Hey all! Welcome back to the Blog at Main Floral; we’re glad you’re here. It’s hot in Anoka this week–and we’re having fun making up, and delivering, some cool arrangements for the best customers ever. (Aka: pretty much all of them. š ) We’ve also been having some fun brainstorming, ordering, and bringing in a few new things to the shop. (Actually, for both us, and Sweet River Candy Company.) We’re ordering for now, and for Fall already, too. We hate rushing through a season before it’s even done–but, when you have a brick-and-mortar shop, you have to think, and order, ahead. (We won’t fill up the store with Fall stuff yet though–promise. š )
In our last blog, we mentioned that we were going to spend the next several weeks writing out some care tips for our most popular houseplants. Of course our shop is based on flower, as that’s what we’re known best for–but, houseplants are a close second to that. Plants are a very popular gift to send for a birthday, to give to a grieving loved one, to send to an out-of-town relative who, seemingly, has it all, and to gift as a housewarming present. (Also, they’ve become super popular to buy for yourself! With the never ending quest to come up with the perfect Instagram photo–plants are a great addition to your shot. š )
In our last post, we wrote about the ZZ plant. Today, we’re here to write about another ‘easy’ plant, the Air Plant! These little guys have become quite popular, again, lately. (All plants tend to go through popular phases. š ) They are so simple to keep alive–but, they’re also super easy to forget about. It’s for this reason that these little guys are perfect for on the desk, on the fridge, or in the bathroom–someplace that they’re easily visible, so the likelihood of them getting forgotten about is smaller.
Air Plants (also known as Tillandsia), get their name because they absorb their nutrients though the air, not through their roots. So, with a regular plant we put it in dirt, and then water and fertilize the soil. With an Air Plant we water, and fertilize, the leaves instead.
You should plan to water your Air Plant weekly. Put it in a glass of water, upside down, and let it sit for 10-30 minutes. If you live in a dry area (ya know, like MN in the winter), or if your Air Plant looks dry (leaves may appear more small, and closed–rather than full, and open), you can even leave your plant soak overnight. When you pull it out, shake off the excess water, and make sure it’s in a place it can dry back out. (If it can’t dry, it can start to rot–much like over watering a regular plant will cause the roots to rot. The general rule is your plant should always be able to totally dry within four hours.) If your Air Plant has a flower on it, don’t submerge that–you can spray your plant during the blooming time.
Your Air Plant also needs light. It should be within 3-5 feet from a window–but, out of direct sun. If you are keeping your plant outside, you will want to keep it in a shadier place.
As far as fertilizer, you should try to fertilize once a month. To do that, just mix the special fertilizer according to the directions (ours is 1/4 teaspoon, per one gallon of water), and soak your plant in the fertilizer water, once a month–instead of plain water. Like we mentioned, we have little bags of fertilizer–though, you can also order online.
And, that’s about it! No need to worry about soil with these little guys. š We have such an amazing selection of Air Plants in right now, including large ones. (Bigger than a coffee cup.) As always, give us a call if you’re looking for something more specific. š
Air Plant ornaments–these make a great gift for a friend, or for you!
We love these little cork magnet Air Plants! They’re perfect for anywhere a magnet can stick. š
Giant, curly, Air Plant. This big guy is beautiful!
We have a wonderful, fresh, selection of Air Plants in right now–stop in soon for the best selection!
The Blog at Main Floral 