Question:
The air in our home is extremely dry in winter. Should I mist the houseplants?Answer:
Many houseplants prefer a relative humidity of 40 to 50 percent. Unfortunately, the humidity level in many homes during the winter months may be only 10 to 20 percent.
Misting houseplants is not an effective way to raise the relative humidity. Plant foliage dries quickly after misting. Misting would have to be done several times a day to be effective. For most individuals, frequent misting is not practical.
Humidifiers are an excellent way to increase the relative humidity in the home. There are also other ways to increase the relative humidity around houseplants. Group plants together. The water evaporating from the potting soil, plus water lost through the plant foliage (transpiration), will increase the relative humidity in the vicinity of the houseplants. Another method is to place houseplants on trays or saucers containing pebbles and water. Make sure the water level does not reach the bottoms of the pots. Water evaporating from the trays raises the relative humidity around the plants.