Debunking The Spraying & Misting Myth
7 August, 2021
In Singapore, where the average relative humidity is 84%,
misting your plants will only leave the leaves vulnerable to fungal infections like mildew.
If you live in air-conditioning with your plants,
misting won't help much since the water evaporates really quickly.
Instead, use your essential oil
ultrasonic diffuser to multi-task, adding therapy and moisture to the air without wetting the leaves.
The only time you should pick up the sprayer is if you intend to spray
Neem Oil as a preventive measure against pests,
Nitrosol as a foliage fertiliser,
Kelp as an odour-free growth stimulant, or
HB-101 as a plant revitiliser.
Explanation as provided by The Pennsylvania State University
Warm dry air readily collects moisture and moves around the house,
any relative humidity gained in a small area is lost quickly to the surrounding air.
Think about a hot shower in a small bathroom and how the steam quickly leaves once the door opens.
Soon, temperature and humidity levels return to those of the rest of the house.
Even plants in the bathroom, from the scenario above,
would lose the gained humidity a few minutes after the shower has ended.
The temporary fluctuations in humidity from misting do little for the health of the plant long-term.
Misting may even cause more problems for plants.
Water droplets that collect and sit on leaves for long periods of time can cause problems with rot and mold.
Liquid water is not the same as water vapor.
Only orchids and air plants (Tillandsia) benefit from misting.
Orchids have fleshy roots with a special adaptation called velum
which can gain moisture for the plant from misting.
Similarly, Tillandsia have trichomes that are adapted to gather moisture from the air.
Misting these plants is one way to 'water' them
but that is totally different from raising relative humidity needed by other tropical plants.
