In the shop: Spiderplants

I remember spiderplants from childhood with fondness. Native to tropical and southern Africa Spider plants ( Latin name Chlorophytum comosum.) are efficient air cleaners, known to reduce levels of formaldehyde in homes. They are such an easy plant, as long as you have natural light. Shady spots won't do, but given a nice natural light, these pleasant plants will happily send out long tendrils with little baby plants at the ends.

As a child I would snip off these new plants and pop them on the top of a glass milk bottle (that should indicate how old I am- milk was delivered in glass bottles with foil tops, right to our doorstep!) filled with water, and watch with wonder as over a short space of just a week or two the small roots would grow. Pot the plant into a small container of lightly moist potting soil and it really is as easy as that. Keep lightly moist but not wet, especially if just potted on since those first roots grown in water will be getting replaced with a new set built for life in soil.