How to Raise the Humidity
for House Plants

Many plants prefer higher humidity than is usually found in a home.

In the winter months, my home can feel extremely dry, especially with the furnace blasting hot air into the room and the fireplace blazing.

This kind of arid environment is ok for a cactus -- and me. But for house plants that have origins in the tropics, I have to increase the moisture content in the air around them.

Now the talk gets a little steamy...

Short of buying a whole-house humidifier, there are several easy ways to increase the humidity level for your plants:

• If you want to do this for one room, a room humidifier works well.
• Mist the plants every day -- or as needed -- with a fine mist of room-temperature water.
• Set the container on a tray filled with wet pebbles. The tray should be filled with just enough water so that the top half of the pebbles and the pot itself remain dry. The water will evaporate, increasing the humidity in the air around the plant's leaves.
• Group plants together. They emit moisture so this helps to raise the humidity in the air around them.

How do you know if your plant is suffering from low humidity? It will tell you. Here are some things to look for:

• Plant wilts.
• Tips or edges of leaves turn brown.
• Flower buds develop poorly or wither soon after opening.