CARING FOR YOUR NEW AIR PLANT
Your new air plant friend has arrived! When you're done marveling in its beauty, you'll need to soak it in water (fully submerged) for 20-30 minutes. Then, gently shake any excess water out of the base of the plant and place it in a spot with bright, indirect light and good air flow.
Air plant care tips for our displays:
* Air Plant Terrarium: Although all Soul Full Grows terrariums have air holes to give your plant proper air circulation, you will want to let your air plant dry before placing it back in its terrarium.
* Air Plant Crystals: Since the air plant is attached to the crystal, you will need soak the entire thing, crystal included. The adhesive is waterproof and plant safe!
Continue reading below for more on air plant care.
DO AIR PLANTS NEED WATER?
While air plants can survive long periods of time without water, air plants do require water to thrive and survive! This just means there’s no need to stress about missed waterings and you certainly don’t need an air plant babysitter when you go on vacation.
HOW TO WATER AIR PLANTS?
To water your air plant, fully submerge it in a bowl, sink, or bathtub. Allow your air plant to soak for 20-30 minutes once a week. After their bath, gently shake any excess water out of the base of the plant and set in a place with adequate air circulation. If you live in a dryer, hotter climate, you may need to mist your air plant a few times in between waterings. If you go on vacation or miss a few waterings, no worries! Just soak your air plants for 1-2 hours to help them catch up and re-hydrate.
* If your air plant is in bloom, the soaking method is not recommended as it can cause the flower to rot. Instead, simply rinse the plant - taking care not to wet the flower.
DO AIR PLANTS NEED SUN?
Air plants, also known as Tillandsia’s, should be placed in bright, indirect light. If you don’t have a spot with indirect sunlight to put your air plants, you can also place them under a fluorescent home/office lighting. (This is one reason why air plants make great office decor!)
CAN AIR PLANTS LIVE OUTSIDE?
If you want to keep your plant outdoors, the best place for it would be under a patio where it can get bright, indirect sunlight. If your air plant is outside, you will need to water it more often than if it were inside.
Short periods of direct sunlight are OK, but more than a few hours of direct sunlight will begin to dehydrate your air plant. If your plant is in a spot with direct sunlight, you should mist it every few days to keep it hydrated.
AIR PLANT TEMPERATURE
Air plants are tropical plants, so they love warmer conditions. Air plants' ideal temperature is between 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit, but they are extremely hardy and will tolerate temps ranging from 35-120 degrees Fahrenheit.
HOW TO PRUNE YOUR AIR PLANT?
As your air plant grows, some of the bottom leaves will begin to brown. This is perfectly natural in the growth process. Gently pull on the dying leaves to remove them from your air plant.
If the leaf tips begin to brown, this can be an indication that your plant is either getting too much sun or too little water. "Listen" to your air plant and adjust its care accordingly. You can easily trim the brown tips off by cutting it at an angle to help keep the leaf's natural look.
It's not uncommon for an air plants leaves to break. If they do, you can prune your air plant by cutting the leaf at the break, once again cutting at an angle to help keep the leaf's natural look. Be careful not to trim your air plants healthy leaf too much. Keep in mind - it is through their leaves that they absorb their nutrients.
THE AIR PLANT LIFE CYCLE
HOW DO AIR PLANTS WORK?
Air plants absorb the nutrients they need from water and air through their leaves, not their roots. Air plants can survive without their roots. The only reason air plants have roots is to attach themselves to trees, stones, shrubbery, etc. for them to live on in the wild. Unlike other plants that attach themselves to trees, air plants do not take any nutrients from their host. You can think of them as a roommate!
BLOOMING
Tillandsias typically live for several years and will only produce a bloom once during their lifetime. This makes it even more exciting and rewarding when they bloom! First you’ll see your air plants blush by turning a reddish-pink color, then they bloom a beautiful flower!
PUPS
After an air plant blooms, they will begin to produce babies, referred to as “pups.” Once the pup reaches 1/3 of the size of the parent plant, you have the option to separate the pup from its parent plant. To separate them, you can pull the plants apart by twisting them away from one another. Alternatively, you can leave the pup on the parent plant to allow the tillandisas to grow into clumps.
There you go, that's everything you need to know about air plant care!
* To shop our Air Plant Decor visit: https://soulfullgrows.com/collections/all
* To shop our collections visit: https://soulfullgrows.com/collections