When you think of houseplants, spider plants make the list.
They are beautiful, adaptable, and easy to grow houseplants. As a result, they are a popular choice for indoor gardening.
This plant is also known for its purifying properties, making it an excellent healthy addition to your home. As such, they must be properly cared for.
So, how should I look after my spider plants? Is misting beneficial to spider plants? All of this will be addressed in this article, so keep reading.
Should I Mist Spider Plants?
Yes, you can mist your spider plant.
Misting is one method of caring for these lovely indoor plants.
Using a Mister, spray your Spider Plant regularly; it’s best if you mist the plant with distilled water that has been sitting for at least 24 hours.
Although this shouldn’t be an everyday routine, If you find brown leaf tips on your spider plants, this indicates that it is too dry, and the plant would need a mist to remain healthy.
Misting helps to increase your plants’ humidity. Although Spider Plants thrive in low humidity areas, a little extra humidity will benefit them as well.
This is because this plant enjoys temperatures ranging from 60-80° F.
In this article, you’d learn everything you need to know about misting and caring for spider plants. If this sounds interesting to you, then keep reading.
What Does It Mean To Mist A Plant?
Misting is a temporary method of raising humidity around a plant by spraying tiny droplets of water from a canister or spray bottle.
Misting has many advantages for plants, including;
- Keeping them hydrated through humidity.
- Misting helps to keep your plant cool.
- It also aids soil moisture.
- Misting houseplants is a quick and easy approach to increasing humidity.
- It also eliminates the possibility of overwatering your plants.
Below are some tips to help you mist correctly;
- When misting, it’s important to pay attention to the texture and color of the leaves. This is because plants with dry or brown leaf tips will need to be misted regularly to stay healthy.
- Mist the top and bottom of the leaves – a misted plant should appear to have light dew on it.
- Misting is also most effective between 7 am-9 am in the mornings and after 5 pm in the evenings. This is because the stomata are open during these times, allowing water to easily absorb into the plant.
- Use lukewarm water and mist the leaves in the morning, this will allow them to dry out during the day.
- Make sure you do not over mist your plant. This can harm plants, promote fungus growth, and attract pests.
- While misting, try to get closer to the soil area. Leaves should not be the only thing misted.
- Understand your plants; some require daily misting, while others require it only once or twice a week.
Here is an article I wrote on spider plants surviving in winter
How Often Should I Mist My Spider Plant?
Misting smaller spider plants twice a week during the summer is sufficient; large spider plants should be misted twice every three weeks during the summer.
During the winter this should be done less frequently.
However, it is crucial to note that the frequency of misting is highly dependent on the plant and the environment they’re grown.
If you observe some leaves becoming crisp, spray them more regularly during the day. Also, plants with thinner leaves would require more misting than those with thicker leaves.
But, if you’re not sure how much mist your plant requires, then, you need to do some experimenting.
You can try misting your plant once a day for a week. Keep an eye on how it reacts and you’ll be able to determine whether the plant requires more or less humidity.
You should also recognize that not all plants require misting. Other mist-loving plants besides spider plants include:
- Aloe Vera
- Orchids
- Zebra plant
- Philodendrons
- Ferns
- Bromeliads
- Pothos
- Calatheas
Below is a list of plants that should not be mist;
- Succulents
- Stromanthe
- Cacti
- African Violets
- Velvet Calathea
Should I Spritz My Spider Plant?
It is okay to spritz your spider plant once or twice every week. This can make a significant impact on humidity, as this plant needs additional humidity to grow.
However, while Spritzing significantly enhance air humidity, the effect only lasts a few minutes as the water evaporates and diffuses across a room.
Other excellent methods for raising the humidity of your plants include;
- Group them to create a tiny microclimate.
- Place them in rooms with greater humidity levels, such as the kitchen and bathroom.
- Place the plant in a pebble tray filled with water.
Do Spider Plants Like Humidifiers?
Because spider plants demand high humidity to thrive, a humidifier will benefit them immensely.
When it comes to boosting the humidity in an area for your plants, the truth is – a humidifier is the greatest answer.
If you use a humidifier, turn it on every morning to create enough humidity for your plants.
Raising the humidity in the air allows your plants to retain more moisture, which is good for their growth.
It’s okay to leave the humidifier on until around midday, but ensure you turn it off when the sun goes down.
Getting a humidity gauge isn’t a bad option as well.
It will give you a better understanding of how humid your plant is.
If the humidity level is too low, you can run the humidifier for some time; this will bring it up to the optimum level for your plants.
Also check out this article I wrote on spider plants growing outside
Can You Spray Spider Plants?
Spider plants may require spraying on occasion to enhance their health and prevent insect and disease threats.
Spraying plants also remove dirt and dust, as well as fungal spores and pests.
Although spraying your plant is good, it is best not to overspray it. When leaves remain wet for a long time, they become vulnerable to infection.
How Do You Keep Spider Plants Healthy
Make sure it gets enough light: Spiders do not flourish in direct sunlight since it can burn their leaves, resulting in brown tips and patches.
Indoor plants require bright to moderate sunshine in a room that is comfortable for everyone.
A modest shade will suffice for outdoor spider plants. A strong shade can work, but it will limit your plant’s growth.
Maintain an average room temperature and humidity level: Spider plants prefer temperatures ranging from 55 to 80°F, making them excellent indoor houseplants.
Make sure the soil is suitable for them: Spider plants thrive in soils that are neither too wet nor too dry. The soil should ideally be slightly damp. Water this plant once a week during the summer and spring seasons. Allow the soil to dry up before watering in the winter.
Fertilize the soil regularly: For this plant to thrive fertilize it every 2-3 weeks; during the summer and spring, fertilize at least twice a month. However, avoid over-fertilizing since this might be damaging to the plants.
Conclusion
Misting your plants is a good way to keep them healthy.
It increases the humidity around a plant and keeps plants hydrated and cool, while also hydrating the soil.
Although not all plants should be misted, misting spider plants is completely OK.
Misting smaller plants twice a week and larger plants twice every three weeks is recommended. Misting should be reduced during the winter.
