While most air plants benefit from weekly soaks of 15-30 minutes, others prefer to be misted or plunged rather than immersed.
How long do you submerge air plants?
We’ve discovered that soaking air plants in water works best for them here at the Air Plant Supply Co. It’s vital to keep in mind that air plants get all of their nourishment through their leaves rather than their roots. The roots are simply used to secure the air plant to a host tree, rock, or even the ground. Every week to ten days, soak your air plants in a bowl of water for 20 minutes to an hour. Completely submerge the plant. If your plant is blooming, you may want to maintain the bud above the water to avoid disturbing it, even though they are constantly wet in nature. To avoid shocking the plant, make sure the water is lukewarm or room temperature.
Can I soak my air plants overnight?
- Any plant requires light to survive, but air plants may get by with filter sunlight or even artificial light.
- Place your air plant 3-5 feet away from a window or near a source of artificial light.
- Even inside, too much sunshine is bad for an air plant. If you’re going to grow it outside, make sure it’s in a somewhat shaded spot. Only a few kinds can withstand full-day sun.
Watering
- The most important thing to know is that each air plant, like other plants, will require various quantities of water depending on the kind, size, and area in which it is cultivated. These are only guidelines, not hard and fast regulations.
- When growing air plants indoors, you should water them at least once a week. The frequency is determined by the humidity in their environment. An air plant kept near a heater will dry up much more quickly and require more frequent watering than one kept in a more humid environment.
- To water your air plant, submerge it face down in water for 10-20 minutes, either in a container or in your sink. Alternatively, you can repeatedly submerge plants in water. To avoid rotting or damage, gently shake off excess water after soaking.
- Water first thing in the morning so that moisture can evaporate throughout the day. After 4 hours, they should be dry enough to return to the container or display area.
- Misting your tillandsia can help in a pinch, but it is not suggested all of the time.
- If you want to fertilize your air plant, seek for a copper-free orchid or houseplant fertilizer (air plants are copper-sensitive). It’s easy to fertilize your plant too much, so don’t do it too often; diluting your fertilizer can help.
- You can immerse your air plant in water (in a bowl or sink) for several hours or overnight if it appears to be thirsty or struggling. This is typically effective in reviving your tillandsia.
- Rainwater or pond water are ideal for watering your tillandsia. Do not use distilled or artificially softened water to water your plants.
- Dehydrated air plants have closed and curled leaves, whereas healthy air plants have wide, open leaves.
- Submerging an air plant’s flower or blossom in water might cause it to decay.
Environment
- One of the greatest places to put your air plants is near a bathroom or kitchen window, where the steam and moisture will keep them happy.
- The way air plants develop and how much water they require can be affected by temperature. Air plants thrive in temperatures ranging from 10 to 32 degrees Celsius (50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit). Freezing temperatures are a no-no for tillandsia, as they are extremely sensitive to cold.
- Air plants, naturally, require clean air to thrive. They need enough air movement after watering to dry out within 4 hours.
- Although it is common to put tillandsia in pots or terrariums, and they do well in them, it is not suggested that they be completely enclosed in them. Your plant will be deprived of moisture and nutrients if there is no air movement.
- Avoid positioning your plants too close to heating and air conditioning vents, as they may dry up more quickly and require more watering.
Do you soak air plants upside down?
When it comes to watering air plants, the bottom line is to bathe the leaves every week to ten days. Then, before returning the plants to their original location, make sure they are totally dried upside down.
Can you soak an air plant too long?
Bulbous air plants are distinguished by the presence of “pseudobulbs.” These onion-shaped bulbs are hollow within, and ants colonies make nests in them in the wild. When watering these plants, especially when soaking them, use caution. Water can become trapped inside these pseudobulbs, causing the plant to rot from within. You can soak them in water and then shake off the excess, or you can hold them under flowing water while avoiding their bases and then shake them. T. caput medusae, T. bulbosa, T. pruinosa, T. pseudobaileyi, T. butzii, and T. seleriana are all members of this group.
Both T. pruinosa and T. seleriana have a lot of trichomes, which is why they shouldn’t be soaked. They may rot if you soak them in too much water.
T. fuchsii v gracilis and T. andreana, for example, have wispy leaves and should not be soaked. Quick dunks or misting are better for these plants. Because of their thin, wispy leaves, these plants might dry out more quickly between waterings, so you may need to mist them as often as every couple of days to keep them hydrated.
Because of its many trichomes, the Tillandsia magnusiana should be submerged or misted rather than drenched. Because of their form and abundance of trichomes, these plants are particularly vulnerable to rot.
When watering air plants that are in bloom, be careful not to get the flower wet. While it is acceptable to soak the plant’s bottom leaves, we typically recommend pouring water over them or immersing them to avoid getting the bloom wet. If a flower stays damp over an extended period of time, it might develop rot, which can then spread to the leaves and kill the plant.
Remember that it’s better to slightly submerge your air plants than to overwater them.
Also, keep in mind that misting is not enough water to keep most air plants alive and healthy.
Visit our How to Water an Air Plant website and our blog post, Tips for Watering Your Air Plants, for additional information on watering air plants.
How often should I soak my air plant?
On our Facebook page, we get a lot of queries on how to water air plants, so I wanted to elaborate a little. While Tillandsia (also known as air plants) are easier to care for than many other plant kinds, they do require some upkeep and TLC, and water plays an important role in their overall health. Here are some of the most common questions we hear about watering air plants, along with our answers:
This is mostly determined by your climate and where you keep the air plants, as well as the Tillandsia species (learn more about mesic vs. xeric air plants here) and the type of environment in which it grows in nature. We reside in Tampa, FL, so it’s very humid here for the majority of the year, and we don’t run the heat in our house during the winter like our friends up North (I’m not trying to rub it in!). We water our plants twice a week on average, but individuals who live in drier climes will need to water more frequently. Depending on the time of year, you may discover that you need to water your plants less. It also depends on where you keep them in your house or office. A humid bathroom will keep the plants moist, but those near an air vent or heat source will need to be watered more frequently. (Please note that keeping your plants near heat sources is not recommended.)
Note that, while humidity might slow the drying process, it is not a suitable watering method in and of itself!
Again, you’ll want to adapt your watering methods based on your climate and air plant species, but we recommend soaking your plants in water at least once a week for MOST air plants and settings. You can use anything that allows you to totally submerge the air plants, such as a bowl, bucket, or your sink. Soak them for 30-60 minutes at least once a week, and every other week if you live in a dry area, give them a longer soak for an hour or more. If you live in a humid environment or have a xeric air plant, you may want to cut the soak time in half.
After bathing, make sure the air plants are completely dry. Turn them over and softly shake them, or lay them out to dry with the leaves down. Allowing water to remain in the leaves can cause the plants to decay. The plants should be placed in an area with sufficient air circulation and should be able to dry entirely in 4 hours. If your plants are housed in a globe or terrarium, ensure sure they are thoroughly dry before bringing them back home!
You’ll notice how wide and open the leaves are after soaking them, and how much more “happy” they appear. This is how a properly hydrated air plant should seem! If the color turns slightly dull and the leaves begin to close/curl over time, this is an indication that your Tillandsia is thirsty, and you should give them another soak. If your air plant is in desperate need of water, soak it for several hours or overnight to see if you can rehydrate it. Before soaking or spraying them again, make sure they have a chance to dry thoroughly.
It’s also a good idea to spray the plants in between waterings. If you live in a dry area, this might be a terrific method to keep plants healthy and offer them some additional attention. Unless you have one of the few varieties of air plants that like low moisture, such as the T. tectorum (which we only propose misting) or the T. xerographica, misting is not a substitute for a proper soak (which we recommend dunking instead of soaking).
When it comes to water, air plants aren’t picky, and most tap water is good, but it all depends on the water quality in your location. Because these waters are more nutrient-dense, the best water to use is rain water, aquarium water, or pond water (note: if using one of these waters, don’t add any additional fertilizer). If you’re using tap water, let it out for a few hours to allow the chlorine to disperse (maybe 24 hours in some areas.)
Do not use distilled water because it is too “clean” for these plants and will deprive them of the nutrients they require. Also, avoid using artificially softened water because it contains too much salt for Tillandsia.
We recommend soaking your air plants in the morning to ensure that they dry completely throughout the day, as well as because air plants utilize the evening to breathe carbon dioxide and will be unable to do so if they are wet in the evenings.
This is known as CAM, and you can learn more about it in our page on how air plants breathe. You can check on them before going to bed and put them back in their terrariums or displays if you expose them to some indirect sunlight.
These are the most frequently asked questions about watering air plants. Did we respond to your question? If you’re not sure, just ask! Are you looking for more information on how to care for air plants? Visit our Air Plant Care page for more information.
Can you soak air plants in tap water?
Yes. There are obvious symptoms that your plant is thirsty. Your plant is dehydrated if the leaves are softer or lighter in color. You can revive your air plant by soaking it in water overnight if it appears thirsty or dehydrated.
Can you water air plants with tap water?
Tap water is great for air plants, but be sure the tap water in your location is of good quality. In most locations, tap water is deficient in vital minerals and contains contaminants.
Water from a well, pond, spring, or lake is preferable. Rainwater, on the other hand, is the best water to use.
How do you water glued air plants?
Hold the plant under a gentle stream of water or dunk it in water for several minutes, keeping the surface of the air plant mounting dry. After watering, turn the plant upside down until all the contained water drains, then lay it on its side to dry.
How do I know if my air plant needs water?
Your plants should be watered once a week, but for best results, water them twice a week. Every 2-3 weeks, a 2-hour soak is advised. If you live in a drier, hotter environment, you’ll need to water or mist your plants more frequently. Your plant’s leaves will get stiffer and full of water after watering, and they will become softer and lighter in color when they are in need of water. Dehydration can be indicated by wrinkled or rolled leaves.
Is my air plant dehydrated?
Although air plants like Xerographica don’t require a lot of water to survive, if they don’t get enough, they’ll start to show indications of dehydration, such as looking a little dull, the ends of the leaves are drying up, and they’re starting to develop a u-shape and become droopy at the same time.
Should you mist air plants?
Tillandsia, often known as air plants, is one of our planet’s most unusual vegetation. Because they collect water from the air and rainstorms, air plants are often assumed to require no water. This is almost true in their native places, but the ambient air is too arid at home, and no sudden storms will pass by. Tillandsias require consistent hydration, but not excessive moisture. With mounted air plants, this can be a concern, but we’ll go over a few options for keeping your plant hydrated.
Bromeliads are epiphytic air plants. Although they are not parasitic, they prefer to grow on logs, in cracks and crevasses, and even on live plants. Although a few live in drier conditions, they are most frequent in tropical forest settings. Air plants, like any other plant, require consistent water, light, and nutrition. Because they are in a soilless environment, mounted on something or within a terrarium or glass bowl, they are more difficult to care for than conventional houseplants. The lack of media for retaining moisture and nutrients creates a problem for keeping them healthy.
Air plant misting is the most common way of watering, however it doesn’t adequately hydrate plant roots and might cause fungal concerns in leaves if the plant isn’t in a well-ventilated area where leaves dry quickly. In extremely dry homes and regions, spraying air plants is the greatest way to enhance humidity.
Where do you put air plants?
All air plants are native to tropical areas where freezing and frost are unheard of. Is it necessary to keep them at temperatures that you are comfortable in without wearing a sweater? Temperatures are usually in the 60s and higher. Place them away from air conditioner vents and drafty winter windows.
Air plants need at least a few hours of bright, indirect sunlight per day to thrive. It’s best to put it within 1 to 3 feet of an east- or west-facing window, or within a foot or two of a light source. They may have hotter, more direct sun and longer exposure if you keep them well watered. Avoid places that are dimly lighted.