While spritzing can provide some moisture, unless the plant really thrives in humidity (ferns, orchids, or bromeliads, for example), Hovis says spritzing can do more harm than good. “What [plants] really need is a good soak,” she says.
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.
“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.”
Misting your houseplants can be helpful to hydrate the leaves, cool the plant down in warm temperatures, and regulate water absorption. You should mist in the morning, taking care to spray the tops and bottoms of the leaves, and go for a nice, light coating.
"Misting the surface can provide a bit of humidity to the foliage without directly spraying leaves," Resta notes, "and it can help oxygenate the soil." Additionally, she says misters can be really helpful during summer, or growing season. "Leaves are unfurling, and a mister is perfect to have handy," she says.
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.
Examples of some plants that don't appreciate misting are succulents and other drought-resistant plants like Aloe Vera and Jade Plants, as well as any plants that have fuzzy or hairy leaves, as it is easy to cause these kinds of leaves to rot if they get too wet.
This said, a good mister is still considered an essential tool for houseplant longevity. That's because misting is one of the best ways to keep your houseplants clean and healthy. Over time dust settles on leaves making it more difficult for light to be absorbed for photosynthesis.
A: To a plant, there's no difference in the mist temperature. However, warm misting humidifiers sanitize the water as they heat it to vapor. That means there's a slightly smaller chance that humidity-borne diseases can develop with a warm mist temperature.
In general, houseplants' potting soil should be kept moist, but not wet. They normally need watering once or twice a week in the spring and summer, but less in the autumn and winter. However, depending on the type of houseplant, this is not always the case.
Types of Plants That Like Mist
Tropical houseplants and plants that love high-humidity—such as the Chinese Evergreen, Boston Fern, and Majesty Palm—will benefit most from misting, says Plunkett. (Zebra plants, orchids, arrowhead plants, and begonias are just a few others that love mist.)
Excess water reduces oxygen in the soil, which damages fine roots and renders the plant unable to take up water. Plants exposed to excess moisture show the same symptoms as plants with root rots, crown rots (crown rot from overwatering) or drought stress.
Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.
Browning leaves are typically caused by under watering, sunburn, or overwatering. If the leaf tips are turning brown and crunchy, the soil likely became too dry for too long in between waterings. This can also cause the plant to drop leaves.
Too much of anything is not always a good thing. We think that it is appropriate to mist in doses of 1-2 times per week depending on the plant's temperament and environment. Over-misting plants can attract pests. Make sure to spray the undersides of leaves, lightly.
Rather than misting your plants at night, a morning mist is the perfect way to start your plant's day. Misting in the morning allows plants time to dry off throughout the day. This is important to prevent mildew and other diseases.
Some plants want daily misting; others are OK with two to three times a week.
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 ( ...
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.
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.
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.
A great visual example of plants reacting to human touch is Mimosa pudica's reaction. This plant is also known as the 'sensitive plant' or 'shame plant. ' Once touched, these plants close up and reopen later.