The Ultimate Guide to Indoor Plant Humidity

Gardening enthusiasts understand that plants can be very picky with their surrounding environment — especially after moving them inside for the winter. Many of these plants will need a certain level of humidity during these colder, dryer months in order to thrive.

Here is everything you need to know about plant humidity to keep your indoor garden at its best all year long.

Why Is Humidity Important?

Humidity is crucial for both your outdoor plants that you’ve moved inside for the winter months and your houseplants that beautify your home in every season.

Many popular houseplants like philodendrons, monstera, and banana leaf plants originally come from the jungle, which is a naturally humid environment. Though these plants can still thrive in other parts of the world, they need their surroundings to mimic those of the jungle in certain ways.

This means increasing the humidity in your home by roughly 40-60%, depending on how many plants you have and their specific needs. This is especially true during winter when the air tends to be dryer outside and heaters are being used daily.

If your plants don’t get enough humidity, their health will decline rapidly until they eventually die, even if you’re watering them sufficiently.

How to Tell if Your Plants Need More Humidity

Spotting a lack of humidity in your home can be tricky. Take a close look at your plants. If their leaves are browning at the edges, drooping, turning yellow, or becoming crispy and dried out, it’s time to take the necessary steps to increase your home’s humidity.

Ways to Increase Humidity for Plant Health

No one likes to live in an excessively dry climate, even humans. However, too much humidity is also not ideal. Don’t worry — just because you love your plants doesn’t mean you have to live in a jungle!

These simple steps can make it easy to provide your plants with the moisture they need while keeping your environment comfortable.

Purchase a Home Humidifier

When it comes to boosting indoor plant humidity, buying a freestanding humidifier unit is the most obvious way to go. Humidifiers come in a variety of sizes, aesthetics, and price ranges, so finding the perfect one for your home is relatively easy.

This type of plant humidity booster can benefit your entire house, which will help to keep your skin feeling soft and healthy even in the dead of winter. Though humidifiers can be an upfront investment, they can make a world of difference in maintaining a sufficient humidity level for your plants.

Place Plants on Pebbles

To increase the humidity around your plants without using any appliances, try sprinkling pebbles onto a tray and filling it with water. Add enough water so that the pebbles aren’t floating, but every pebble is surrounded with water. Place your potted plant onto the layer of pebbles.

Over the next few days, the water from the tray will slowly evaporate into your plants and help to hydrate them. Additionally, since the pot is touching the pebbles and not the surface of the water, the roots won’t be kept wet constantly.

Use a Mister

Another inexpensive and easy option for plant humidity is using a mister. This could be an automatic misting appliance or even a spray bottle filled with water. Using a mister can be a helpful temporary solution for indoor plant humidity.

Keep in mind that not all plants should be misted, as some hold the water too well and end up developing spotting.

Find the Most Humid Rooms in Your Home

Some of the rooms in your home are more prone to humidity based on how much water is used in them regularly. Some examples of these spaces are bathrooms, laundry areas, and kitchens. Try moving your plants to these areas during the wintertime for an easy boost in indoor plant humidity.

Bathe Your Plants

Did you know that you can bathe your plants to help keep them moisturized? Use lukewarm water in the bathtub or shower to replenish plant humidity. This practice also helps to remove any minuscule pests that you may not be able to see.