Have you ever heard of air plants? The scientific name is Tillandsia, but they’re usually referred to as air plants because of their ability to get most of their nutrients from — you guessed it — the air. Pretty cool huh? They’re super low-maintenance, making them the ideal plant to keep in the office, at home, or even at school. They can help you green up any space with very little up-keep. Here’s how to take care of them.
1. Soak
When you get your plant, you’ll need to soak it overnight. After the soak, let it air dry completely before you give it a new home. For drying it out, use something that elevates the plant slightly and lets air get underneath, like a cooling rack. You can put a baking sheet or something underneath to catch any drips.
During shipping, if the title tips of your plant dry out, don’t worry. This is normal and you can just remove them gently.
2. Watering
How much water you give your air plants depends on your weather. When it’s hot and dry during the summer, you’ll need to mist or soak them more often. When it’s cold, dark, or humid, you can cut back. Some varieties of air plant, particularly the larger ones, do better if they are soaked for watering. Smaller types will thrive with a good misting.
Generally speaking, you’ll need to water them about once every two weeks. If you’re going to soak them, try from about 15 minutes to overnight, depending on your plant and how dry your weather is. Just make sure you let them dry totally before putting them back in place so you don’t get mold.
3. Soil??
Great news — you don’t even need soil to grow air plants! But they do love indirect, bright sunlight or even artificial light sources, and they need good air circulation like you’d find in a large room. Some people sit their air plants on a rustic surface, as you see below. But you can use all kinds of different vessels; be creative!
4. What to Look Out For
You’ll be able to tell if your air plant is thirsty when the leaves start to curl up more than normal. This usually means it’s getting a little dry. The roots are just there to anchor the plant to a surface as it grows, but you don’t need to do anything to maintain the roots — you can even trim them down without hurting the plant.
If the tips of your air plant start to dry out, your plant might be getting too much direct sun, or your plant could just be a bit dry. Grab a pair of clean scissors and you can trim the dry tips carefully, and increase your soaking or misting a little.
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