When I started collecting Tillandsia Air Plants, I was told, like many of you: "Just mist once a week." Well guess what? The plant that is almost impossible to kill - I killed!
Looking back, I did not kill those plants, the person who sold them to me did. Think about it. Many of the varieties come from the rain forests. I don't think it just does a mist once a week.
What about the ones that come from the desert regions? They live in very dry conditions and survive. True. But when it does rain it is a soaking hard rain.
Air Plants adapt to both kinds of conditions. But they don't adapt to no water at all! And, most air plants are now grown in greenhouses in Calif. or Florida. They have adapted to this controlled climate.
Ok, you don't just give your plants a light mist but a heavy drenching mist. But what happens to that heavy mist? It rolls down the leaves and into its base where it sits and causes the air plant to rot. You don't necessarily see this rot, but your plant dies.
Another thing I don't like about misting is that it mists everything around it. Your table, window, drapes, etc. Now you have unsightly water spotting to clean up.
The moral of this story is - don't mist.
Fill a bowl of water and let them soak for about an hour once a week. If the humidity is low, like in the winter when the heat is on, soak them every 4-5 days. Look at your plants. Some may need more or less watering. Treat them as individuals and not as a group.
Most important is to prevent rot. When you take your plants out of the water, gently shake holding them upside down. Lay them on their sides to completely dry. Don't put them back into the container you keep them in until they feel dry to the touch.
Well, I hope you now have a better understanding about misting. I will be glad to answer any question you might have. Just leave it in the comment section.
Have a Great Day,
Barb
I just thought this photo was to pretty not to share. Gotta make sure my brother, the commercial photographer sees that I can be pretty good with a camera!!
