Humidity Guide

Indoor Plants are generally used to increase the beauty of the indoors and sometimes people use them to clean the pollutants from inside of houses and offices. Humidity is one of the big factors in for caring indoor plants as they are fully dependent on us. Here is the detailed humidity guide for indoor plants.

Indoor Plants Humidity Guide

Generally, Indoor plants like the humidity present inside the house, and they grow perfectly inside the house with appropriate light and temperature. If you provide a little attention then the growth of the plant will be amazing.

But there are some special plants (especially those native to the tropics and sub-tropics like Bromeliads, Calathea, Dracaena, etc.) that require higher humidity levels. There are also some plants such as cacti and succulents that like dry weather.

Humidity Levels

When we use artificial heating or central heating systems in a room then the temperature of the room becomes dry. It is one of the biggest problems for the indoor plants because of using heating system humidity become less inside the home.  Which damages the plants leaves and root.

This problem can easily rectify by spraying mist on the plants leaves or putting the plant inside the water or watering the plant more often when the soil of the plant become dry by touching it. The humidity is used to help the indoor plant  to a comfortable level suitable for animals, humans, and plants. For more info on the science of humidity take a look at the wiki article here.

• If the humidity is between 10% to 40%: If the humidity is below 40%, means the humidity is dry and there may be central and artificial heating is being used. The cacti and succulents will be fine in this humidity level but the most of plants are going to die or there leaves will fall and flower will not bloom.
• If the humidity is between 40% to 60%: This humidity level will be in your house in the summer season and like by majority of plants. Some plants need help like misting the leaves but it is ok for indoor plants.
• If the humidity is between 60% to 80%: This is the ideal humidity level which all the plants like and survive will but is difficult to maintain indoor, especially for tropical plants.
• If the humidity is between 80% to 90%: This is tropical weather. Plants growing in a greenhouse or glasshouse can reach the humidity above 80%.

Hygrometer

A useful device is a hygrometer which measures the relative humidity levels that are relatively inexpensive. The Electrical hygrometers measure the change in electrical resistance of a thin layer of lithium chloride, or of a semiconductor device, as the humidity changes. The higher the temperature and smaller the amount of water vapor – the lower the humidity. And, the lower the temperature with a higher amount of water vapor the higher the humidity. 

Succulents and desert-type cactus plants are the exceptions for humidity requirement. It has fleshy thick leaves which store water that allows them to survive even if there are dry condition. These plant can survive well below 30% humidity.

Common Humidity Problems

Common Problems arises due to high low and high humidity can be seen in the appearance of the plants. Problem arises due to high or low humidity can be examined like other problems. Here are the details of problem arises due to humidity.

• Leaves turn brown at the tips.
• Leaf edges turn yellow.
• Flowers shrivel up and die quickly.
• Leaves dry up a shrivel.

• Gray mold appears on the leaves.
• Gray mold on flowers.
• Leaves and stems beginning to show signs of rot.

Methods For Improving Humidity Levels in Indoor Plants

•  Misting – Misting the leaves of the plant by the spray bottle will help the raise the humidity of the plant and it is very easy, common and effective method, recommended by most of the people.

• Grouping Plants – You can place a lot of plants together, The plants should be placed in this way so that less humidity required should be placed in front of direct light and high humidity required plants should be placed on back. When a lot of plants placed together then the air and moisture between the plants and will help to maintain the humidity and moisture in soil. 

• Pebble Trays – It is a method can be used in tropical plants. Plants should be placed in the wet pebble trays to maintain or improve humidity.

• Humidifier or Dehumidifier – If the room has very less humidity then humidifier can be used. 

You can place a container full of water inside the room to improves the in a room, or you can place a vase with flowers and waters will not only make the room beautiful and increase the humidity inside the room. Placing the Bromeliads in the room in water container or placing aquarium in the room will increase the humidity.

This is all about the Humidity guide for the care of indoor plants. If you have any query or suggestion kindly comment.