In the ground, spider plants bloom in the spring. The stalks usually have one or more babies at the tip, which may be single, double, or more, and flowers along the stalk. Without sufficient light inside, it may take a long time to see flowers, or stalks with just babies may appear. In a pot/inside, there doesn't seem to be any seasonal pattern to their behavior. Being pot/root-bound has nothing to do with it, though a convincing case could be made for some plants (that they will bloom more or better,) no plant would experience this condition in nature, and this is not the reputation for spider plant. When people say that, they are usually overwatering their plants to death, or the plants are simply in a very bad 'soil,' and if/when the poor things finally run out of room in the pot to harbor so much excess water, they can finally try to do what they would have done a long time ago anyway. But back to spiders, they bloom profusely when loose in the ground, letting them 'get there' this far south is a mistake, they are perennial, and will not stop taking over an area by 'walking' into a bigger circle via babies every year. The next year the babies make their own flowers and babies, and trying to walk through a patch of this stuff is tricky, the stolons stick up in an upside-down U-shape and trip people, just like a patch of that nasty Vinca garbage. (Ooops, turned into a rant, sorry. I'm sick of digging up my Mom's novelties! She can plant 'em, but she can't dig stuff up later when it does what I warned her about... And - LOL! I still have one in a pot, old habits die hard!)

Thanks for the comments. jpinard, Long Island is very lush and green. In the early Spring I put out all my house plants and Bonsai plants and they just thrive outside. I believe it's the dampness at night. Many moons ago we spent 3 months living in Las Vegas (on an extended business trip) Upon returning to Long Island, I couldn't believe all the Green and lushness I saw from the ride home from the airport. We lived on the Island all our lives, but it was like I was seeing it for the first time. No, I don't have any allergies. Why would you ask?

Like Miss Sherry says, ultimately a sunny spot is best. Here are a few things to consider( I am writing this assuming that you are a newbie, if not skip); 1. Decide what butterflies you want to attract. Do a little research and find out what species are in your area. It wont do you any good to plant lupines to attract karner blues if they are not in your area. 2. Determine what species of plant attracts those butterflies. This is important. Many of us plant host plants. If you are not familiar with host plants vs. nectar plants, again do a little research (a good butterfly book is a great place to start). Often times you will not get certain species without planting host plants (question marks, zebra swallowtails, etc.). 3. Many of the host plants have differing cultural requirements (this does not mean some like modern art and some like art on velvet). This means some like wet soils, some like dry, some like sun, some like shade, etc. This will determine placement. 4. Most nectar plants, not all, like a lot of sun. Nectar plants need a good dose of sun and water to produce healthy amounts of nectar. 5. Place the garden where you can enjoy it. Next to a patio or provide some seating. 6. I wouldn't place it near a bird feeder. 7. It should have some protection from wind. 8. It shouldn't be near automatic sprinklers. Up to 90% of eggs and first instar caterpillars are lost and many of these are lost to rain. So, a good dose of watering from above can kill caterpillars. A good book to start is "The Life Cycles of Butterflies" by Wayne Richards and Judy Burris. Hope that helps, Elisabeth

I shop at multiple stores. Pay day is every other Friday so I that is when I go to Wal-Mart or Smith's (Kroger owned). Every 2 weeks we also get coffee beans at the little mom and pop shop. We go to Sprouts every 2 weeks as their ads overlap on Wednesdays. This is actually getting less frequent as they have not put the bulk things on sale that I want the most as frequently (steel cut oats and short grain brown rice). The bread outlet is a once a month trip. Other stores such as Keller's (for meat), Trader Joe's, the international markets, Vitamin Cottage (for other bulk items), I alternate months. Some things I get through Amazon's subscribe and save and that can vary in frequency. Eggs are mostly from my hens and many of our vegetables come from our garden. Some of the variety in shopping is about the money savings but it is more along the lines of trying to match the quality to a certain price point and meeting my needs of acquiring a diversity of ingredients. Arborio rice at TJ's, quality meat at Keller's, red lentils in bulk at Vitamin Cottage, etc. Part of it is me trying to maintain a well stocked pantry because my moods are fickle and if the pantry has a variety of things, I can cook according to my mood. Pre-planned menus never, ever work for me.