Dry indoor air can turn plant leaves crispy and dry and lead to stunted plant growth and other issues. However, there’s a lot of misinformation about the humidity needs of houseplants, and following the wrong plant care tips can actually cause more harm than good.
In this guide, we’ll uncover a few truths about boosting plant humidity and debunk five houseplant humidity tips pros hate to hear.
Meet the Expert
- Jarrod Bouchie works as a manager at Pistils Nursery, a houseplant shop located in Portland, Oregon.
- Karen Musgrave is a certified nursery landscape professional (CNLP) working at Hicks Nurseries in Westbury, New York.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
Hand Misting Boosts Humidity
Many growers suggest hand-misting as a way to increase humidity around dry houseplants. But the truth is, misting only provides a brief boost of humidity, and humidity levels fall as soon as the mist droplets evaporate.
“Misting just doesn’t do much to raise the humidity around a plant,” Jarrod Bouchie, a manager at Pistils Nursery, explains. “And many plants actually don’t like being misted.”
Bouchie notes that plants like begonias may develop rot or powdery mildew if water droplets sit on their leaves for too long. But he does add that hand-misting can limit leaf tears when plants like the bird of paradise or Philodendron gloriosum.
“Instead of misting, I’d recommend a pebble tray to increase ambient humidity,” Bouchie explains. “A humidifier can keep needy plants happy too.”
Unlike hand-misting, humidifiers and pebble trays provide a more consistent amount of humidity over a longer period of time. Not to mention, they also require less effort and fuss.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
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All Plants Love Extra Humidity
Karen Musgrave, a certified nursery landscape professional at Hicks Nurseries, points out another common misconception about houseplant humidity needs. She explains how many people believe that houseplants don’t need specific humidity levels to thrive.
“Cacti and succulents flourish in low humidity (around 40% or less), and most houseplants thrive in a balanced range of 40-60% humidity,” Musgrave says.
Using a one-size-fits-all strategy to address humidity issues can spell trouble for succulents and other plants that prefer drier conditions—and it may lead to mold, leaf drop, and more. To avoid this, research the humidity requirements of your plants carefully, create microclimates by grouping plants with similar needs together, and add a small humidifier near the plants that need it most.
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Raise the Humidity to Fix Crispy Plant Leaves
“Without proper humidity, plants may develop brown leaf edges, experience stunted growth, or display other signs of stress,” Musgrave says.
However, these plant symptoms can also be caused by plant pests, underwatering, or overwatering. In fact, immediately reaching for a humidifier at the first signs of dry plant leaves can cause issues—especially if your plants are suffering from overwatering or root rot.
Instead, make sure to inspect ailing plants closely for signs of pests or root damage before increasing humidity levels. Extra humidity is sometimes the last thing dry-looking plants need.
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Grow Humidity-Loving Plants in Bathrooms
Plant parents are often told to keep ferns and other humidity-loving plants in steamy bathrooms where humidity levels stay relatively high. However, this recommendation comes with a list of potential problems.
Although bathrooms can get quite humid when you take a shower, humidity levels often fluctuate throughout the day and can fall dramatically if you keep your bathroom door open. This can reduce humidity and allow your plants to dry out. On top of that, bathrooms often have poor lighting, and even low-light plants won’t thrive in a windowless room.
If you do decide to keep plants in your bathroom, make sure they receive enough light, and keep a lookout for signs that your plants aren’t getting enough humidity. If needed, you can always add a pebble tray beneath plant pots if your bathroom plants need a humidity boost.
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Just Add a Humidifier
Adding a cool-mist humidifier is one of the best ways to provide consistent humidity to tropical plants. However, not all humidifiers are created equal. Small humidifiers may not provide enough humidity for large plant collections, while oversized humidifiers can create moisture issues and increase the chances of rot.
As a general rule of thumb, small humidifiers can cover about 300 square feet of space, while medium-sized humidifiers are suitable for 400 to 500 square foot rooms. For larger areas, choose a large humidifier or add several small humidifiers close to plant groupings. You can also skip the humidifier entirely and try this low-tech trick instead.
“Rather than adding a humidifier, I recommend grouping plants together and keeping them out of any air vents,” Bouchie says. “Regular watering and growing plants away from drafty locations can serve them just as well as a humidifier!”
