Air Plants, also known as Tillandsia, are some of the easiest plants to care for - but they do require some care and proper environmental considerations in order to thrive. While they are called "air plants" as they do not require soil and take their nutrients from the air, they still need water, nutrients, and light to survive. Air Plants are technically epiphytes, meaning that they grow in nature on another tree, host, or object. However, they do not steal nutrients from their host, only using it as a home to grow on. Air plants use tiny vessels located throughout their leaves called trichomes to capture nutrients and moisture from the air.
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Watering:
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Place the kokedama in a bowl, plant side up. Add water at room temperature until the kokedama is about to float. Wait about 5 minutes until the kokedama absorbs most of the water in the bowl. Add more water to the bowl, this time a little bit more, and wait until the kokedama looks wet all the way to the neck. Add more water to the bowl as necessary. This process will take about 15 to 30 minutes. Take the kokedama out of the bowl and let it drip the excess water for about a minute before putting back on display.
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Light:
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Air plants should be kept where they'll receive bright, indirect sunlight or under fluorescent home/office lighting. Periods of direct sunlight are just fine, but more than a few hours of hot sun will deplete the plants of their moisture. If your plant will be in a spot with some pretty direct light, try misting them every couple of days to keep them hydrated.
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Feeding/Fertilizing:
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Neoregelias get their nutrients from matter which falls on them from plants growing above. For this reason, it’s best to spray the fertilizer onto the foliage. You can use an all-purpose Orchid food (Orchids are epiphytes just like bromeliads) diluted to 1/2 strength or use a fertilizer formulated for air plants. The best time to feed is in the Spring or Summer. Fertilizing once or twice a year is enough.
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