Air plants, also called air carnations or tillandsia, are very curious. To begin with, they don’t need to be planted in a pot, or with soil, for them to thrive, but having them in a support or similar is fine. But how do you hang a carnation in the air?
If you have one or are going to buy one soon, here we give you the keys to how to hang it, where and some basic tillandsia care. Dark?
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Where to hang a carnation in the air
As we have already told you, tillandsias are plants that do not need to be planted to grow. They are called epiphytes because of this condition and although they may not attract much attention at first, there is no doubt that sooner or later, if you love plants, they will find their way into your collection.
Now, where to hang the carnation in the air?
First of all, you need to know what are the ideal conditions for the air carnation to grow healthy. And, in this sense, the lighting must be mastered, which must be abundant with only a few hours of mild direct sunlight (either early in the morning or late in the afternoon).
The the temperature should be between 10 and 30 degrees. Now, depending on the air plant you choose, it may be able to adapt to lower or higher temperatures.
And where to put it? In most cases they are hanging, i.e. they will be suspended in the air. But that doesn’t mean it will be the only way; You can also put it on a stand or even in a container like a fountain or the like to decorate a table.
Depending on the size as well as the space you have, you can choose one place or another (or one way to hang it or another, which we will talk about next).
How to hang a carnation in the air
One of the doubts that many people have when acquiring an air carnation is where to hang it. Although in reality there are many places to put it, it is normal for it to hang in the air, but how to do?
If you have ever seen a tillandsia you will know that it has very few roots, or almost none, which means you don’t know how to tie it well. But it’s not difficult at all. In fact there are several options:
With nylon thread
One of the most common is to use nylon thread to suspend an eyelet in the air. Being thin and transparent, it can not be seen and it really does simulate that it’s hanging without any support.
You can leave it hanging using a lamp or even a ring from the ceiling, so that it falls from it.
woman stockings
Women’s stockings are recommended in many forums as they are delicate and will not damage your aerial eyelet. Of course, first it is advisable to wash them and then to fix them well (be careful, we use stocking bands which, in addition to being elastic, will not hurt either, quite the contrary).
using a stand
As you know, stores sell hanging brackets, crochet or fabric. Well, the idea is to place the tillandsias there to decorate them. And the truth is that they look great (you have an example in the photo that leads this article).
With strings
How about using a bit of twine to wrap around the base of the tillandsia to hang it up to hang? Many do, in addition to taking advantage of it and placing several along the rope, and they look great.
Others, using this same method, they decide to stick them with “silicone”. The idea is not bad, but keep in mind that the silicone will prevent the plant from developing properly and in the long run this can cause problems.
On tree trunks
For example, if you have a deceased bonsai, or part of the trunk, you can attach the tillandsia to it, simulating that it “lives” in the tree, which, after all, is its natural habitat.
In fact, if you do it right it is more than likely that the carnation of the air will develop stronger roots that adhere to the bark of the tree (that’s why we advise against using silicone to fix it, but nylon thread or similar).
With basic support
If you have ever looked at aerial eyelet accessories, you will have noticed that they are also sold supports to place the plant on. They are another option if you don’t want them hanging, but rather placed on a table and like a “vase”.
The problem is that if your plant is already very tall, the safest thing to do is to hang it because, simply placed on the surface, it means that part of the plant will not receive the light, water or humidity necessary to survive. .
Air carnation care
You need to understand that not only by hanging it in the right place and in the right way, the little plant will already be healthy and will start growing like crazy. The truth is no. And all because, like any other, you must comply with a series of important precautions.
These are:
- Location. As we told you, it will need a well-lit place with a few hours of sunlight, but not much.
- Temperature. We remember it, a pleasant temperature, not too hot, and if we also give it humidity, so much the better.
- Irrigation. The aerial carnation is not a plant that needs to be “watered”. Or at least not that it has to be done like other plants. For her, the most important thing is the humidity since that is how she feeds. That said, in summer you may need special (and more abundant) watering than in winter. And how are they watered? It’s very simple, just fill a container with water (or the bathtub if you have several) and throw them in the water. Leave them for about 20 minutes and then let them dry well (this is important because it can rot if you don’t).
- Subscriber. Because the plant has no soil and therefore no nutrients to feed on, it is important that it be watered occasionally. And if these have a little liquid fertilizer, so much the better.
Now that you know how to hang the aerial carnation and the minimum care to give it, would you dare to have a plant without a pot at home?