CHENNAI: Air plants need proper light and the right watering technique to survive. A sunny bathroom makes a happy home for an air plant; assuming that Tillandsia only need air to survive is one of the most common mistakes
The name ‘air plant’ is misleading. Members of the Tillandsia genus are termed air plants not because they can thrive solely on air, but because they require no soil to grow. In fact, assuming that Tillandsia only need air to survive is one of the most common mistakes we see in air plant care.
HOW MUCH LIGHT DOES AN AIR PLANT NEED?
In order to thrive, air plants need bright, indirect light. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the humidity in your space, the more light is tolerated by the air plant. This means that if you’re putting your air plant where it will receive loads of light, you should plan to mist it more often — twice a week or even daily. A sunny bathroom makes a happy home for an air plant, because the humidity from your shower will take care of most plant misting for you.
HOW TO WATER AIR PLANTS
Watering air plants is tricky because the needs of the plant vary dramatically with the space in which it is placed. The first step to watering your air plant is to evaluate your space. How much light is your plant receiving? What is the temperature in your home at this particular time of year? Is the space very dry (is your plant near a heater or fireplace?) Or is it very humid? After you answer these questions, you can adapt the air plant watering regimen to suit your particular needs.
TIPS TO WATER RIGHT
Every one to two weeks, soak your air plant in room temperature tap water (or rain/pond water if you can find it) for 5-10 minutes.
After soaking gently, shake excess water from your plant. Turn it upside down and place it on a towel in a bright space. This is very important! Air plants will quickly rot if they are allowed to stand in excess water
After soaking, the plant should be able to dry fully in no more than three hours. If your plant stays wet longer than this, it may rot. Try placing it in a brighter place with more air circulation to facilitate faster drying.
Once a week, mist your plant thoroughly, so that the entire surface of the plant is moistened (but not so much that there is water dripping down into the plant). The hotter and dryer the air (summer, early fall) the more you need to water.
The cooler and more humid the air (winter and spring) the less water your air plant will need. Remember, though, that heaters and fireplaces dry the air!
Do all watering in the morning. Evening soaking or misting disrupts the plant's ability to respire overnight, and extends drying time.