5 Easy Ways to Increase Humidity for Houseplants

While soil, sunshine, and water are at the top of the list when it comes to plant care, lots of folks forget about humidity for houseplants! If the air in your home is too dry, your plants and their delicate leaves can suffer, just like how our skin gets dry in the winter. But instead of grabbing a bottle of Olay to help soothe your plants, you’re going to want to fix the problem instead of treating the damage. 

If you want to know how to raise humidity for houseplants, take a look at the following six solutions to make conditions more comfortable in your home or office!

The Simplest Way to Increase Humidity for Houseplants...

Use a spray bottle regularly on a setting that releases a delicate mist, not big water droplets. Misters deliver plenty of airborne moisture, but it’s heavier than natural humidity, so moisture may collect on the leaves of your houseplants. Make sure there’s good air circulation in your home, and don’t totally soak your plants, or else you could end up with a mildew problem. When water gets trapped between leaves, those dark and damp conditions can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Plants with thick foliage like Boston ferns can be shaken out a bit to release the excess water. Never use a mister on plants with fuzzy leaves like African violets, because the hairs trap the water and will almost certainly develop mold.

For A Simple DIY Solution to Create Humidity for Houseplants...

While many of us simply give our plants a daily misting, pebble trays are another classic solution for plants in dry rooms. Find some dishes or trays that can hold an inch or two of water, and scatter them with some cool pebbles in whatever color or material you want. Colored glass marbles can look really beautiful when the sunlight comes in, but natural rocks and crystal stones are lovely, too. 

Pour in some water, so the pebbles are mostly submerged, but the water doesn’t leak or overflow. Place your plant pot on top, and as the water evaporates, your plant will catch those sweet, sweet water vapors.

To Give Houseplants an Instant Humidity Boost…

Try the shower method! Gather all your houseplants into the bathroom and crank up the shower to extra hot. The room will fill with warm steam in a matter of minutes, providing a much-needed moisture boost for dry, dehydrated plants. During the drier seasons, when natural humidity isn’t in high supply, it’s a good idea to give your houseplants the shower steam treatment every month or so. You’ll see a noticeable difference—they really seem to perk up afterward!

To Help Conserve Humidity Around Your Houseplants…

Huddle them all together. By keeping your plants all in a group, it creates kind of a microclimate around them. This is because plants naturally release moisture from their leaves through transpiration, so each plant acts as a humidifier for all the others. The more plants you have in your room, the more you’ll notice the air feels less stale and dry. Yet another way plants just make everything better!

To Increase Humidity for Houseplants in Larger Rooms…

Purchase a bigger plug-in humidifier to release larger volumes of moisture. These are especially helpful for homes and offices with open-concept layouts. Don’t leave it running all the time! Just turn it on once in a while when the air feels a little dry. Use distilled water, because tap water will leave mineral deposits in the device, encouraging bacterial growth. Inspect it regularly to make sure it’s clean because misusing a humidifier could potentially aggravate respiratory illness and allergies.

Smaller, portable humidifiers are also a great solution for really moisture-greedy plants like Boston ferns. Without taking up too much space, they can still release significant amounts of moisture into the air, creating comfortable conditions for houseplants—especially humidity-loving tropicals like ficus and philodendrons. There are many cute, cordless styles available that won’t look awkward or out of place among your home decor. Some humidifier devices can simply be placed in a cup of water, turning it into vapor and releasing it from the top.

Increasing your houseplant collection will improve the air quality in your home like you wouldn’t believe! See for yourself and order some new air purifying plants from Plant Decor Shop, like the ever-popular spider plant, or the ultra low-maintenance pothos. We’ve got exciting new varieties arriving regularly, so check our online shop to see what’s new!