spider plant. If root rot disease is left to develop, your plant will become too far gone and recovery will be next to impossible.
To revive your plant, remove your spider plant from the pot and carefully comb away the soil. With sterilized sharp scissors, trim the rotten roots away from your plant, leaving only healthy roots.
Find a new pot and fill it with fresh potting mix. DO NOT reuse the wet soggy soil from the original pot. It is likely to have harbored bacteria and fungus from the moist environment.
Replant your spider plant and water, making sure any excess moisture drains freely from the bottom of the pot.
Finally, sterilize all your tools and pots after use to avoid any diseases from spreading.
Why is my Spider Plant Getting Brown Leaves?
If you notice your spider plant leaves showing brown patches that have a crispy feeling, your plant may be in a position that is receiving too much direct sunlight.
Unfortunately the direct sun is too intense for a spider plants’ leaves and will dry them to the point where they appear brown and burnt.
Suggest Solution – Too Much Light
The best lighting for spider plants is a position where they can bathe in plenty of indirect sunlight for approximately 6 – 8 hours of light per day. They will also tolerate short periods of dappled sunlight in the early morning or late evening. The key is to avoid excessive light.