how to propagate air plants

All you need is a sharp blade or knife, some good light and a new place to grow the removed pups. Simply cut the pup away from the mother at its base. Do your best to not damage the pup and error on the side of cutting more from the mother than the pup. It's actually a very simple procedure that anyone can do.

Can you propagate air plants from leaves?

Remove the tillandsia from the water and move the plant to a flat work surface. Gently spread the leaves of the plant to reveal the pups at its base. Work the leaves apart with your fingers to locate where the plants are connected. Separate the pups from the parent plant by gently pulling the plants apart at the base.

How often do air plants produce pups?

Growth Cycle

Before, during or after blooming (depending on the species) your plant will start producing offsets (Pups), most plants will produce between 2 - 8 pups. Each plant will flower once in its lifetime, remember that each pup is a plant and it will bloom.

Can you root an air plant?

Tillandsias are epiphytes, which means that in nature air plants grow on other plants—clinging to tree trunks, for instance—rather than by rooting in the ground. Air plants will grow on bushes, rocks, and shrubs. Other epiphytes include orchids (which grow on tropical trees) and many kinds of ferns.

How long does it take for air plants to grow pups?

How long until Pups arrive? You can expect pups to begin developing shortly after your plants first bloom cycle. It will generally take up to six months for your Tillandsia to produce its very first bloom. However, it's worth keeping in mind that there are some species of air plant that may take several years to bloom.

Do air plants grow bigger?

After the first few years they start to get growing a little faster as they get larger sized. While seed grown plants do grow much slower, they tend to be bigger and better specimens than plants grown as offset. ... It can take years for a small air plant to grow and eventually bloom, so patience is key!

How do you water air plants that are glued?

The best way to water glued air plants is to try to soften the glue and take the plant out. You can also dunk the glued air plant and make sure it's dry within 3-4 hours. You can try taking out your air plant by soaking the base (not too much) and wiggling it, and hopefully over time, it can separate from glue.

How long do air plants last?

Tillandsias are tropical plants that usually live for several years and will bloom and produce flowers only one time during their lifetime. The flowers are striking and brilliantly colored, and the bloom period will last several days to many months, depending on the species.

How often should I water air plants?

In the summer when it is hot, they like to be bathed once a week, but in the cool winter months, once every three weeks or so will do. Pay attention to the changing of the seasons and the health of your air plant and water accordingly.

Do air plants need light?

In order to thrive, air plants need bright, indirect light. Rooms with southern or eastern facing windows make good candidates, because these spaces will be brightly illuminated with sun for most of the day. ... Full spectrum (fluorescent) light is a must.

Do you trim air plants?

Trimming: Over time your air plants will grow new leaves, and loose some. Feel free to trim any brown or dead leaves off your plant with scissors, trimming at an angle to give the end of the leaf a nature appearance after trimming. Most air plant varieties will be shipped with roots intact, and can removed if you like.

Can you overwater an air plant?

Tip: Overwatering Air Plants: Worry less about overwatering an air plant and worry more about letting the water drain away from your plant after watering. After the plant has dried, about 4 hours, return it to its display. Remember that air plants do not absorb water from their roots. ... This will prevent rot.

Can I soak air plants overnight?

If your air plant is ever looking 'thirsty' or like it's struggling, you can soak them in water (in a bowl or sink) for several hours or overnight. This can often help to revive your tillandsia. When watering your tillandsia, rainwater or pond water are best.

Where do you put air plants?

Placement within 1 to 3 feet of an east- or west-facing window, or within a foot or two of an artificial light source is ideal. If you keep them well watered, they can have hotter, more direct sun and longer exposure. Avoid dimly lit locations. Air plants do best with at least a few hours of bright, indirect sun daily.

How do you get air plants to bloom?

Most healthy Tillandsia will bloom eventually, but they require proper care and plenty of light in order to do so. To help speed up the blooming process, you can use a diluted fertilizer like our specially formulated Air Plant Food once per month or so to encourage blooms and pup production.

Why did my air plant fell apart?

Most of the time rot is caused by over watering and staying wet/damp for prolonged periods of time allowing fungus and bad bacteria to take hold and damage the plant. ...

Is Coca Cola good for plants?

Sugary soda pops are not the most ideal choices for use as fertilizer. ... Therefore, pouring soda on plants, such as Classic Coca Cola, is inadvisable. Coke has a jaw dropping 3.38 grams of sugar per ounce, which would certainly kill the plant as it would certainly be unable to absorb water or nutrients.

Do air plants need pots?

Air plants can be grown in normal pots, but their small size and little need for moisture also make them candidate for all sorts of other planter ideas.

Can you put an air plant in copper?

We usually recommend attaching with wire whenever possible. Just make sure that you are not using copper wire, as copper is toxic to air plants and can kill them.

Which air plants should not be soaked?

The T. pruinosa, and T. seleriana both have ample trichomes which is another reason why they shouldn't be soaked. Soaking might cause them to rot due to too much water.

Why is my air plant curling?

Signs of not enough water include curling leaves, and drying tips, while signs of too much watering could be some browning (rotting) on the bottom base of the plant. ... Let your plant fully dry before placing it back in its usual spot. From there try adding in an extra soaking or some mistings into your watering routine.