How To water air plants that are glued is a process that is carried out carefully to accomplish it correctly’ otherwise, negligence will kill them. The watering procedure for glued plants is quite interesting and suitable for both pros and beginners.
If you are keen to know more about glued air plant care tips, follow this guide as we will cover the steps to the process.
Contents
How To Water Air Plants That Have Been Glued?
To water air plants that have been glued, you can go ahead and spray the leaves and the stems of the plant; you may also try soaking the plant by dipping it in water. Lastly, you can also place it under running water.
Watering air plants may seem to be a hard task, but, when done carefully and correctly, the process will prove to be much easier. Depending on the type of mounting used, larger air plants are usually happy when watered using the soaking method, as misting is just enough for smaller ones.
Caring for air plants that are glued can be hard, depending on the structure of the object that they are glued to. In this case, you should get a spray bottle and disinfect it with rubbing alcohol or any other fungi-eliminating chemicals. This should help in reducing the chances of fungi or bacterial transmission to your plants.
– Spray the Leaves and Stems
The kind of water that is ideal for your air plants to water is rainwater if you wish to spray it; however, you can also opt for lake, creek, pond, well, or spring water. This is because if you use water that has too much mineral content, you risk burning the precious foliage of your plants, so you can fill the bottle with water ready for watering. Only stop when the foliage is completely wet and soaked up.
Spray the leaves and stems of your air plants in the morning so that excessive moisture will have all day to evaporate. Do this process repeatedly for ten to twenty minutes to allow the plant to soak up and absorb adequate moisture. However, it should take around four hours for the plants to get dry again.
If the object that the plants are glued to can be moved, then you must consider carrying it outdoors for watering as you would remove it, and as soon as the plant gets dry, move it back indoors.
If your air plants show signs of severe thirst, spray them overnight. Air plant varieties like the Tillandsia aeranthos produce beautiful flowers, and you should avoid spraying their blossoms or flowers that are susceptible to rot.
Be watchful of the way your glued air plants respond to the watering method and intensity you have used. The response should highlight to you whether you are irrigating them correctly or not. The signs should start showing up a few days after watering the air plants.
If you notice the plants’ leaves turning brown or black as well as falling off, you are overwatering them. These are some of the severe signs of overwatering that your glued plants will exhibit.
Remember, watering glued air plants is a correct process where you should notice and amend the way of execution. However, the negative side of this is that they may be exposed to blackening and browning of the leaves, which is why rot may have started to take over.
If you notice the plants’ leaf tips becoming crisp and turning brown, they are clearly thirsty. The other reason that the plants can show these signs is when they are getting too much sun.
However, if you do rule out too much sunlight, the most likely possibility remains watered less than needed, if the leaves of your plants appear rolled or wrinkled, it’s also a sign of being watered less than the required amount.
– Soak The Plant by Dipping
This only applies to air plants glued on support systems that can be submerged in water. However, you should first make sure that the glue is well-dried before attempting to soak the air plants. To begin the process, place room-temperature water into a dish, sink, or any other suitable container you can get. You may begin to hold the plant upside down and submerge it in the water.
Keep the plant submerged for 10 to 30 minutes, but, you should be gentle so that the plant will not be detached from its support. Another useful option is to dunk the plants severally in water until they are well soaked up. After you have taken it off, try to shake out the excess water from the foliage to avoid rot or bacterial attacks, and you should now move the plant back to its position.
Also, ensure that the spot has adequate air circulation to enhance transpiration, keeping air plants healthy and happy. Reduce soaking to every two weeks during winter as water loss, in general, is too low. These plants go dormant during the cold season, reducing the need for frequent watering.
Air plant species like the Tillandsia xerographica and Tillandsia stricta, do not survive when too much water is given to them, which is why you shouldn’t water them too much. However, just like any other air plant varieties, when they are dehydrated, their foliage becomes dull, leaf tips dry up, droopy, and start making a U-shaped appearance.
– Place It Under Running Water
If you have your precious air plants mounted on a piece of wood, you should water them keeping the wooden part dry. Deep the wood-mounted air plants three to five successive times in water for them to be properly irrigated. You can place the plant below a tap and let running water wet the plant; however, try to avoid wetting the wooden support by all means.
Ensure that excess water is wiped or dried off by placing the plant upside down in between two supports. The plants should remain that way for at least five hours to make sure they dry up. You should ensure that the piece of driftwood the plant is glued to does not get wet. It is true that even if the piece of wood is treated, it will still rot or deteriorate as time goes on.
In this case, you may also cover the plant with plastic before watering the air plant. If some splash backs access the piece of wood, you have to pat it a bit to get rid of the water. Kindly note that some types of wood hold water within them, and they can release moisture to the plant without you knowing.
This will see you watering the plant well before it is ready, as you will just be following the usual watering pattern, causing overwatering.
Watering air plants upside down mainly applies to those that are not glued. Contrary to this fact, it is also possible to water glued air plants whose support structures can be moved. Irrigating these plants upside down helps them to lose water quickly. You can rinse them using tap water whilst holding them upside down.
After soaking or rinsing an air plant, you should hold it upside down to drain excess water. Air plants are exposed to sunlight and wind in their natural habitats which dries them faster after rain.
Conclusion
Getting things right is the key to successfully caring for air plants, so below are some of the important tips highlighted in this guide:
- Depending on the type of mounting used, larger air plants are usually happy when watered using the soaking system.
- You should be watchful on the way your glued air plants respond to the watering method and intensity so that you can make necessary adjustments.
- Also ensure that the spot that you place your plants after irrigation has adequate air circulation to enhance transpiration which keeps them healthy and happy.
Watering glued air plants is the most feared air plant care requirement amongst pro and beginner growers. Make use of this guide and embark on your adventurous journey to success.
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