I'm having a problem figuring out where to put my houseplants during the winter months. I have a great house with lots of south-facing windows. However, every single window has a heat vent below it which blows warm air on any plants I place near those windows. Has anyone come up with a solution to this problem? Or, maybe it isn't a problem -- maybe the plants don't really care as long as they get sufficient water? Any thoughts would be welcome.
Here are some of the plants I'm dealing with: rabbit's foot ferns, china doll, spider plant, an odd little broad-leaf bonsai, rosemary, oregano, basil, and some ivy.
Thanks!
Barb
Force air drying out plants?
I find daily misting helps.
Most plants don't like the air from the vents blowing directly on them. They do sell deflectors for some types of registers and air vents which can deflect the warm air in a different direction, maybe some of those would help you?
I use deflectors on all of my registers, and it's helped a lot with the drying problems.
You can get them at nearly any hardware store; mine cost about $2.50 each.
For the humidity lovers, a pebble tray might help. Misting is good, but only if you have the time to do it.
I do have a deflector on one of my registers (why are they called "registers"?) and it helps some, but there is still a bit of a breeze. I'll try the misting.
Thanks for the suggestions :)
Barb
What about putting a container of water over the registers.
If you have the right type of registers, you can remove the top, and put the containers of water down into them; nothing can spill them, and they will give added humidity. I used small bread pans. They needed filling about once a week or so depending how much the furnace ran.
Won't putting something over the registers block the heat?
Not if you use comtainers that are small enough to allow the air to pass over and around it. The heat warms the water, and it evaporates pretty quickly when the heat's on a lot.
My house is old (built in 1947) and the registers are fairly large, so finding containers that won't block the heat's easy for me.
I remove the register's top cover, and set the pan right down into the heating duct.
They're easily refilled with a watering can, after taking the cover off, of course! ;)
Here's a picture of one. (Sorry about the mess around on the floor- as I was getting the camera, one of my cats decided it was a good time to knock a couple of pots on the floor. Just one more mess to vacuum...)
Deflectors and a good humidifier and you're all set. I use an Air-o- Swiss humidifier. The 2 gallon model. It's excellent. Some of my plants are in a west picture window under a register, humidity is 60% or more when the humidifier is on.
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