Since they absorb moisture and nutrients through their leaves rather than their roots, air plants are incredibly unusual among other plant species. It can be challenging to keep these unusual houseplants properly hydrated.
For them to thrive, a different watering schedule is necessary. It’s best to soak your air plants in water for 20 to 60 minutes every week to 10 days. To find out more about watering air plants, read this article.
When To Water Air Plants
To give your air plants enough time to dry during the day, water them in the morning. Depending on the type of air plant you have, their growing environment, and other factors, you should water your air plants at different intervals. The frequency of watering may be reduced if the plants are growing in a consistently humid environment as opposed to dry ones.
However, when grown in typical household conditions, the majority of air plants only need to be watered once every one to two weeks. To find out how frequently your particular type of air plant needs to be watered, be sure to do some research on it.
How To Water Air Plants
The ability of your air plants to breathe at night may be hampered if you water them in the morning rather than after they have had enough time to completely dry out.
When it’s time to water your air plants, take them out of their current location and immerse them in a bowl or sink with enough water to completely cover them.
It’s normal for some of the plants to float above the water; just make sure that the majority of each air plant is submerged in the water. Give them an hour in the tub.
Remove each plant, hold it upside down, and vigorously shake it to remove any excess water that may be collecting at the base of the inner leaves. Place your air plant in a bright area after flipping it upside down on a towel.
Depending on when it is completely dry, leave it to sit for one to three hours. A flooded area could cause your air plant to rot, so make sure there isn’t any. Until it’s time to give your air plants another bath, put them back in their usual location.
Use The Right Water
Your air plants may be harmed if you use chlorinated water on them. Instead, if at all possible, use filtered water or rainwater. Allow tap water to sit out in a bowl for 24 hours before using it to let the chlorine evaporate. The browning of leaf tips is a result of chlorine.
Change Your Watering Schedule Seasonally
Air plants require different frequencies of bathing depending on the time of year. They prefer to take a bath once per week in the hot summer, but once every three weeks or so in the cool winter works just fine. Pay attention to how the seasons are changing and the condition of your air plant, and water it appropriately.
You should also make a note of where your air plant is. How much light, for instance, does your plant get? It might require more frequent watering if it receives a lot of sunlight.
If your home is humid, your plant won’t need as much water as if it’s next to a heater, where it might dry out more quickly. When deciding on a watering schedule, take the time to consider the air plant’s surroundings.
How To Water Air Plants Attached To Wood Or Other Support
On occasion, air plants are glued to decorative support. They can thrive in this environment, but it can be challenging to water the plant. If at all possible, soak the air plant without submerging the wood or other object to which it is attached.
After that, be sure to invert the plant so that it can completely dry. As an alternative, mist the plant thoroughly three to seven times per week or rinse it under running water two to four times per week.
How Often To Water Air Plants
How often you water your air plants depends on the humidity; and whether you have a xeric variety from an arid region or a mesic variety from a humid climate.
In comparison to mesic varieties, xeric air plants might need less frequent soaking. We suggest giving your air plant a weekly 1-hour soak as a general starting point.
Aside from watering according to a set schedule, you can tell if your air plant needs water by closely inspecting the leaves. In order to conserve moisture, each leaf’s edges curl inward along its length. The entire plant will feel limp, even though thirsty air plants don’t wilt as visibly as other plants do.
Do I Need To Mist My Air Plants?
Many garden centers and plant retailers will advise you to mist your air plant several times per week with water from a misting bottle. In my opinion, the plant won’t benefit much from this. The air plant doesn’t get enough moisture from spritzing because it is done inconsistently enough. The only way you water your air plant should not be by misting it.
Given that greenhouses are already humid, they are simply misted in garden centers and greenhouses. And you can get away with spritzing them if you live in a humid area (or a greenhouse). The secret to growing air plants that can be used as houseplants for the rest of us is bathing them.
Misting might be your only option if your air plant is permanently glued to a surface or stuck in a terrarium. If so, mist it frequently to make sure it receives the maximum amount of water while preventing water from pooling at the base.
Conclusions
It is best to soak the leaves of air plants every week to ten days when it comes to watering them. One of the most frequent reasons for indoor air plant deaths is overwatering because it is not always simple to determine when they need to be watered. The best way to revive a soggy air plant is to set it aside for a few weeks without providing any additional water.
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