Which Plants to Mist?

When it comes to watering, we immediately think of the watering can and its long spout. But let's not forget about water spraying . It's a very effective way to hydrate, complementing watering.

While watering nourishes the roots, misting refreshes and hydrates the foliage . There is a bit of debate among gardeners about whether to mist. The answer varies depending on the species.

Some plants are particularly well-suited to this practice, which we believe should become a habit. While others react poorly to moistening their branches and risk fungal diseases.

We're taking stock here for you!

1. Plants that need to be sprayed:

Here is a selection of plants that need to be misted. A few sprays every morning are sufficient, taking inspiration from the morning dew . This gives them time to dry out during the day. We do not recommend misting in the evening. The low nighttime temperature would prevent the water from drying out, and would allow small germs and fungal diseases to appear.

Do you have a lot of plants? Group them together ! They will help each other by creating a humid microclimate .

A) Tropical plants:

A large number of our indoor plants come from the tropics where the climate is particularly humid ( 30 to 40% ).

Unfortunately, the air in our homes is generally very dry . The presence of radiators or air conditioners contributes to drying out the atmosphere . Misting your plant regularly is a way of ensuring it has a living environment compatible with its exotic origins .

• The Ficus
• The Yucca
• The Palm Tree
• The Banana Tree
• Philodendrons
• The Zebra Plant
• Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
• The Calatheas
• Bamboo
• The schefflera
• The syngonium
• Bromeliads

B) Plants with aerial roots:

Orchids have aerial roots surrounded by a thin, tissue-like membrane called velamen . These roots are designed to quickly absorb large amounts of water . Misting the roots above ground is a great way to keep them healthy and hydrated .

Here is a list of the many plants that enjoy mist:

• Croton (Codiaeum): regularly
• Caladium: occasionally
• Pilea: occasionally
• The Ferns: regularly
• Fittonia: very regularly
• Spathiphyllum: regularly
• The Ctenanthe: regularly

2. Plants insensitive to misting:

A) Succulent plants and cacti:

Unlike tropical plants, desert plants are accustomed to a very dry atmosphere. Their metabolism has completely assimilated the scarcity of water in their natural environment . In concrete terms, the absence of leaves on succulents makes misting useless (but not dangerous).

B) Plants with hairy leaves:

Hairy or downy foliage can be pleasant to stroke, but should not be moisturized. The hair initially serves to protect them from dryness and acts as a windbreak. It would simply act as a barrier to your water droplets . Examples in this category include anemones, pelargoniums, petunias, African violets , and plants with silvery-gray foliage .

3. Plants that should never be sprayed:

There are some plants that are particularly sensitive to water and should never be misted. Their foliage is very fragile and can rot upon contact with water.

A) Cyclamen:

This pretty winter bulb produces colorful flowers with very thin membranes.

B) Spider plants:

Hairy Chlorophytum is particularly popular indoors. Its long, drooping leaves are not fragile like those of cyclamen, but react poorly to humidity. This can cause them to wilt and lose their vigor.

Here is a list of plants that do not like mist :

• Cacti
• Velvet Calathea
• Stromanthe

4. How do you refresh a plant that doesn't need to be sprayed?

As we have just seen, some plants have leaves that are too fragile to be wet. These leaves can still be exposed to high temperatures and lose their vitality . The Pebble Tray technique is an effective alternative for cooling them without damaging them.

For that :

1. Place a few pebbles in a bowl of water

2. Fill a little water into your bowl

3. Place your potted plant on the pebbles

4. Make sure that the soil and roots do not come into direct contact with water.

This technique is obviously not a substitute for watering. It does not allow for complete hydration of the root system . Its whole point comes from the fact that the water will gradually evaporate into the air surrounding your plant. This creates, without too much effort, a humid environment .

🌿 As we saw above, the effectiveness of the pebble tray is amplified when your plants are grouped together! 🌿

Bonus: Our Shop at your service for your plants.

Finally, don't forget that misting is an excellent way to take care of your plant . This little daily routine allows you to check that everything is okay, and to take a moment to remove dead or diseased leaves, for example!

Now that you know everything, equip yourself to take care of your green plants!