As temperatures skyrocket and the unrelenting sun makes our homes unbearably toasty, it can become an almighty struggle to keep houseplants cool and hydrated in a heatwave.
Whilst some houseplants can be kept on a regime of near-total neglect when temperatures soar, some of the best indoor plants will suffer immensely at the hands of the intense heat, and can very quickly perish, never to recover.
Here we uncover five simple ways you can keep houseplants cool and hydrated in a heatwave.
1. Mist your plants frequently
One of the fastest things you can do to alleviate stress on your beloved houseplants is to get trigger happy with your mister.
'Misting regularly helps plants through heatwaves,' explains houseplant expert Julie Bawden Davis.
'Plants have stomata on the underside of their leaves. These are breathing pores into which they will absorb the water you spray on them. This will help them hydrate their leaves more quickly.
'While watering the soil is helpful, it takes some time for the plant to cycle the water into the leaves from the soil, but it is pretty much instantaneous with misting. For this to be effective, you want to mist a few times throughout the day.'
2. Use moisture globes to keep plants hydrated
Once you start using moisture globes to water your houseplants, you will kick yourself that you didn't start doing it sooner.
'To keep the plants hydrated and ensure they don’t dry out during a heatwave, you can use moisture globes,' explains Julie.
She recommends these water globes available at Amazon which are so pretty they're sure to thrill just as much as they function.
'Don’t use these on plants that like to dry out, such as succulents, cacti, ZZ plants, and Ponytail Palm.' she warns.
3. Relocate your plants temporarily
'If the second floor of your home is hot, for the duration of the heat wave, think about moving your plants to the first floor,' suggests houseplant guru Lisa Eldred Steinkopf 'It is always cooler on the first floor and will give your plants some relief.'
'If you don’t have air conditioning, it may be best if you move your plants to a basement where it is cooler during a heatwave. This will only be helpful if you have adequate light for your plants, though a few days without optimal light would be fine.'
'Move your plants away from the windows or shut the curtains or shades during the time your plants are receiving the most light during the day. (For example, close the shades in the morning if your plants get morning sun, or in the afternoon if they get south or west sun.) Less light means less photosynthesis, which means less water use.'
4. Use a mini greenhouse or terrarium
Along with extreme heat comes a lack of moisture, which is often a death sentence to most houseplants. Use a humidity dome or mini greenhouse,' suggests Julie.
'For plants that are particularly vulnerable to heatwaves, such as thin-leaved plants like maidenhair fern, cover them with a humidity dome or put them in a terrarium for the duration of the heatwave.
'This is especially helpful if you live in a dry climate and dry heat during heatwaves.'
Julie highly recommends this mini greenhouse available at Amazon, which will create a humid microclimate that houseplants will love.
5. Make use of a moisture meter and take care not to overwater
In a heatwave, there is a tendency to water plants relentlessly out of a fear of them dying from thirst. Strangely enough, though, this can often end up having the opposite effect.
'Remember, the key is to check your plants more often for their watering needs in a heatwave,' says Lisa. 'They may need water more often than they do in the usual weather pattern.
'This is also important because your plant may slow down when it gets too hot and not use as much water. Therefore, if you water on a schedule, you may not need to water your plant at the usual interval of time.'
'Watch watering. You want to keep the soil moist but not soggy.' advises Julie. 'Be sure to use a moisture meter before watering plants that are drooping. It could just be that the plant is struggling to keep up with water cycling, in which case, you don't want to overwater.'
Shop houseplant heatwave essentials
Investing in a moisture meter is vital – it can tell you if the soil deep inside your pot or garden is dry, moist or wet; whereas your eyes and fingers can only determine the moisture level of the soil surface. This one is modestly priced and perfect for the job.
These reusable plant covers are used to cover plants and create a greenhouse environment for your houseplants which they desperately need in a heatwave. Get your hands on these – you're houseplants will thank you for it.
A houseplant watering can and mister spray bottle are both essentials to have to hand throughout a heatwave. These are perfect (and pretty!)
Even if you have easy indoor plants, they will need some extra care and attention during a heatwave. As Lisa says, 'the most important thing you can do in a heatwave is to check your plants often for stress. Check your plants more often during a heatwave.'
