{"id":495,"date":"2021-10-26T14:02:34","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T14:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/?p=495"},"modified":"2022-07-16T13:00:41","modified_gmt":"2022-07-16T13:00:41","slug":"should-i-cut-off-broken-spider-plant-leaves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/should-i-cut-off-broken-spider-plant-leaves\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I Cut Off Broken Spider Plant Leaves? (Answered)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you are like most people who <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/spider-plant-care-guide\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"197\">grow spider plants<\/a>, you probably want to know whether or not you should cut off the broken and dead leaves.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Should I cut off broken spider plant leaves?&#8221; is a very common question that new spider plant owners ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In a nutshell, yes, you should cut off the broken and dead leaves of your spider plants. By removing damaged and dead leaves, your spider plant will obtain more nutrients and look better as a result.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, I&#8217;m going to explain the truth behind the broken spider plant leaf. And why you need to know how to deal with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you want to save the <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/can-a-spider-plant-live-outside\/\">lives of your spider plants<\/a>, read on&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should I cut broken spider plant leaves?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"479\" src=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Should-I-cut-broken-spider-plant-leaves_-1024x479.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Should-I-cut-broken-spider-plant-leaves_-1024x479.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Should-I-cut-broken-spider-plant-leaves_-300x140.jpg 300w, https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Should-I-cut-broken-spider-plant-leaves_-768x359.jpg 768w, https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Should-I-cut-broken-spider-plant-leaves_.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yes, you should cut off broken spider plant leaves\u2014the reason why is pretty simple.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because if you don&#8217;t cut them off, the broken leaves will continue to take nutrition from the other leaves and may cause the whole plant to wilt and die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s more to it than merely snipping off those dead leaves, despite how easy it may appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To keep your plant healthy, you&#8217;ll need to examine just how much of the leaf is dying and properly remove the damaged portions afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good rule of thumb is if half portion of the leaf has already been destroyed, you should remove it as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cutting off broken and dying leaves is essential for three reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>To allow nutrients to flow freely and foster new development.<\/li><li>To stop disease or pests from spreading to other leaves.<\/li><li>To boost your spider plant&#8217;s health and looks.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Dying leaves rob the plant of nutrients that your plant may better utilize elsewhere.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By removing these leaves, nutrients may flow to where they&#8217;re most needed: the healthy leaves that remain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don&#8217;t want your plant to waste energy and water on dead or diseased leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides, dying or broken leaves will <a href=\"https:\/\/web.extension.illinois.edu\/focus\/index.cfm?problem=chlorosis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">not have chlorophyll<\/a>, which is essential to photosynthesis. This means that they won&#8217;t be able to create new energy for the plant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, the plant will start to wilt and die.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same goes for <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/how-to-get-rid-of-bugs-on-spider-plants\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"454\">bugs<\/a> and diseases. Cutting off diseased or pest-damaged leaves as early as possible will help prevent the disease or pest from spreading to other areas of the plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, spider plants with broken and dying leaves are unattractive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They have an unattractive and sickly appearance. But by getting rid of them, you&#8217;ll be able to make your spider plant look healthier and more vibrant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some plants, keeping brown leaves on the plant has been shown to accelerate its death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To sum up, dead and dying leaves rob your plant of the nutrients it needs to grow and thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By cutting off all the broken leaves on your spider plant as soon as possible, you&#8217;ll be able to prevent your plant from wasting energy and resources on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Also read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/spider-plant-turning-yellow\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"318\">Why is My Spider Plant Turning Yellow? (Causes and Fixes)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What do you do with broken spider plant leaves?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>There&#8217;s nothing you can do with broken spider plant leaves except to cut them off.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best thing you can do for your spider plant is to cut off the broken leaves as soon as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason is that the longer you wait, the more your spider plant will suffer from nutrient deficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To prevent this from happening, you&#8217;ll need to remove the broken and dying leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another tip to keep in mind is don&#8217;t cut off all the broken leaves at once. Instead, cut off a small portion of the leaves first and then gradually remove the rest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We will talk about trimming dead spider plant leaves further down this post, so keep on reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should I cut the brown tips off my spider plant?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"479\" src=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/How-does-humidity-affect-your-spider-plant_-1024x479.jpg\" alt=\"signs of overwatering spider plants\" class=\"wp-image-304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/How-does-humidity-affect-your-spider-plant_-1024x479.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/How-does-humidity-affect-your-spider-plant_-300x140.jpg 300w, https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/How-does-humidity-affect-your-spider-plant_-768x359.jpg 768w, https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/How-does-humidity-affect-your-spider-plant_.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yes, you should cut off the brown tips off my spider plant\u2014the reason is pretty simple.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because if you don&#8217;t cut them off, the brown tips will continue to suck up nutrients and water from other parts of the plant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By removing those brown tips, you&#8217;ll be able to make your spider plant look healthier and more vibrant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I kid you not &#8211; my friends have been asking me many questions about why my spider plants are so vivid and attractive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m not going to lie to you; all I do is just cut off the brown tips off my spider plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve been doing this for years, and I can tell you that it&#8217;s definitely worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an effortless and quick way to make your spider plants look healthier and more vibrant.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/why-is-my-spider-plant-turning-brown\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"250\">Why is My Spider Plant Turning Brown? Find Out Why!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you trim dead spider plant leaves?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We know now that trimming dead spider plant leaves is excellent for your spider plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>So here is how you trim dead spider plant leaves:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, you will need a pair of very sharp scissors or shears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A dull pair of scissors can damage your leaves, making them seem much worse than they were before you cut them. So make sure you get a good one first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, start looking for any dead leaves that have turned yellow or brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid attracting bugs and creating a breeding ground for mold, sweep up any fallen leaves immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If bacteria or leaf spot disease is detected, use <a href=\"https:\/\/hgic.clemson.edu\/factsheet\/common-houseplant-insects-related-pests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rubbing alcohol<\/a> to clean the blades of your scissors between each cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wet the blades before cutting to avoid damaging vital tissue while removing dead leaves due to aging, watering issues, or sunburn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remove any brown or yellow leaves from your spider plant by chopping them off near the stem or the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you don&#8217;t pull on the leaves since this might cause harm to the plant&#8217;s healthy sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, when dealing with your spider plants&#8217; brown or yellow tips, you should remove just the damaged edge or patches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When trimming, <strong>make sure not to cut more than 20% <\/strong>of your spider plant in one go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You want to trim your spider plant in phases because cutting just so many leaves at once may shock and stress your plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By cutting in small chunks, your plant will be able to adjust itself to the changes and keep on growing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve trimmed your dead spider plant leaves, you can give your plant a little sprinkling and a nice drink if the soil is dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your spider plant will be back to its former glory in no time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The water will help the spider plant absorb all the nutrients that have been removed from the leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will broken spider plant leaves grow back?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No, <strong>broken spider plant leaves will never grow back and heal on their own. <\/strong>The reason why is pretty simple &#8211; they&#8217;re dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why you should remove the dead and dying leaves from your spider plants as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you should not worry about cutting off broken and dead leaves from your spider plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you remove the damaged leaves, your <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/houseplant-care-guide\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"195\">houseplant<\/a> will produce new ones to replace them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is my spider plant leaves breaking?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several reasons why you might see your <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/spider-plants-survive-a-freeze\/\">spider plant<\/a> leaves breaking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of these reasons include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/how-to-revive-overwatered-spider-plant\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"484\">Overwatering<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; watering too much can cause spider plant leaves to break.<\/li><li><strong>Too much sun exposure<\/strong> &#8211; too much sun exposure can dry out your spider plant and make it prone to leaf burn and rot.<\/li><li><strong>Temperature fluctuations<\/strong> &#8211; if you live in a place with extreme temperatures, you may be subjecting your <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/do-spider-plants-like-humidity\/\">spider plant to sudden temperature<\/a> drops and highs. This can lead to spider plant leaves breaking and cracking.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These are the top three most common reasons why your spider plant leaves might be breaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to find out and learn more, you can read our post about <a href=\"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/why-is-my-spider-plant-dying\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"442\">why your spider plant is dying.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Important Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To sum it up, the best thing you can do for your spider plant is to cut off the broken leaves as soon as possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This way, you&#8217;ll be able to prevent your spider plant from wasting energy and resources on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cutting off dead and broken leaves will also help your spider plant to grow healthier and more vibrant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When cutting off these vexing leaves, remember to use a pair of razor-sharp scissors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Now, I&#8217;d like to hear from you:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you have any tips on cutting a broken leaf off a spider plant?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please let us know by leaving a comment below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Until then, happy gardening!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are like most people who grow spider plants, you probably want to know whether or not you should cut off the broken and dead leaves.\u00a0 &#8220;Should I cut off broken spider plant leaves?&#8221; is a very common question that new spider plant owners ask. In a nutshell, yes, you should cut off the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":496,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[7],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":840,"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions\/840"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plantdegree.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}