Optimizing the humidity in your home can make a world of difference when it comes to giving your plants the chance to flourish. Tending to our plants’ needs means maintaining the humidity that they have grown accustomed to when in the wild and in nurseries. Prior to bringing our plants home, they have spent weeks or months in an environment that has helped become the lush greenery we see in stores. To maintain the growth of our plants, using techniques like misting has become an essential part of improving the overall health of our plants.
The battle between to mist or not to mist comes down to when and how you decide to give your plants a little spritz. It turns out there is actually a proper way to mist your plants, and this is where the confusion sets in. Most of this debate comes from the fact that every plant has different needs, and those needs vary on their level of humidity requirements. Tropical plants are the kind you will be spending most of your time on when it comes to humidity levels. This is because in tropical regions humidity can be as high as 90%! Compared to our homes (sometimes 30%), our plants will feel a major change when relocated to our dry and at times even heated apartments during the winter months. It’s only natural that without sufficient water vapor in the air you would begin to see a transition in your plants’ physical appearance.
Instead of deeming ourselves bad plant parents, we can take a closer look at why our plants are acting out. Those brown edges and shriveled leaves are simply your plants telling you that their needs are not being met. If you are an orchid lover, you may begin to see that your flowers’ buds will fall off before they have the chance to open due to low humidity. Misting your plants will help to hydrate leaves and mimic the environment that they are familiar with to prevent damaged and unhealthy foliage. However, you will want to avoid misting the plants that are accustomed to retaining water for longer periods of time (yes we’re talking about you, succulents, cacti, and African violets).
When it comes down to misting, timing is everything. Time of year and day makes a world of difference between getting misting right and adding to your plant’s problems. During the dry winter months is when you will need to consider spending more TLC. As the summer comes around the water vapor in the air is thicker, so misting may add unneeded moisture leading to diseases like root rot. Time of day is also vital to consider as you will want to allow your plants to soak in the moisture throughout the day.
While misting is a great way to increase humidity, you might find that it is taking up more time than you intended on spending with your plants. There are many other options you can use that will enhance humidity in your home that are inexpensive and a bit less high maintenance. Grouping plants together will help to create a micro-climate in your home and aid in the moisture in the air surrounding the plants that need it. Be sure to exclude the cacti from this social event as they do not enjoy the extra level of humidity. Another option to consider is investing in a humidifier for your home. This is a simple tactic that will not only benefit your plants but help to relieve us from the seasonal side effects we endure. So next time you consider your self-care routine, remember our plants are just like us and need the same attention to achieve their unique glow.
Autumn Snyder @autumnharvestgardens
Ventura, CAAutumn Snyder is a Plant Designer living in Ventura, California. She styles and maintains plants for businesses and homes throughout Los Angeles and Ventura County. In her spare time, Autumn loves to garden, surf, and cook.
