Air plant care Tending, fertilizing, and watering Tillandsia

How often should I water my air plant?
How often should you fertilize air plants?
How do you fertilize Tillandsia?
Does Tillandsia need fertilizer?
What does an overwatered air plant look like?
Do air plants get bigger?
Can you water air plants with tap water?
How long do you soak air plants?
Why are my air plants dying?
Can you use regular fertilizer on air plants?
How do I get my air plants to flower?
Which air plants should not be soaked?

How often should I water my air plant?

Water

Every one to two weeks, soak your air plant in room temperature tap water (or rain/pond water if you can find it) for 5-10 minutes.
After soaking gently shake excess water from your plant. ...
From the time soaking ends, the plant should be able to dry fully in no more than 3 hours.

How often should you fertilize air plants?

Fertilize your air plants 1-2 times a month from March to November when the air plants are not blooming. Avoid fertilizing your air plants from when the plants begin budding to when the plans is done blooming to make the blossoms last longer.

How do you fertilize Tillandsia?

Look for Bromeliad or Tillandsia fertilizer. Ours has a formula ratio of 17-8-22 or nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium, all things that air plants love and need to bloom and reproduce. Make sure the fertilizer you use contains a non-urea-based nitrogen! Fertilize once a month inaddition to weekly waterings.

Does Tillandsia need fertilizer?

Air Plant Fertilizer

Tillandsias need very little since in their natural environment, they collect the water and nutrients they need from whatever falls from the sky and the forest canopy above. Most air plants will survive just fine without fertilizer.

What does an overwatered air plant look like?

Overwatering air plants is bad news. It is the most common reason why they die. So if you see that their bases start to turn dark then the leaves fall out from the middle or if they have mushy roots, and yellowing leaves, it is necessary to take immediate actions to prevent any permanent damage that may occur.

Do air plants get bigger?

After the first few years they start to get growing a little faster as they get larger sized. While seed grown plants do grow much slower, they tend to be bigger and better specimens than plants grown as offset. ... It can take years for a small air plant to grow and eventually bloom, so patience is key!

Can you water air plants with tap water?

Air plants aren't too picky when it comes to water, and most tap water is just fine, but it depends on the water quality in your area. The best water to use: rain water, aquarium water, or pond water because these are more rich in nutrients (note: if using one of these waters, don't add any additional fertilizer).

How long do you soak air plants?

As a main method of watering your plants, we recommend giving them a thorough rinsing under running water or letting them soak in a bath of water for 20-30 minutes. You can use a bowl, the sink or even the bathtub if you've got a family.

Why are my air plants dying?

Why do my air plants keep dying? If your Tillandsia isn't looking its best, especially if it's shriveled or brown, there's a good chance that the plant is extremely thirsty. Although misting the plant is often recommended, spritzing usually doesn't provide enough moisture to keep the plant healthy and hydrated.

Can you use regular fertilizer on air plants?

To fertilize air plants, use an air plant-specific fertilizer or a bromeliad fertilizer a few times a year. Another option is to use a regular, water soluble houseplant fertilizer at 1/4 of the recommended strength.

How do I get my air plants to flower?

Most healthy Tillandsia will bloom eventually, but they require proper care and plenty of light in order to do so. To help speed up the blooming process, you can use a diluted fertilizer like our specially formulated Air Plant Food once per month or so to encourage blooms and pup production.

Which air plants should not be soaked?

The T. pruinosa, and T. seleriana both have ample trichomes which is another reason why they shouldn't be soaked. Soaking might cause them to rot due to too much water.