How to Make a Humidity Tray

Hello and welcome to HealthyHousePlants.com monthly video. Today, we’re going to talk about humidity, or the lack of humidity. When houseplants experience a lack of humidity, which is very common in heated and air-conditioned homes and dry climates, they will suffer.

Some of the ways houseplants may suffer include developing dry leaf tips, though this particular plant doesn’t have any. You might also notice leaf loss, stunted growth, or in the case of African violets, a failure to flower. Humidity is crucial for plant health, and one of the main reasons for this is because most houseplants originate from tropical jungles where the humidity is extremely high.

When you bring these plants into an average home with humidity levels around 40% to 50%, or sometimes even lower—closer to 30%—plants can start having problems. This is especially concerning for tropical plants that are used to 100% humidity. Given this, it’s essential to do what you can to increase humidity, particularly if your plant is already showing signs of distress.

One great way to increase humidity is by creating a humidity tray. A humidity tray is simply made of materials such as marbles, decorative flat stones, or gravel. You put about half an inch or slightly less of the material into a flat container, often referred to as a catch pot or a cache pot.

The container should be larger in circumference and diameter than the plant itself. Fill the container with water just below the top of the marbles or pebbles. You don’t want the water to touch the roots, as this can cause root rot. What happens when the water stays below the surface is that it evaporates into the air, increasing the humidity around the plant.

While this method won’t drastically raise humidity, it will raise it just enough to provide adequate moisture for your plant to grow well. In addition to being functional, it also looks decorative and adds an attractive touch to your plant display.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is humidity important for houseplants?

Humidity is important for houseplants because most indoor plants come from tropical regions where humidity is naturally high. In homes with low humidity, plants can suffer from dry leaf tips, leaf loss, and reduced growth. African violets, for example, may fail to flower.

How can I tell if my plants are suffering from low humidity?

Signs that your plants are suffering from low humidity include dry leaf tips, leaf loss, stunted growth, and, for flowering plants like African violets, a failure to bloom.

What humidity level is best for houseplants?

Houseplants from tropical regions typically thrive in environments with 60% to 100% humidity. In contrast, most homes have humidity levels around 40% to 50%, or sometimes even lower. Raising the humidity level slightly can greatly benefit plant health.

How can I increase humidity for my houseplants?

One effective way to increase humidity for houseplants is by using a humidity tray. Fill a tray with marbles, decorative stones, or gravel, and add water just below the top of the stones. This will create evaporation, which humidifies the air around the plants.

Will a humidity tray solve all low-humidity problems?

A humidity tray won’t drastically raise the humidity but will increase it just enough to provide adequate moisture for most houseplants. It’s an easy and decorative way to maintain healthier plants.

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