Air plants, also known as Tillandsia are one of the most fascinating house plants out there–purely because they don’t need an INCH of soil to survive. In fact, they grow no outer roots at all, making them one of the best house plants to decorate with because you can put them from just about anywhere.
And while air plants are notorious for looking absolutely beautiful at all times, many plant owners are intimidated to own air plants purely because they have to be watered in a special way.
However, worry not dear plant owner, I know just the way to keep air plants healthy, hydrated, and from rotting out–believe it or not, it can be done!
How to water your air plants at home (easily!)
When watering air plants at home, I like to do the “soaking method.” I find it keeps the plants hydrated for longer, which keeps them healthier, and then I don’t have to water as often. It’s truly a win-win.
The soaking method is just that, place your air plants in a bowl of water for 20 minutes every 10 days. Submerge the plants completely, but don’t leave them in water for longer than 20 minutes at a time.
However, it should be mentioned that air plants are sensitive to extreme temperatures, and it’s crucial that air plant owners ONLY water with room-temperature water. Even lukewarm water can be a bit of a shock, so I always leave some water out for a few hours prior to watering.
Additionally, the only source of nutrients that air plants get is via the water–they don’t have soil like our other house plants do. Because of this, it’s important that they get adequate nutrition via the water–I like to collect rain water to water my air plants. There are tons of minerals in this and they truly seem to love it!
Drying your air plants
I bet you didn’t know that you had to dry your air plants after watering! It’s true–I didn’t know this the first time I had a crop and ended up wiping out half of it because everything started to rot. I finally figured out it was too much moisture and that drying the plants off after watering would help.
To dry your air plants off, simply place them upside down on a dishtowel or something similar. Let sit for at least two hours, or until your air plants are completely dry to the touch. And as always–never return your air plant to its vase without first fully drying it off, for this too is a recipe for root rot!
Got any questions about watering air plants? Let me know by commenting below!
