Air plants that have been overwatered often show brown or black patches, which indicate rotting. Why does this happen? Air plants absorb water through their leaves, not through roots like most other plants.
If the center leaves are falling out, or the base of the plant begins to turn black or brown, this is a sign that it's beginning to rot from too much water. Remove any damaged or diseased parts with sanitized shears, put the plant in a sunny spot in the room, and hope for the best!
Signs of under-watering your air plant include the leaf tips turning brown or crispy. The natural concave shape of air plant leaves tends to become more exaggerated when under-watered. Unfortunately, if your air plant has been over-watered, it's often too late to save it.
If the soil is wet, it's overwatered - if it's dry, it's underwatered. Browning edges: Another symptom that can go both ways. Determine which by feeling the leaf showing browning: if it feels crispy and light, it is underwatered. If it feels soft and limp, it is overwatered.
The faster their soil dries out, the better these plants recover. To speed up the process, place a sheet of paper towel under or around the root ball. After a few hours in the shade and in the open air, the soil will be dry. You can then return the plant to its container.
Feel the Soil: The simplest way to gauge your plant's watering needs is by feeling the soil. Turns out that old trick of sticking your finger into the soil up to the knuckle has merit! If it's soggy or has standing water, you're overwatering. If it's dry an inch below the surface, it's time to water.
A light application of water, such as misting, will not fully absorb through the plant's leaves and the water will most likely evaporate before it can nourish the plant. A deeper, more thorough method of dunking or soaking is recommended for most plants every week to ten days to ensure proper hydration.
If you notice white patches or brown leaf spots, your plant could be suffering from over or under-watering or, in some cases, a fungal issue. If your air plant has developed fungus, be sure to isolate the air plant to prevent the spread to other plants and try treating it with a natural fungicide.
Tip: Tillandsia don't love to be handled. Besides our clumsy hands snapping the occasional leaf, the oils in our fingers actually clog the air plant's sensitive leaves. All Airplantman designs keep this in mind so that it is easy to give your Tillandsia the water it needs without touching it directly!
A healthy air plant will have wide open leaves while a dehydrated air plant will have closed and curled leaves! Never submerge the bloom or flower, as it can cause the flower to rot. If you are using tap water, let the water stand for several hours to dissipate any chemicals prior to watering the plants.
Rot generally starts with mushy purple or black spots towards the base of the plant before spreading all over. The leaves may also start rapidly dropping off, or the center of the plant might fall out. A rotting air plant can be a sign of excess water or humidity.
When a plant doesn't get enough water, the tips and edges of leaves dry out and turn brown. Ultimately, entire leaves will brown and die. Slow growth.
Do not allow the plant to get extremely dry, this additional shock could be enough to kill the plant. If the plant is wilting badly, you can mist or syringe the plant's foliage with water which will prevent too much leaf scorch.
Rotting leaves or roots is another sign that your air plant is in trouble. This condition is typically caused by overwatering and poor ventilation. It's crucial to maintain the right watering regime for your air plants and make sure they dry properly after each watering.
Reviving a Dying Air Plant
Switch to rainwater or unchlorinated water. Move the plant to a well-lit place away from direct sunlight if you suspect lighting issues. Finally, spray the plants with Tillandsia fertilizer to provide nutrients and allow the plant to thrive.
A thorough 20 to 60-minute soak in room-temperature water every week to ten days is the best way for the plants to fully hydrate.
If you notice any brown spots or mushy black areas on the leaves or roots trim them off with a pair of sterilized scissors or a knife. Wilting air plants should be placed in a well-ventilated and warmer area. This will help your plants to process the excess water in their leaves and help them recover more quickly.
Air plants can die from being over-watered, too. Plants should be fully dried before being soaked in water again. Your plant can also rot from moisture if returned to an enclosed space before they fully dry, but avoiding these things will keep your plant healthy!
First, fill a sink or bowl with room-temperature water, deep enough to completely submerge each air plant. Let your plants soak for 30 to 60 minutes.
Mist plants frequently to keep dust and dirt off leaves
It's best to spritz the entire plant in a sink or bathtub, then let it dry before returning it to its original location.
Here are some additional tips for watering your air plants:
Use quality water like filtered, spring, or clean well water. Aquarium or pond water works well too as the plants will like the added nutrients. Avoid artificially softened water or tap water that is high in chlorine/chloramine.
If a plant is overwatered, it will likely develop yellow or brown limp, droopy leaves as opposed to dry, crispy leaves (which are a sign of too little water). Wilting leaves combined with wet soil usually mean that root rot has set in and the roots can no longer absorb water.
The good news is that most plants will bounce back between 7-14 days if they're given proper care (which includes rehydration). If this isn't possible because major damage was done or little healthy root system exists then expect about 2 weeks until improvement can be seen.
How to check for root rot. The main signs to look out for are: yellowing, wilting leaves, wet soil that isn't drying, black, wet roots, quickly declining health, and stunted growth.