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.
Simply pull down on the level and watch the aerosolized water form a soothing cloud of mist over your plant. Misting is highly recommended at least once a month, and more often with species that enjoy it (see full list below).
"To check the moisture level of your soil, stick your finger into the soil to a depth of one inch—midway between the rim of the pot and the base of the plant. If the soil feels dry, it's time to water or gently mist your houseplant."
“Some plants thrive in humidity,” explains Hank Jenkins of the Plant Provocateur in Silver Lake. “If you don't give them moisture, their leaves will dry out. If you want new foliage and growth, you need to mist them.”
"These plants rely on water and light to energize. Misting is good," she 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.
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! In addition to these plants, there are some plants that actually enjoy decent levels of humidity but, should not be misted because of their fuzzy foliage texture.
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.
Some plants want daily misting; others are OK with two to three times a week.
“Spritzing your plants is not the correct way to water your plants. In fact, it doesn't water them at all,” she says. 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.
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.
Misting can be especially helpful on warm days when temperatures may get too high for plants and they may lose a lot of water. If you mist your plants in the morning, the water will evaporate off the surface of the leaf during the day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ice-Cube Method. Just put two ice cubes on the soil in the plant, as they melt, your plant will get water without any mess.
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.
Avoid showering plants that don't like to get their leaves wet (such as African violets, Cyclamen, and Begonias).
By regularly spraying your houseplants with water, you raise the humidity around their leaves, keeping delicate species from the tropical regions of the world happy in distinctly untropical homes.
Soap and water
Mix a tablespoon of soap in a spray bottle with water and spritz your plants to keep bugs like aphids and spider mites away. We also recommend L'Original, a black olive soil soap spray specifically formulated for plants to keep them clean and pest-free.