Is a Vaporizer Good for Plants?

About Vaporizers

• Vaporizers are basically small warm-mist humidifiers. They use a heating element to create steam. The steam is then released into the air to increase the humidity level in a room. The difference between warm-mist humidifiers and vaporizers is where they store their water. Warm-mist humidifiers have removable tanks, while vaporizers do not. They store water directly in their base, and the heating element is removed in order to refill it.

Humidity and Plants

• Vaporizers are good for plants because they increase the humidity levels in the air. Most plants need an environment where the humidity is at least between 30 to 60 percent. If the humidity level drops below this level, the leaves of the plant may turn yellow or start turning brown. Plants also have difficulty creating flowers and buds without high enough humidity levels. That said, it is usually recommended to only have an indoor humidity level between 20 and 40 percent. Higher than 40 percent can damage your home and cause health problems for you and your family.

Benefits of Vaporizers

• Vaporizers are a good choice if you need to increase the humidity level in a single room. They are typically too small to do more than that. They are also very quiet and inexpensive. The fact that the water was heated will not affect the plants, since by the time the vapor reaches them, it won't be hot anymore. The only exception would be if you placed the vaporizer right next to a plant. In that case, the steam could burn the plant.

Drawbacks of Vaporizers

• The drawbacks of vaporizers are more for you than for your plants. Because vaporizers create steam, they can cause burns if you place your hand too close to the device. They also have a limited capacity and require refilling often, at least once a day. There is no control mechanism with most vaporizers. It is either on or off, which makes controlling the level of humidity difficult.

Other Options

• Vaporizers are just one method of increasing humidity levels in your home. Cool-mist humidifiers are just as effective as vaporizers and have the benefit of being larger. You can purchase humidifiers that work for your whole house and not just one room. Another, simpler option is to place a tray of water underneath your plants. Place pebbles in the tray, and set the plant on top of the rocks. The water should not reach the pot of the plant. As the water evaporates, the humidity level around the plant increases.