Bromeliad Care: Tips from The Green Bottle Garden

The Bromelia is an exotic plant that can add a touch of tropical flair to your home or office. With its vibrant colours, the Bromeliad is a real eye-catcher. To ensure that your Bromeliad stays healthy, here are some essential care tips from the experts at The Green Bottle Garden. Did you know that there are also Bromeliads in glass bottles? Discover the Bottle Bromeliad here.

1. Location and Light Requirements

The right location is crucial for the well-being of your Bromeliad. Place your plant in a spot with bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight can damage the leaves, so avoid it as much as possible. A spot near an east- or west-facing window is ideal, where the plant can catch soft light in the morning or evening.

2. Watering

Bromeliads have unique watering needs. Unlike many other plants, Bromeliads take up water through their central calyx (the "tank") and their roots. Follow these tips for optimal watering:

- Cup: Fill the cup with water and change it regularly to prevent the water from stagnating and rotting.

- Soil: Keep the potting soil slightly moist, but not soaked. Allow the top layer of soil to dry slightly between waterings.

Preferably use rainwater to prevent limescale deposits, which can be harmful to the plant.

3. Humidity

Bromeliads thrive in high humidity. Try to maintain a humidity of around 60-70%. This can be achieved by:

- Spray the plant regularly with a plant sprayer.

- Place a humidifier in the room.

- Place the plant on a saucer with water and pebbles (make sure the pot is not directly in the water). In our bottles the plant is already on pebbles, extra convenience when watering.

4. Nutrition

Although Bromeliads do not require much fertilizer, you can feed them with a half dose of liquid houseplant fertilizer every month during the growing season (spring and summer). Add the fertilizer to the water in the calyx or use a spray bottle to spray it onto the leaves.

5. Maintenance

A healthy Bromeliad requires minimal maintenance:

- Pruning: Remove dead or yellowed leaves to keep the plant looking neat.

- Pups: Bromeliads often produce 'pups' also known as suckers. Once these suckers have reached about half the size of the mother plant, you can carefully remove them and pot them up separately to grow new plants.

6. Troubleshooting your Bromeliad

- Brown leaf edges can indicate too little humidity or too much direct sunlight.

- Rot: If the calyx retains water without changing it, it can lead to rot. Make sure you change the water regularly and keep the calyx clean. How? Put a paper towel in the calyx, this ensures that the water is absorbed. This way you can easily change the water.

By following these care tips, you can enjoy a healthy and beautiful Bromeliad. Whether you choose a traditional pot or a modern bottle , The Green Bottle Garden has everything you need to keep your plants happy.

Good luck with your Bromelia!

Jonathan,

Botanist at The Green Bottle Garden