The frequency of misting plants greatly depends on the season as well as the level of humidity in the air in your zone. However, in general, it is recommended that you mist your plants at least a few times per week after considering existing moisture levels around.
Misting regularly in combination with wiping down the leaves with a clean microfiber cloth will keep your leaves free of dust, and also help mitigate any emerging pest problems. Misting and wiping your leaves once a month is one of the most effective ways to combat common houseplant pests, spider mites.
It is possible to overmist? As they say, too much of anything is still too much. Repeatedly dousing your plants with moisture is no exception, so Resta says be careful not to overdo it. "You want to be cautious about how much water may be gathering on your leaves' surface," she notes.
For example, if you're using misting to clean your plants leaves you can do it once a week, but if you're using it to boost the humidity of your plant's environment, you'll want to do it more frequently. “Most [tropical plants] will be happy if you spritz them every few days,” Hull and Cheshire explain.
As for misting — for the plants that need to be misted to thrive like air plants and ferns — it's best to mist them in the morning *and* the evening whenever possible. The morning mist helps to prepare them for the day ahead, while the evening misting helps create a little extra humidity.
Misting creates humidity, and some tropical plants appreciate it (though there are more effective methods for increasing humidity around your plants), but it should supplement watering. To water properly, pour water directly on the soil until it runs out the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
As a rule of thumb, all cacti, drought tolerant plants, and the great majority of succulents, should never be misted!
Types of Plants That Like Mist
(Zebra plants, orchids, arrowhead plants, and begonias are just a few others that love mist.) "It's best to mist each of these plants as you see the top inch of the soil become dry to the touch," he says.
Most houseplants will thrive just fine without the use of a mister, Gillette says. Epiphytes will benefit though from a light misting every morning.
Gardening: Misting can help plants cope in scorching-hot weather.
“A lot of people don't understand the importance of misting,” adds Jenkins. “Misting is one of the top things that you can do for your houseplants. I advise my clients to mist their houseplants one to two times per week.”
A general rule of thumb is that many plants like to go slightly dry to the touch before being watered again. Humidity: For the most part, the water that is applied to the surface of your soil is only helping strengthen the roots and stems. The leaves, however, could really use a spritz or two of water every day or two.
2. Misting. This method of watering is not recommended for succulents at all. Instead, you should only mist your succulents when propagating cuttings, as mature succulents store water in their leaves.
Placing a drip tray under your plant is key. If a drip tray is not available, simply put your plant in a basin, mist it and then put it back to its former place.
Generally, you want to avoid misting so much that water is dripping off the leaves. You're going for a light coating on the tops and undersides of the leaves without a lot of large droplets. The leaves should look like they have morning dew settled on them, not like they've been in a rainstorm.
Your Spider Plant will do well in normal household humidity but will thrive with a bit more humidity. Brown leaf tips may indicate the air is too dry, so mist your Spider Plant regularly using a Mister.
Use filtered or rain water that doesn't contain chlorine, fluoride or other chemicals. Always mist your plants in the morning so the leaves can dry out during the day.
A true classic, snake plant (also known as Sansevieria or mother-in-law's tongue) thrives on neglect. This super-easy plant grows in low or medium light and can go for long periods without taking a drink. It's the perfect plant for frequent travelers who may be on the road for extended periods.
Some plants don't need extra moisture, but here are some that love it: Zebra plant (Aphelandra squarrosa), anthurium, orchids, fittonia, palms, African violet (but see next point), ferns, philodendrons, spathiphyllum, corn plant (Draceana fragrans 'Massangeana'), ctenanthe, banana, schefflera, arrowhead plant ( ...
At least once a week, mist your spider plant's leaves with water to simulate the humidity of its natural habitat. If you live somewhere in an extremely dry environment, spray more often. Due to low humidity, the tips of the leaves are showing signs of stress by turning brown.
However, snake plants don't really benefit from misting, as they're native to arid regions and are used to dry conditions. The thick leaves of a snake plant also help to prevent water loss, so misting is usually unnecessary.
Cyperus. If your houseplants repeatedly succumb to root rot, get yourself a cyperus. Cyperus plants have tall grass-like shoots topped with slender bracts that droop downward in an umbrella shape. Cyperus are natives of tropical swamps, so it's virtually impossible to overwater them.
Run your sink into a watering can, cup, or bucket, and let it sit for a good 24 hours. This will allow chemicals like chlorine and fluoride the time to evaporate from the water. We like to have a full watering can ready to go with still water so that if our soil seems dry, we can water our plant without waiting a day.