In a nutshell, I give my bromeliads a monthly drink of water. What I do is this:
Regardless of whether it is moss, bark, coir, or a bromeliad planting mix, I run water through the planting media. Allow all extra water to drain via the drainage holes. The plant’s base shouldn’t be submerged in water. Before placing it back in the decorative pot and/or saucer, make sure all the water has been drained out.
Here in the Arizona desert, summers are extremely hot and dry. At this time, I water my bromeliads every two to four weeks. Depending on the weather (temperature and humidity), you might need to water it less frequently.
The center of the bromeliad is typically the tank, which might be a cup, urn, or vase. It is how a plant naturally gathers and stores water. Every 3 to 4 weeks, it is carefully washed out to avoid the growth of any fungus or “funk.”
It is preferable to use less water in the tank than too much if you are unclear about the amount to add.
I add a few teaspoons of water to the urn every one to three flushes, just enough to keep it wet over the winter. It dries out in about 5 days when I keep it about 3/4 of the way filled during the warmer months. Depending on your environmental conditions, 1/4 of the way full may be plenty for your bromeliads.
I gave the water about ten seconds to pass over the leaves. For a short while, it freshens the foliage and increases moisture and humidity.
The watering can I was using in the video is shown here. This watering can is a perfect middle size between my larger and smaller ones. It is simple to direct the water where you want it to go because to the long neck.
How frequently should I water an indoor bromeliad?
Overwatering is more likely to harm your bromeliad than underwatering. Even though their roots enjoy moisture, they cannot be allowed to be wet. Your plant may get root or crown rot if the water in your potting medium does not drain properly. Once a week of watering is frequently enough for your bromeliad.
Most bromeliads in the wild collect water in their central tanks, or reservoirs. The leaves and roots only absorb a small portion of the moisture from natural rainfall. As a result, you should make sure that the water in the bromeliad’s tank is always full. Regular tank flushing is necessary since standing water in this location can also cause rotting damage.
Tillandsia is one example of a bromeliad that is not grown in potting soil. It is recommended to sprinkle these air plants several times per week. To help the plant rehydrate, you can also immerse it in water for a short while. Tillandsias are difficult to overwater since they can’t absorb more water than they require to survive. If you want to water your air plants using the “dunk method, make sure to remove all extra water from between the leaves to prevent rot.
It is recommended to use distilled water or rainfall to water your bromeliad. These delicate plants may suffer harm from the toxins found in some tap water. Hard water usage is frequently indicated by slow growth or browning of the leaf tips.
How much water should a bromeliad receive?
During the growing season, water bromeliad plants every 7 to 10 days; during periods of dormancy in the middle of winter, water them every 14 to 21 days. Bromeliads can be irrigated by spraying the foliage, watering the soil, or watering the central cup. Heavy metals have a very negative impact on bromeliad plants. Water should always be soft, filtered, or distilled.
When does a bromeliad require water, and how can you tell?
Bromeliad care is no different from other indoor plant maintenance; make sure to check your houseplants frequently to see if their soil needs watering. Except for finicky plants, which require specific instructions on how to handle watering, most plants need to be watered when they are dry.
Spraying / Misting Bromeliads
Bromeliads would benefit from sprinkling or spraying because they adore humidity. Every few weeks, I spray mine in the kitchen sink or outside.
Simply sprinkling or spraying the tank and the leaves every two to four weeks may be sufficient during the winter and/or if your light levels are low.
Best Water to Use
Of course, they prefer and prefer rainwater. Most of us (including myself) don’t use it to water our indoor plants; tap water works just fine most of the time.
However, there may be a role for water quality. A high mineral concentration is indicated if a white ring is accumulating in the tank.
My drinking water has a lot of minerals. For my drinking water, I have a tankless R/O system that remineralizes (with the good stuff!). I make use of that to water my houseplants.
Bromeliad Watering in Water
Winter brings with it reduced light levels and colder air. Your indoor plants, including bromeliads, will require less frequent watering at this time.
At this stage, I water the potting mix every 4-6 weeks. I keep the tank at around 1/4 to 1/2 full rather than almost full.
In the winter, modify your home’s watering practices to suit the climate.
Good to Know About Bromeliad Watering Indoors:
Just remember that keeping bromeliads indoors on the dry side rather than continually damp is more preferable. This holds true for both the tank and the soil. They will succumb to rot before you can say “Aechmea fasciata”!
The tank of a bromeliad should be cleaned up since “funk might accumulate there.” In the end, that water is still. Tropical rains in nature clean the tanks.
Before adding any water back into a tank that appears to have stink buildup, let it dry out for 2–7 days.
Small potted bromeliads (four) typically require more frequent watering than those in six or eight pots.
You should maintain the tank dry or nearly dry if your light levels are lower and it’s chilly outside. In these circumstances, keeping it full could cause it to decay.
In the aforementioned situation, sprinkling or spraying the tank and the leaves should suffice. Additionally, only water the planting medium every 4-6 weeks should be plenty.
It’s possible that your bromeliad is producing puppies or babies. When they are large enough, add some water to their aquariums as well.
High levels of salts and minerals in tap water can harm bromeliads. You might have to use rainfall or distilled water.
Speaking of rain, when Tucson’s monsoon season starts, I leave my bromeliads outside to receive a great dose of rainwater. They enjoy it and it cleans them off and the cup completely. Before the blazing summer sun begins to shine, I grab them back inside to prevent them from frying.
What does a bromeliad look like when it is overwatered?
Your bromeliad can signal various problems when its leaves darken or even lighten up, just as browning foliage may suggest underwatering. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, sunburn can be detected when a bromeliad’s leaves are bleached, washed-out, or appear burned. If this happens, bromeliads should be put in indirect sunlight. The University of Florida IFAS Extension notes that leaves that droop, become floppy, or take on colors of dark green may be an indication of insufficient light on the other end of the spectrum.
Despite how confusing it may seem, browning bromeliad leaves
Browning even at the tips may also mean there is too much water present. The distinction is that overwatered leaves typically feel soft and mushy, whereas browning leaves brought on by underwatering feel dry and crisp. Browning in this situation—along with graying or, occasionally, outright blackening—is frequently an indication of rot. To cut a long tale short, brown leaves are bad and necessitate a change in watering practices.
How is a bromeliad cared for indoors?
The majority of bromeliads only blossom once in their lifetime. Bracts, a leaf-like structure from which an inflorescence may arise, are the vibrantly colored leaves that are frequently mistaken for flowers. A bromeliad expands by adding fresh leaves to its center. The core will eventually fill up, making it impossible for new leaves to grow. The bromeliad will now concentrate its attention on creating pups, often referred to as offsets. A bromeliad’s bloom and vibrant bracts can both linger for several months. Once the blossom starts to seem unattractive, you can trim it back. Cut the spike as far as you can without harming the rest of the plant using a sharp, sterile implement. The mother plant will sadly finally pass away. Hopefully not before having descendants to carry on its legacy. Check out our free Beginner’s Guide to Bromeliad Pups to learn more about puppies.
You can continue to enjoy bromeliads both inside and outside for multiple seasons by following a few easy instructions.
- Luminous illumination without exposure to the sun
- uphold ideal humidity
- Maintain airflow around the plants.
- Make that the plants are kept moist but not drenched.
- Drainage has to be addressed
- sparingly fertilize
Always read the instructions that come with your specific type of bromeliad. The needs for caring for bromeliads might vary, and you might need to make some adjustments for best growth, such as how much light they receive or how often they are watered.
How much light is required for a bromeliad?
A humid atmosphere is beneficial to bromeliads. It’s crucial that your home’s humidity level be around 60% if you’re growing them indoors. If not, you’ll need to often wet your bromeliad with a spray bottle to prevent the leaves from drying out.
Here’s a quick trick to make the air more humid around your plant:
- Small pebbles or stones should be put on a shallow saucer or tray.
- Be careful not to spill or overfill the saucer or tray as you only need a small amount of water to moisten the stones.
- then position the saucer on top of the bromeliad pot.
- However, watch out that the plant’s roots aren’t directly submerged in the water as this can result in root rot.
Your bromeliad will benefit from being placed over a water-filled tray because the water in the tray really adds moisture to the air! Any indoor plant that enjoys a humid atmosphere can employ this strategy.
Whether or not your bromeliad will thrive depends heavily on where you position it. Never put a plant in a spot that receives continuous, intense sunshine. The appropriate distance from a window is a few feet. Even via a window or glass door, direct sunlight can hurt the plant and burn the leaves.
Similar to many other indoor plants, indirect sunlight is ideal for plants. Give your bromeliad 6 hours or so of filtered sunshine each day, if possible.
Additionally, the container you store your bromeliad in is crucial. Clay or terra-cotta pots wick moisture away, whereas plastic pots retain water. To make it simple to remove and water while still being attractive enough for your home, you can place your plastic pot with drainage holes in a more beautiful pot.
Choose a plastic pot if the humidity in your home is insufficient. Choose a terra cotta pot if your home is highly humid to prevent decay. Make sure your pots always have drainage holes.
Soil advice: In the future, if you repot your bromeliad, be sure to use a soil mixture that is especially designed for bromeliads. This drought-tolerant plant needs less moisture than regular potting soil can provide.
When and How to Water Bromeliads
This houseplant can actually withstand droughts! Its low maintenance and resilience are due to this.
Bromeliads should only be watered when the top two inches of the soil feel dry, similar to how you would water other drought-tolerant plants like succulents. Water should be applied to the soil until the drainage holes are clear. In addition to soaking the soil, this also clears any salt accumulation.
The quantity of water you should give your bromeliads may vary depending on the season. You’ll need to water more regularly when your home becomes hotter and brighter from additional sunlight. You’ll discover that watering occurs more frequently in the spring and summer than in the fall and winter.
Bromeliads are extremely sensitive to metals, so never water them in a metal watering can or container.
Bromeliads don’t actually require fertilizer. If you fertilize, pick a liquid fertilizer designed for indoor plants or bromeliads. Never water the leaves, only the soil around the plant. Combine with water.
How to Care for Bromeliads Outdoors
Bromeliads thrive in humid, warm regions, but if you’re growing one in your yard, you’ll need to take special care of it.
The most crucial thing to keep in mind when caring for outdoor bromeliads is to keep them out of direct sunshine, particularly in the summer. For this tropical plant, high temperatures, little humidity, and direct sunlight are very bad things.
To thrive outside, it needs a lot of shade and indirect light. You’ll need to sprinkle it with a spray bottle on a frequent basis if you reside in a dry region.
Are bromeliads sun-loving plants?
specifications for the plant All thrive in bright shade, and some can tolerate light exposure, even in the full sun, which can bring out their natural color. Zone 10 is the greatest for bromeliads. They do, however, grow well in containers, so in Zone 9B they can be planted in pots and brought indoors during the winter.
Why are my bromeliad leaves curling?
The main cause of this plant’s curly leaves is underwatering because of how readily they can become dry. You also do not want to give your Bromeliad too much water as this might cause the root and the stem to grow rotten over time. While there may be other reasons for curling leaves, if you make sure they have the proper amount of moisture, you will probably avoid it. Fortunately, if your bromeliad’s leaves are curling, it is a tough plant and will be able to bounce back.
What is the lifespan of a bromeliad?
There are about 3,000 species of bromeliads, which are divided into about 75 genera. They are available in a wide range of hues and textures. They are indigenous to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Many bromeliads are epiphytic, which means that their tiny root systems are only used to secure them to rocks or trees and allow them to absorb nutrition from their leaves. Others are terrestrial and develop in the ground. They belong to the same family as pineapples and Spanish moss.
Guzmania Bromeliad
With a tropical bromeliad like this guzmania bromeliad, which blooms in clusters of eye-catching red, orange, yellow, purple, and white flowers, you can add a splash of caribbean color to any room in your house.
Living from two to five years, bromeliads. They are one of those mature plants that only blooms once before putting all of its energy into growing pups, which are new plants. You receive a long-lasting bloom for the plant’s only flower show because bromeliad blossoms can last up to six months. Additionally, you’ll get fresh, baby bromeliads after the bloom dies down.