This is hilarious. I mist specific leaves on aroids when they are being little divas about opening and it does seem to help, but that's not about overall humidity, that's about making personal time to yell at my plants while brandishing a spray bottle.
Thanks for testing/bunking these myths. Lol...I even tried the bathroom humidity hack for a few weeks. This video made me realize another reason why I love your channel....I love your analytical mind and the creative ways you communicate your ideas/ knowledge.
I've found one of your videos in my recommendations yesterday, and I've binge-watched a bunch of them already. I love your skills, your humour and your scientific approach!
by the way, for winter time, my grandma used to place flat water trays on top of the radiators to battle the dry warmth coming from them and help the plants. she had to go through with a waterbottle every 30 minutes to refill those, but her plants were always doing extremely well in wintertime
👌 I only have a small plug in heater and I just know that my brother is gonna bump into it so I'm looking for an alternative to just putting it on top 🤔 We cook and heat mostly with fire amd our old woodstove has a waterbasin already built in to combat the dryness
Yess! Thank You! Finally someone saying thatt misting doesn't do anything. I saw someone saying this some time ago but never again and everyone else is just running around with these little misting things. The algorithm brought your channel and now i watched 3. You are a nice guy and i wish you all the best for the future ☀️🌴
I agree, consistency is key. I grow orchids, mostly the cool-growing cloud forest pleurothallids (masdevallias, draculas, scaphosepalums, etc.) types, and they need humidity of around 80% or more constantly, but if you have high humidity you need constant air movement. Without it moulds and pathogens have a field day and the plants will just rot away so a fan running 24/7 is essential. It doesn't need to be blowing at gale force - you don't want them being blown out of their pots - but just enough that the leaves move gently. I assume the same would apply to aroids since they come from similar locations and would have air moving around them constantly. Having rainforest-high humidity in the home is not practical though, even with a fan, unless you keep everything contained in some kind of grow house so acclimatising the plants to your conditions as quickly as possible has to be the best way.
💧🌿💨 Okay, leave the plants in a good place for consistency, and stop moving them around-check ✅ Well, at least I know now I wasn’t the only nut that carried their tropical plants in and out of the shower every morning. Although I’m new to nurturing tropical house plants, I’m glad this video has prevented my neurosis from becoming a psychosis at an early stage, and well… it was becoming a tedious ritual of the absurd shuttling plants around like a freak. However, I will miss those days taking my plants outside for a walks in rain and adventures at the water park in search for the choicest moisturific conditions. 😫What was I thinking?
Majority of my plants live in my bathroom. There’s a nice big east facing window, and it definitely stays way more humid than my bedroom. All my plants are happy and some are definitely more picky with humidity or so I’ve been told. Im still yet to get a humidity thermometer tho
Hadn't heard of some of these hacks. The shower one seems so much work for folk to do for so little payout 😳. Used to mist, didn't notice any difference when gave up. I sorta have a humidity tray. It's has a waterfall via water pump, made of styofoam, expanding foam and lava rock and plants are planted in it. Might increase the humidity more when the water is flowing but haven't checked, it's more for the pretty and the sound. The best thing I've found is terrariums/vivarium for the humidity hogs.
So excited I found your channel!!!! I have been a plant mum for three years and thought I knew pretty much everything, but I have learnt so much from you! You are so knowledgeable and have fresh researched non click baity info! Thanks so much 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I use a humidity tray, AND I actually tested it before I committed to it. It works! I should point out I live in Arizona, it’s currently 29% humidity outside and in my house it sits around 35 without any help. I put gravel from my driveway onto a large baking sheet and filled with water. The humidity goes up to 57. I have to top off the water twice a week.
during the winter I put a wet towel on a hanger on the heating (not electric of course) day and night in my bedroom where the anthurium are living, it increases the humidity a lot but sometimes some mold appears on the wooden floor, under the towel, so I have to put another dry towel under the heating to avoid mold. I have noticed also that as soon as I open the window or the door of my bedroom, the humidity starts to decrease quickly and immediately, but the temperature is much more stable .... I love my little hygrometer/thermometer, I always keep my eyes on it !
Been watching ur vids the last few days and really enjoying them. They’re informative w/o being too lengthy. But I gotta say, ur humor & candor is what made me subscribe. I was cracking up with this vid. 😆
The medium in a humidity tray is about increasing surface area so the water evaporates more quickly. Think about a swamp cooler blowing air over a sponge. I actuallly throw leca into the bottom of my cashpots so that the water evaporates quickly after watering (also lifts the nursery pot above the drained water).
These tests are fun and great, but considering the pebble tray method there's one thing you're missing. If you're adding a porous substance to the trays like leca or perlite, you're increasing the water surface, because the porous substance will be soaked full of water and exposed to air. That's the same way wick humidifiers work, except they also pull air through the wick (increased surface of water) and thereby further increase evaporation. Don't know if that will change your mind, to each their own 😂
@@skadi6750 "Nothing" is not quiet true. My humidifier is running 24/7 during the cold months (like as soon as I can't reach around 50 naturally anymore) - and my door is never completely closed because of the dog. That way, I still reach around 20% higher humidity than the rest of the house.
It does work! I tested it myself. My Caletheas live on a humidity tray and they do great. Without one, nope. I live in AZ, we need all the help we can get.
With the laundry one, it works best in a small room and in high temps. I used to have to dry my uniform with a heater in my bedroom when I lived in a shared house. That room got HUMID.
I put my fern on top of leca with water in it… about a half inch below my pot. Since then the fern has been VERY happy. I was worried for a long time. No change in pot - only the water below it. Not touching the dirt mind you - just sitting atop the leca. It might not always work but it’s worked for me.
Hello Cuteness. I am a new subscriber today. I work in an upscale plant boutique. ( code for - excessively. over priced plants) Anyone who can grow monsteras with leafs this huge and lushly green... Has my vote. You are so adorable. And you definitely have "The Touch".🐸🐸🐸 My personal experience with trying to introduce humidity, is.... More mold. Mold in the soil, mold on the plants, mold around my window frames, mold in odd places around the house. And more potential to develope thrush in my own body. I would be inclined to provide a gentle mild breeze with a small fan circulating the air . Not chilling, just slight movement.
Hello, my gosh I've been living in a hole because the only ones I've ever heard of was shower which is ridiculous & misting which it makes me "eek" when I see people do that. All over ur walls, floor etc. Just get a humidifier & call it a day. Thank U for ur common sense
I love your channel for the same reasons...analytical mind and creative solutions. Your professional yet informal way of communicating. Gosh some of those girly channels really kills me. Thank you,
I used to live at the house where the humidity kept dropping and my pants really didn't like it I got a 55 gallon fish tank keep the water around 75° to 80° with the appropriate fish and it act as a good humidity buffer. Even when the AC came on it would only drop a couple of points and all of my plants started to thrive to the point where I didn't know what to do with them I was just putting them outside to see if they would die or if I had something that I could use to fill the yard
LOL😂 so glad I watched this I removed my trays after watching your other video and my humidity is still high as it was. Summer will always bring more humidity, winter will always bring dryness…not much more I can do with that.
Full disclosure, I don't know much about plant care - but for a humidity tray, it isn't about having a big bucket of water, it is about creating surface area for the capillary action of the water. More surface area = more evaporation (humidity). If I fill a small tray with 20ml of water, at the end of the day hardly any will have evaporated. If I have that same tray filled with pebbles and the 20 ml of water fills up just at the surface of the protruding pebbles it will evaporate within a day. On a larger scale, imagine dumping a glass of water on carpet. Now take that same glass of water and spread it out very thin across a tile floor. The carpet is going to take a lot longer to evaporate. So where is the water? In the carpet - not the air. What about the water on the tile? It isn't on the tile, then where is it? The air. In the outside 'natural' world, save for winter, the entirety of the soil around a plant is going to be evaporating moisture. I don't think having a ton of humidity trays around a room is worth it for the sake of increasing substantial humidity, but much like keeping plants grouped together for the benefit of their humidity, having drainage trays under terracotta pots with pebbles will help create a pocket of humidity for what little time it takes to evaporate. I usually fill my trays every other day and by then they are bone dry. without pebbles they are no different than me leaving a bottle of DASANI open on the tabletop.
Also anecdotal, but I keep an enclosure of toads and their water bowl is quite large with a bunch of lava rock. Same thing happens there - when I fill the water to the brim it will take quite a while to start evaporating. As soon as it gets to the layer of lava rock, where the capillary action of the porous rocks creates a vast increase of surface area, the water will evaporate much much more quickly
Also some plants dont *really* need humidity and inconsistent humidity will do the trick. My Philodendron brandtianum is ok with my nothern Europe dry air, but it need an extra misting just to lubricate the unfurling leaf often enough.
What? A benefit of misting? Say it ain't so! lol I mist to help philodendron leaves too but then people jump in and say it doesn't really help humidity... yeah, I know... that wasn't the point actually...
Omg parts of this made me laugh out loud! Thank you! I’m not a helicopter parent (plant or human kids) so I don’t really fuss over either. As you say, if it makes you feel better to mist, then do so, but to your point, it’s not going to do much. Since you already had your laundry done (AND put away) I can tell how efficient you are. Just what I’m looking for - efficiency! Subscribed!!!
Humidity level in my home around 60%. I use levoit top fill humidifiers. I also keep my ceiling fans running on the lowest settings. The humidifiers are set at 80% because our kitchen, livingroom. And dining room are open plan. The hydrometer show a constant reading of between 55 and 60 percent. The only plants I mist are the orchids and that to keep them damp they are cork mounted. This seems to work for me. I also use ro water. It took me two years to refine this. I use a counter top ro system that works and was inexpensive. We needed ro because we are on a well with heavy lime. Nothing worse than lime dust on every surface....if you can go with ro water your plants will love you
I take the quickest showers and save every drop of water I don't end up drinking to give to my plants and theres people out there running their showers for hours to increase the chances of getting mold in their houses
We dry our clothes in the same room with my 25 phalaenopsises, where the humidity is normally between 25-30%. But while the clothes are wet, it is between 45-50%. I think that is very good, but I don't wash every day. But when it is raining outside, the humidity increases inside as well. If there was a long dry period, and the plants would be stressed, I would definitely use your method, and wet some towels to hang to dry. For us it works well. If I shut the door overnight, it feels like in a greenhouse in the morning.
I really don't get why ppl say misting doesn't do much. I have misted my calathea daily or every 2 days & the leaves looked absolutely amazing. But over the past couple of months, I got really busy & neglected to do so which led to many brown & crispy leaf tips. It's not about low humidity bc I live in a subtropical area that has an average humidity of 50-60% & 70-80% easily when it's cloudy/raining. I've noticed that there's new/faster growth when misted as well vs just a few new leaves here & there when neglected. Plus, I have never gotten any pests with the ones I've constantly misted in contrast to the ones that don't require misting. If there's a plant you absolutely cherish & have the time to mist, do it. It's worth it & honestly really therapeutic. Edit: I always use filtered water & I never let my calathea dry out completely before watering either.
my norfolk pine's, going on 11 or 12 years, completely agree with you. Maybe not every plant, but some certainly respond well to it. In my case, their needles / branches are a detailed timeline of my care or lack there of
I live in humid area already but I wouldn't go trough the headache of trying to bring humidity up. I'd rather find out what plants do fine with lower humidity than artificially turn my place into a sauna.
Some people have wood stoves they use for heating up their houses and i think keeping water on the side of the stove is good way of keeping some humidity in the winter. Wouldn boil it all the time tho can be abit harsh for the walls etc.
I live in Maine and have a pellet stove. I just did exactly this! I set a few ceramic bowls of water right on top of the stove to try and boost the humidity. It’s only been a week or two, but I’m hoping it helps 🤞🏼
i go through with a spray bottle to "simulate rain" every now and then. not on a schedule and i find it helps my plants breathe. because usually the only place where we dont wash away dust is plant leaves. the spray bottle takes care of that^^
It actually stops the breathing proces for few minutes. How is a pore supposed to breathe air, when its under water. Lol. Then the water evaporates and the humidity moves to another room. Good luck.
Last winter the humidity was like 30 percent and a humidity tray literally only helped if I set the plant the way you did the hygrometer 🤣 I assume it helped the 1 plant it had on it but I think only because the humidity was so dreadfully low that the air was just happy to hydrate . This year, I'm just use a humidifier BC it's consistently measurable.
The towel trick will work... if you keep it wet then it's basically a swamp cooler. But I don't think all the resulting mold is worth it lol Also, perlite/pumice or w/e increases the rate of evaporation because it creates more surface area for the water to evaporate off of. But that would also require constant refilling and low ventilation to make a difference.
Haha love this video!! I do have a question regarding misting though, do ferns need to be misted several times a day? Thanks in advance for any information 🙂 Thank u also, for ur videos, I have learned so much from watching 😊
Ok ok to be scientifically accurate and thorough - @3:23 "The perlite will retain more moisture, but its not the perlite thats actually creating the humidity, it's the water. If the volume is full of water, the volume is full of water, nothing else really matters, you can stop typing your comment now" but the material DOES matter though The rate of evaporation is directly related to the surface area of the water, and pumice and perlite have much greater surface area than the flat surface of water. (A wet towel spread out and a wet towel balled up have the same amount of water, but the spread out one's water evaporates much more readily That being said, I absolutely agree that the increase that the perlite in a humidity tray could provide over a tray of water is still negligible if you have it in an open room with air circulation, because now it's basically the exact same as the next hack with the towel rack and would need to be inches above the wet surface because of air movement Wet perlite in a closed box though? Incredible humidity, and there you've got yourself a prop box kids
@@KillThisPlant Yeah I came to comment the same thing. Though I think it's less surface area and more surface tension that's the issue - the surface tension in that bucket of water was probably minimising evaporation. Try this one more time with leca/pebbles higher than the surface of the water, I'm curious as to the results 😁 That being said, the fact that you have to keep the water level low is another irritating thing about this trick
I have a 65 gallon, 29 gallon, and 20 gallon tanks all running with fish in my window room that houses my plants. All the plants are potted in terra cotta allowing more moisture to flow in and out of the sides. The humidity in that room is insane.
Okay I have a good question! So I'm in the Midwest. Our summers are HUMID and HOT. And our winters are DRY A. Outside humidity in July stays around 70-80 percent. Outside humidity in the winter stays around 13-20 percent. Inside Of my apartment I keep the temperature at 70 degrees Fahrenheit year round so that's stable, BUT what do I do about the drastic and inhospitable humidity of the winter?? I have always supplemented with a humidifier, to keep it around 40% in the winter if I'm lucky. So my question I guess is, humidity is not consistent and there is no way for me to ensure that I for sure can keep a solid +40% year round? Is that effecting my plants growth and health? And what should I do during season changes??
I'm in Ontario and our humidity is very similar. I'm around 20-40% indoors in winter (this winter has been mild so it generally hasn't gone below 30% Indoors in the summer it can be around 50-75%. These are both unassisted. If you want to get more specific look at a VPD chart and look for an ideal humidity at your current temperature. Otherwise don't worry about it. Your plants just won't be grown in a "scientifically optimal" environment at all times. 🤷🏾♂️
Hmmm... I am looking at mine right now, 68%. But along with a plant addiction I have around ten heated tanks. I know evaporation is going on due to having to top them off all the freaking time! I do carry my collection of to the bathroom about every other month when they are not spending time on the balcony to give them a good spray to clean the leaves and to do a good drench and leach out fertilizer salts.
Yeah I reaized this too. Key is consistency. But my question is, even if a plant can survive in lower constant humidity, will it still grow as large and as fast, or will I have a stunted nice looking plant?
I think the thing people should focus on most is light. But a plant in perfect humidity and temperature will grow faster and larger than a plant in lower humidity assuming light and all other factors are identical.
You should make a video about good growlights for most of your plants / most popular plants! i'd love to see as i'm getting into being a plant person. thank u
❤ Love your channel, just subbed. The monstera repot from about 6 months ago caught my interest. I've been using bamboo stakes and love them! Moss poles no more.
There's a plant shop a few blocks from me that I used to buy from. They misted their plants and left humidifiers on constantly and every plant I bought from them got a bacterial infection and nearly died. Plants don't swim!
I agree that pebble trays don't increase humidity but surely water in a dish would have different effect to a tray with leca or pumice with water. My thoughts are that the increased surface area that the pebbles create allow for more water molecules to evaporate compared to the number of molecules that can evaporate off of a pool of water in a tray.
hey, whats the name of the plant in the middle of your dining room table (4:19) , big leafes, white towards the middle? I have one, but my notes just say "epiprenum" and that doesnt seem to provide that many google results. thanks.
Just get an aquarium in your room. Without a lid of course. You'll never have issues with low humidity ever again, quite the opposite :'D - also you can explore some aquatic plants!
i keep my caapi in my bathroom to increase humidity for it, but it's not exactly a substantial thing really. while i was acclimating it, i would run the shower twice a day regardless of if i was showering it, in order to simulate the crepuscular codensation in the rainforest. caapi is uniquely picky and high maintenance of my plants, though. and i would never move plants in there and back out though, that's completely nuts. and i mist kratom and certain aroids when the new leaves aren't opening up well. but otherwise... yeah, not necessary at all
I loved this video! I've been panicking about humidity and my calatheas, but it seems like the more I mess around with trying to keep the humidity up, the more brown tips and crispy bits I get bc it's so inconsistent 🥲 also guilty of the water tray hack, my cat thought it was a water dish and an invite to munch on my babies 😭
I went to a fish store once the have very tiny humidifier miniature machine that produced fog I asked what supposed to be use he explained that it helps the plants for the lizards aquarium in a way it’s look misterios and cute the small fogging between plant’s im planning to look for 1 for my orchids as well I just got one monstera plant I put my miniature orchids on top of my window sink they love it got humidity wen I clean dishes
I use the “bathroom hack” for stuck leaves and it seems to work there. I often see a marked difference after ~10 minutes. There’s usually a reason related to my care, or an adjustment to the potting media that caused the stuck leaf in the first place though. Except for my dang PPP…that thing does not know how to open a leaf without manual assistance 🤦🏼♀️
I does matter what is inside the tray- It's not about the water, but about the surface of which water can evaporate into the surrounding air. HOWEVER! Even then it's too little and won't do anything substantially.
Do you advise against keeping plants in a bathroom then due to fluctuating humidity? I have some wonderful light in my bathroom but wonder if I’m doing damage?
There are no tricks. You can use a humidifier to maintain a specific humidity. You can put everything in a green house. Or you can just grow your plants in your normal home humidity. Which is perfectly fine too.
Hey Lee, love the videos..Hope you can help..I have a Philodendron Jungle Boogie that has tiny yellow spots all over the mature leaves. Have you ever seen this and what can I do to prevent or cure this. I've done some research but have gotten mixed diagnosis. PLEASE help 🙏🏾
If you don't notice any bugs, it could be extrafloral nectaries. If it's on the leaves it can burn them and it will look just like bug bites. My narrow gets these too, well actually most of my plants. To prevent this I make sure I keep the leaves clean.
I have a shit load of plants and they’re all together in one room I have pebble trays with water in them and a spritz regularly let me tell you how damn humidity was to the point where it actually caused some of my plants to get funky spots on their leaves so it was a little overboard had to adjust The only reason my Pebble Tray worked was because it’s in a Breezeway that has sliding glass doors on both sides and screens so when it’s extremely hot it creates an evaporation effect on any kind of water in that room I don’t really understand why people don’t just got by humidifiers it’s cheaper than running the stove for two days or running their hot water in their bathroom
Yes! Fungal infection is a real risk with high humidity and standing water on leaves. Especially if you have low airflow. Thanks for sharing your story, I hope it's helpful to others.
I made a mistake when discussing humidity trays. Please see my updated video.
ua-cam.com/video/lYc7uSjqHg0/v-deo.html
This is hilarious. I mist specific leaves on aroids when they are being little divas about opening and it does seem to help, but that's not about overall humidity, that's about making personal time to yell at my plants while brandishing a spray bottle.
I fully support threats and yelling at your plants
Extra carbondioxide! 😂👍
I only spray my plants when spraying for pests and yelling at them for their uninvited guests
I only spray when dealing with tiny delicate seedlings that could drown or when watering moss. For adult plants nah
Thanks for testing/bunking these myths. Lol...I even tried the bathroom humidity hack for a few weeks. This video made me realize another reason why I love your channel....I love your analytical mind and the creative ways you communicate your ideas/ knowledge.
Glad you like the videos. I'm happy I get to make them.
@@KillThisPlant I definitely agree with the original comment.
Your humidity tests were excellent! You went above and beyond to demonstrate that they are not worth doing. Thanks!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
"Bring your laundry into your plant room" lol at the idea of plants being limited to one room.
Thanks for another great video.
Mine are, because my whole living situation is limited to one room. Simple. 😂😂
it's genuinely surprising how little subscribers he has, i would have figured him for 1M+ with the quality of his videos
You're too kind.
I agree! Lee is awesome!! His channel is not a bunch of fluff. It is legit educational. I love Lee!!❤️🌴
I'm going to start sharing his content! He is one of the best 👌
I've found one of your videos in my recommendations yesterday, and I've binge-watched a bunch of them already. I love your skills, your humour and your scientific approach!
by the way, for winter time, my grandma used to place flat water trays on top of the radiators to battle the dry warmth coming from them and help the plants. she had to go through with a waterbottle every 30 minutes to refill those, but her plants were always doing extremely well in wintertime
👌 I only have a small plug in heater and I just know that my brother is gonna bump into it so I'm looking for an alternative to just putting it on top 🤔
We cook and heat mostly with fire amd our old woodstove has a waterbasin already built in to combat the dryness
Big shout out to Plantershina for lending us her knowledge.
Give her a follow for more: instagram.com/plantershina?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
I love the subtle shade thrown 😂
Just found you last night and im binging right now as a new Monstera plant mom. 💚💚💚 I'm learning so much already.
That's great. Lots to learn, and it's great monstera are so forgiving.
Yess! Thank You! Finally someone saying thatt misting doesn't do anything.
I saw someone saying this some time ago but never again and everyone else is just running around with these little misting things.
The algorithm brought your channel and now i watched 3. You are a nice guy and i wish you all the best for the future ☀️🌴
I agree, consistency is key. I grow orchids, mostly the cool-growing cloud forest pleurothallids (masdevallias, draculas, scaphosepalums, etc.) types, and they need humidity of around 80% or more constantly, but if you have high humidity you need constant air movement. Without it moulds and pathogens have a field day and the plants will just rot away so a fan running 24/7 is essential. It doesn't need to be blowing at gale force - you don't want them being blown out of their pots - but just enough that the leaves move gently. I assume the same would apply to aroids since they come from similar locations and would have air moving around them constantly. Having rainforest-high humidity in the home is not practical though, even with a fan, unless you keep everything contained in some kind of grow house so acclimatising the plants to your conditions as quickly as possible has to be the best way.
💧🌿💨 Okay, leave the plants in a good place for consistency, and stop moving them around-check ✅ Well, at least I know now I wasn’t the only nut that carried their tropical plants in and out of the shower every morning. Although I’m new to nurturing tropical house plants, I’m glad this video has prevented my neurosis from becoming a psychosis at an early stage, and well… it was becoming a tedious ritual of the absurd shuttling plants around like a freak. However, I will miss those days taking my plants outside for a walks in rain and adventures at the water park in search for the choicest moisturific conditions. 😫What was I thinking?
Maybe use moss or something as a wic in the tray. Same idea as moisture wicking clothing , essentially giving the surface of the water more area
Majority of my plants live in my bathroom. There’s a nice big east facing window, and it definitely stays way more humid than my bedroom. All my plants are happy and some are definitely more picky with humidity or so I’ve been told. Im still yet to get a humidity thermometer tho
well done you guys! brilliant. i live in Fl, so my outdoor plants get much humidity. inside plants do well. minimal humidity. Thank You!
Hadn't heard of some of these hacks. The shower one seems so much work for folk to do for so little payout 😳. Used to mist, didn't notice any difference when gave up. I sorta have a humidity tray. It's has a waterfall via water pump, made of styofoam, expanding foam and lava rock and plants are planted in it. Might increase the humidity more when the water is flowing but haven't checked, it's more for the pretty and the sound. The best thing I've found is terrariums/vivarium for the humidity hogs.
Your videos are a great combination of entertaining and informative 😂always fun to watch, thanks!
Thanks for watching!
So excited I found your channel!!!! I have been a plant mum for three years and thought I knew pretty much everything, but I have learnt so much from you! You are so knowledgeable and have fresh researched non click baity info! Thanks so much 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I use a humidity tray, AND I actually tested it before I committed to it. It works! I should point out I live in Arizona, it’s currently 29% humidity outside and in my house it sits around 35 without any help. I put gravel from my driveway onto a large baking sheet and filled with water. The humidity goes up to 57. I have to top off the water twice a week.
during the winter I put a wet towel on a hanger on the heating (not electric of course) day and night in my bedroom where the anthurium are living, it increases the humidity a lot but sometimes some mold appears on the wooden floor, under the towel, so I have to put another dry towel under the heating to avoid mold. I have noticed also that as soon as I open the window or the door of my bedroom, the humidity starts to decrease quickly and immediately, but the temperature is much more stable .... I love my little hygrometer/thermometer, I always keep my eyes on it !
your plants look so happy and moisturized
Great video! Haven't seen a video in a while! Your monstera got huuuuuge!
Lifting it is becoming a serious task.
Been watching ur vids the last few days and really enjoying them. They’re informative w/o being too lengthy. But I gotta say, ur humor & candor is what made me subscribe. I was cracking up with this vid. 😆
The medium in a humidity tray is about increasing surface area so the water evaporates more quickly. Think about a swamp cooler blowing air over a sponge. I actuallly throw leca into the bottom of my cashpots so that the water evaporates quickly after watering (also lifts the nursery pot above the drained water).
ua-cam.com/video/lYc7uSjqHg0/v-deo.html
Thank you, I made an update video.
These tests are fun and great, but considering the pebble tray method there's one thing you're missing. If you're adding a porous substance to the trays like leca or perlite, you're increasing the water surface, because the porous substance will be soaked full of water and exposed to air. That's the same way wick humidifiers work, except they also pull air through the wick (increased surface of water) and thereby further increase evaporation. Don't know if that will change your mind, to each their own 😂
You get this part of physics, good, but considering how humidity in the air works, you still get big nothing as soon as you unseal the room:-D
@@skadi6750 but that's a problem you have with every method to increase even with humidifiers, not exclusively with a pebble tray method
@@skadi6750 "Nothing" is not quiet true. My humidifier is running 24/7 during the cold months (like as soon as I can't reach around 50 naturally anymore) - and my door is never completely closed because of the dog. That way, I still reach around 20% higher humidity than the rest of the house.
It does work! I tested it myself. My Caletheas live on a humidity tray and they do great. Without one, nope. I live in AZ, we need all the help we can get.
With the laundry one, it works best in a small room and in high temps.
I used to have to dry my uniform with a heater in my bedroom when I lived in a shared house. That room got HUMID.
I put my fern on top of leca with water in it… about a half inch below my pot. Since then the fern has been VERY happy. I was worried for a long time. No change in pot - only the water below it. Not touching the dirt mind you - just sitting atop the leca. It might not always work but it’s worked for me.
Hello Cuteness.
I am a new subscriber today.
I work in an upscale plant boutique.
( code for - excessively. over priced plants)
Anyone who can grow monsteras with leafs this huge and lushly green...
Has my vote.
You are so adorable.
And you definitely have
"The Touch".🐸🐸🐸
My personal experience with trying to introduce humidity, is.... More mold.
Mold in the soil, mold on the plants, mold around my window frames, mold in odd places around the house. And more potential to develope thrush in my own body.
I would be inclined to provide a gentle mild breeze with a small fan circulating the air .
Not chilling, just slight
movement.
bruh 😆
Feels good to know that I was right all this time. My humidity in my plant room is always at 54%. Great demonstration, thank you.
So glad I found your channel well informative and funny too great help for me new plant momma
Hello, my gosh I've been living in a hole because the only ones I've ever heard of was shower which is ridiculous & misting which it makes me "eek" when I see people do that. All over ur walls, floor etc. Just get a humidifier & call it a day. Thank U for ur common sense
I love your channel for the same reasons...analytical mind and creative solutions. Your professional yet informal way of communicating. Gosh some of those girly channels really kills me. Thank you,
I used to live at the house where the humidity kept dropping and my pants really didn't like it I got a 55 gallon fish tank keep the water around 75° to 80° with the appropriate fish and it act as a good humidity buffer. Even when the AC came on it would only drop a couple of points and all of my plants started to thrive to the point where I didn't know what to do with them I was just putting them outside to see if they would die or if I had something that I could use to fill the yard
I love how responsible you are with your laundry!
Did my mom pay you to say this? 😆
LOL😂 so glad I watched this I removed my trays after watching your other video and my humidity is still high as it was. Summer will always bring more humidity, winter will always bring dryness…not much more I can do with that.
Full disclosure, I don't know much about plant care - but for a humidity tray, it isn't about having a big bucket of water, it is about creating surface area for the capillary action of the water. More surface area = more evaporation (humidity). If I fill a small tray with 20ml of water, at the end of the day hardly any will have evaporated. If I have that same tray filled with pebbles and the 20 ml of water fills up just at the surface of the protruding pebbles it will evaporate within a day.
On a larger scale, imagine dumping a glass of water on carpet. Now take that same glass of water and spread it out very thin across a tile floor. The carpet is going to take a lot longer to evaporate. So where is the water? In the carpet - not the air. What about the water on the tile? It isn't on the tile, then where is it? The air.
In the outside 'natural' world, save for winter, the entirety of the soil around a plant is going to be evaporating moisture. I don't think having a ton of humidity trays around a room is worth it for the sake of increasing substantial humidity, but much like keeping plants grouped together for the benefit of their humidity, having drainage trays under terracotta pots with pebbles will help create a pocket of humidity for what little time it takes to evaporate. I usually fill my trays every other day and by then they are bone dry. without pebbles they are no different than me leaving a bottle of DASANI open on the tabletop.
Also anecdotal, but I keep an enclosure of toads and their water bowl is quite large with a bunch of lava rock. Same thing happens there - when I fill the water to the brim it will take quite a while to start evaporating. As soon as it gets to the layer of lava rock, where the capillary action of the porous rocks creates a vast increase of surface area, the water will evaporate much much more quickly
OMG The plants in the clear Jars are amazing
Thanks Lee for another easy to watch info filled video
Glad you liked it.
Also some plants dont *really* need humidity and inconsistent humidity will do the trick. My Philodendron brandtianum is ok with my nothern Europe dry air, but it need an extra misting just to lubricate the unfurling leaf often enough.
What? A benefit of misting? Say it ain't so! lol I mist to help philodendron leaves too but then people jump in and say it doesn't really help humidity... yeah, I know... that wasn't the point actually...
Omg parts of this made me laugh out loud! Thank you! I’m not a helicopter parent (plant or human kids) so I don’t really fuss over either. As you say, if it makes you feel better to mist, then do so, but to your point, it’s not going to do much. Since you already had your laundry done (AND put away) I can tell how efficient you are. Just what I’m looking for - efficiency! Subscribed!!!
Humidity level in my home around 60%. I use levoit top fill humidifiers. I also keep my ceiling fans running on the lowest settings. The humidifiers are set at 80% because our kitchen, livingroom. And dining room are open plan. The hydrometer show a constant reading of between 55 and 60 percent. The only plants I mist are the orchids and that to keep them damp they are cork mounted. This seems to work for me. I also use ro water. It took me two years to refine this. I use a counter top ro system that works and was inexpensive. We needed ro because we are on a well with heavy lime. Nothing worse than lime dust on every surface....if you can go with ro water your plants will love you
I take the quickest showers and save every drop of water I don't end up drinking to give to my plants and theres people out there running their showers for hours to increase the chances of getting mold in their houses
We dry our clothes in the same room with my 25 phalaenopsises, where the humidity is normally between 25-30%. But while the clothes are wet, it is between 45-50%. I think that is very good, but I don't wash every day. But when it is raining outside, the humidity increases inside as well.
If there was a long dry period, and the plants would be stressed, I would definitely use your method, and wet some towels to hang to dry. For us it works well. If I shut the door overnight, it feels like in a greenhouse in the morning.
I really don't get why ppl say misting doesn't do much. I have misted my calathea daily or every 2 days & the leaves looked absolutely amazing. But over the past couple of months, I got really busy & neglected to do so which led to many brown & crispy leaf tips. It's not about low humidity bc I live in a subtropical area that has an average humidity of 50-60% & 70-80% easily when it's cloudy/raining. I've noticed that there's new/faster growth when misted as well vs just a few new leaves here & there when neglected. Plus, I have never gotten any pests with the ones I've constantly misted in contrast to the ones that don't require misting. If there's a plant you absolutely cherish & have the time to mist, do it. It's worth it & honestly really therapeutic.
Edit: I always use filtered water & I never let my calathea dry out completely before watering either.
my norfolk pine's, going on 11 or 12 years, completely agree with you. Maybe not every plant, but some certainly respond well to it. In my case, their needles / branches are a detailed timeline of my care or lack there of
I really like your rational scientific (ish) approach with these videos
Emphasis on the ish. 😆 Thank you
I live in humid area already but I wouldn't go trough the headache of trying to bring humidity up. I'd rather find out what plants do fine with lower humidity than artificially turn my place into a sauna.
Some people have wood stoves they use for heating up their houses and i think keeping water on the side of the stove is good way of keeping some humidity in the winter. Wouldn boil it all the time tho can be abit harsh for the walls etc.
I live in Maine and have a pellet stove. I just did exactly this! I set a few ceramic bowls of water right on top of the stove to try and boost the humidity. It’s only been a week or two, but I’m hoping it helps 🤞🏼
i go through with a spray bottle to "simulate rain" every now and then. not on a schedule and i find it helps my plants breathe. because usually the only place where we dont wash away dust is plant leaves. the spray bottle takes care of that^^
It actually stops the breathing proces for few minutes. How is a pore supposed to breathe air, when its under water. Lol. Then the water evaporates and the humidity moves to another room. Good luck.
Last winter the humidity was like 30 percent and a humidity tray literally only helped if I set the plant the way you did the hygrometer 🤣 I assume it helped the 1 plant it had on it but I think only because the humidity was so dreadfully low that the air was just happy to hydrate . This year, I'm just use a humidifier BC it's consistently measurable.
The towel trick will work... if you keep it wet then it's basically a swamp cooler. But I don't think all the resulting mold is worth it lol
Also, perlite/pumice or w/e increases the rate of evaporation because it creates more surface area for the water to evaporate off of. But that would also require constant refilling and low ventilation to make a difference.
Best videos ever!!! More please.
Haha love this video!! I do have a question regarding misting though, do ferns need to be misted several times a day? Thanks in advance for any information 🙂 Thank u also, for ur videos, I have learned so much from watching 😊
Ok ok to be scientifically accurate and thorough - @3:23 "The perlite will retain more moisture, but its not the perlite thats actually creating the humidity, it's the water. If the volume is full of water, the volume is full of water, nothing else really matters, you can stop typing your comment now"
but the material DOES matter though
The rate of evaporation is directly related to the surface area of the water, and pumice and perlite have much greater surface area than the flat surface of water. (A wet towel spread out and a wet towel balled up have the same amount of water, but the spread out one's water evaporates much more readily
That being said, I absolutely agree that the increase that the perlite in a humidity tray could provide over a tray of water is still negligible if you have it in an open room with air circulation, because now it's basically the exact same as the next hack with the towel rack and would need to be inches above the wet surface because of air movement
Wet perlite in a closed box though? Incredible humidity, and there you've got yourself a prop box kids
You're right. I didn't consider how surface area could increase evaporation.
@@KillThisPlant Yeah I came to comment the same thing. Though I think it's less surface area and more surface tension that's the issue - the surface tension in that bucket of water was probably minimising evaporation.
Try this one more time with leca/pebbles higher than the surface of the water, I'm curious as to the results 😁
That being said, the fact that you have to keep the water level low is another irritating thing about this trick
I have a 65 gallon, 29 gallon, and 20 gallon tanks all running with fish in my window room that houses my plants. All the plants are potted in terra cotta allowing more moisture to flow in and out of the sides. The humidity in that room is insane.
Okay I have a good question! So I'm in the Midwest. Our summers are HUMID and HOT. And our winters are DRY A. Outside humidity in July stays around 70-80 percent. Outside humidity in the winter stays around 13-20 percent. Inside Of my apartment I keep the temperature at 70 degrees Fahrenheit year round so that's stable, BUT what do I do about the drastic and inhospitable humidity of the winter?? I have always supplemented with a humidifier, to keep it around 40% in the winter if I'm lucky. So my question I guess is, humidity is not consistent and there is no way for me to ensure that I for sure can keep a solid +40% year round? Is that effecting my plants growth and health? And what should I do during season changes??
I'm in Ontario and our humidity is very similar.
I'm around 20-40% indoors in winter (this winter has been mild so it generally hasn't gone below 30%
Indoors in the summer it can be around 50-75%.
These are both unassisted.
If you want to get more specific look at a VPD chart and look for an ideal humidity at your current temperature.
Otherwise don't worry about it. Your plants just won't be grown in a "scientifically optimal" environment at all times. 🤷🏾♂️
Shout out to the haircut halfway through the video. 😆
I'm firing the continuity guy.
Hmmm... I am looking at mine right now, 68%. But along with a plant addiction I have around ten heated tanks. I know evaporation is going on due to having to top them off all the freaking time!
I do carry my collection of to the bathroom about every other month when they are not spending time on the balcony to give them a good spray to clean the leaves and to do a good drench and leach out fertilizer salts.
Yeah I reaized this too. Key is consistency. But my question is, even if a plant can survive in lower constant humidity, will it still grow as large and as fast, or will I have a stunted nice looking plant?
I think the thing people should focus on most is light. But a plant in perfect humidity and temperature will grow faster and larger than a plant in lower humidity assuming light and all other factors are identical.
You should make a video about good growlights for most of your plants / most popular plants! i'd love to see as i'm getting into being a plant person. thank u
I'm working on it!
The voice of reason 👍
Excellent science.
U crack me up bro lol
just a tiny note you said hydrometer - that's a hygrometer. hygrometer is what is for humidity. Amazing videos as always!
😮 well then... thanks for the correction. I had no idea!
❤ Love your channel, just subbed. The monstera repot from about 6 months ago caught my interest. I've been using bamboo stakes and love them! Moss poles no more.
I tried the shower which really raised the humidity.
Funny video, great job
Oh my gosh, you are wearing a Struthless shirt? 😱😱😱❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for all the plantastic knowledge you share! Its'nt high humidity also important to avoid (as much as possible) thripse and other parasites?
High humidity really only discourages spidermites. Other pests seem to like it or don't care
We let pots boil on low all day when we are sick. Our apartment gets all nice and steamy but yeah not something to do every day. 😅
I think humidity trays are just a breading ground for bacteria and the same with misting lol
There's a plant shop a few blocks from me that I used to buy from. They misted their plants and left humidifiers on constantly and every plant I bought from them got a bacterial infection and nearly died. Plants don't swim!
What the!? That's awful.
I agree that pebble trays don't increase humidity but surely water in a dish would have different effect to a tray with leca or pumice with water. My thoughts are that the increased surface area that the pebbles create allow for more water molecules to evaporate compared to the number of molecules that can evaporate off of a pool of water in a tray.
Yes. I didn't take surface area into account. But also I have also used pebbles on a previous video with no changes to humidity.
I would take the lids off the pots after they started boiling. You’d get a little more. But it doesn’t last long
Surface area for the trays. Pebbles increase the area available to evaporation. Just enough to come up half way on the pebbles.
ua-cam.com/video/lYc7uSjqHg0/v-deo.html
Thank you, I made an update video.
hey, whats the name of the plant in the middle of your dining room table (4:19) , big leafes, white towards the middle? I have one, but my notes just say "epiprenum" and that doesnt seem to provide that many google results. thanks.
Dieffenbachia
Just get an aquarium in your room. Without a lid of course. You'll never have issues with low humidity ever again, quite the opposite :'D - also you can explore some aquatic plants!
i keep my caapi in my bathroom to increase humidity for it, but it's not exactly a substantial thing really. while i was acclimating it, i would run the shower twice a day regardless of if i was
showering it, in order to simulate the crepuscular codensation in the rainforest. caapi is uniquely picky and high maintenance of my plants, though. and i would never move plants in there and back out though, that's completely nuts. and i mist kratom and certain aroids when the new leaves aren't opening up well. but otherwise... yeah, not necessary at all
I loved this video! I've been panicking about humidity and my calatheas, but it seems like the more I mess around with trying to keep the humidity up, the more brown tips and crispy bits I get bc it's so inconsistent 🥲 also guilty of the water tray hack, my cat thought it was a water dish and an invite to munch on my babies 😭
10/10 thumbnail.
I went to a fish store once the have very tiny humidifier miniature machine that produced
fog I asked what supposed to be use he explained that it helps the plants for the lizards aquarium in a way it’s look misterios and cute the small fogging between plant’s im planning to look for 1 for my orchids as well I just got one monstera plant I put my miniature orchids on top of my window sink they love it got humidity wen I clean dishes
This makes me glad I have a giant fish tank in my plant room and don't have to worry about wasting my time trying these lmao
I use the “bathroom hack” for stuck leaves and it seems to work there. I often see a marked difference after ~10 minutes. There’s usually a reason related to my care, or an adjustment to the potting media that caused the stuck leaf in the first place though. Except for my dang PPP…that thing does not know how to open a leaf without manual assistance 🤦🏼♀️
Humidity trays depend on suface area. The more wet surface, more evaporation.
ua-cam.com/video/lYc7uSjqHg0/v-deo.html
Thank you, I made an update video.
I does matter what is inside the tray- It's not about the water, but about the surface of which water can evaporate into the surrounding air. HOWEVER! Even then it's too little and won't do anything substantially.
I don't understand why people go through all the trouble of these "hacks." You can get humidifiers for as little as $20 nowadays.
Do you advise against keeping plants in a bathroom then due to fluctuating humidity? I have some wonderful light in my bathroom but wonder if I’m doing damage?
It really depends on the plant. As Shina said, anthuriums are sensitive to those fluctuations. If it's working for you now I see no reason to stop
Great video! I love “hacks” that get debunked.
What about humidifiers, especially in an enclosed environment?
Yes.
So any tips whats the best trick to have the best humidity for a houseplant?
There are no tricks. You can use a humidifier to maintain a specific humidity. You can put everything in a green house. Or you can just grow your plants in your normal home humidity.
Which is perfectly fine too.
I just use my humidifier
It's seems to work ok
Please stop worrying about what people say
Your doing something right your plants are gorious
luckily i have a west facing window in my restroom and it has no vent. i just leave the door closed after i shower lol
Do you have any content about succulents? Maybe you have one that a friend gave to you.
I had a succulent once, until I took an arrow to the knee.
Bro was so dedicated to this that he had a hair cut in between tests
😅
Hey Lee, love the videos..Hope you can help..I have a Philodendron Jungle Boogie that has tiny yellow spots all over the mature leaves. Have you ever seen this and what can I do to prevent or cure this. I've done some research but have gotten mixed diagnosis. PLEASE help 🙏🏾
I'd have to see pictures. Could be anything from spider mites to fungal infection.
If you don't notice any bugs, it could be extrafloral nectaries. If it's on the leaves it can burn them and it will look just like bug bites. My narrow gets these too, well actually most of my plants. To prevent this I make sure I keep the leaves clean.
Some of these were absolutely money wasting and mold friendly 🤣
keep 7 or 8 tropical aquariums in your plant area.
Or put your plants in your aquarium room like I do.
Yup!
I have a shit load of plants and they’re all together in one room I have pebble trays with water in them and a spritz regularly let me tell you how damn humidity was to the point where it actually caused some of my plants to get funky spots on their leaves so it was a little overboard had to adjust The only reason my Pebble Tray worked was because it’s in a Breezeway that has sliding glass doors on both sides and screens so when it’s extremely hot it creates an evaporation effect on any kind of water in that room I don’t really understand why people don’t just got by humidifiers it’s cheaper than running the stove for two days or running their hot water in their bathroom
Yes! Fungal infection is a real risk with high humidity and standing water on leaves. Especially if you have low airflow.
Thanks for sharing your story, I hope it's helpful to others.