If you’ve been in the plant hobby, you know that there are certain plants that are going to require more humidity than others. Certain philodendrons, and this can be very obvious once you start seeing your new leaves struggle to unfurl. Then there are the calatheas that love moisture. I typically put these dudes somewhere north facing, and they do fine. Still, how do we keep these plants from dying if they need so much humidity?
Using a Humidifier for Plants
This is the most obvious option, but it isn’t always the best thing. Some plants hate humidity, so if you have succulents mixed in with your tropical plants, you’ll most likely learn that those plants do not like humidity. In fact, they’re more prone to disease when there is humidity. So if you have any succulents and a humidifier, keep them far apart!
There are some disadvantages with having a humidifier. For one thing, is it powerful enough to increase the humidity for all of your plants? You can determine this with a hygrometer. How often do you have to refill the water tank? Is the humidifier unsightly?
Pebble Tray for Humidity
This is a great solution for those who want to have more space for plants, but also provide humidity for their plants. The idea here is simple, get a plate, fill it with pebbles and fill it with water. The plant will rest on top of the pebbles and the water will slowly evaporate creating natural humidity for your plants.
You can get creative, use different color stones and incorporate some nice looking plates. This however can be tedious if you have a lot of plants requiring humidity. However, I have noticed my plants loving this option. Sometimes, you’ll see your plants send roots out of the drain hole of the pot and in-between the pebbles. I think plants really love this.
Spanish Moss for Humidity
So this is a new one that I just learned from a plant friend. She told me that this is a great way to increase humidity in your green house and in your home. The idea is that you soak the Spanish Moss with water, and it will hold a good amount of water. Eventually, the water will evaporate and it will increase the humidity for your plants. Obviously, this isn’t going to work for everyone, but it’s a great solution if you can. I have a couple of trees indoors, so I put some Spanish moss on some of the leaves. So any excess water will just drip into the giant pot it’s in.
Humidity is directly related to water in the air. So whether you’re misting your plants with a spray bottle or using one of the mentioned techniques, you’re doing your best at providing the proper parameters for your plant. If they aren’t doing well still, consider the best lighting situation. For any other questions, feel free to message me directly on IG @monsteramatthew.com