it is written in a book that one option to keep a plant in humid conditions is to put a plant pot inside a bigger plant pot ant to put peat between them.
can i change the peat with something else?

I would imagine anything that holds water would work, even plain dirt.

Organic material is best, David. Some of your compost would work. Anything that is made out of cellulose fibers, as all plants are, acts like a sponge, absorbing water, then releasing it slowly. That is why you need to amend poor sandy or clay soil with compost, because the little cellulose fibers expand with moisture, then contract to leave air holes in the soil.

But if you have unglazed clay or terra cotta pots, they also absorb water, and release it slowly. They have a cooling effect on the plants' roots and the air around them, too. So placing a clay pot in a shallow pan of water, then placing another plant pot inside it will surely keep that plant cooler and more humidified.

drdawg said:I would imagine anything that holds water would work, even plain dirt.

tank you

dyzzypyxxy said:Organic material is best, David. Some of your compost would work. Anything that is made out of cellulose fibers, as all plants are, acts like a sponge, absorbing water, then releasing it slowly. That is why you need to amend poor sandy or clay soil with compost, because the little cellulose fibers expand with moisture, then contract to leave air holes in the soil.

But if you have unglazed clay or terra cotta pots, they also absorb water, and release it slowly. They have a cooling effect on the plants' roots and the air around them, too. So placing a clay pot in a shallow pan of water, then placing another plant pot inside it will surely keep that plant cooler and more humidified.

if my planter is of plastic then is it the same?it wotks only upwards

davidsevit said:

if my planter is of plastic then is it the same?it works only upwards

David, using two plastic pots is sort of like having a double-panned window unit.

You really need evaporation to help with cooling and humidity around the plant. Plastic pots don't allow the water to evaporate around the roots, which can be good if the plant doesn't mind hot roots, but if you want to cool and humidify the area around your plants you need something that 'breathes'.

drdawg said:David, using two plastic pots is sort of like have a double-panned window unit.

i got it thank you

dyzzypyxxy said:You really need evaporation to help with cooling and humidity around the plant. Plastic pots don't allow the water to evaporate around the roots, which can be good if the plant doesn't mind hot roots, but if you want to cool and humidify the area around your plants you need something that 'breathes'.

thanks....should i try sawdust?with breathing pots....clay pots are very popular around here......now i understand there importance.