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lucid_infinity

To Mist, or Not to Mist

lucid.infinity
13 years ago

We grow our trees indoors and just started growing about 4 months ago. I have heard mixed reviews about misting leaves. Right now, we water frequently (but not enough to cause damage) but the humidity in our apartment is not nearly as high as we'd like. So until we can solve our humidifior problems (we also have cats, who enjoy breaking the humidifior) we have taken to misting the leaves whenever we get a chance. but like I said, I've heard that this does more damage than good, AND that it is better to mist than not.

Anyone care to enlighten? Am I making my arthritis worse for nothing? Lol

Comments (4)

  • christine1950
    13 years ago

    I too have read dont mist and I dont. I believe misting can cause alot of problems for the plant. If you can place your pots on a tray of rocks & water,dont let the pot touch the water,you'll get some humidity that way. Hope that helps a little.
    Christine

  • lucid.infinity
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    It does, and it doesn't lol. Your idea would work wonderfully, if it was something we could do without too much worry. See we have cats, who seem to LOVE standing water. (they even come around when we do mist, to try and drink the small drops that slide off the leaves. And of course, being cats, EVERYTHING makes them throw up)

    We just bought a new humidifer, cool visible mist type. It works really well, but somehow it still doesn't seem like enough. We are hoping this humidifier lasts longer than the last. My question now I guess, is since we have been misting, and it really hasn't done any damage (all previous damage was tracked down to over fertilization and/or unknown conditions before we bought them)

    One the plus side, our new Ice Cream is producing a new leaf, that looked like it was very deep in the pseudostem when we brought it home on Saturday. Today I can see the top of the cigar leaf popping up. Now if this darn thing would just produce a pup or two so we know it's healthy and happy...:-)

  • sfhellwig
    13 years ago

    When I did my Master Gardener's training the teacher that covered misting answered it with a question. Do you play tennis? (fore-arm exercise) I don't put it down that bad but regular misting is not worth the effort. I don't have the time to wipe up after the spraying. I do use misting on sick or transplanted plants. I don't see how it could possibly hurt but the humidifier will do far more than a person could ever hope to. The next issue is will your humidifier do enough. Look at the humidity outside and then measure it inside. It's just tough to grow bananas indoors, they don't belong there and indoors tends to be dryer than people think. Best of luck but keep that thing running, tell the cats to leave it the hell alone and don't be upset when a leaf does give up and brown.

  • lucid.infinity
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks!
    The humidifier is doing REALLY well, and when winter starts to creep up on us and the heat goes on, we will be getting another one to help it out. So far so good (seriously hope I don't regret saying this) the cats leave ot alone.

    Now we are noticing spider mites on our new addition, and after a couple of valient efforts to get rid of them on our cavendish we have gotten Safer
    Insect soap to try and stop this. :-) It's a one day at a time battle, but totally worth it.

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