We start using heaters, dressing warmly, and savoring the comfort of the season throughout the winter months. How about your air plants, though? Do they require special care?
We prefer to modify our air plant care routine to meet our surroundings, including the temperature, humidity, and type of plant you are taking care of. A key component of keeping your air plants healthy and flourishing is keeping note of seasonal variations.
Temperature: You should make sure that none of your air plants are left outside if you live in a region of the country where nighttime lows fall below 50 degrees. Despite the fact that some types can tolerate lower temperatures, it is best to be safe than to risk having your plants become too chilly. Most air plants like temperatures between 50 and 90 degrees because they are tropical plants. If you do decide to bring them inside, make sure they continue to receive adequate water and light to grow.
Humidity: Because of the use of heaters during the cooler months, there is a lack of humidity in the air. Make sure your plants receive enough water at least once every week. If you soak them, make sure they are totally dry before putting them back in their terrariums by letting them dry for at least 4 hours in a warm environment. Heaters can also dry out your plants, so to make sure they receive enough moisture to thrive, you might need to mist them between waterings.
In the colder months, your air plants may require more frequent watering if you reside in a dry region. We check on our plants every day to make sure they are getting enough water, even in Florida, where we have more moderate winter temps.
Displaying plants too close to a heater or air vent, or too near a cold or drafty window, is a quick way to destroy them. Even while we like the warmth that a heater provides, too much heat might dry out your plants. Additionally, standing too close to a cold window might shock your plants and could even kill them. Always make sure that air plants have access to enough air movement by never leaving them in a closed-off terrarium.
Light: During the shorter days of the year, it can be more difficult to obtain bright light, but just make sure your air plants are still receiving enough indirect light. As long as the plants aren’t too distant from it and receive enough of it each day, artificial light can serve as a sufficient source.
How frequently do I need to water my air plant?
For the best care, your plants should be watered 2-3 times each week in addition to once every week. Every 2-3 weeks, a 2-hour bath should be taken. You will need to water or mist your plants more frequently if you live in a hotter, drier region. Your plant’s leaves will start to feel heavier and more wet after watering, and they will be softer and lighter in color when they require more water. Dehydration may be indicated by leaves that are wrinkled or rolled.
How should air plants be cared for throughout the winter?
It’s now time to bring any air plants you have left outside inside as the weather becomes colder! Since air plants are native to tropical climes, it will probably be required to move your plants indoors during the winter if you reside in a northern region. Moving air plants indoors is a good idea once the nights start getting cold (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit).
Your air plants will experience higher humidity and more light throughout the summer than they will during the winter. The plants may experience some stress as their habitat will quickly change as we bring them indoors. We offer some advice to assist you relocate your air plants indoors with as little stress as possible!
Your air plants won’t experience too many severe temperature changes because you’ll be relocating them inside your house, where the temperature is stable. Because your plants will be alright as long as you maintain your home’s temperature between 55 and 85 degrees (likely for most people), you shouldn’t worry too much about it. Your plants can be harmed and have issues more so when the humidity is changed to dryness and there is less sunlight.
Just be aware that the air will be a little dryer if you use a heater, fireplace, wood stove, etc. Keep in mind that placing your air plants too close to a fireplace can cause damage from the heat and embers. Just be careful not to place your plants directly in the path of any warm air flow, since forced air heating can also be harmful. Ensure that your air plants are located in a spot with some indirect sunlight as well.
If you don’t use mistings to counteract the dryness, it could be harmful to your air plants. Continually add an extra sprinkling while maintaining your regular water cycle. You can sprinkle the air or spray the plant directly. The misting of air differs slightly from that of plants. To assist restore some humidity to the air, spritz the area immediately surrounding the plant rather than spraying it directly. To aid with the dryness, you can also add humidity to the air by surrounding the plants with some decorative bowls or shells filled with water.
Decorate your bathroom with air plants and let it receive enough of natural light as another approach to fight winter dryness. Every time someone takes a shower, air plants receive a decent blast of humidity, which makes for lovely bathroom décor. You can purchase some gorgeous vases to display on various shelves or the bathroom counter. Another great alternative is to use cork bark, wood, or any other thing you’d like to cover with air plants to create a vertical garden on the walls of your bathroom! Just keep in mind that even though they will get soaked from the shower humidity, weekly soaking/watering will still be required.
It’s crucial to think about where you can get natural light in your house. The best places to survive the winter are not in dimly lit rooms, hallways, or shelves. Given that the sun is much weaker and there are fewer hours in the day during the winter, you do not need to totally avoid direct sunlight. Give your air plants at least 5 hours of the sunniest light each day during the winter. Try to keep your air plants 10 feet or less from windows.
If you keep a watch on all of your plants, especially in the beginning as you are figuring out your new watering schedule, you should be able to see any issues early enough to correct them, so don’t worry too much about the transition from outdoor to indoor! Your air plants may require a bit more moisture if, for instance, you notice curled leaves or dry tips. Simply check them frequently, then adjust your watering as necessary. Simply increase your weekly watering from once to twice and add mistings to see if that makes a difference. After a week or two, if they aren’t adapting to that shift sufficiently, it might be because they aren’t getting enough indirect sunlight. Simply try shifting them to a better location, and they ought to get better!
Other wintertime factors:
Fireplaces. Maintain a safe distance between your plants and the heat and embers of your fireplace.
circulation of air Your plants should not be too close to a heating duct, but they should have access to adequate air to dry out after watering.
Light. Bright light is essential, therefore if it cannot be provided naturally, utilize artificial lighting at all costs. However, please read my post on indoor lighting and don’t place your air plants too close to an incandescent bulb. Also, please don’t put your Christmas tree’s air plants indoors. Your plants will burn from the hot lights on the tree.
In the winter, do you water air plants?
If you water your air plants at night, it could interfere with their capacity to breathe. Instead, water them in the morning to make sure they have time to properly dry.
Remove the air plants from their display area and immerse them in a bowl or sink with enough water to thoroughly cover them. The plants’ fragments will float above the water. This is acceptable, but make sure that each air plant is mostly buried in water. Give them an hour in the bath.
To remove any extra water that may be collecting at the base of the inner leaves, remove each plant, hold it facing upside down, and shake vigorously. After that, set your air plant upside down on a towel and in a light location. Depending on when it is completely dry, leave it to sit for one to three hours. To prevent your air plant from rotting, make sure there is no standing water.
Until it’s time to give your air plants another bath, put them back in their usual location.
Use the Right Water
Avoid giving your air plants chlorine water because it could hurt them. Use filtered water or rainfall as an alternative, if possible. Allow tap water to set 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 need to be bathed at various frequencies based on the season. They prefer to take a bath once a 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 does your plant, for instance, get? It can require more frequent watering if it receives a lot of sun. Do you live in a humid climate where your plant won’t need as much water or is your plant next to a heater where it can dry up more quickly? When considering a watering regimen for your air plant, take the time to consider its surroundings.
Can air plants endure the winter months?
Since air plants are a tropical species, they must be moved indoors when the nights start to become colder than 40 degrees, something many Northerners prefer to do during the warm months. Your air plants will require some extra care to adapt to their new surroundings after you bring them indoors.
Temperature, humidity, light, and air flow are the primary factors that differentiate the indoor environment from the outdoor one.
Temperature
The ideal temperature range for air plants is 65 to 85 degrees. The likelihood is that your air plants will be at ease in your home if you are. There is hardly much cause for concern.
Humidity
In the winter, homes heated by forced-air furnaces, fireplaces, and radiators frequently feel quite dry. Consider how much more hand cream you would require to prevent your hands from becoming dry and cracked throughout the winter. It’s possible that your air plants will suffer in these dry conditions. We advise changing your watering schedule to fix the situation. Your air plants may require additional winter hydration if their leaves are curling and their tips are dry. Give them a weekly water bath, but you might also need to supplement with a weekly misting. Keep your plants away from air returns, drafty windows, and vents. Another method to raise the humidity is to put a tray of water close to your plants.
Light
Even indoors, your plants will require intense light. Most plants endure brighter winter sun when they would otherwise burn throughout the summer thanks to the lower sun angle. The ideal environment is a few feet away from a window that faces south or west. Fluorescent and grow lights are the next best options if natural light is scarce since they offer the “blue light” that plants require. When placing your plants close to incandescent light bulbs, use caution because they can become extremely hot and damage the plants.
Air Circulation
Avoid putting your plants in containers that are too small or firmly shut. Fresh air circulation is necessary for air plants since it aids in nutrient absorption. For more information on how to take care of air plants, visit the air plant care video series.
How long do air plants need to be kept dry?
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An air plant’s best formula for success is proper care. Despite the fact that air plants are among the easiest indoor plants to care for, it is still preferable to give them some attention. Taking care of your air plants include giving them the water they require, the right amount of light, appropriate airflow, and fertilizers like orchid plant food to improve their health.
Without water, air plants may survive for two weeks. Additionally, the plant’s health is compromised even if it is still alive. Regarding the recommended watering regimen, you should bathe your air plants in water at least once every two weeks and spritz them once a week.
How to Water an Air Plant
The most challenging aspect of caring for air plants is watering them. Some individuals use misting religiously, others immerse their air plants, while yet others utilize a mix of misting and soaking.
In our experience, watering air plants is challenging because the plant’s requirements differ significantly depending on the environment. Additionally, some species need particular care. Assessing your environment is the first step in watering your air plant. How much light is reaching your plant? What’s the temperature like inside your house right now? Is there a lot of dry air there (is your plant close to a heater or fireplace)? Is it also really humid?
Following your responses, you can modify the air plant watering schedule to meet your specific requirements. Here is what we suggest as a place to start:
- Every one to two weeks, give your air plant a 5- to 10-minute soak in room-temperature tap water (or, if you can get it, rainwater or pond water).
- Once your plant has soaked, gently shake off any extra water. It should be placed on a towel upside down in a well-lit area. This is very crucial. If extra water is allowed to stand, air plants will quickly decay.
- The plant should be able to dry completely in 3 hours once the soaking process is finished. More time than this could cause your plant to decay. Try putting it somewhere brighter with better airflow to encourage quicker drying.
- Mist your plant well once a week (instead of watering it). Make sure the entire surface is saturated (but not so much that there is water dripping down into the plant).
- You need to water more when the air is hotter and dryer (summer, early fall). Your air plant will require less water during the cooler and more humid seasons (winter and spring). Just be mindful of your plant because heaters and fires dry out the air.
- Water everything in the morning. Evening sopping or sprinkling interferes with the plants’ ability to breathe at night and prolongs the drying process.
Is My Air Plant Getting Enough Water?
The tops of your air plant’s leaves may turn brown or crispy if you’ve been neglecting to water it. When an air plant is under-watered, its leaves’ inherent concavity tends to become more pronounced.
Unfortunately, it’s frequently too late to save an overwatered air plant. Your plant has certainly succumbed to rot if the base of the plant turns dark or black and leaves are falling out or off from the center.
Regarding temperature, air plants are fairly tolerant. They thrive between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal temperature difference between daytime and nighttime is roughly 10 degrees.
To maintain your air plant healthy, include orchid or specific air plant fertilizer in your watering routine once or twice a month. Simply sprinkle some in your water, then carry on as usual. Your air plant will blossom and propagate if you fertilize it (or pup — more on this later)