Air plants are probably some of the most low-maintenance house plants around because, well, they literally grow in air. There’s no soil required! However, because these gorgeous indoor house plants don’t grow like house plants typically do, it can be a bit tricky to know what kind of care they need. If you’re new to Air Plants, keep reading for 5 Air Plant care tips that will absolutely change your life (and the health of your plants). You absolutely can’t miss these!
Air Plant Care Tips For Beginners
- Make sure they’re planted correctly
As their name suggests, these plants thrive in AIR. Under no circumstances is it ever a good idea to plant these bad boys in some kind of soil medium. Sadly, you’ll live to regret it but your air plants won’t. Additionally, air plants don’t grow particularly well in enclosed terrariums either–they love adequate air so make sure you keep it flowing.
To keep your air plant in tip top shape, plant it in some kind of shallow bowl filled with sand. Alternatively, the look incredible placed in driftwood or even as a live wreath or living arrangement on your wall. The options are endless as long as you keep the plant out of the soil!
2. Keep in bright, indirect light
Like most house plants, Air Plants love areas of bright, indirect light. A few feet away from an Eastern-facing window seems to be ideal for my Air Plants as this allows them to soak in the morning sunlight. And while Air Plants prefer lower light levels, increased household humidity will make your Air Plants even more tolerant of additional brightness.
3. Watering correctly is key
You water an Air Plant MUCH differently than you would any other houseplant variety. Check out this guide of mine to learn how to water your air plants.
Air Plant Care Tips You Need For Lasting, Healthy Plants
4. You really don’t need much fertilizer
While it might be tempting to fertilize your Air Plants on a regular basis, the reality is that they really don’t require much fertilization at all. After all, their natural environment really doesn’t allow for it and they have to get what nutrients they can from their semi-infrequent waterings.
A good general rule of thumb is to fertilize your Air Plants twice yearly. I like to do so in the Spring and then again a few months later in June or July. However, your schedule might be different: if your Air Plants are getting more light, fertilizing 3-4x a year might be better for you.
5. Dead leaves are normal
So you saw that your air plant is drying and shedding leaves, now what? Don’t panic! Like other house plants, this is a completely normal part of the lifecycle. To solve the issue, simply clip the leaf away during the next watering.
However, if the plant base is mushy and more leaves are falling off while the plant is still green, you could be dealing with root rot. Scale back on watering IMMEDIATELY.
The Air Plant is one of my very favorite house plants because it is so hardy and can tolerate a forgotten watering or two. Got questions about air plants? Let me know by commenting below!
