pardon if this has been covered way too much before, but perhaps many could use a friendly tip.
How do you mist your indoor buddies? Do you use a windex type sprayer? Unless one brings the pot to the sink/shower is hard to do a real water experience. Also many of our plants are on decent wood tables etc, not the outdoor furniture.
I don't mist my plants for the very reasons you mention. I prefer to use humidity trays. In addition to avoiding the problems like ruining the drapes and furniture, and the extra chore of having to carry the plants into the bathroom one or more times a day, the increase in humidity provided by a tray is constant, rather than lasting only as long as it takes the mist and tiny beads of moisture to be dispelled in the air of the room.
I will add the caveat, however, that I don't have to deal with very dry air in the winter months. In fact, I have to fight excess humidity in my home, simply because of the very wet winter weather here in Oregon. I keep the temperatures in my home a little on the cool side, as well (65º to 68º F), which helps keep the plants from losing too much moisture through transpiration. Someone in a drier and/or colder climate, or who prefers to keep the thermostats set at a higher temperature, will probably have to make some provision for increasing the humidity around most indoor plants, with the exception of desert cacti.
I will add the caveat, however, that I don't have to deal with very dry air in the winter months. In fact, I have to fight excess humidity in my home, simply because of the very wet winter weather here in Oregon. I keep the temperatures in my home a little on the cool side, as well (65º to 68º F), which helps keep the plants from losing too much moisture through transpiration. Someone in a drier and/or colder climate, or who prefers to keep the thermostats set at a higher temperature, will probably have to make some provision for increasing the humidity around most indoor plants, with the exception of desert cacti.
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
I do mist most of my indoor plants and they really seem to benefit from it. But they aren't on wooden tables! All my plant pots are in saucers and the saucers are either on the floor or in stands (sort of similar to this, at different heights:
[url=https://www.nextag.com/Cobraco-Cobra-Canterbury-Plant-613606518/prices-html]plant stand[/url]
So, yes, I just use a windex type sprayer. I would think even on the wooden table, if your plants aren't huge and you use a generous saucer size, you could mist safely and not have to be moving plants around.
[url=https://www.nextag.com/Cobraco-Cobra-Canterbury-Plant-613606518/prices-html]plant stand[/url]
So, yes, I just use a windex type sprayer. I would think even on the wooden table, if your plants aren't huge and you use a generous saucer size, you could mist safely and not have to be moving plants around.
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missyjean130
- Full Member
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:30 pm
- Location: Washington
I do wonder if misting is enough when you do it frequently throughout the day.
I would like to make a humidity try out of a wide saucer and pebbles,but would this actually be necessary?
I live in western Washington and the air is certainly not dry here, but I am unsure of how much moisture actually gets inside the house.
I have a small dieffenbachia and tassle fern. What signs would I look for to tell if they need more humidity beyond frequent misting?
I would like to make a humidity try out of a wide saucer and pebbles,but would this actually be necessary?
I live in western Washington and the air is certainly not dry here, but I am unsure of how much moisture actually gets inside the house.
I have a small dieffenbachia and tassle fern. What signs would I look for to tell if they need more humidity beyond frequent misting?
The leaves would turn brown and fall off. When a plant is in a too-arid environment, it can lose too much moisture through its leaves. It will try to limit that loss of moisture by reducing its surface area, which means it will drop some leaves.
Your climate will be much like mine. I tend not to use any means of increasing humidity during the winter months. I will add humidity trays during the dry summer months, if the plants appear to need it. As often as not, though, I'll simply move the plant to a more humid area, like the kitchen or bathroom.
Welcome to the forum, Missyjean!
Your climate will be much like mine. I tend not to use any means of increasing humidity during the winter months. I will add humidity trays during the dry summer months, if the plants appear to need it. As often as not, though, I'll simply move the plant to a more humid area, like the kitchen or bathroom.
Welcome to the forum, Missyjean!