Houseplant tips

The duration of a Prayer plant all depends on how you care for it. Which means the answer to this question could be a couple of months of indefinitely. If you are unable to care for your Prayer Plant and provide it with the conditions it needs to grow then it will only last a few months or maybe a year.

However if you’re able to nurture it in the right environment then there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to keep your plant for forty year or even seventy.

So what do we mean by the right conditions? Well if you want to learn how to properly care for a prayer plant you can read our how to guide but let’s take a look at some tips to get you started.

Firstly prayer plants like bright indirect light. Try to protect them from the strong rays of the sun but make sure they get access to bright light.

Next prayer plants need to be watered regularly but they don’t like to sit in water. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings but not to become bone dry.

If you can introduce humidity to their environment then these plants will thank you for that. If not then make sure you mist then regularly.

Do prayer plants like to be root bound? No prayer plants prefer to have room to grow so when you notice their roots becoming a bit cramped it’s time for repotting.

And finally if you notice that your plant isn’t too well try to respond to it before its too late. Don’t just let your plant slowly die. Move it closer or further away from a light source. Increase the amount of water they receive or leave it longer before watering. And don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice if your plant isn’t doing very well.

So to answer the question how long does a prayer plant live? We say indefinitely but it all comes down to you and your ability to care for your plant.

Prayer Plant‘s are plant that like to be moist. They like the air around them moist, they like to be watered regularly, they just like to be moist. That is because these plants are originally native to the swampy and tropical areas of south and central america, so they’re used to growing in environments that receive a lot of humidity.

If you’re keeping a Prayer Plant as a houseplant then the chances are your home will have drier air than found in their natural habitats. Especially if you live in a country that experiences cold winters and you have to use a heating system. Heating systems can dry out the air causing crispiness on leaves that we just don’t want to see.

One way to combat this is by misting your plants. Misters are very cheap to come by and can last a very long time. If you mist your plant you introduce water into the air around the plant and help the leaves to retain moisture which should prevent crisping and browning of the leaves.

Try to gently mist your prayer plant once a day or once every other day. If you can’t commit to doing it that often then as often as you are able to should also make a difference to the health of your plant.

If misting is tiresome to you and something you forget then consider buying a humidifier instead. They are a more expensive option so if you don’t mind misting your plants often you can do that instead. But if you’d rather they receive moisture automatically then invest in a humidifier. You also don’t have to spend a lot of money, you can buy humidifiers relatively cheap.

If you like you can also just do both. You can buy a humidifier and mist your plants as well. If you want to keep reading about prayer plants then check out our next article how long does a prayer plant live?

To summarise should I mist my prayer plant? We say yes you should but you shouldn’t stop there. If you are able to you should also try to make the environment in which your plants live more humid by adding a humidifier.

 

Do Prayer Plants like to be root bound? Some plants do relatively well when root bound and can even thrive in a smaller pot but a Prayer plant is not one of these plants.

If your prayer plant is in a pot that is too small for it and its roots become restricted then you will notice a slow in growth and leaf production. If you do find your plant isn’t putting out new growth then take it out of its pot and check the root situation to see if it needs a new pot.

Ideally you should only need to pot your plant once every growing season. When you go to repot your prayer plant opt for a pot one size up and let your plant grow into it, then you can repot again. When you repot them make sure you do so in well draining soil to avoid water clogging when you water your plant.

If you repot your plant at the start of every growing season then you are giving it plenty of opportunity to grow into its new pot. This is the perfect time to repot your plant. If you wait until the end of the growing season then your plant will be sat in a big pot not really doing much.

So to summarise do prayer plants like to be root bound? No they do not, so get repotting and make sure your roots have space to grow.

Another questions we get asked is are prayer plants easy to grow? We think they are but make sure you check out our article to find out why and how to help them achieve optimal growth. And if you do find them easy to grow you might find that you need to repot them a bit more often.

Prayer plants are popular not only because they’re beautiful plants with interesting foliage but because they’re also relatively easy to grow. By easy to grow we don’t mean as easy as a plant like a Cactus that you just leave to get on with it but as far as care requirements go it doesn’t need that much from you and they’re not easy to kill either.

Here are some of the ways that you can ensure your Prayer Plant has the best chance of growing. Firstly you need to consider it’s lighting requirements. Prayer plants are tropical plants but they’re normally protected by the foliage of other plants so make sure you give them access to bright indirect light.

Secondly if you can create a humid environment for your Prayer Plant then this will help them a lot as these plants are native to humid regions. If you are unable to increase the humidity in your home then simply mist your plants. A lot of people ask should I mist my prayer plant and we say that yes you should. Misting your plants regularly can help to create the moisture in the air that will prevent them from developing crispy leaves which is not what we want.

Thirdly your Prayer Plant will need to be watered often. They are plants that gets quite thirsty and like things to be moist but that also doesn’t mean you should overwater them. Don’t leave them sitting in water and make sure their soil can drain but if you notice the soil drying out then give your plant a drink.

So in answer to the question are prayer plants easy to grow? We can say yes they are relatively easy but they still need a bit of care to help them flourish. And if you notice your plant isn’t doing too well they are also relatively easy to propagate so you can always make new plants if you are struggling to save the original plant.