As we head into the colder season, many of us are starting to turn on our heaters, which means the air in our homes is generally getting drier and we have low humidity in our homes. This can definitely affect your plants! Most of our houseplants are tropical plants, meaning they naturally grow in climates with higher humidity levels. While we can never truly replicate that environment in our homes, there are definitely things we can do to increase humidity and keep our plants happy!
There are a few plants that really need higher humidity levels in our climate year-round — ferns, calatheas, alocasias, anthuriums, and begonias, to name a few. If you have these in your collection, I would definitely recommend making an effort to increase your humidity levels. Conversely, there are some plants that are much more tolerant of lower humidity levels — succulents, snake plants, ZZ plants, and pothos, for example. If you are looking for something easy and tolerant of our Southern Oregon climate, these are the plants for you!
Beyond knowing which plants like humidity, there are a few telltale signs that your plants may need a little more than they're getting. Brown or crispy leaf tips (see our previous post on brown leaf tips!), curling leaves, new leaves struggling to unfurl, and dry or brittle foliage can all be indicators of low humidity. If you're seeing these signs on your plants, it may be time to increase the humidity levels around them.
So, how do you do that? There are a few things you can try:
Humidifier: Adding a humidifier is by far the best way to increase humidity in your home. Really, this is the only option that will make a substantial difference in the overall humidity levels of your house. That said, if you don't want to deal with cleaning a humidifier multiple times a week, there are a few other things you can do to help.
Grouping Plants: Plants release moisture into the air through a process called transpiration, so grouping them together can definitely help create a slightly more humid environment. Plus, who doesn't love a good plant cluster?
Pebble Trays: Making a pebble tray can have a slight impact on the humidity levels directly around your plants, making them a nice option for a needier plant. Just make sure the bottom of your pot isn't sitting directly in the water!
Bathrooms: Provided your bathroom has natural light, moving your humidity-loving plants in there is an excellent option. They'll get a little steam bath every day while you shower. Honestly, not a bad setup!
Avoid Heat Sources: Heat sources can dry out the air and stress your plants, so during the winter months, try to keep your plants away from heating vents, fireplaces, and other direct sources of heat.
One thing I often get asked about is misting plants to increase humidity. I would consider this one of the biggest myths when it comes to plant humidity! While occasional misting can have some benefits, it doesn't meaningfully increase the humidity around your plants. Additionally, water sitting directly on your leaves for extended periods can create an environment where fungal issues are more likely to develop, so that's definitely something to keep in mind. In other words, your plants might enjoy a little spritz, but they're not exactly getting the tropical vacation they were promised!
If you're looking for more advice on increasing humidity for your plants, or need help picking out plants that are a little more resilient to our climate, pop in for a chat! We're always happy to help you find the right plants for your home.