My big debate: misting plants vs bottom watering for humidity

I always misted my calatheas twice a day for YEARS thinking I was giving them perfect humidity. Then last month I stuck a hygrometer next to them and saw the humidity barely moved past 50% after a misting. Tops of the leaves got wet and the soil stayed dry underneath. Now i'm wondering if bottom watering is actually better for keeping roots hydrated without rotting the crown. Has anyone else found that misting is basically just making the leaves look pretty but doing nothing real?

3 comments

3 Comments

bennett.noah1mo ago

Misting definitely raises humidity for like 5 minutes then it drops back down. One thing though, pebble trays don't actually add much humidity either unless the tray is huge and the air is still. The water evaporates but it barely moves the needle for the plant itself unless you're measuring right at leaf level. Bottom watering is solid for avoiding crown rot but you gotta make sure you still water from the top sometimes to flush out salt buildup in the soil. Have you tried a small humidifier instead?

caleb_thomas9318d ago

That's exactly what I found with my calatheas too, the humidity jump from misting just doesn't last. Hey @adam_lewis I actually stopped misting altogether after I gave a few of them fungal spots and now I just bottom water with a tiny fan nearby for air movement.

adam_lewis1mo ago

Bottom watering changed everything for my calatheas honestly. Misting just wets the leaves and can lead to fungal spots if you're not careful, especially on those thin calathea leaves. I keep a pebble tray under mine now and bottom water once a week when the top inch is dry. The roots reach down for the moisture on their own and the crown stays bone dry. No more crispy edges but also no more mushy stems from water sitting in the center of the plant.