INSPIRATION OF TILLANDSIART
Interaction,Imagination & Innovation
By W.P. Wynn | 10 January 2020 | 0 Comments

Something about Tillandsia Air Plant

1. Watering : Most air plants are supposed to be watered at least once a week, and sometimes more if they grow in a dry hot climate. Watering is critical indoors since there is often a lack of humidity, especially in homes or offices with air conditioning or central heating system. Keep in mind that misting or spraying is not an adequate amount of moisture for most air plants, so we recommend soaking your air plants every week or two in a sink or bucket for several hours to ensure that they are getting an adequate amount of moisture. There are, as always, exceptions to this rule, such as the xeric ( drought tolerant) species of Tillandsia, such as the T. xerographica, T. or T. tectorum. T. xerographica plants should be dunked, rather than submerged, and T. tectorum plants only need to be misted or sprayed every other week or so. 


 
2. Bright light: Indirect filtered light is best for most air plants. We recommend either south or north facing windows as these tend to get more indirect light. Some plants such as the T. xerographica, T. straminea, T. tectorum, and T. streptophylla among other “xeric” plants can withstand and sometimes prefer more bright direct light. Take care to monitor your plants to see if they are getting any sun damage or spots due to where they are displayed ! If they had happened, please move them to a new location with soft light.


  
3. Good Air Circulation: Air plants love fresh air ! Wherever you display your air plants make sure to allow them to receive adequate air flow. Never display your air plants in a closed off terrarium or cabinet because they will eventually be killed without good air circulation . A good thing to keep in mind is that you want there to be enough air flow so that after watering, your air plants can dry within 4 or 5 hours. We usually hang our air plants upside down until they get dry to ensure that no water gets trapped in their leaves and then we put them back in their spots . 
 

As you can see, these two ceramic air plant holders have many holes of cutting out. Perfect for air plants, as they allow adequate air flow. 
 
4. Pruning: If you air plant has dry leaf tips, which often occurs in the more “wispy” varieties of air plants , such as T. exserta or T.stricta, you can gently snip off the browning tips with a pair of sharp scissors. Cut at an angle for a more natural look. If there are any browning/dead leaves towards the base of the plant, you can gently remove them. Be sure to check for pups before pulling off any dead or dying leaves though, as they often grown beneath these bottom leaves! Since air plants don’t use their roots for nutrient intake, you can snip them away. Just be careful not to cut into the base of your air plant! 

 

  

The roots of this T. streptophylla can be trimmed off before the plant being glued on to a mounting base, or can be left to grow and used to anchor the plant to a piece of driftwood or a wreath. 
 
5. Water Quality: Water does make a difference in the appearance of the plants. Many city residents have alkaline water in their public system while air plants prefer slightly acidic water ( pH5.7-6.2). Keep using it over time, it can cause white salt and mineral buildup on the leaves that is unsightly. Use quality water like filtered, spring, rain, or clean well water. Aquarium or pond water works well too and the plants will appreciate the added nutrients. Avoid water that is artificially softened, RO, or distilled water. If using tap water, allow the water to sit out at room temperature to ensure that the chlorine/chloramine dissipates before watering your plants. 
 
 
6. Blooming: When an air plant is in bloom, it is at the peak of its life cycle. Continue to care for your blooming plant as you would any other plant, by giving it adequate water and light. Take care when watering a plant with a bloom or bloom spike, to not get the bloom/flower itself wet, as these can rot very easily. Now would also be a good time to introduce fertilizer into the watering schedule which will promote pup formation. 

 

  

 
7. Fertilization: You can use a bromeliad fertilizer throughout your air plant’s life to promote growth, blooming, and pup formation. We recommend using a fertilizer called Epiphyte's Delight with a ratio of 2-1-3 ( nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium), which is believed to be the optimum ratio for balanced growth. Fertilize once a month at the same time as one of your waterings. Do not over-fertilize air plants as this can cause nitrogen burns on the leaves and can kill them.

 

8. Decorating and Landscaping:
Since Tillandsia air plants can easily grow in the air without soil , they have been widely used by landscaping designers for decoration indoors or outdoors. There are many ways for you to create decoration with air plants , what you need to have are imagination, air plants and products of Tillandsiart Collection. You can simply glue air plants directly onto a ceramic mounting base of cactus design with E6000 to create a beautiful desert scene for your living room table. With our patented Suction Cup Airplant Holders, you can simply place your air plant between the stainless steel prongs and then mount the suction cup to a flat non-porous surface. Neither glue nor string has to be used ! Displaying your air plants on mirrors or on windows has never been easier . You can also create a wall art display of Tillandsias with our Patented Wall-Mount Airplant Holders set or Wooden Display Board for Air Plants . Outside of the house, you can use our LED String Lights Kits to create bunches of Spanish Moss with LED lights for lighting up your patio at night . With our Rings & Balls DIY Kit, making a curtain of air plants in your backyard is not longer just a dream. Your garden pond or fountain basin can even be a great spot to display your air plants on water with our Floating Airplanter!


 

Hopefully, all the above information can be some help to care your air plants while giving you inspiration as well.
Enjoy your life of creation !

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