The role of water in the development of plants includes transporting inorganic and organic molecules present in the soil, that aid in processes like photosynthesis and support the growth of plants.
While plants absorb water from the soil and their surroundings, they also lose a lot of water through transpiration. The loss of water through this process justifies the need for water and moisture for plants to grow.
You should use your humidifier for approximately three to five hours every morning for your plants. Plants absorb water and moisture in the air in the morning before the sun becomes too hot and use the water for photosynthesis. As such, if you have indoor plants, you should water them in the morning instead of later during the day.
If you have indoor plants, it can be hard to replicate the outdoor environment that naturally supports the growth of plants. Humidifiers are a great substitute, especially for non-succulents, because they require constant access to water.
Continue reading to get more information about how often you should be using your humidifier, the potential benefits of humidifiers for indoor plants, and other interesting facts.
In this post, we will cover
- How Often Should I Use Humidifier for My Plants
- Do plants do better with a humidifier?
- What indoor plants need a humidifier?
- What type of humidifier should I use for plants?
How Often Should I Use Humidifier for My Plants
To understand how often you should use your humidifier for your indoor plants, it is essential to understand the role of water in plants’ growth and the water requirements for different types of plants.
You should run your humidifier during the morning to mid-morning hours to ensure that your plants benefit from the mist released by the humidifier.
Run the humidifier for 3 to 5 hours. If the plants in your home normally grow in tropical areas, you can run the humidifier for 5 hours, especially during summer when the temperatures are high.
On the other hand, if the natural habitat of your indoor plants is characterized by low humidity levels, you can run your humidifier for 3 hours or less.
Do Plants Do Better With a Humidifier: Role of Water in Plants
| 1. Nutrient availability and delivery |
| 2. Moderation of temperature through transpiration |
| 3. Plant rigidity |
| 4. Water is essential for the photosynthesis process |
| 5. Water is part of a cell’s composition |
| 6. Seed sprouting and germination |
| 7. Transportation of oxygen |
| 8. Microorganisms and worms in soil depend on water for nourishment |
Nutrient availability and delivery
Nutrients are transported from the roots to the shoots of the plant with water. Water functions like blood in the human body. In plants, water is the main transportation system and is required for the movement of nutrients absorbed from the soil.
Moderation of temperature through transpiration
Like human beings, plants also need to maintain a stable internal temperature to promote growth. While we sweat when it is hot and drink water to hydrate our bodies, plants lose water through their leaves and in turn, absorb water through their roots to replace the amount of water lost.
The process of water loss and water absorption in plants enables plants to maintain their homeostasis.
Plant rigidity
Water helps keep plants rigid. If you observe plants during summer they might appear “droopy” when compared to rainy seasons. The water absorbed by plants is essential in maintaining the shape of the plant.
Water is essential for maintaining the shape of the plant as it creates a constant turgor pressure on the cell walls of the plant, which maintains the shape and rigidity of the leaves and the whole plant.
The availability of water in plant cells also ensures that plants do not easily break or bend when blown by the wind.
Water is essential for the photosynthesis process
Most of the biochemical processes that take place in the cell of a plant require water. The process of photosynthesis requires water.
During the process, plants absorb water from the soil and their environment along with carbon dioxide and use them to make glucose for the plant.
Water is part of a cell’s composition
Approximately 80 to 90% of the composition of a plant cell is water. As such, water is quantifiably the most abundant component of a plant cell. If plant cells lose excess water then the health of the plant is jeopardized.
Seed sprouting and germination
The outer shell of a seed requires water to soften during the sprouting and germination process. As such, the soil you use should be adequately moisturized to ensure that the seed gets the water it needs for proper germination.
If your soil is under-hydrated the seed will not sprout because the outer shell of the seed will not soften. Similarly, if the soil is over-hydrated the seed might rot because of too much water.
Ensuring that the soil or the roots of your indoor plants are adequately hydrated will promote proper growth of the plant.
Microorganisms and worms in soil depend on water for nourishment
The microorganisms and insects in the soil also depend on water for their nourishment and survival. These microorganisms and insects are responsible for aerating the soil and breaking down nutrients for the plant in the soil.
Different types of Plants and Their Water Requirements
To understand how often you should use your dehumidifier for your plants, it is important to first consider the type of plant that you have because different plants have different water requirements.
Succulents
Averagely, succulents should be watered once every 10 to 15 days. You should always let the soil get dry before watering your succulents again.
When you water your succulents, you do not necessarily have to use a humidifier to ensure that the plant gets the right amount of moisture as succulents need a lot of water when they are being watered.
Simply place the plant under a tap and allow the soil of the potted plant to get thoroughly socked then place it aside to dry.
Bromeliads
The bromeliads need to be watered/socked in water every 7 to 10 days. They are usually referred to as water tanks because they store water in their “urns.”
They need to be misted frequently because they do not necessarily absorb water through their roots but also other parts of the plant.
If you have bromeliads in your home, you can use your humidifier every morning for about three hours to mist the plants.
Marantas (Prayer Plant)
This beautiful indoor plant needs to be watered after every 1 to 2 weeks. You should allow the soil to dry halfway before watering the soil again. During summer, you should water the plant more often.
The prayer plant can survive in normal (recommended) house humidity levels but it prefers a more humid setting. As such, you can use a humidifier to increase the humidity levels in your home (to the upper limits of the recommended humidity levels).
Use a humidifier for 3 to 4 hours in the morning to ensure that the prayer plant gets the humidity that it needs.
Orchids
You should water your orchid every 5 to 10 days. In between the watering days, you should spritz the plant daily or every other day.
You can use a humidifier instead of spritzing the plant yourself. You can run the humidifier for three to five hours from morning to midmorning daily to ensure that your plant is adequately humidified.
Rubber Plant
A rubber plant should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks. The rubber plant originates from tropical areas and mostly prefers humid air.
However, it also excels in areas with low humidity levels. As such, you do not necessarily need to use your humidifier if you have a rubber plant as long as your water the plant weekly.
Ferns
Ferns love humidity and often grow in tropical areas. If you have an indoor fern plant and you notice that the tip of the leaves of the plant is turning yellow or brown and becoming dry, it is because they are not getting enough humidity.
Since ferns thrive in high humidity environments, being kept in a dry air environment can affect their growth. You should water your ferns about 2 to 3 times per week to ensure that they get the right amount of water that they need to thrive.
Additionally, you can use a humidifier for 3 to 4 hours in the morning to keep the humidity in your home within the recommended RH levels, especially in-between the watering days.
Aloe plant
Like other succulents, the aloe plant does not need to be watered daily. You should water it after every 10 to 15 days by dipping the plant in water and allowing it to get socked then removing the plant from the water source and allowing it to dry. You will not need to use a humidifier when watering your aloe plant.
Aside from the mentioned plants, other indoor plants can also benefit from the humidity released by humidifiers.
When Should I Use Humidifier for My Plants?
To be on the safe side, run your humidifier for about 3 hours every morning or every other day to ensure that your plants can benefit from the mist released by the humidifier.
If you live in a low-humidity area or if the air in your home is dry, you can use your humidifier every day. This will keep your plants rigid and will reduce the likelihood of wilting.
Other factors to consider include the placement of the plant in your home, the season, and the type of plant. If you place a plant in your bathroom, due to the high humidity in the bathroom, you will not need to use the humidifier.
Assess the factors around your environment that affect the humidity levels in your home before determining how often you should use your humidifier.
What Type of Humidifier Should I Use for Plants?
Cool Mist Humidifiers
Cool mist humidifiers are the best option for plants. Ideally, the moisture that plants get from the natural environment is at room temperature.
Since cool mist humidifiers produce room temperature mist, the mist produced would mimic the natural external environment.
The LEVOIT 6L humidifier is an effective humidifier that can be used for indoor plants. While the LEVOIT humidifier is a great option, you can also choose other alternative humidifiers depending on your needs.
LEVOIT 6L Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier
This LEVOIT humidifier is a multifunctional humidifier that can be used for your plants and your personal use at home. Below is a list of features that make it a great option for indoor plants
Features
- Water tank capacity: 6L
- Mist type: Warm and cool
- Operation: Smart App & voice control
- Area coverage: 753 sq. ft.
- Ultra quiet
- Has a timer
- Auto shut-off
- Comes with 1 cleaning brush
Pros
- Dual functionality (warm and cool mist)
- Smart app control (VeSync app, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant)
- Voice control operation available
- Has a diffuser for essential oils
- Can be run for a long time (up to 36 hours)
- Easy to maintain
- BPA free
Con
When it has achieved the intended humidity level, it can take several minutes to turn back on after automatically shutting off even when the humidity level in the room has reduced.
FAQs
Do plants do better with a humidifier?
Mist indoor plants can thrive better with a humidifier because they have access to less moisture when compared to outdoor plants.
If you place an indoor plant in your bathroom, the plant can get moisture from the humidity generated by your shower. As such, you will not necessarily need to invest in a humidifier.
On the other hand, if the plant is in an area with low humidity levels, you might need to water the plant regularly or use a humidifier to ensure that the plant gets enough water.
Do plants need humidity all day?
You do not need to use your humidifier all day as long as your indoor humidity is within the recommended levels. If your humidity levels are constantly lower than 40%, you might need to use your humidifier for long hours to achieve recommended levels.
How close should a humidifier be to plants?
Place your humidifier at a central point of the room in your home. Alternatively, you could also place the humidifier approximately 3 to 6 feet away from your indoor plants. To learn more about humidifier placement, check out the article linked below.
Related Article: Humidifier Proximity to Indoor Plants
Should a humidifier run all night?
You can run a humidifier all night if the humidity levels in your home are below the recommended levels. Invest in a hygrometer to keep track of the humidity levels in your home.
Alternatively, you could use the humidistat on your humidifier to determine the humidity levels in your room or home.
How do you humidify indoor plants?
You can humidify indoor plants by using a humidifier. Simply add water to your humidifier and place the humidifier approximately 3 to 6 feet from the plant to ensure that the plant has access to humidity. Alternatively, you can also water the plant manually.
Do plants like humidity at night?
Plants do not like humidity at night. At night plants go through a process that entails the loss of water through transpiration.
You still need to maintain the right humidity levels in your home. If the humidity levels are within the recommended levels you do not need to keep the humidifier on for your plants.
Can plants have too much humidity?
Yes, plants can have too much humidity. If you constantly water your plants or run your humidifier throughout the day while the humidity levels in your home are above the recommended levels, you will be exposing your plants to too much humidity.
Some of the effects of too much humidity for plants include rooting of the roots, stunted growth, wilting leaves, discoloration of leaves.
