Low-maintenance, not NO-maintenance
But while air plants might need relatively little attention, don’t be fooled into thinking you can just pop them into a terrarium, stick them on a shelf and forget about them. They might not need soil to thrive but despite the name, they can’t live on fresh air alone. Air plants need to eat – and need water to live.
Here are a few pointers on keeping your air plants hydrated (without over-watering them):
Give it a dunk
The best way to water an air plant is to simply dunk it in a basin of water (the joys of soil-free gardening!). As a general rule, once a week should be sufficient.
If your environment is particularly dry – for instance, if it’s on your desk in an air-conditioned office – you’ll need to do this a little more frequently. Every five days should do the trick. In extra-dry environments, you should submerge the plant in water for two to three hours every fortnight.
In a humid environment, like the bathroom, simply cut back to every ten days.
Easy as 1, 2, 3
Follow this easy three-step guide:
- Step 1: Fill a bowl or sink with water and submerge your air plants (make sure the sink is clean and soap-free).
- Step 2: After 10 minutes, remove the plants from the water and spread them on a towel to dry.
- Step 3: If the plants still seem wet, turn them upside down to shake water out of their bases.
TIP: On days you don’t water, you can mist tillandsias lightly. You will notice that as they soak up water, they will turn a more vivid green.
Terrific terrariums
Thanks to their soil-free growth, air tillandsia make ideal terrarium plants. Find out more about introducing a terrarium into your home with our guide. Or get creative with our terrarium DIY projects, such as a table terrarium, or a quirky coffee-pot terrarium – or even a terrarium in a light bulb!
Check out Gardenista's 101 on watering your air plant here.
