What to do with all the babies from a spider plant?

         Some of you know I have been cleaning up plants and composting the dirt, which is a job I don't like to do.  But in the mist of doing this, I have come across some really good plants. House plants so I decided I would propagate them because in the greenhouse this winter they will go a little dormant.  The first one I am working on is the spider plant.  So here is how I found out how to propagate it.  I hope to keep them growing this winter and use them as pass along plants to you the customer.  See how it goes.  This is what you need to do.   
    How to propagate spider plants. Great topic idea! Well, the good news is that spider plants are one of the easiest types of houseplant to propagate. It’s so easy that soon you’ll have tons of new spider plants.   Spider plants usually flower in the summer, and new offshoots (called babies or plantlets) grow out of those flowers. There are several ways to propagate spider plants. The most common is by rooting the babies and growing them as new plants. I recommend waiting until the babies have begun growing starter root formations on their own before attempting to root them. If the spider plant baby doesn’t have any signs of starter roots or only has tiny nubs, it probably won’t root. Example of the second picture. .
         A Simple Method for Propagating Spider Plants
 •Once you determine a plantlet is ready to be rooted, you can remove it from the mother by cutting it off. Sometimes the babies will come off easily when you disturb them.
 •The easiest way to root spider plant babies is by putting them in water until new root shoots pop out. Before you put them in water, cut or pinch off any foliage that is growing at the base of the baby or growing under the roots. Any foliage that is submerged under the water will rot. I like using a deep, clear vase to root my spider plant babies. Only fill the vase enough to cover the roots of the baby plant. If the plantlet sits in water that’s too deep, it will rot. Using a tall vase keeps the plantlets upright and helps hold the foliage out of the water.  example of third picture
•Two weeks after I put the above plantlets in water, they had new roots shooting out. Allow the babies to grow several new roots before transplanting into dirt. This plantlet is ready to be planted into a new pot.
•After planting the rooted baby into its own pot, water it well, allowing the excess water to drain out the bottom of the pot. Keep the soil evenly moist until the plant has become established in its new pot. You may also want to mist it daily or keep it in a humid room (like a bathroom or kitchen) during this time. Once you see new growth, that means the plant is established and you can stop babying it.
 
    In addition to rooting in water, there are a couple of other methods you could use to propagate a spider plant.  Spider plant babies are pretty easy to root in a light rooting mix or potting soil. The key to getting them to root directly in soil is to keep the air around the plantlet very humid, which can be difficult in an average home. The easiest way to do this is by using a DIY propagation box or mini dome greenhouse that contains a light soil mix of vermiculite, peat moss and perlite. You could also create a mini greenhouse by covering the plantlet and soil with a plastic bag. If you try this method, dipping the root nubs in rooting hormone will help the baby sprout roots faster.
 
Read more: http://getbusygardening.com/how-to-propagate-spider-plants/#ixzz4NSYrVkZ1
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa