On 23/07/16 18:28, Chris wrote:
Greetings, gardening enthusiasts,

Does anyone know the best way to reduce dampness due to houseplants?
We've had such a rotten summer in my part of the British Isles lately;
the humidity has been horrendous (frequently around 90% or more for weeks
now) and the wallpaper is starting to peel in places. It's been so humid
outside it's not been possible to air the place out like it would
normally. I can't recall it ever being this bad. I was told there are
some other houseplants that can act as effective natural dehumidifiers,
but I don't know if that's true or not. Anyway, short of hiring an
industrial dehumidifier, can anyone make a helpful suggestion, please!!

An obvious point: the water you add to a plant will end up
in the air, except for the small amount that remains in
the plant itself.

The water you pour in the plant pot will either evaporate
directly or be transpired through the leaves.

I don't see how a plant can act as a useful dehumidifier
in normal UK conditions. If they could, then where would
the water go and what would be the physics/chemistry
mechanism?

The best solutions are to add less water and/or to ventilate.