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Air Plant is Drying Up and Turning Brown

If your air plant is drying up and turning brown it needs more than just a little TLC. Contrary to popular belief, they aren’t completely maintenance-free plants. They don’t require as much care as other live foliage, but they must receive adequate hydration and nutrients. They have lighting requirements too. Consider the following tips on how to care for air plants (tillandsia). If they’re still green, it’s not too late to save them.

Do I Have to Water My Air Plants?

air plant is drying up and turning brownEvery living thing requires moisture for survival. Air plants are no exception. Just because they don’t grow in soil doesn’t mean they live on air. They will eventually die if they aren’t watered.

Forget what others have told you about indoor air plant care. Unless you’re living in a sauna they need more than just a single drop or two of moisture every other week. They can be misted, but dipping is far more beneficial. It’s a super easy and effective way to water Air Plants. If your air plant is drying up and turning brown it will come back to life after a good soaking, and if it isn’t too far gone it will look healthier and greener almost instantly.

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Are You Feeding Your Air Plants Too?

Needless to say, every living thing requires nutrients to survive and air plants are no exception. If you’ve never fed your air plant it’s lacking vital nutrients. A weekly spritzing of air plant fertilizer will help bring it back to life, stimulate new growth, and maintain healthy green branches. An 8-ounce bottle will feed it once a week for six months. The following is a 16-9-25 formula especially for air plants.

For Good Health and Growth They Need Air Plant Food

Air Plant Fertilizer Spray with FREE Air Plant / Bromeliads and Orchids / 2oz Spray Bottle

View it at AmazonAir Plant Fertilizer Spray with FREE Air Plant / Bromeliads and Orchids / 2oz Spray Bottle

How Often Should I Water My Air Plants?

How often should you water air plants? Every two weeks is a good rule of thumb. It’s it’s exceptionally warm and dry soak them about every 10 days. You can’t provide too much water, especially if your air plant is drying up and turning brown. Tillandsia will only absorb what they require for survival. Don’t do it shortly before or after misting with fertilizer. For best results, space feeding and watering by at least five days.

Soaking Method of Watering Indoor Air Plants

Whatever you do, don’t use tap water, especially if you have a softener. The salt content is far too high. Municipal water really isn’t good air plant is drying up and turning browneither since it contains chlorine and other additives. Bottled varieties are often nothing more than municipal tap water but will work in a pinch.

To water your air plants, collect rainwater or buy distilled water. Submerge the plants overnight. How long should you soak air plants? About 12 hours is ideal. Remember – you can’t over-water them!

Finish by placing them upside down on a clean absorbent cloth or paper towel. All of the excess moisture needs to drain away to avoid rotting. Move the plant back to its usual location after it dries. It will stay healthy and green if it receives plenty of moisture and the right level of lighting. Mine more than doubled in size in a year!

Watch a Short Video on Air Plant Care –

Help! My Air Plant is Drying Up and Turning Brown Even Though it’s Watered

So, what do you do if your air plant is drying up and turning brown enough though it was watered as directed? Consider the environment. Does it receive direct sunlight? Maybe the sun is magnified by a windowpane. They can take some direct sunlight but too much will cause the plant to dry out, especially when the air lacks humidity. The recommended lighting for air plants is indirect bright sunshine. Also, keep it away from a heat source such as a stove or furnace vent. If the plant is still green, it’s not too late to save it. With the right lighting, water, and care it will live, grow, and thrive for many years.

Want to learn more about air plants? Visit University of Florida Gardening Solutions.

Kim

Kimberly Dalessandro (a.k.a. Crystal Ray) began her online writing career in 2005 with PageWise Incorporated and went on to become a top writer for both Associated Content and Yahoo Voices under the pen name Crystal Ray. In early 2017 she launched Blue Crystal Sky ~ Everything Under the Sun. She is continually coming up with new ideas to share with the world.

6 thoughts on “Air Plant is Drying Up and Turning Brown

  • Deonna Pressnell

    Thanks for the tips! Soaking the plants worked so much better. I didn’t realize they needed food too. Duh! It just never crossed my mind. They’ve gotten bigger after fertilizing. 🖒😁 Imagine that! lol

    • I am afraid to soak overnight. Won’t they rot at the base. Where do you get the fertilize? How often should you fertilize? Thanks for all the help.

      • Hi, Kay. I’ve been soaking my air plants for years, and I promise they don’t rot. After soaking, I lay them on a paper towel until most of the excess water runs off. That way they don’t drip on my windowsill. The fertilizer is posted above. You spray the plant with the fertilizer once a month. Mine are doing great. My very first air plant has doubled in size, and they’re all very healthy.

  • I learned a lot about the care of air plants. very interesting!

    • I’m glad that you liked the article. I love air plants since they’re very easy to care for. Thanks for commenting.

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