Tillandsia care guide

OUTDOORS: Display plants in bright filtered light. Some, but not all day, direct sun is fine. Hose down the tillandsias whenever watering your other plants. An average once a week or two in the winter and two or three times a week in the summer. In hot, dry climates (or months) the plants can be watered once or twice a day - as long as they dry out between watering, they cannot be over watered in a bright location. The key is to notice if the plants are drying up. Do the plants (or a plant) look different then after the first nights soaking? Are any of them shrinking? Are the edges of an individual leaf curling up toward each other more than normal? If so, or if you have any doubt, submerge the plant(s) in a bucket of water overnight. Look at them in the morning. Whatever their aspect, this is the way they should look.

Fertilize once or twice a month in the growing season, April thru October, with Epiphyte's Delight (instructions on package).

INDOORS: Place in a location that is brightly lit for as much of the day as possible. If the plants receive direct sunlight, make sure they are not within two feet of a window where the temperatures can be too hot.

INDOOR WATERING: Submerge plants (the entire arrangement if necessary) entirely under water overnight once every other week. Again, when the plants start drying out the edges of the leaves will curl up more than normal and the plant will begin to shrink.

GROWING TIPS: Most tillandsias and all gray, fuzzy, species, like lots of very bright light. At the same time however, a healthy tillandsia can exist in a dark location for at least a few weeks and often for months. Therefore, plant rotation between where you really want to display tillandsias and an ideal outdoor growing spot is a good idea. Simply rotate them every month or two. It's easy, takes little time, and the plants will keep your attention indoors and thrive outdoors - a happy compromise.