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Your Plant Misting Questions Answered: Which Plants To Mist & When

Author:

Sarah Regan

July 31, 2020

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

By Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

July 31, 2020

If you're into all things plant care, you may have discovered that some folks swear by misting their houseplants to help mimic their natural environments. But does mist actually help plants grow healthy and strong? To find out, we asked the experts: founder of the Bloom and Grow Radio podcast Maria Failla along with Alessia Resta of Apartment Botanist.

Should you mist your houseplants?

"So here's the deal," Failla tells mbg, "it's controversial whether misting is actually effective for helping a plant. People have said that misting plants raises humidity. However, because you mist and the water immediately evaporates, other people argue that it actually doesn't do anything for the plant long term."

With that in mind, there is something to be said about attempting to optimizing humidity for your houseplants, even temporarily, since most plants (especially ones native to wet and tropical regions) prefer higher humidity levels than what you'd find in a typical home. And while misting the air around your plant may not be all that helpful, getting closer to your plant's soil might actually give it a nice dose of moisture.

"Misting the surface can provide a bit of humidity to the foliage without directly spraying leaves," Resta notes, "and it can help oxygenate the soil." Additionally, she says misters can be really helpful during summer, or growing season. "Leaves are unfurling, and a mister is perfect to have handy," she says. "I like misting my plants when I notice leaves are unfurling to give it a bit of a humidity boost."

Bonus: Failla adds that misting is a great way to get up close and personal with your plants and tune into their needs. "While misting," she says to make a habit of "checking your soil moisture and observing the leaves to make sure they are healthy. Trim back any yellow or brown ones."

Plants that do well with misting.

Generally speaking, most plants will not mind a little mist. Here are a few that will appreciate it:

Philodendrons
Ferns
Pothos
Calatheas
Orchids
Lucky bamboo
Zebra plant
Aloe vera
Spider plant
Bromeliads

...and plants that don't.

Steer clear of misting plants with fuzzy leaves. Their texture traps moisture, which can lead to rot and pests.

African Violets
Succulents
Cacti
Velvet Calathea
Stromanthe

How often to mist your plants.

This will largely depend on the plant and the environment (how humid it is, when it was last watered, etc.), but a good indication your plant could use a misting is crispy leaves, according to Resta.

"If you are noticing some of your foliage is getting crisp in your space," she says, "I would consider misting more frequently throughout the day. If that doesn't seem to be enough, I would suggest getting a dome or humidifier that provides a more consistent humidity level."

Try experimenting with misting a plant once every couple of days. Keep track of how it responds, and you'll be able to gauge whether the plant needs more or less humidity. And remember, you don't only want to mist the leaves; get closer to the soil too.

It is possible to overmist?

As they say, too much of anything is still too much. Repeatedly dousing your plants with moisture is no exception, so Resta says be careful not to overdo it. "You want to be cautious about how much water may be gathering on your leaves' surface," she notes. "Pooled water can cause fungus to form and damage your foliage." Overly moist areas may also attract pest to your plants—and no one wants that!

Other ways to raise humidity.

If you own a humidifier, you can place it near the plants you suspect need more moisture. If you don't, there are plenty of other ways to make your plant's air more humid. One thing you can do is group plants together in clusters. "Their transpiration creates a 'microclimate' of higher humidity—plants love it!" she says. "I do this when I leave for a week for vacation, and I'm always shocked at how happy my plants are when I return."

Another option is to put your plants on a tray of pebbles with water filled to the top of the pebble line. "This raises the humidity of the environment around the plant as well," Failla adds.

Bottom line.

Misting plants is probably not the No. 1 most important part of your plant care regimen. That said, it is a relaxing and mindful activity that allows you to connect with your plant pals and offer them some extra moisture. Be wary of the plants that may not like it so much, but know that most plants should be fine with it. Happy misting!