Bromeliads are strong and very easy to maintain. They will bring you great pleasure for an average of 3 – 6 months. Has your Bromeliad finished flowering? Then it’s time for a new one, as Bromeliads only flower once.
To water
Water your Bromeliad regularly (into the calyx of the plant) and it will be very happy. There is not need to add plant feed to the water.If you would really like to spoil your Bromeliad on a very warm day, then salsa round it with a water spray, or put the outside pot in a bowl of water so that the water can slowly evaporate around the plant. In an indoor climate the Bromeliad takes it’s water and food from the air in exactly the same way as in the wild.
Ideal location
Put your Bromeliad in a light place (not in full sun). Useful information: Thick-leaved Bromeliads like a dry environment and thin-leaved Bromeliads prefer a more humid environment. Tillandsia therefore is a typical ’bathroom plant’ and Aechmea a plant that loves windowsills right next the central heating. The varieties with grey trichomes prefer to be placed in full sunlight and in a dry place.
Taking your Bromeliad outside
These are tropical plants, so they won’t like being out in frosty weather, but when it’s 15°C / 59°F or more, you can move your Bromeliads from the living room to your balcony or patio. Give them good protection; it would be advisable to cover them at night, especially during the first weeks. And keep them out of full sun just as you did indoors. A spot in the shade is perfect. Particularly good for taking outside are: Aechmea, Billbergia, Ananas, Neoreglia and Tillandsia.
Can you grow Bromeliads yourself?
With a couple of Bromeliads and a little patience, you really can grow your own plants. After flowering, you will notice new little plants (still attached) growing at the base of the original plant. Let them grow until they reach half the size of the original plant. For two weeks, keep pouring water into their calyxes and then remove the baby Bromeliads, preferably along with some roots. Put the young Bromeliads in their own pots filled with fresh potting soil. Then leave them undisturbed for a year. They should then be ready to flower. Now here’s the trick: put a ripe apple into the centre of the plant, cover the plant with a plastic bag, and close it. Let the apple ripen next to the plant for another three weeks. In another eight to sixteen weeks you can see the results: a completely new flower has appeared!