Can You Water Spider Plants with Milk? (Revealed)
Spider plants are common household plants and are easy to care for.
You may have heard that watering plants with milk helps them grow faster.
But can you water spider plants with milk?
In a nutshell, yes, you can water spider plants with milk.
However, you cannot simply throw milk into the plants.
If you do that, your plants might have significant problems.
There is more to it.
This post will explore the effect of milk on houseplants, how often to water spider plants, and more.
Keep reading, and let’s dive right in!
Is milk good for indoor plants?
Does milk benefit indoor plants?
Yes, watering plants with milk is good for indoor plants and might be beneficial for your houseplants.
This is because milk has antifungal and pesticide properties.
Milk is very nutritious for plants.
They contain many vitamins and minerals that help your spider plants thrive.
These vitamins include calcium, vitamin B, natural sugar, and proteins.
In other words, milk can be in the service of a fertilizer.
Another thing to consider is the adverse effects of giving too much milk to your plants.
Flooding your plants with milk or using any milk causes stunted growth, wilting, and root rot.
Not all milk is suitable for watering plants.
It would be best to avoid skimmed and whole milk.
Instead, go with either low-fat or reduced-fat milk.
Also, make sure to dilute the milk before giving it to your plant. A 50/50 mix is ideal.
But what about the amount of milk?
Since spider plants only require a small amount of water to thrive, apply the same amount of diluted milk to the plants.
Also read: Houseplant Care Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Take Care of A Houseplant
What happens if you water a spider plant with milk?
When you water your spider plant with milk, you are helping it grow faster.
The effects of milk on plant growth are noticeable, with faster-than-normal growth being the first thing you will notice.
Milk contains calcium that plants need for root growth.
Thus, calcium deficiency can cause stunted growth.
Mealybugs, spider mites, and aphids might harm your spider plants.
Diluted milk sprayed on the entire plant can help reduce those tiny mites and bugs on your plants.
The pests that feed on the milk will die because they cannot digest it since they don’t have a pancreas.
Milk can also function as an antifungal for your plants.
When you spray milk on the leaves, the milk protein makes antiseptic elements when exposed to sunlight.
When milk is mixed with water and put on the soil, it helps healthy microbes, bacteria, and fungi grow.
Therefore, milk can prevent the development of pathogens and harmful insects in the soil.
Overall, you help your spider plants grow faster when you water them with milk.
You also help them be healthier and less prone to catching diseases like pests, fungi, and viruses.
Also, and this is very important, please do not overwater your plants with milk, as it can have the opposite effect.
What should I water my spider plant with?
For the most part, stick with regular water for your spider plant.
However, to prevent your spider plant from disease, it is wise to water them with diluted milk at most once a week.
Be sure not to apply fertilizer or pesticide after watering your plants with milk.
Milk acts as a fertilizer. So, you don’t need to add fertilizer for the time being.
Milk also acts as a pesticide. Adding pesticide will kill the good bacteria in the milk that helps your plant grow.
Also, you can keep your spider plant from getting fungus by spraying or wiping the leaves every three weeks.
Remember not to water your plants with diluted milk daily, as it can have the opposite effect.
Also read: How Often to Water Spider Plants? (Tips for New Plant Parents)
Conclusion
Spider plants are one of the most common plants in households and are often cited as the go-to plants for beginners.
However, people often wonder, “Can I water spider plants with milk?”
The answer is that milk can be used to water spider plants.
Milk helps spider plant to grow faster because it contains calcium that promotes root growth.
We can use milk as a fertilizer since it contains calcium, vitamin B, and natural sugar, which are vital for plants to thrive.
It also contains antifungal and pesticide elements to protect your spider plants from pests and diseases.
If you water a plant with milk, you are helping it grow faster.
You are helping it live a healthy life, but too much milk is not good, as it can have the opposite effect.
For the most part, however, stick with regular water for your spider plant.
But, you may water your plants with diluted milk once a week to help them grow healthier.
When watering your spider plants with milk, a moderate, 50-50 ratio of milk and water is the best way to care for your spider plants with milk.
Check out our beginner-friendly spider plant care guide if you want to learn more about how to take care of your spider plant.
Until then, happy gardening!
