From my perspective, a spider plant, I operate on my own timeline. I cannot be rushed. The production of offsets, which you call "babies" or "spiderettes," is my way of reproducing once I have reached full maturity. If I am a young plant, perhaps only a year or so old, my primary focus is on establishing a strong root system and growing my own foliage. I am simply not ready to become a parent. My energy is directed inward, towards survival and strengthening my core. It is only once I feel secure, robust, and fully developed that my biological imperative to create offspring will trigger. Please be patient with me; I will start my family when the time is right for me.
You may think you are doing me a favor by giving me a large, spacious pot with plenty of room to grow. However, from my point of view, this can be counterproductive. I am programmed to reproduce when I feel a slight sense of constraint, a signal that my resources might become limited. When my roots become slightly pot-bound, they release hormones that stimulate my flowering and pupping process. A pot that is too large directs all my energy into expanding my root system to fill that empty space, leaving no energy reserves for creating my beautiful, arching stolons and the plantlets that form on them. A little cozy confinement is exactly what I need to feel the urge to propagate.
Light is my food, my clock, and my source of information. To produce babies, I need the right quantity and quality of light. If I am sitting in a dark corner, I am in survival mode. I receive just enough light energy to maintain my existing leaves, with nothing left over for the significant energetic investment of reproduction. Conversely, if I am placed in harsh, direct afternoon sun, I may become stressed, and my leaves can scorch. My ideal condition is bright, indirect light. This abundant but gentle light provides me with a surplus of energy through photosynthesis. This energy surplus is the literal fuel I use to grow my long stems and develop my miniature versions of myself.
Creating offspring is a nutrient-intensive process for me. It requires a significant investment of phosphorus and other essential minerals. If I am living in old, depleted soil that has not been refreshed or fertilized in a long time, I simply lack the building blocks necessary for this task. I may be getting just enough sustenance to keep myself green but not enough to support new growth. A balanced, diluted liquid fertilizer applied during my active growing seasons (spring and summer) provides me with the nutritional boost I need to consider investing in the next generation.
My primary instinct is survival. If my basic needs are not being met in a consistent way, reproduction is the first process I will abandon. This includes inconsistent watering—either too much, which rots my roots and suffocates me, or too little, which causes me to become dehydrated and stressed. Both extremes force me into a defensive state where all non-essential functions cease. Similarly, extreme temperatures or a significant pest infestation will cause me to divert all my energy to simply staying alive. Only when I am in a stable, low-stress environment can I safely channel my resources into creating my spiderettes.
