How to grow air plants? Detailed guide to cultivation methods and precautions

  Air plants are ornamental plants that grow in the air. They can be attached to dead wood, rocks, or placed on shells or in pots; they can grow as long as their roots do not sit in water. Many foreign interior design magazines feature air plants as indoor plants to accent the home, and they are very stylish. More and more people are growing air plants in large quantities, hanging them up with wire or fishing line for a vivid and unusual look. So how do you grow air plants? What are the cultivation methods and precautions for air plants? How do air plants propagate? Let's find out:

  This is the only plant on Earth that grows entirely in the air. It can grow vigorously without soil and can produce bright flowers. They come in many varieties and forms, offering both foliage and flowers to enjoy, with advantages such as good decorative effect and strong adaptability. Because of their high ornamental value, plus being relatively clean and easy to care for, they are the first choice for combining greenery in the home with the environment in a busy, fast-paced life. Therefore, in recent years, more and more flower-growing enthusiasts have been cultivating air plants.

  1. Growing containers and fixing methods

  The growing containers for air plants mainly include shells, stones, dead wood, tree fern boards, rattan baskets, etc. They can be fixed with wire or rope ties, or attached to the container with all-purpose glue or hot melt adhesive. Air plants can also be cultivated by hanging, tied with copper wire or rope and suspended in the air.

  2. Temperature

  Air plants originate from the highlands of Central and South America. Air plants can tolerate low temperatures of 0 °C and high temperatures of 40 °C. Most varieties will suffer cold damage below 5 °C, and the plant dies below 0 °C. The suitable growing temperature is 15-30 °C. When above 25 °C, ventilation should be strengthened and air humidity increased. In summer, when the weather is hot and the temperature is too high, pay attention to misting to increase humidity and lower the temperature. In Jiangnan and South China, where winter temperatures stay above 0 °C, heating is not necessary. Under dry conditions, air plants can better endure lower temperatures and harsh climatic conditions.

  4. Light

  Varieties with grayer leaf color and more numerous, thicker, harder white scales need stronger light; varieties with greener leaves and fewer, softer scales are more shade-tolerant. When grown indoors, they should be placed in a spot with bright light. Insufficient light will cause the plant to become leggy and weak.

  3. Watering

  Air plants can be misted with a spray bottle 2-3 times a week, and once a day during dry seasons. When misting, spray until the leaf surface is completely wet, and be careful not to let water accumulate in the leaf center. If too much water is sprayed, the plant can be turned upside down to let the excess water drain out.

  5. Fertilizing

  Under artificial cultivation, you can spray with Hyponex or monopotassium phosphate plus urea diluted 1000 times with water, once a week, or soak the plant in a fertilizer solution diluted 3000-5000 times for 1-2 hours. Fertilizing can be stopped in winter and during the flowering period.

  6. Diseases

  Sunscald often occurs in environments with ample light. The cause is improper handling: water sprayed on the leaf surface is not dried in time, and the water droplets act like a convex lens, burning the leaf surface beneath them. However, it does not spread; during routine care, simply pay attention to ventilation.

  Precautions:

  1. Strictly speaking, it is not necessarily required to keep temperatures above 5 °C in winter. If there is good light during the day, even below 0 °C is no problem.

  2. Also, a reminder to everyone: never plant it in a tank. Air plants need a large amount of air circulation, and they will rot in a stuffy tank. If the weather is too dry, just soak the plant in water for about an hour, then shake off the water on the leaves. Also, never put it in the sun when the leaves are wet, or the leaves will be scorched. All air plants are relatively drought-tolerant; going a few days without water will absolutely not be a problem.

  3. Varieties in the silver-leaf group are even more drought-tolerant than others. Please appropriately reduce the watering frequency to avoid rot.

  The cultivation experience regarding water control is summarized below for reference.

  Most air plants do not have as high a demand for air humidity as imagined. Moreover, even in their place of origin, air humidity is not high during the day when there is light, but at night, as the temperature drops, the temperature difference causes water vapor to condense on the plant to form water, which is then absorbed by the leaves.

  Once you understand this characteristic, you can adjust the water supply according to different cultivation environments. Generally speaking, air plants only need to be watered at night. The specific amount depends on the environment and the condition of the plant, which requires the grower to control flexibly according to the situation.

  Air plants have extremely strong stress resistance. When they look slightly dry, their resistance can reach its peak; plants that look tender and soft have very low resistance and are prone to disease and rot at the slightest disturbance. Therefore, in cultivation, I personally think it is better to let the plant be slightly dry so that it can maintain a healthy state.