Readers ask: How Do You Care For A Bromeliad House Plant?
Following a few simple steps can keep you enjoying bromeliads, both indoors and out, for several seasons.
- Provide bright light without direct sun exposure.
- Maintain optimal humidity.
- Keep air flowing around the plants.
- Make sure the plants stay moist but not soggy.
- Provide adequate drainage.
- Fertilize sparingly.
Where should I put bromeliads in my house?
Most bromeliads will thrive on a table or countertop a few feet away from a window. Do not place your bromeliad directly in a south facing window. The leaves are likely to scorch with too much direct sunlight.
How often do you water a bromeliad plant?
As bromeliads prefer to dry out in home environments, you only need to water your plant every other week or so. You’ll want to water both the soil and cup, making sure to keep the latter only halfway full to prevent rot.
How long do potted bromeliads last?
The most common variety of bromeliads, the flowering guzmania (Guzmania spp.), last for two to three years, reports Homestead Gardens. To get the best out of those years, give your bromeliad the care it needs.
How do you keep bromeliads blooming?
Use a well draining soil mix. Keep the center of the bromeliad filled with water and add diluted liquid seaweed or diluted compost tea once every two weeks. This will encourage the young bromeliad to flourish and grow up so it can be ready to bloom.
Do bromeliads like sun?
In their natural habitats, bromeliads grow in the full range of light conditions from full sun to partial shade. Many bromeliads are quite tolerant, but the variegated plants will often become solid green if they are given too much shade.
What is the best way to water a bromeliad?
It is best to water your bromeliad with rainwater or distilled water. The chemicals that are present in some tap water can be damaging to these sensitive plants. Slow growth or browning of leaf tips are often signs of hard water usage.
Should I mist my bromeliad?
A bromeliad can experience leaf burn if exposed to too much direct light. You may need to mist a bromeliad regularly if the humidity is less than ideal (60%). Be sure to mist when your plant’s leaves are dry, but before they are exposed to any direct sun.
How do I know if my bromeliad is healthy?
One way you can be sure your bromeliad is turning brown because it’s drying out is to check the pups. If they’re healthy and looking good, then the plant is on the way out. If you’re keep the growing medium too wet, then the lower leaves will turn brown and ultimately turn mushy.
Why are my bromeliad leaves turning brown?
Brown and dry leaves are most likely caused by a lack of moisture. This could mean you’re not watering enough, your plant is in an environment with low humidity or a combination of both.
Should I cut the dead flower off my bromeliad?
Well, it might sound harsh, but once your bromeliad bloom has begun to die, you can cut it off! Bromeliads are known for their exotic, long-lasting flowers. These tropical plants can bloom for months, in fact. By cutting off the bromeliad’s dying flower, you can help the plant refocus its energy on these new pups.
Do bromeliads only flower once?
With a few exceptions, bromeliads only bloom once. However, the blooms last an exceptionally long time — months or even up to a year. Bromeliads grow and bloom year round. It’s always bromeliad season!
Is a bromeliad plant an indoor or outdoor plant?
Bromeliads are incredibly adaptable plants as they can be used indoors, outdoors, in pots and in trees. And, they range in size from 3cm to a gigantic 10m wide making them suitable for small and large gardens.
Do bromeliads like Epsom salt?
Adding a small amount of Epsom salts to the growing medium will encourage plant growth and blooming. Most bromeliads only bloom once. After it blooms, the plant will produce pups and begin to die, a process that may take up to a year.
How long do bromeliads live indoors?
Most types of bromeliads typically only live for two to five years even with ideal care, but continue to grow from new sprouts created after flowering. Bromeliads like bright, indirect light, and those grown under intense light will decline faster than those with proper lighting.
What is the best fertilizer for bromeliads?
How to Feed Bromeliads
- Feed bromeliads from April until September while the plant is actively growing.
- Feed urn plants using low-nitrogen 10-20-20 fertilizer, or use a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer diluted to half strength.
