Don’t be deterred by the lack of soil. Once you understand what they require, caring for air plants is simple. Although you don’t have to bother about potting them, they still need the correct temperatures, as well as the right amounts of water and light, just like any other houseplant. When an air plant sends up blooms, you’ll know it’s getting everything it needs. Simply cut the dried blossom off, and your air plant will continue to grow and eventually produce additional blooms.
Watering Air Plants
Unlike other plants, air plants only have a few tiny roots that serve to anchor them to the surface they are growing on. High humidity and copious rainfall provide the conditions that air plants require in their natural habitats throughout the Southern US, Mexico, Central, and South America. You should water your indoor air plants around once a week. Some types don’t need watering for two weeks. Watch them to discover when your plants appear to need a drink.
Put your plants in the sink or a small container with water in it to water them. After letting them soak for about 30 minutes, gently shake them to remove any remaining water before flipping them upside down on a towel to drain. Return them to their designated location once they have dried. In order to keep them looking new, you can mist them every other day in between baths, especially in the winter when our houses tend to have lower humidity levels.
Air Plant Light Requirements
Keep your air plants out of direct sunlight as a general rule. Keep in mind that many types of air plants prefer to grow up in the safe, shaded canopy of trees. If you can place them away from the sun’s rays in an area with good lighting, that would be ideal. A few species, like T. cyanea or T. lindenii, can tolerate some early sunlight or dappled shade.
Air Plant Temperature Requirements
You need to pay attention to the opposite end of the thermometer since air plants prefer warm temperatures. Anything colder than 45 degrees should be avoided; plants will perish there. If you keep your air plant dry during the winter and reside in Zone 9 or a warmer climate, you can grow it outdoors all year.
How are air plants placed?
All air plants are native to tropical regions where freezing temperatures never occur. It’s crucial to keep them at a reasonable temperature without a sweater, right? typically from the 1960s or earlier. Keep them away from windows that are cold in the winter and air conditioner vents.
At least a few hours of bright, indirect sun each day are necessary for air plants to thrive. The optimal placement is between one and three feet from an east or west-facing window, or around two feet from a source of artificial light. They can be exposed to hotter, more direct sun for longer periods of time if you maintain them well-hydrated. Avoid areas that are poorly lit.
What is placed beneath an air plant?
Terrariums are a wonderful way to add some greenery to any area, and you can really make your terrarium stand out by using several types of bases! We frequently receive inquiries regarding how to exhibit air plants in terrariums, including what types of bases to use and whether they require soil. The bases and decorations you should pick to create a stunning air plant terrarium are discussed below.
You can use small pebbles, seashells, bark, marbles, preserved reindeer moss, beautiful sand, etc. for the base. Have fun with it! There are countless options for the colors and textures of the sand and rock used in terrariums.
There is no need to provide soil because air plants can survive without it. Most air plants, in fact, shouldn’t be planted in soil. Layering moss, sand, or rock is a simple way to add variety and texture to your terrarium.
Make sure the base you use is entirely dry. You don’t want your air plants to be resting against any moisture in their terrariums or containers.
You should also consider the type and size of the terrarium you are creating. This terrarium will be presented where? Will it hang or rest on a table? You can choose the substrate for your terrarium by responding to these questions. Since moss is lighter than sand and won’t shift as much if the terrarium sways, using it as a base layer may be preferable for hanging terrariums.
Small bits of bark or driftwood can give your terrarium a charmingly rustic appearance as a base or accent, but make sure the wood you pick is pest-free. We like to use orchid bark, which is available at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Use caution when utilizing logs or bark that you may find outside because they could contain insects or pests that could harm your plant.
Watering Terrariums and Plants:
- If you water your plants while they are in your terrarium, too much moisture may become trapped amid the moss, rock, etc., leading to the rot of your plants.
- Before putting the plants back in your terrarium, remove them, soak or mist them, and then make sure they are totally dry.
- No water or moisture should be present in your terrarium or next to the Tillandsia.
Alternatively, if you’d prefer a kit that includes everything you need, look no further—we also carry those!
Check out these DIY terrarium kits, which include everything you need to build one.
How are air plants maintained?
Here are 5 easy guidelines to remember when taking care of tillandsia:
- 1) Give your air plant regular waterings. Your air plant will require routine watering.
- 2) Supply light to your air plant.
- 3) Allow your air plant to breathe.
- 4) Maintain a Pleasant Temperature for Your Air Plant.
- 5) Don’t harm your airplant by doing this.
Do you soak air plants with their tops up?
It is best to provide air plants with water that is rich in minerals and nutrients because they obtain many of their nutrients directly from the water. The best water is rainwater, although spring water is a close second if you don’t have a convenient way to collect rainwater. Alternatively, you might utilize well, lake, or creek water. Never use filtered or distilled water. Less minerals and nutrients are present in distilled and filtered water. Many municipal water systems include fewer minerals and nutrients and more contaminants. If you are concerned about your pH level, air plants enjoy slightly acidic water. The ideal range for alkalinity is between 5.5 and 6.0. Most frequently, tap water from the city is higher than this range, making it unsuitable for air plants. Do not worry yourself too much about PH levels. Any good, pure water would do.
After watering your air plants, thoroughly drying them off is the second most crucial step. To ensure that your air plants completely dry, put them down on a dish towel on their side or upside down. For the larger species like Xerographica, Streptophylla, and Sparkler, this is especially crucial. Within two hours of their bath, they should be completely dry to the touch. Wait until your air plants are completely dry before putting them back in terrariums and vases. If you water your plants and then put them in an enclosure right away, your plant can get rot. Your air plants will be content and healthy if you follow these straightforward watering guidelines.
Do my air plants need to be misted?
The final technique in our series on watering air plants is misting, which you can employ in between regular soaking or immersing. Read more in our earlier blog posts to learn more about the dunk method and soaking.
If you notice that your plant’s leaves are starting to seem a bit dry or if you live in a dry region with low air humidity, misting is an excellent approach to give it a little additional hydration. Misting is probably not enough water for your plant to grow, therefore you shouldn’t utilize this method as its only supply of water.
The T. tectorum, which has a lot of trichomes, is an exception to this rule and prefers misting to soaking or submerging. In a temperate area, you might only need to mist once a month with one of these guys, or once a week in a hotter environment.
In contrast to other plants with bigger leaves, plants with wispy leaves such the T. ionantha, T. andreana, or T. fuchsii v gracilis may require misting more regularly in addition to weekly watering.
- It’s easy to spritz plants; just use a spray bottle or hose attachment set to the “mist” setting. Make sure the entire plant gets soaked before misting. As previously mentioned, if this is their sole source of water, this is not the greatest approach for watering. If you mist your plants, remember to additionally soak or dip them once a week at the very least.
A useful generalization to remember is that a healthy air plant will have leaves that are wide open, whereas a dehydrated air plant would have leaves that curl inward. Bring on the mist if you see that your plant is starting to appear a touch dry between your regular waterings!
Does one plant dirt for an air plant?
- Don’t bury them in the ground. Ever. Because they are epiphytes, they grow atop other plants rather than in the ground.
- You can plant them in imaginative locations because they don’t require dirt. One can be set in a shallow bowl or vase with rocks or sand, one can be put in a small container with a magnet and placed on the refrigerator, or one can be tied to driftwood with a clear fishing line.
- Don’t confine them to a terrarium. Yes, they are adorable, and Instagram is full with pictures of air plant terrariums, but air plants need to breathe. They will become overly damp in a confined vessel, which will cause them to rot or contract a fungus.
My air plant will fit in a jar, right?
Fill the remaining third of the jar with tiny stones. First, place the lichens in the jar in the desired order. Then use your finger to make a little hole in the pebbles. Set the air plant firmly inside the opening.
What is the ideal location for an air plant?
“You must give your new air plant its first watering after buying it. According to Andrew Gavin from Andy’s Air Plants, who is exhibiting at the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park (1822 July 2018), you can either submerge your plant in water or spritz it with rainwater.
2. Steer clear of arid areas
“As long as their surroundings are not too dry, air plants can thrive by spraying themselves with water, according to Ciara. ” Once a week is what I would advise, but if it’s particularly hot, make it twice a week.
3. Correct the sunshine
“Any window in the house will do as long as it faces east, west, or south, advised Andrew, so put your new plants in a light location.
“Silver-leaved species may survive in bright to full sunlight. Greener leafed species can endure dappled shade, intense indirect light, or half a day of full sunlight.
The jungle atmosphere, where light peeps through the trees, is mirrored by filtered sunshine.
“Remember that in their natural habitat, these plants attach themselves to rocks, trees, and shrubs, keeping them out of direct sunlight, according to Merje Shaw, founder of Scandiscapes, an online marketplace for design-driven indoor and outdoor gardeners.
4. How frequently should an air plant be watered?
“Yes, these plants depend on air to survive in the jungle where they are found, but they also need the right amount of humidity. Since we don’t live in a forest, it is advised to regularly spritz them with water and to submerge them for about 30 minutes each month in a bowl of rainwater.
“If your air plant is starting to look a little sad and brown, give it an overnight bath in rainwater.
5. Use rainwater instead of spraying
“Rainwater is preferred by air plants because it contains important nutrients like nitrogen, according to Andrew. ” Plants need watering in the morning and evening. When sunny skies are expected, water your plants more frequently.
6. Pay attention to the species
The Tillandsia brachcaulos, butzii, and capitata “peach” species, as well as other species with thicker, smoother leaves, can be misted or drenched, according to Andrew.
Misting is preferred by finer, silver-leaved species with fine hairs or scales like Tillandsia tectorum, ionantha, and streptocarpa.
“Silver-leaved species require strong air circulation because they dislike being damp for more than a few hours. Green-leaved species are better suited to bathrooms and humid situations since they can stay wetter for longer.
7. Supplement rainwater with some orchid food
Just be sure to use a small amount of orchid fertilizer because too much will harm the plant.
8. Is it possible to keep an air plant inside or outside?
As long as they receive regular hydration, air plants can be kept indoors throughout the year, according to Andrew.
Additionally, they can spend the entire growing season outside before being taken inside for the winter.
9. Get rid of the pests
“Generally speaking, air plants are pest-free, although occasionally mealy bugs or insect mites can be an issue, according to Andrew. ” To get rid of bugs, put some rubbing alcohol on a cloth. You may also use insecticides, just make sure they don’t contain soap, which can obstruct the pores where your air plant breathes.
“Pest attacks can be avoided by periodically inspecting your plants and using a clean paintbrush to remove any cobwebs or bugs.
How should air plants be displayed?
The 18 Exceptionally Best Display Options for Air Plants
- In small porcelain figurines, plant tillandsia.
- Fill Mason jars in clear.
- People-shaped ceramic planters for air plants.
- Terrarium of Geometric Air Plants.
- Teardrop displays that hang.
- DIY Display Plaques made of wood.
- Triangle-shaped display shelf
- Metal Frame Exhibition.