Background information
Fascinating flora: these plants grow out of thin air
by Darina Schweizer
Are your tillandsias dying? Off to the mini-greenhouse!
23.12.2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
Tillandsias are not quite as easy to care for as I thought. But now I've found a solution.
It sounded so simple: light, love and a few sprays of decalcified water - and tillandsias sprout in front of flat windows like on the trunks of tropical jungle trees.
My everyday test shows: It's not quite that simple after all. My first air plant has already died, and some of the other six are not quite as fresh as they used to be.
I also find spraying with water impractical. It either drips onto the floor or I end up soaking the window. The bathroom is not an alternative, as I don't have any daylight there - or a free socket for a plant lamp.
Another solution is needed.
No quarantine tent, though!
While browsing in our shop, I came across some small greenhouses. I could keep the tillandsias moist in them without wetting my entire window frame at the same time. However, the greenhouses either look like quarantine tents or failed DIY projects.
But then I discover intricate models. And finally I end up with a plant terrarium from Relaxdays that looks really aesthetically pleasing. Functional and pretty: my favourite combination!
Secret tip: sand and driftwood
When the golden mini-greenhouse arrives at my home, I am delighted. However, before the tillandsias can move in, I fill the container with terrarium sand and floating wood.
Why is that? Tillandsias do not like waterlogging. The stacked wood ensures good air circulation. It can also absorb a little moisture and slowly release it again. The sand stabilises the alluvial wood and absorbs excess water.
In the end, my tillandsias do need a container and can't just be hung up in the air somewhere. But the terrarium makes it much easier for me to look after them.
One small fly in the ointment
I only spray the tillandsias with decalcified water through the skylight about once a week. That way, nothing goes wrong - and I can regulate the humidity by opening or closing the hatch as much as I like. I've been very happy with the solution for almost three weeks now. And so are my tillandsias: they look greener and healthier than before.
The terrarium could also be a good solution for other tropical plants. But if you want to water them properly and not just spray them, you would need to seal the base (with a film, for example). I can confirm what a Galaxus comment rightly criticises: The house is not completely waterproof.
Would have been too nice too.
Where did you place your tillandsias? Tell us in a comment.
In a nutshell
The (almost) perfect solution for tropical plants
Finally a pretty greenhouse for indoors! Tropical plants such as tillandsias can thrive wonderfully in the terrarium from Relaxdays. Water can be sprayed through the small roof hatch and the humidity can be regulated. However, as the base is not waterproof, it is not suitable for watering.
Pro
- aesthetic design
- Good moisture regulation via roof hatch
Contra
- Not completely waterproof
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love anything with four legs or roots - especially my shelter cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. My favourite things to do are stalking around with police dogs and cat coiffeurs on reportages or letting sensitive stories flourish in garden brockis and Japanese gardens.
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