I keep a humidifier near my more sensitive plants and try to maintain 35% relative humidity in the winter and 55-60% in the spring and summer. How are you increasing your humidity? Do you bother with it?
i have a hygrometer right between my plants and a humidifier nearby. When i leave house and return humidity usually is 55% then i get it up to 70% and plants look happy.
UK here! I increase the humidity by having intimate, breathy conversations with my plants up close. I get right up into their foliage and tell them that they are beautiful. :) This channel is brilliant, by the way. Hugely informative and straightforward. I love the subtle humour in your delivery, too. Keep 'em coming!
@@theedgeofcorrie Thank you, lovely! That's made my day. I'm going to have a nice cup of tea and tell the plants all about the nice lady in the replies. :)
I live in LA and it’s super dry. I keep humidity up by having bowls of water amongst my plants in the window so the heat or the sun evaporates. They aren’t particularly big or unsightly but I I’ve found it pretty helpful at maintaining humidity up around 65/70%
You have to evaporate a lot of water to effectively humidify. I go through two gallons of water a day. But then again I live in Estonia. Ther's literally a blizzard outside right now in the middle of March while most of the world is probably already sunbathing.
@@daisymurugaya4334inside your house? You can probably add a little dish soap to break the water tension, or add commercial products that keeps mosquito eggs from hatching in water.
@@daisymurugaya4334You replace the water when you spot 'wrigglers' (mosquito babies) in the water. Very, very simple. You do the same with bird baths in the garden.
Same sis! I just bought two Cordyline Fruticosa stems from Hawaii & I live in northern NV! Dry as hell winter & summer. I'm willing to make some adjustments, I just have to be prepared to do regular maintenance. It'll be the only plant I buy at this point with extreme needs so we'll see how it turns out!
I'm so glad you showed a picture of the water damage! I have a new leaf with those same spots and I'm guessing that's what it was. I only misted a few times bc it seems kinda pointless and I'm prone to over-watering so I didn't want to over-mist
I think this is the first time I have watched this particular video. What I do to increase my localized humidity for my plants is, I set jars and bottles of water around them as well change/clean them frequently. I have been known to propogate in said jars and bottles.
The pebble tray definitely works for me! I get usually a 20-30% increase! I think the reason why my change in humidity might be more dramatic compared to yours is because my room is already super dry. I'm talking 20% humidity in my room lol. So it evaporates really fast. I refill my tray every week because it dries up! But I do agree, humidity is best increased by a humidifier. Lastly, misting promotes mold growth. Especially if you do it at night :(
That's such a high increase! I had to test this a few times. I had realized putting my reader on the rocks caused water to touch the humidity reader. Even damp soil caused the reader to spike. In the video its balancing on a rubber eraser. Thanks for sharing your experience. If it works for you keep doing it!
@@MsLouisVee Naah. Hand misters and humidifers work differently. Hand misters usually tend to be a lot less reliable when it comes to misting due to them using water pressure to force the water apart which is less reliable and can't really give the same fine mists that a lot of modern humidifiers do. Plus, even when they are reliable, they aren't usually capable of giving a fine enough mist to properly disperse the water into the air with how close your hand is to the plant. Humidifiers are a lot more reliable, as they keep the humidity consistent whilst having a finer mist. Plus, they're further away from your plants, so any spittle that could be caused by the humidifier is too far to land on the leaves. Also, If you think about mist and humidity... they're kind of two different things. Mist is basically fog, it can mess with your hair and it dampens your skin. Humidity, on the other hand, gives a lot of health benefits (healthier skin, moisturised hair, less cracked lips) and can't really be felt unless under specific circumstances like temperature or a difference in local water quality.
@@sandy_carpetsthesecond5013 thank you very much for replying to me and answering my questions. I think I will get out my humidifier and turn it on for my plants😀❤️
@@sandy_carpetsthesecond5013I believe there must be a lot of variables in play since I have been only hand misting for a long time and my plants have astonishing vigor and growth. I found a plant lite that is definitely more than half the battle. No mold or mildew at all. I water VERY prudently and repot as little as possible, I let my plant tell me when it needs to be. I wish I could send a pic of my MASSIVE Hastatum Silver Sword which is still in the growers pot that it arrived in 11 months ago. Its top growth is so amazing that I am wondering why! Frankly I am scratching my head. I do not have a big collection, I like to make sure each plant has plenty of space around it. I have less than 20 plants and I am probably at my limit. I put salicylic acid in my water to enhance immune response. I have come to believe that my plants somehow do well because they are around other plants that are much older [one I grew from a seed 25 years ago],and very well established. I could certainly be wrong. This is my experience.
This video was exactly what I needed! I brought home a calathea this past weekend and in this short time I’ve been so stressed about the humidity levels. It got very cold here this week and I’ve been struggling to keep the humidity above 40%. Just this morning I came to the conclusion that maybe this isn’t the plant for me and maybe I should search for a new home for it.
Love the last point. I work from home so when I take breaks I just meticulously look at all my plants and obsess over any new leaf that is growing . Multiple times a day, just incase that leaf grew any discernible amount in the last 2 hours. 😂
Greetings from a fellow Canadian. Just found your channel! I agree about knowing your space - wise words. That said, I have some high humidity plants that you have predicted I will spend the winter stressing over. I actually have an unused aquarium so will use it as a mini greenhouse over the winter. I run humidifiers in the winter anyway, as my relative humidity can drop to 20% but I will definitely seek out more plants that will thrive in my space. Great content - keep it up!
I absolutely love your content. So practical, non-judgey, and funny! Really great videos. I'm so glad I found your channel! Oh, and kudos to you for mentioning other RUclipsrs in your vids! Respect!!
I loved what you said. I am currently struggling with some philodendron and maranta due to keeping humidity high for them . Then a light bulb went off why ? It annoying i bought these plant because they are cute totally ignoring the plants needs and my commitment to caring not alone the expense please guys only buy plants that can adapt to your current home environment you will save yourself a lot of heartbreak ✌️
‘you should be buying plants that do well in your space” YESSSS & YESSSS. I am originally from Costa Rica but living in the Czech Republic and although I love tropical plants, unfortunately it stress me out that I have to look out for plants that I wouldn’t buy. And unfortunately, I ended up rescuing all the plants that don’t do well here.. :|
I just received my monstera albo cutting with a very small air root. I placed the plant next to the filtered window. It gets hot on that spot and the humidity is extremely low. To increase the humidity and lower the temperature I used a tall clear container placed on the table upside down, put a small fan, a hygrometer, water on a plate. The cutting was growing in a perlite soaked with water. The humidity rose to 60 to 65% and the temperature dropped to 75 to 85 degF. I have the cutting for a week now and it looks like it's still doing great and no sign of rot.
Thank you so much for this realistic video. I landed on this video searching for ways to increase humidity for my calatheas because they are stressing me out. They are so beautiful but I don't feel like taking drastic measures to keep them.
I mist, but I'm in the UK. The knack to it is misting either early mornings, or in the evening. Also, I don't mist past October unless we're having an Indian Summer, and wait until April/May depending on the progression of Spring into Summer. Though if we're having a heatwave, I'll mist once every one-two hours, during the coolest parts of the day as we'll go from 29 to 39 degrees in 24-48 hours, and the plants do not like the sudden drop in humidity. But then I used to live in a city with an average of 63% humidity and now live nearer the coast and not too far from wales with like lows of 75% humidity............
I'm a relatively new plant parent who lives in Oregon, where humidity is low in the summer months. I'm finding that humidity trays work well for my tropical plants, but I do check the water level daily, and am careful not to let my plants sit in the water.
Yeah, I think humidity trays only really work under extreme dryness. They work well in Oregon, but they'd work horribly for me who's in England. Humidity is already fairly decent enough for most plants here, so having a humidity tray for my more needy plants wouldn't really work.
TRY THIS AND IT'LL WORK: The problem here is that this is too small of a scale for this to be effective . What you need to do is the same, but with a larger tray. It should be big enough to fit 2-3 plants. Choose plants that have a slightly more bushy foliage, planty of leaves or at least big and tall leaves (this is great for marantas and calatheas). Group the plants together on the tray after you added the water. Don't push them too much together, give them some space. The idea is to create a scene where moisture doesn't evaporate to air so easily. My plants love it and it looks way better this way.
Try using Perlite instead of pebbles. And for max effect - use some method of "watering" it. I tried using a tiny pump, and letting the water hit a dish so it splashed droplets around. Worked nicely - perlite did not dry out on top. For a low tech way, maybe try using a bottle with a small hole in the cap as a dripper.. :) And yea, not spraying plants is a good tip :)
My Monstera Adansonii thrives from misting. I also mist my syngoniums and they seem to be doing well from it. However, when I mist, I'm sure to have a fan blowing on them from a distance. I use a fan regularly, so it's not an issue. I do use a mini humidifier when I remember and plan on trying pebble trays again, but with expanded shale. It's expanded clay and can hold about 30% water. I would suggest using durable storage containers/trays for pebble trays, instead of pebbles to prevent spillage. Misting certain plants just works really well for me and the environment I'm in. I will continue, but do appreciate the information you provided.
Never considered using LECA for a pebble tray. I'll do some tests to see if that works better. Thanks for the comment. Glad misting + fan works for you. I'm curious to know what your R-humidity % with and without misting.
New sub. I'm sticking with philos and pothos because I've had them a year and they're still alive!! I just have a little 3 liter basic AromaRoom humidifier. Good for a start.
Yes 👏🏽. I live in Cali and decided I wanted two different Calathea plants 2 months before our ‘winter’ season… The Stress from trying keep these plants green! But they are beautiful.
I have about 23 plants all grouped together (several of them carnivorous and sitting in trays of water) and that specific table/window area maintains a humidity of 60-80%. It's also in my bedroom which I usually keep the door to closed! For a more open, larger room like a living room, I don't think grouping them together would be as effective unless it was A LOT of plants.
Misting is done for several reasons. You need ultra-fine misting nozzle, which increases humidity by over 10%. Tropical plants are used to rain water falling on them. Misting definitely helps broad leaves plants, which tend to collect dust.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have you tested this, outside of greenhouse conditions? I'd love to see evidence of how long the humidity increase lasts for. I've tested with a fine mist. Humidity spike was 5% increase for about 4 minutes before returning to baseline.
I mean, Doesn't it just make more sense to just get some water on them when watering then? I water my plants in the shower to help against pests, and I haven't really needed to dust my plants other than the odd shower spray into some of the harder-to-spray places. Like, yeah. Misting does have some benefits, but I feel like the benefits can be found in other methods that aren't as risky. Like the dust issue- Humidifiers help with dust the same way that misting does, plus it has the benefits of reducing the production of dust as well. So humidifers are just better overall.
“You should be buying plants that do well in your space” YESSSSS. It is so environmentally irresponsible to import plants and then change your whole living environment to replicate the tropical environment the plant lived in. It promotes consumerism and materialism because you always need to buy buy buy something for your plants because you don’t live in an area the plant was native to!
There are a ton of great tropical plants that do well in low humidity. Just a matter of finding the ones that suit your needs. Thanks so much for the comment. 🌱
@@KillThisPlant of course of course. I’m not trying to say that people who don’t Live in tropical environments can’t buy tropical plants. People should just be mindful of the plants they do bring home because they might underestimate how much time, money, and energy that plant requires to thrive
You a troll. Makes one wonder why you stopped and left this mean comment on his video. Its millions of people who buy plants that they like and change their environment according to the plant. This aint the first person you ecer seen do this. What you need to do is figure out why you being a Karen.
I got rid of certain calatheas that needed humidity, and I kept the ones that are not as temperamental such as the rattlesnake and the orbifolia. Instead of misting them, I spray them with neem oil and they stay shiny and insect free.
My understanding is plants use transpiration from the leaves to draw water from the soil. Misting the foliage would interrupt that process. I currently mist the top of grow medium of our bonsai. More concerned with keeping the soil not too damp or dry.
This is a well shot video, and the information provided is super helpful! I’ve def tried doing everything but buying a humidifier, and I am going to get a humidifier. I’m in New Orleans, and it’s humid, but I still struggle with begonias.
I have done an experiment, last year 2021 winter, my plants were lacking humidity as they were potted in soil, I had to run humidifier, specially at night when heater was on. Later during 2021 summer I had switched my all plants growing medium to Lecca and now my room humidity increased to almost 65 which now created a problem of condensation on window! So I had to get dehumidifier. As I have all the pots (18 plants in total in one room) filled with water all the time & on top I have lecca balls pot which takes water from bottom pot whenever needed. So my plants are growing even during winter, I am in Quebec. Nutshell, having water in bottom trays/pots for many plants in one room does increases humidity a lot!
Thanks for sharing. I do have some trays of plants in Leca and I also notice the humidity is higher in that area. But we are talking about nearly 3L of water.
a good alternative to misting and a way to routinely check up on your plants is to dust them. idk about everyone else but plants are constantly covered with dust, pollen, and other debris from outside that come through my window.
I think pebble tray option is so far the best method in terms of increasing the humidity and being able to do everything in a cheaper way. Humidifiers unfortunately there is no model or brand that will last a lifetime so it is a device you will have to replace often either the parts or the humidifier itself so I think just using the pebble method would do just fine if you manage to add right amount of water so you dont think that pot doesnt sit in water by accident but in reality it does. Pebbles are much cheaper option too because you buy them only once and can reuse them as much as you need but it might be beneficial to use humidity level checking device on the pot like you showed in video so you can keep an eye on humidity not being higher than what the plant would require. It is great that you pointed out misting new growing buds is bad idea and showed the example so people can have better understanding that it is bad for the reason you showed it to be. I used to mist new buds of rubber plants but i guess i will stop that, is the humidifier still working? Great video thank you so much!
Before going on holidays for a week I bought a Maranta cutting (it’s the first plant I own from the prayer plant group). I thought ‘this thing will be dead when I come back’ (my city’s between 10 to 30% humidity in the summer) but I made the effort to group it with 5 more plants surrounding it. It survived. The guy is sturdy enough to live by himself! I must confess I mist his unfurling leaves because I’m afraid they won’t make it as some of my S. pictus exotica’s leaves. But in general terms misting is highly overrated.
Glad your cutting made it! I'm sure how humidity effects unfurling leaves is much more complex than we give credit to. I think the main thing is consistency.
@@KillThisPlant i still don’t know if the unfurled leaves that died did lack light or humidity, but I won’t risk my Scindapsus again for trying. The first week in the windowsill, he lost 3 leaves…
@@martar.8095 Ah, that sounds like it was having a hard time acclimatising to the new environment. Windows tend to be a lot brighter and less humid. The brightness by itself needs a bit more of a robust root system to absorb more water, and the decrease in humidity most likely didn't help due to the increase in transpiration. It most likely couldn't stay hydrated enough to grow in the new environment and needed more roots to properly thrive. But yeah, Misting unfurling leaves can be a good thing. Some plants can deal with lower humidity levels, but have a hard time unfurling their newgrowth due to a lack of lubrication. Monstera Adansonii have issues with that sometimes, and they just need a quick sprits to loosen the leaf up abit.
@@sandy_carpetsthesecond5013 yeah! Now that time has passed I think it was that he had a hard time acclimatising. He’s been unfurling leaves all winter and now in spring he’s at full speed, the other day I saw five unfurling leaves 💜 they take like two weeks to unfurl completely. I now make sure to keep up on watering him so the leaves can unfurl a liiiittle bit faster :)
Live in LA with a bunch of tropical plants, low humidity is slowly killing them off so currently placing them in a bathroom w a humidifier at night and part of the day to see if it makes a difference
Swamp cooler bro!!! A box fan with a filter pad that is doused by a pvc pipe with holes. Give it a 1/2inch space from the box fan. In winter do a space herer behind said filter. Boom. At least 30-50% humidity. Keep air flowing like you said cause that will cause root rot faster than anything. That is most people's problem is lack of proper air flow. Too much or not enough will show with crispy green leaves like they were baked. They are still green but crumble and are dead. That is lack of humidity. I get that a lot with tropicals but not after my box fan swamp cooler.
Grow tents are decent for maintaining humidity in combination with a humidifier. It's a choice method for nepenthes growers. Granted this isn't a great idea for most people for obvious reasons.
Know your space but also know your light situation and time abilities. Doing these three things has helped me keep healthier, happier plants. As far as ignoring a plant that is only watered every two weeks, who ignores it like that? I have Mon. Wed and Fri to work with my plants. I have Pothos Monday, Succy Wednesday and Phili Friday. Succulent Wednesday includes Dracaena varieties. This means all plants (60 as well as propagations) are checked weekly to determine their needs, if any. I try to keep a system that works for me and my current situation. And like many, there are a few plants I'm emotionally attached to - my largest Jade being one.
I just started houseplants as a hobby bc I felt bad that I had neglected the two I had for so long. Bought a calathea bc it was advertised as pet safe and beginner friendly, and I want to also adopt cats next year. Oh boy. I love this plant but I am in Germany...
I have to have a dehumidifier running in my house all winter as it gets over 70% and mould grows on my walls unless I have it on all the time. It sucks about 2 litres a day off water out of the air to maintain 55% humidity
You could bring some plants into the bathroom and turn on the hot shower wait until it's steamy then leave, I close the door behind me and put a towel on the bottom to trap the humidity in the bathroom with the light on.
That is not a good use of your time. Your plants would rather consistency. Moving them from their typical lighting to do that isn't going to be the best for them either. Especially if the bathroom has lower light.
There is a video on RUclips by a guy who did an experiment with a humidity tray. He purchased several humidity meters. What it came down to was the the pebble tray did increase the humidity near where the plant would be by about 2%. Having plants grouped on that tray can increase humidity even more. I have used pebble trays with a few of my foliage plants. I don’t find it difficult to do. Pouring water over pebbles in a tray is not exactly rocket science. It does have to be cleaned occasionally but that is just another chore. A humidifier is the most effective way of increasing humidity especially during a northern winter. Making your own humidity chamber is an option but I have plants for their beauty so I have no desire to have plastic curtains hanging around my plant shelves.
So happy I found your channel, love everything about your videos, expecially che chill no-over-the-top vibe you have and thanks to your clear explanations I've been more careful with my plants and started doing them right ! :)
Have you experimented with humectants (honey, veggie glycerin, beeswax, etc) or hydrophobic materials (eg cinnamon) at all? Seems like there should be a way to manipulate the area around the plants to increase moisture where you want it, while protecting them from water damage.
My thoughts, exactly! Humidifiers can be such a drag... In Colorado and Utah they were a must for me, personally, because the climate is so dry. They MUST be regularly cleaned because you can breed mold in those jets, then spew it into your habitat. Inhaling it, yourself! Also, a budget model will leave hard-water deposits over counters & furniture. Distilled water is ideal.
This. All of this. We can use nature to our advantage. And grouping plants would absolutely help with humidity, yes you need more plants for this to be effective but it can absolutely work. Especially if they are placed in the right area.
love your videos! So much easier to understand how to care better. Could I recommend a vid about buying or getting a new plant and where you would precisely place the plant once it comes into your home? Lighting always confuses me. Ty!
Thank you. In general my philosophy is: most indoor plants want as much light as you can give them. Move them closer to your windows over time. Give prime space to the plants you want to grow biggest and best.
Good question. I think you may want to think of it as "do I want to be responsible for running and refilling a humidifier 24 hours a day". It is a lot of work, cleaning, and maintenance. If you have the time you could try it!
hi from texas! i'm currently testing out the pebble tray method. its doing pretty well so far since my calatheas are being dramatic babies xD i also keep them in the bathroom. i can also relate to misting being a bonding moment with plants as i tend to be an overwater. great video!
Hi Texas. That's great. If it works for you keep doing it! I'm going to do more testing to figure out how to maximize the use from a pebble tray. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
The ones that cost so little are ultrasonic. Ultrasonic humidifiers don't actually evaporate the water but use ultrasonic soundwaves to create ultra thin mist that evaporates in the air. The problem with that is they also create a lot of dust in the air. That dust consist mainly of limescale but also other minerals in your tap water and god knows what has started growing in your water tank. Ever seen a cats water bowl bottom? Very slimy, that happens to standing water. A good humidifier will send you back at least 300 bucks. But humid air is also good for people and pets.
My main point is: don't get a humidifier for you plants. Get a humidifier for yourself. I have very dry skin and had all sorts of skin problems when I didn't have a humidifier. I'm thinking of getting another one because I moved to a bigger apartment and my humid friend can't keep up with central heating an bigger rooms.
The pebble tray needed another barrier between the pebbles and the bottom of the plant - otherwise you risk root rot from the soil getting too wet. Proud new momma of a calathea ornata and currently shopping for a calathea musica. ;-) Also pebble tray cannot be a terracotta tray saucer as they are porous and the water will seep through and damage furniture. . So the terracotta pot standing on pebbles and water without a barrier, was a double whammy. Fun video though. :-)
I maintain humidity by creating as much wet surface areas in my grow tents as possible so that moisture can be absorbed into the air. A cotton dish towel hanging over a roasting rack in a saucer full of water in front of a small fan works as well as any humidifier. Using fabric bags rather than plastic or ceramic also creates surface area. With no risk of powdery mildew like when you have a humidifier constantly misting your plants. Mist is wet air not humid air, there is a difference.
I'm in love with this channel. So nice to see the myths around misting and pebble trays (both have been repeatedly shown to have no measurable impact on humidity). I'm an indoor gardener in an extremely arid climate, and I absolutely love philodendrons and hoyas and carnivores. I keep the stuff that needs humidity in an area of the house with lower ceilings and run the humidifiers for them, the rest have to make it on their own. I've abused a few into submission. If they're really humid-climate types I have a couple of huge glass bells I can pop over stuff. Idk this was just really refreshing, I really love houseplants but I also have a full time job, you gotta be smart about managing a big indoor collection.
@@KillThisPlant start by being careful of your sources, a lot of poaching with carnivorous plants. The highland nepenthes they sell in garden centers are super hardy, they grow like weeds, I use tap water on mine. Many boggy types experience dormancy, but some don't, research what you've got. Sundews reseed themselves freely and are pretty easy, I keep mine in wide shallow pots kind of sitting in a saucer of filtered water. Butterworts are my favorite but I've had inconsistent results so far. Carnivores make good little terrarium plants!
Sadly, humidity above 50 % will encourage mold growth in your home ☹ I got chronically ill from a moldy house. So I will keep humidity at 45 -50% max. Love the content ❤
Hey, I've been misting my plants without any damage done. Perhaps, I've been lucky. My neighborhood plant store (Main and Gerrard in Toronto) has misters for sale. If it doesn't do any good why would they have misters for sale? Just curious. I was curious whether my two fish tanks add humidity to the air and apparently they do. So, I have that going for me. I want a humidifier but maybe I won't need one. Where are you in Canada Lee?
Toronto. You might not need a humidifier if your plants are doing fine. Nick Alexander has a much more in-depth video I recommend. ruclips.net/video/kURcPFiROHM/видео.html (timestamped to the most relevant section) Plant stores sell misters because they sell well. The same reason why pet stores sell betta fish in small bowls even though the need much larger tanks.
I understand. However..........It does rain in the real plant world so thinking that misting will hurt plants is simply not true. Or at least not true for plants that can use the humidity. Yes, plants are pretty adaptive and can go without extreme humidity. In the real world, I have a Monstera that in their natural habitat will get much more humidity. Either way, it does not hurt the plant. Yes, my Monstera is about three years old, so misting (have been doing it) it will NOT hurt the leaves.....:) Just letting you hear the other side.
Standing water and still air are a breeding ground for mold and bacteria growth. This is why leaking basements can grow mold so quickly. It is likely the case that you have been fortunate, or not misting enough for bacteria growth to effect the health of your plant. If you feel like it's not harming your plant and you enjoy doing it then you should continue. Nick Alexander just released a video on his channel that gets more into the hard sciences. He also discusses how water on the leaves closes stomata and makes your plant unable to photosynthesize. It's a good watch if you're interested in learning more.
Have you tried adjusting the environment around the plants? For example, a lot of materials in the home tend to suck the moisture out of the air (which is not good for your home, either). If, for example, you use a semi gloss paint on your walls, instead of matt, they're less likely to take in that air moisture. Also, warmer air holds moisture better than cooler air, so temperature adjustments can help as well.
Ugh wish there was advice for someone living in the west of Ireland. I have a large sunroom and in summer it gets so warm and in winter it's pretty cold .. I have a lot of tropicals.. I'd I use a humidifier it would probably create mold in the house. I have a calathea triostar and she's doing ok. Husband bought me a pink princess philodendron and she's a diva ..she's not loving Irelands temp right now. 😭 New years resolution .. no More plants.
It's more about maintaining a specific humidity. For example, if you're trying to hit 40% you'd have to set your auto settings to maintain that specific level.
You can increase humidity by placing your plant on top of a tray filled with water if they are placed OUTDOORS during SUMMER. If you live in a tropical country, it is effective all year round.
I was told by a local garden center/ plant shop that misting about once a week in conjunction with using a gentle fan can help against spider mites in dry homes. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Most of them don't. Any Pothos, Monstera, philodendron, dracaena, syngonium, or succulent don't need high humidity. There are a select few anthuriums that may require consistent high humidity but many don't.
If you take yours out of the soil you can see if it has a stem piece attached. If it's just a leaf and a petiole or just the leaf it won't grow. It may only root and sustain itself. You'll need a stem piece (a node) as well as a leaf for it to continue to grow.
How does misting damage new leaves? Could it be the type of water they are misted with rather than any water? Rain water can be quite heavy with standing water on leaves in nature, could plants have an adaption to this situation?
I mist my aglomena everyday with deionized water.. so far no problems with leaf damage. i live in a tropical country with the aglomena near the window.
I keep a humidifier near my more sensitive plants and try to maintain 35% relative humidity in the winter and 55-60% in the spring and summer. How are you increasing your humidity? Do you bother with it?
I hang up my clothes, towels blankets etc to dry near my plants.
@@mwoods4608 I've hear this too, I actually wanted to do some testing to see if it's something others should consider. Thanks for the comments.
@@mwoods4608 I never thought of that!
Having a big-ass fish tropical tank keeps the humidity in the room at 60-70% for me
i have a hygrometer right between my plants and a humidifier nearby. When i leave house and return humidity usually is 55% then i get it up to 70% and plants look happy.
UK here! I increase the humidity by having intimate, breathy conversations with my plants up close. I get right up into their foliage and tell them that they are beautiful. :)
This channel is brilliant, by the way. Hugely informative and straightforward. I love the subtle humour in your delivery, too. Keep 'em coming!
Best comment & best plant mom! 😂
@@theedgeofcorrie Thank you, lovely! That's made my day. I'm going to have a nice cup of tea and tell the plants all about the nice lady in the replies. :)
This tickled my spirit and I thank you for the laugh! 💜 lol
@@k_perry Hey, you're welcome! Glad to share some giggles!
😂 i love it!
I live in LA and it’s super dry. I keep humidity up by having bowls of water amongst my plants in the window so the heat or the sun evaporates. They aren’t particularly big or unsightly but I I’ve found it pretty helpful at maintaining humidity up around 65/70%
You have to evaporate a lot of water to effectively humidify. I go through two gallons of water a day. But then again I live in Estonia. Ther's literally a blizzard outside right now in the middle of March while most of the world is probably already sunbathing.
How do u prevent mosquito breading in there please?
@@daisymurugaya4334inside your house? You can probably add a little dish soap to break the water tension, or add commercial products that keeps mosquito eggs from hatching in water.
@@daisymurugaya4334or you could use mosquito dunks
@@daisymurugaya4334You replace the water when you spot 'wrigglers' (mosquito babies) in the water.
Very, very simple.
You do the same with bird baths in the garden.
I live in Nevada and its literally bone dry and I haven't had any issues with my plants. Thankfully they love me.
Same sis! I just bought two Cordyline Fruticosa stems from Hawaii & I live in northern NV! Dry as hell winter & summer. I'm willing to make some adjustments, I just have to be prepared to do regular maintenance. It'll be the only plant I buy at this point with extreme needs so we'll see how it turns out!
I'm so glad you showed a picture of the water damage! I have a new leaf with those same spots and I'm guessing that's what it was. I only misted a few times bc it seems kinda pointless and I'm prone to over-watering so I didn't want to over-mist
I think this is the first time I have watched this particular video. What I do to increase my localized humidity for my plants is, I set jars and bottles of water around them as well change/clean them frequently. I have been known to propogate in said jars and bottles.
The pebble tray definitely works for me! I get usually a 20-30% increase! I think the reason why my change in humidity might be more dramatic compared to yours is because my room is already super dry. I'm talking 20% humidity in my room lol. So it evaporates really fast. I refill my tray every week because it dries up!
But I do agree, humidity is best increased by a humidifier. Lastly, misting promotes mold growth. Especially if you do it at night :(
That's such a high increase! I had to test this a few times. I had realized putting my reader on the rocks caused water to touch the humidity reader. Even damp soil caused the reader to spike. In the video its balancing on a rubber eraser.
Thanks for sharing your experience. If it works for you keep doing it!
Well if misting causes mold wouldn’t a humidifier have the same effect overtime?
@@MsLouisVee Naah. Hand misters and humidifers work differently. Hand misters usually tend to be a lot less reliable when it comes to misting due to them using water pressure to force the water apart which is less reliable and can't really give the same fine mists that a lot of modern humidifiers do. Plus, even when they are reliable, they aren't usually capable of giving a fine enough mist to properly disperse the water into the air with how close your hand is to the plant.
Humidifiers are a lot more reliable, as they keep the humidity consistent whilst having a finer mist. Plus, they're further away from your plants, so any spittle that could be caused by the humidifier is too far to land on the leaves.
Also, If you think about mist and humidity... they're kind of two different things. Mist is basically fog, it can mess with your hair and it dampens your skin. Humidity, on the other hand, gives a lot of health benefits (healthier skin, moisturised hair, less cracked lips) and can't really be felt unless under specific circumstances like temperature or a difference in local water quality.
@@sandy_carpetsthesecond5013 thank you very much for replying to me and answering my questions. I think I will get out my humidifier and turn it on for my plants😀❤️
@@sandy_carpetsthesecond5013I believe there must be a lot of variables in play since I have been only hand misting for a long time and my plants have astonishing vigor and growth. I found a plant lite that is definitely more than half the battle. No mold or mildew at all. I water VERY prudently and repot as little as possible, I let my plant tell me when it needs to be. I wish I could send a pic of my MASSIVE Hastatum Silver Sword which is still in the growers pot that it arrived in 11 months ago. Its top growth is so amazing that I am wondering why! Frankly I am scratching my head. I do not have a big collection, I like to make sure each plant has plenty of space around it. I have less than 20 plants and I am probably at my limit. I put salicylic acid in my water to enhance immune response. I have come to believe that my plants somehow do well because they are around other plants that are much older [one I grew from a seed 25 years ago],and very well established. I could certainly be wrong. This is my experience.
This video was exactly what I needed! I brought home a calathea this past weekend and in this short time I’ve been so stressed about the humidity levels. It got very cold here this week and I’ve been struggling to keep the humidity above 40%.
Just this morning I came to the conclusion that maybe this isn’t the plant for me and maybe I should search for a new home for it.
Some winter days my humidity gets as low as 25%, so I feel the pain. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Try a terrarium! It will have to be a larger one, but my calethea has been doing well in one
Love the last point. I work from home so when I take breaks I just meticulously look at all my plants and obsess over any new leaf that is growing . Multiple times a day, just incase that leaf grew any discernible amount in the last 2 hours. 😂
You have put in WORK.
Thank you for sharing your hard-fought knowledge with a delightful side of humor! 😁
Greetings from a fellow Canadian. Just found your channel! I agree about knowing your space - wise words. That said, I have some high humidity plants that you have predicted I will spend the winter stressing over. I actually have an unused aquarium so will use it as a mini greenhouse over the winter. I run humidifiers in the winter anyway, as my relative humidity can drop to 20% but I will definitely seek out more plants that will thrive in my space. Great content - keep it up!
I absolutely love your content. So practical, non-judgey, and funny! Really great videos. I'm so glad I found your channel! Oh, and kudos to you for mentioning other RUclipsrs in your vids! Respect!!
I loved what you said. I am currently struggling with some philodendron and maranta due to keeping humidity high for them . Then a light bulb went off why ? It annoying i bought these plant because they are cute totally ignoring the plants needs and my commitment to caring not alone the expense please guys only buy plants that can adapt to your current home environment you will save yourself a lot of heartbreak ✌️
‘you should be buying plants that do well in your space” YESSSS & YESSSS. I am originally from Costa Rica but living in the Czech Republic and although I love tropical plants, unfortunately it stress me out that I have to look out for plants that I wouldn’t buy. And unfortunately, I ended up rescuing all the plants that don’t do well here.. :|
I just received my monstera albo cutting with a very small air root. I placed the plant next to the filtered window. It gets hot on that spot and the humidity is extremely low. To increase the humidity and lower the temperature I used a tall clear container placed on the table upside down, put a small fan, a hygrometer, water on a plate. The cutting was growing in a perlite soaked with water. The humidity rose to 60 to 65% and the temperature dropped to 75 to 85 degF. I have the cutting for a week now and it looks like it's still doing great and no sign of rot.
The plants need ambient air. Which is hard to maintain in a household with dry wall, insulation, windows etc. Unless someone wants mold n mildew
Thank you so much for this realistic video. I landed on this video searching for ways to increase humidity for my calatheas because they are stressing me out. They are so beautiful but I don't feel like taking drastic measures to keep them.
I agree with you on all counts! I had a humidifier but someone took it. Need to get another one soon. I love my plants!✝️
I put about 14 plants in my bathroom. Works great for humid loving plants.
I mist, but I'm in the UK. The knack to it is misting either early mornings, or in the evening. Also, I don't mist past October unless we're having an Indian Summer, and wait until April/May depending on the progression of Spring into Summer. Though if we're having a heatwave, I'll mist once every one-two hours, during the coolest parts of the day as we'll go from 29 to 39 degrees in 24-48 hours, and the plants do not like the sudden drop in humidity. But then I used to live in a city with an average of 63% humidity and now live nearer the coast and not too far from wales with like lows of 75% humidity............
I'm a relatively new plant parent who lives in Oregon, where humidity is low in the summer months. I'm finding that humidity trays work well for my tropical plants, but I do check the water level daily, and am careful not to let my plants sit in the water.
That's great. If you find it works well for you, keep doing it. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Facts though! I’m also from Oregon (Pdx), and I’m definitely making humidity trays for my tropical plants too.
Yeah, I think humidity trays only really work under extreme dryness. They work well in Oregon, but they'd work horribly for me who's in England. Humidity is already fairly decent enough for most plants here, so having a humidity tray for my more needy plants wouldn't really work.
I haven't had house plants in a few years. Just started again. Glad to find your channel. New sub. 😊
TRY THIS AND IT'LL WORK:
The problem here is that this is too small of a scale for this to be effective .
What you need to do is the same, but with a larger tray. It should be big enough to fit 2-3 plants. Choose plants that have a slightly more bushy foliage, planty of leaves or at least big and tall leaves (this is great for marantas and calatheas).
Group the plants together on the tray after you added the water. Don't push them too much together, give them some space. The idea is to create a scene where moisture doesn't evaporate to air so easily.
My plants love it and it looks way better this way.
I'll have to do some more testing!
Try using Perlite instead of pebbles. And for max effect - use some method of "watering" it. I tried using a tiny pump, and letting the water hit a dish so it splashed droplets around. Worked nicely - perlite did not dry out on top. For a low tech way, maybe try using a bottle with a small hole in the cap as a dripper.. :) And yea, not spraying plants is a good tip :)
My Monstera Adansonii thrives from misting. I also mist my syngoniums and they seem to be doing well from it. However, when I mist, I'm sure to have a fan blowing on them from a distance. I use a fan regularly, so it's not an issue.
I do use a mini humidifier when I remember and plan on trying pebble trays again, but with expanded shale. It's expanded clay and can hold about 30% water. I would suggest using durable storage containers/trays for pebble trays, instead of pebbles to prevent spillage.
Misting certain plants just works really well for me and the environment I'm in. I will continue, but do appreciate the information you provided.
Never considered using LECA for a pebble tray. I'll do some tests to see if that works better.
Thanks for the comment. Glad misting + fan works for you. I'm curious to know what your R-humidity % with and without misting.
@@KillThisPlant I'm curious too. I'll have to experiment with it someday to get exact numbers.
New sub. I'm sticking with philos and pothos because I've had them a year and they're still alive!! I just have a little 3 liter basic AromaRoom humidifier. Good for a start.
Thanks for the sub! Philos are some of my favourites.
Yes 👏🏽. I live in Cali and decided I wanted two different Calathea plants 2 months before our ‘winter’ season… The Stress from trying keep these plants green! But they are beautiful.
I have about 23 plants all grouped together (several of them carnivorous and sitting in trays of water) and that specific table/window area maintains a humidity of 60-80%. It's also in my bedroom which I usually keep the door to closed! For a more open, larger room like a living room, I don't think grouping them together would be as effective unless it was A LOT of plants.
Your video made ALL the sense. Thank you. Gonna see what I can do with this peace lily.
Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Good luck with your peace lily.
Moving to England can be a solid humidity booster! Well wet over the winter! ;)
Misting is done for several reasons. You need ultra-fine misting nozzle, which increases humidity by over 10%. Tropical plants are used to rain water falling on them. Misting definitely helps broad leaves plants, which tend to collect dust.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Have you tested this, outside of greenhouse conditions? I'd love to see evidence of how long the humidity increase lasts for. I've tested with a fine mist. Humidity spike was 5% increase for about 4 minutes before returning to baseline.
I wouldn't want water sitting on my leaves for much longer than 5 min anyway. Worried about fungus
I mean, Doesn't it just make more sense to just get some water on them when watering then? I water my plants in the shower to help against pests, and I haven't really needed to dust my plants other than the odd shower spray into some of the harder-to-spray places.
Like, yeah. Misting does have some benefits, but I feel like the benefits can be found in other methods that aren't as risky. Like the dust issue- Humidifiers help with dust the same way that misting does, plus it has the benefits of reducing the production of dust as well. So humidifers are just better overall.
“You should be buying plants that do well in your space” YESSSSS. It is so environmentally irresponsible to import plants and then change your whole living environment to replicate the tropical environment the plant lived in. It promotes consumerism and materialism because you always need to buy buy buy something for your plants because you don’t live in an area the plant was native to!
There are a ton of great tropical plants that do well in low humidity. Just a matter of finding the ones that suit your needs.
Thanks so much for the comment. 🌱
@@KillThisPlant of course of course. I’m not trying to say that people who don’t Live in tropical environments can’t buy tropical plants. People should just be mindful of the plants they do bring home because they might underestimate how much time, money, and energy that plant requires to thrive
Yea get native plants only to your environment!
Shit... what plants are naturally found growing in an apartment again? 😅
@@2DEKAY life will find a way 🌱😂
You a troll. Makes one wonder why you stopped and left this mean comment on his video. Its millions of people who buy plants that they like and change their environment according to the plant. This aint the first person you ecer seen do this.
What you need to do is figure out why you being a Karen.
I only mist for the dramatic intrigue. 😅
I got rid of certain calatheas that needed humidity, and I kept the ones that are not as temperamental such as the rattlesnake and the orbifolia. Instead of misting them, I spray them with neem oil and they stay shiny and insect free.
My understanding is plants use transpiration from the leaves to draw water from the soil. Misting the foliage would interrupt that process.
I currently mist the top of grow medium of our bonsai. More concerned with keeping the soil not too damp or dry.
This is a well shot video, and the information provided is super helpful!
I’ve def tried doing everything but buying a humidifier, and I am going to get a humidifier.
I’m in New Orleans, and it’s humid, but I still struggle with begonias.
I hear begonias can be tough. I hope the added humidity helps. Thanks for the kind words.
I have done an experiment, last year 2021 winter, my plants were lacking humidity as they were potted in soil, I had to run humidifier, specially at night when heater was on.
Later during 2021 summer I had switched my all plants growing medium to Lecca and now my room humidity increased to almost 65 which now created a problem of condensation on window! So I had to get dehumidifier.
As I have all the pots (18 plants in total in one room) filled with water all the time & on top I have lecca balls pot which takes water from bottom pot whenever needed. So my plants are growing even during winter, I am in Quebec.
Nutshell, having water in bottom trays/pots for many plants in one room does increases humidity a lot!
Thanks for sharing. I do have some trays of plants in Leca and I also notice the humidity is higher in that area. But we are talking about nearly 3L of water.
For condensation on windows you can clean them with liquid soap.
You are amazing!💫 I learned so much from this vid! I LOVE calatheas but don't have the energy that they require... You just saved my life! 😅🌱💚
a good alternative to misting and a way to routinely check up on your plants is to dust them. idk about everyone else but plants are constantly covered with dust, pollen, and other debris from outside that come through my window.
Great suggestion!
I think pebble tray option is so far the best method in terms of increasing the humidity and being able to do everything in a cheaper way. Humidifiers unfortunately there is no model or brand that will last a lifetime so it is a device you will have to replace often either the parts or the humidifier itself so I think just using the pebble method would do just fine if you manage to add right amount of water so you dont think that pot doesnt sit in water by accident but in reality it does. Pebbles are much cheaper option too because you buy them only once and can reuse them as much as you need but it might be beneficial to use humidity level checking device on the pot like you showed in video so you can keep an eye on humidity not being higher than what the plant would require. It is great that you pointed out misting new growing buds is bad idea and showed the example so people can have better understanding that it is bad for the reason you showed it to be. I used to mist new buds of rubber plants but i guess i will stop that, is the humidifier still working? Great video thank you so much!
Yes most practical advice ever on RUclips thank you
Wow! Thanks so much
Before going on holidays for a week I bought a Maranta cutting (it’s the first plant I own from the prayer plant group). I thought ‘this thing will be dead when I come back’ (my city’s between 10 to 30% humidity in the summer) but I made the effort to group it with 5 more plants surrounding it. It survived. The guy is sturdy enough to live by himself! I must confess I mist his unfurling leaves because I’m afraid they won’t make it as some of my S. pictus exotica’s leaves. But in general terms misting is highly overrated.
Glad your cutting made it! I'm sure how humidity effects unfurling leaves is much more complex than we give credit to. I think the main thing is consistency.
@@KillThisPlant i still don’t know if the unfurled leaves that died did lack light or humidity, but I won’t risk my Scindapsus again for trying. The first week in the windowsill, he lost 3 leaves…
@@martar.8095 Ah, that sounds like it was having a hard time acclimatising to the new environment. Windows tend to be a lot brighter and less humid. The brightness by itself needs a bit more of a robust root system to absorb more water, and the decrease in humidity most likely didn't help due to the increase in transpiration. It most likely couldn't stay hydrated enough to grow in the new environment and needed more roots to properly thrive.
But yeah, Misting unfurling leaves can be a good thing. Some plants can deal with lower humidity levels, but have a hard time unfurling their newgrowth due to a lack of lubrication. Monstera Adansonii have issues with that sometimes, and they just need a quick sprits to loosen the leaf up abit.
@@sandy_carpetsthesecond5013 yeah! Now that time has passed I think it was that he had a hard time acclimatising. He’s been unfurling leaves all winter and now in spring he’s at full speed, the other day I saw five unfurling leaves 💜 they take like two weeks to unfurl completely. I now make sure to keep up on watering him so the leaves can unfurl a liiiittle bit faster :)
Live in LA with a bunch of tropical plants, low humidity is slowly killing them off so currently placing them in a bathroom w a humidifier at night and part of the day to see if it makes a difference
What types of tropical do you have?
@@KillThisPlant All plants: Jungle Velvet, Chinese Money, Rattlesnake, African Spear, Prayer, Aloe Vera, Dieffenbachia, Pygmy Date Palm, Bamboo Palm, Strangler Fig, Corn Plant, Swiss Cheese, Snake, Silver Bay... lol
Swamp cooler bro!!! A box fan with a filter pad that is doused by a pvc pipe with holes. Give it a 1/2inch space from the box fan. In winter do a space herer behind said filter. Boom. At least 30-50% humidity. Keep air flowing like you said cause that will cause root rot faster than anything. That is most people's problem is lack of proper air flow. Too much or not enough will show with crispy green leaves like they were baked. They are still green but crumble and are dead. That is lack of humidity. I get that a lot with tropicals but not after my box fan swamp cooler.
Grow tents are decent for maintaining humidity in combination with a humidifier. It's a choice method for nepenthes growers. Granted this isn't a great idea for most people for obvious reasons.
Yes thank you, I am finally facing the fact that my calatheas want to live in Brazil, not Virginia
Hi love your channel❤😻. Amanda from Planterina said the same thing she does not mist her plants.
Know your space but also know your light situation and time abilities. Doing these three things has helped me keep healthier, happier plants. As far as ignoring a plant that is only watered every two weeks, who ignores it like that? I have Mon. Wed and Fri to work with my plants. I have Pothos Monday, Succy Wednesday and Phili Friday. Succulent Wednesday includes Dracaena varieties. This means all plants (60 as well as propagations) are checked weekly to determine their needs, if any. I try to keep a system that works for me and my current situation. And like many, there are a few plants I'm emotionally attached to - my largest Jade being one.
Great you found a schedule that works for you.
I just started houseplants as a hobby bc I felt bad that I had neglected the two I had for so long. Bought a calathea bc it was advertised as pet safe and beginner friendly, and I want to also adopt cats next year. Oh boy. I love this plant but I am in Germany...
Or, if you have the money, rather than build a greenhouse inside your home, build your home inside of a greenhouse.
I have to have a dehumidifier running in my house all winter as it gets over 70% and mould grows on my walls unless I have it on all the time. It sucks about 2 litres a day off water out of the air to maintain 55% humidity
You could bring some plants into the bathroom and turn on the hot shower wait until it's steamy then leave, I close the door behind me and put a towel on the bottom to trap the humidity in the bathroom with the light on.
That is not a good use of your time. Your plants would rather consistency.
Moving them from their typical lighting to do that isn't going to be the best for them either. Especially if the bathroom has lower light.
I dared to get a peacock calethea. Not my best choice, but I made a DIY green house box for winter.
There is a video on RUclips by a guy who did an experiment with a humidity tray. He purchased several humidity meters. What it came down to was the the pebble tray did increase the humidity near where the plant would be by about 2%. Having plants grouped on that tray can increase humidity even more.
I have used pebble trays with a few of my foliage plants. I don’t find it difficult to do. Pouring water over pebbles in a tray is not exactly rocket science. It does have to be cleaned occasionally but that is just another chore.
A humidifier is the most effective way of increasing humidity especially during a northern winter. Making your own humidity chamber is an option but I have plants for their beauty so I have no desire to have plastic curtains hanging around my plant shelves.
ruclips.net/video/lYc7uSjqHg0/видео.html
Scott grows an Avocado Tree? Great experiment.
So happy I found your channel, love everything about your videos, expecially che chill no-over-the-top vibe you have and thanks to your clear explanations I've been more careful with my plants and started doing them right ! :)
Have you experimented with humectants (honey, veggie glycerin, beeswax, etc) or hydrophobic materials (eg cinnamon) at all? Seems like there should be a way to manipulate the area around the plants to increase moisture where you want it, while protecting them from water damage.
My thoughts, exactly! Humidifiers can be such a drag...
In Colorado and Utah they were a must for me, personally, because the climate is so dry. They MUST be regularly cleaned because you can breed mold in those jets, then spew it into your habitat. Inhaling it, yourself! Also, a budget model will leave hard-water deposits over counters & furniture. Distilled water is ideal.
This. All of this. We can use nature to our advantage. And grouping plants would absolutely help with humidity, yes you need more plants for this to be effective but it can absolutely work. Especially if they are placed in the right area.
You are soooo right! Love your channel- Thanks!
Thank you!
I'm in the UK and have no idea why I just watched this video - I live coastal and have ~60% humidity all the time.
Okay I am going to get an Areca palm and not mist or humidify at all - will I be alright?
Wish i would have listen to this before i started misting my monstera her new leaf was a little damaged😪
Sorry to hear that! I'm sure the next leaf will be perfect.
love your videos! So much easier to understand how to care better. Could I recommend a vid about buying or getting a new plant and where you would precisely place the plant once it comes into your home? Lighting always confuses me. Ty!
Thank you. In general my philosophy is: most indoor plants want as much light as you can give them. Move them closer to your windows over time. Give prime space to the plants you want to grow biggest and best.
Love your channel so I subscribed. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for subscribing. I appreciate it!
I live in az where it is dry year round. I would like to add a humidifier but wondering is it to be running 24/7
Good question. I think you may want to think of it as "do I want to be responsible for running and refilling a humidifier 24 hours a day".
It is a lot of work, cleaning, and maintenance. If you have the time you could try it!
Unnecessary, I use the humidifier at night time only but then again I live in Florida..
hi from texas! i'm currently testing out the pebble tray method. its doing pretty well so far since my calatheas are being dramatic babies xD i also keep them in the bathroom. i can also relate to misting being a bonding moment with plants as i tend to be an overwater. great video!
Hi Texas.
That's great. If it works for you keep doing it! I'm going to do more testing to figure out how to maximize the use from a pebble tray.
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
What if I have several ceiling fans?! 🤔🤔🧐🧐 can I mist then?
The ones that cost so little are ultrasonic. Ultrasonic humidifiers don't actually evaporate the water but use ultrasonic soundwaves to create ultra thin mist that evaporates in the air. The problem with that is they also create a lot of dust in the air. That dust consist mainly of limescale but also other minerals in your tap water and god knows what has started growing in your water tank. Ever seen a cats water bowl bottom? Very slimy, that happens to standing water.
A good humidifier will send you back at least 300 bucks. But humid air is also good for people and pets.
My main point is: don't get a humidifier for you plants. Get a humidifier for yourself. I have very dry skin and had all sorts of skin problems when I didn't have a humidifier. I'm thinking of getting another one because I moved to a bigger apartment and my humid friend can't keep up with central heating an bigger rooms.
The pebble tray needed another barrier between the pebbles and the bottom of the plant - otherwise you risk root rot from the soil getting too wet. Proud new momma of a calathea ornata and currently shopping for a calathea musica. ;-) Also pebble tray cannot be a terracotta tray saucer as they are porous and the water will seep through and damage furniture. . So the terracotta pot standing on pebbles and water without a barrier, was a double whammy. Fun video though. :-)
Fair point. I'll keep that in mind for the next video!
I maintain humidity by creating as much wet surface areas in my grow tents as possible so that moisture can be absorbed into the air. A cotton dish towel hanging over a roasting rack in a saucer full of water in front of a small fan works as well as any humidifier. Using fabric bags rather than plastic or ceramic also creates surface area. With no risk of powdery mildew like when you have a humidifier constantly misting your plants. Mist is wet air not humid air, there is a difference.
Lmao, the first sentence after the intro sounds like an introduction at an AA meeting.
Amazing video, whats your videosoftware + camera set up?
I think at this point I was using my phone and VSDC. Now I'm using DaVinci resolve and Sony a6400 with sigma 16mm F1.6
I'm in love with this channel. So nice to see the myths around misting and pebble trays (both have been repeatedly shown to have no measurable impact on humidity). I'm an indoor gardener in an extremely arid climate, and I absolutely love philodendrons and hoyas and carnivores. I keep the stuff that needs humidity in an area of the house with lower ceilings and run the humidifiers for them, the rest have to make it on their own. I've abused a few into submission. If they're really humid-climate types I have a couple of huge glass bells I can pop over stuff.
Idk this was just really refreshing, I really love houseplants but I also have a full time job, you gotta be smart about managing a big indoor collection.
Thank you for the comment! Any recommendations on where to start with carnivorous plants?
@@KillThisPlant start by being careful of your sources, a lot of poaching with carnivorous plants. The highland nepenthes they sell in garden centers are super hardy, they grow like weeds, I use tap water on mine. Many boggy types experience dormancy, but some don't, research what you've got. Sundews reseed themselves freely and are pretty easy, I keep mine in wide shallow pots kind of sitting in a saucer of filtered water. Butterworts are my favorite but I've had inconsistent results so far. Carnivores make good little terrarium plants!
Okay, 7 minute video and conclusion is dont bother with humidity e
What about large black spots on leaves specifically monstera? Is this similar to water damage?
Sadly, humidity above 50 % will encourage mold growth in your home ☹ I got chronically ill from a moldy house. So I will keep humidity at 45 -50% max. Love the content ❤
Hey, I've been misting my plants without any damage done. Perhaps, I've been lucky. My neighborhood plant store (Main and Gerrard in Toronto) has misters for sale. If it doesn't do any good why would they have misters for sale? Just curious. I was curious whether my two fish tanks add humidity to the air and apparently they do. So, I have that going for me. I want a humidifier but maybe I won't need one.
Where are you in Canada Lee?
Toronto. You might not need a humidifier if your plants are doing fine. Nick Alexander has a much more in-depth video I recommend. ruclips.net/video/kURcPFiROHM/видео.html (timestamped to the most relevant section)
Plant stores sell misters because they sell well. The same reason why pet stores sell betta fish in small bowls even though the need much larger tanks.
@@KillThisPlant thank you!
I live in miami and I think cacao needs constant rain and humidity
I was more confused,after watching the video, than before !!!!
Thank you for the knowledge!! Very clear and concise! My plants make me very happy 😊
Thank you for taking the time to comment! Glad you liked the video.
I understand. However..........It does rain in the real plant world so thinking that misting will hurt plants is simply not true. Or at least not true for plants that can use the humidity. Yes, plants are pretty adaptive and can go without extreme humidity. In the real world, I have a Monstera that in their natural habitat will get much more humidity. Either way, it does not hurt the plant. Yes, my Monstera is about three years old, so misting (have been doing it) it will NOT hurt the leaves.....:) Just letting you hear the other side.
Standing water and still air are a breeding ground for mold and bacteria growth. This is why leaking basements can grow mold so quickly. It is likely the case that you have been fortunate, or not misting enough for bacteria growth to effect the health of your plant.
If you feel like it's not harming your plant and you enjoy doing it then you should continue.
Nick Alexander just released a video on his channel that gets more into the hard sciences. He also discusses how water on the leaves closes stomata and makes your plant unable to photosynthesize. It's a good watch if you're interested in learning more.
Have you tried adjusting the environment around the plants? For example, a lot of materials in the home tend to suck the moisture out of the air (which is not good for your home, either). If, for example, you use a semi gloss paint on your walls, instead of matt, they're less likely to take in that air moisture. Also, warmer air holds moisture better than cooler air, so temperature adjustments can help as well.
The downside to the humidifier is mold. Please be careful; bad for the respiratory system.
Ugh wish there was advice for someone living in the west of Ireland. I have a large sunroom and in summer it gets so warm and in winter it's pretty cold .. I have a lot of tropicals.. I'd I use a humidifier it would probably create mold in the house. I have a calathea triostar and she's doing ok. Husband bought me a pink princess philodendron and she's a diva ..she's not loving Irelands temp right now. 😭 New years resolution .. no More plants.
I mist the entire house, but not the plants. It is true misting will cause brown spots. So I mist the house every day but I do not mist on the plants.
I have a question do you use warm or cool mist on your humidifier?
What about misting with fertiliser? Foliar feeding?
If you want to fertilize your plant through foliar feeding then you can do that.
for how long should I leave the humidifier for a fiddle fig ? I live in Arizona?
It's more about maintaining a specific humidity. For example, if you're trying to hit 40% you'd have to set your auto settings to maintain that specific level.
hi, would mini humidifiers work? My plants are not all in one place and the space is pretty large
I would probably not bother. To make a significant/consistent change you'd have to have a humidifier that can fill a certain square footage of space.
You can increase humidity by placing your plant on top of a tray filled with water if they are placed OUTDOORS during SUMMER. If you live in a tropical country, it is effective all year round.
Interesting video, but creating humidity isn't the only reason for misting plants. It's helpful for keeping them clean from dust and bugs etc.
Very true! I hope most people aren't dusting their plants daily. That seems like a lot of work.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Thank you i enjoyed this video easy to understand and you are well spoken great info
Glad you enjoyed. 😃
How about putting watertrays on the radiator during the winter?
I don't think this would do enough, but if you have a humidity reader, you should test it.
I was told by a local garden center/ plant shop that misting about once a week in conjunction with using a gentle fan can help against spider mites in dry homes. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Yes. That is true.
Hahaha I love your humor! 😆💜 thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Thanks. I appreciate you watching!
✌❤from Arizona. Learn the VPD chart for plants. Humidity is very important to grow
My hydro thermometer actually calculates VPD for me! I'm in the green. Thanks for the comment.
could you recommend indoor plants that don't require high humidity?
Most of them don't. Any Pothos, Monstera, philodendron, dracaena, syngonium, or succulent don't need high humidity.
There are a select few anthuriums that may require consistent high humidity but many don't.
also begonias!
Can you do a video on the little one leaf Valentine’s Hoya? I know their kinda faux pas but I was gifted one and trust your judgement.
If you take yours out of the soil you can see if it has a stem piece attached. If it's just a leaf and a petiole or just the leaf it won't grow. It may only root and sustain itself.
You'll need a stem piece (a node) as well as a leaf for it to continue to grow.
How does misting damage new leaves? Could it be the type of water they are misted with rather than any water? Rain water can be quite heavy with standing water on leaves in nature, could plants have an adaption to this situation?
I mist my aglomena everyday with deionized water.. so far no problems with leaf damage. i live in a tropical country with the aglomena near the window.
This video from Nick Alexander does a much better job of explaining the possible harms of misting ruclips.net/video/kURcPFiROHM/видео.html
I’ve been misting my plant for 9 months and my plant is absolutely fine
I open my windows when the weather allows it for more humidity.
Very good advice
I’m watching this to try save a codling moth larve