Caring for your Indoor Leafy Living Wall
There are other factors, besides light, that also play a part in the success of your plant’s growth, one of which is the level of humidity in the environment that your plants are growing. You will see that in our Infographics we oftentimes reference “basic household humidity.” This might mean different things to different people or it might not mean anything to you at all.
Here is a breakdown of what basic household humidity means and how to increase it.
The humidity level in the average household is often below 30 percent, some plants may be able to adjust to this dryer environment, however some—especially those from more tropical regions—need a more humid environment in order to thrive. So, how do you go about creating a more humid environment for your plants? Here are 4 simple ways you can increase humidity for your houseplants:
1. Misting houseplants with water
2. Build your own humidifier by placing plants in trays with pebbles and water
Fill a waterproof, clean tray halfway (at least an inch) with stones, gravel or perlite and pour water over them so that the pebbles are halfway submerged in the water. Set your plants on one of these trays, be careful that the water is not soaking into your plant, this can cause root rot and result in plant collapse.
3. Use a room humidifier
A room humidifier can be a very effective tool to increase the humidity in your home. Humidifiers will increase the humidity of the whole room that they are in resulting in a more humid environment for your plants. Make sure to fill your humidifier regularly in order to maintain the humidity in the room.
4. Group your plants together
For houseplants that have humidity needs that are just slightly higher than basic household humidity, grouping them together can create an adequate, more humid environment. Plants release moisture through the process of transpiration, so when they are grouped together this process will create a more humid environment in the surrounding air.
It’s important to note that there are things that oftentimes dry out environments and consequently decrease humidity. This includes air conditioners, doors or windows with constant drafts and heaters. If your plants require more humidity be careful not to place them in your house where they are over exposed to these variables.
You can also get more inspiration about how to create and build your living wall from our Indoor Living Walls eBook! Happy Planting!
Additional References:
Download our Indoor Living Walls eBook on How to Create an Urban Jungle in your Home.
If you have more questions about the needs for different plants you want to include in your indoor living wall you can go to House Plant 411.