Ok, so this is an odd request but I need some help. MRGH got me a spider plant a little over a year ago. It literally died last year when I brought it in from outside. I noticed 2 things at that time, the pot was WAY to small and it was actually 3 plants in the WAY to small pot. I repoted in a HUGE pot and it came back. I have just brought it in after spending the summer outside and it is starting to die again. I need to repot since the thick roots are coming out the top of the soil again. When I repot, can I trim the roots of this plant before I repot? I am going to put each plant in it's own pot this time to save from having to get a pot I can't carry. I'll get pics of the plant and show it off later. Thx ladies for any help

mrsGH, I just did a quick search on google, and got a few things that may be handy, didn't read through it all, just glimpsed to see it would be handy. But to answer your question about cutting the roots, yes you can. dividing the rootball is how you propagate them, so unless you want a buncha lil ones around make sure the cuttings go right into the garbage.

www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/hortiscope/houseplnts/spider.htm

www.thegardenhelper.com/spiderplant.htm

davesgarden.com/pf/go/68558/

i kill plants  

Quoted: i kill plants

it all takes practice....i killed 5 of 5 corn plants i was trying to grow this year if it makes ya feel any better

thx Joey
I emailed the guy from the one site you linked and got an e-mail back from him. He said repot them all separately and trim the roots. They are very hardy and VERY HARD to kill.
One thing I did learn from the links also was not to feed them city water, that they do not like. So I need to set a bucket out for rain water (not that we will get much before the snow flies) and buy distilled to keep them watered in the winter mths. So tomorrow I will be busy trimming and repoting these plants.

I didn't know ANYTHING killed spider plants.

Must...not...photoshop...*spider* plant.....

Quoted: I didn't know ANYTHING killed spider plants. Must...not...photoshop...*spider* plant.....

As you can see from the <do not photoshop> pics, the plant didn't die, but all that was left was the roots.
I have finally got around to splitting them up and repotting them, there were at least 6 or 7 mother plants in there and the bucket was nothing but roots.
I also learned spider plants do not like city water because of the chlorine and flouride, so now I have to buy bottled water for the damn things this winter.

Quoted: Quoted: I didn't know ANYTHING killed spider plants. Must...not...photoshop...*spider* plant..... As you can see from the <do not photoshop> pics, the plant didn't die, but all that was left was the roots. I have finally got around to splitting them up and repotting them, there were at least 6 or 7 mother plants in there and the bucket was nothing but roots. I also learned spider plants do not like city water because of the chlorine and flouride, so now I have to buy bottled water for the damn things this winter.

Let the water sit for 24 hours.  Fish don't like chlorine either, and thats what one does when changes fish tank water with tap water.

Quoted: Let the water sit for 24 hours.  Fish don't like chlorine either, and thats what one does when changes fish tank water with tap water.

that's what MrGH said too (he used to raise and breed African Cichlids) of course for some reason I had my doubts, now I don't, thank you for saving me money!

I help the wife with the plants and we'll split up the main plant at the roots and re-pot the split up sections in their own pots. they can take a ton of abuse before they are truly dead.
I also use the water from my fresh water tank changes to water the plants. The fish poop/emulsions make a great fertilizer

Whoa!  That is a monster spider plant!   I think that thing would give me nightmares.  Spiders are just about the only plant that does not tremble in fear when I enter the room.  I happen to think that spiders belong in hanging baskets where the baby spiders can drape down and attack you when you walk by too closely.  I have never had trouble with tap water on mine, though.  They live under the carport, so I water them all summer from the hose, and they are big and perky and needing to be repotted once again.  Those little fertilizer stakes make them very happy.  You can always leave the water out for 24 hours as someone suggested, or collect rainwater (even melted snow would work), but I don't know if it is really neccessary.  It looks like the main problem that monster is having is that it's root bound.  

Quoted: Whoa!  That is a monster spider plant!   I think that thing would give me nightmares.  Spiders are just about the only plant that does not tremble in fear when I enter the room.  I happen to think that spiders belong in hanging baskets where the baby spiders can drape down and attack you when you walk by too closely.  I have never had trouble with tap water on mine, though.  They live under the carport, so I water them all summer from the hose, and they are big and perky and needing to be repotted once again.  Those little fertilizer stakes make them very happy.  You can always leave the water out for 24 hours as someone suggested, or collect rainwater (even melted snow would work), but I don't know if it is really neccessary.  It looks like the main problem that monster is having is that it's root bound.

I agree, it was terribly rootbound. One thing I learned in the links Joey gave was though that when the leaves start to turn brown from the ends first (as seen in the pics on some of the leaves) is due to chlorine in the water. I don't water the plant in the summer, it sits outside in my flower bed and gets all the rain water. So the fact that it starts to turn brown when I start feeding it tap water adds more credence to what I read.
I used Miracle grow potting soil to repot in, so I will have a huge mass of spider plants again come spring, that and I will set the water out 24 hrs or collect rain water or snow to water them.
and while I agree with you on spider plants needing to hang, that pot it was in was heavy enough it was all I could do to pick it up, didn't want to push gravity by hanging it!!