|
Houseplants causing damp!
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!! Thanks! |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sat, 23 Jul 2016 17:28:26 +0000, 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!! Thanks! Depends on which is more important to you - the plants or the house. Take the plants outside and keep them well watered there and in the meantime ensure there is plenty of ventialtion to the inside of your house. You must have some strange plants if the humidity is so high. |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sat, 23 Jul 2016 20:23:22 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:
As to some plants acting as dehumidifiers; that's a new one on me. Sounds like a load of nonsense! Not over watering. Here's the reference I finally managed to track down and I'd value the wisdom of the group on this claim: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/5-i...ll-absorb-the- humidity-in-your-house |
Houseplants causing damp!
Chris posted
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. Why do you think houseplants are causing the damp? -- Les |
Houseplants causing damp!
|
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sat, 23 Jul 2016 22:10:52 +0000, Chris wrote:
On Sat, 23 Jul 2016 20:23:22 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote: As to some plants acting as dehumidifiers; that's a new one on me. Sounds like a load of nonsense! Not over watering. Here's the reference I finally managed to track down and I'd value the wisdom of the group on this claim: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/5-i...ll-absorb-the- humidity-in-your-house Frankly I'd be very dubious of any such claim - you'd need a jungle of them to have any effect at all. Best thing for humidity in the home is plenty of ventilation. Yes, its hot and humid outside but by opening doors and windows you will get a through flow of air and this will help alleviate the problem. |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sat, 23 Jul 2016 20:23:22 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sat, 23 Jul 2016 12:56:09 -0500, Ermin Trude wrote: On Sat, 23 Jul 2016 17:28:26 +0000, Chris wrote: Greetings, gardening enthusiasts, Does anyone know the best way to reduce dampness due to houseplants? You must have some strange plants if the humidity is so high. Quite. Or an awful lot of them. Is the OP sure he's not over-watering them? Can you overwater cannabis? |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 10:19:22 +0100, Big Les Wade wrote:
Chris posted 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. Why do you think houseplants are causing the damp? It's become noticeably damp in here since my girlfriend moved these infernal plants of hers in. Were it not for the fact that it's so incredibly humid weather wise as well I might well never have noticed and it probably wouldn't have been a problem. I don't know what these things are called, but they smell terrible and look horrible; I cannot see what she sees in them. Well, that's wimmin for you. :-/ |
Houseplants causing damp!
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. |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 13:51:35 +0100, Tom Gardner wrote:
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? I can't see it, either. :-/ |
Houseplants causing damp!
Chris wrote:
I don't know what these things are called, but they smell terrible and look horrible; I cannot see what she sees in them. Well, that's wimmin for you. :-/ do they look like this?; http://tinyurl.com/z2nzy9c |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 13:51:35 +0100, Tom Gardner
wrote: 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? I think succulents absorb some moisture in the air by osmosis. Get enough of them and they will dehumidify a room. Steve -- Neural Network Software for Windows http://www.npsnn.com |
Houseplants causing damp!
On 24/07/16 15:38, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 13:51:35 +0100, Tom Gardner wrote: 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? I think succulents absorb some moisture in the air by osmosis. Get enough of them and they will dehumidify a room. Obviously /succulents/ can't absorb through the foliage, so the only way they can ingest water is through their roots. Any de-humidification would have to be via the roots and soil in the pot, which seems (at best) a very inefficient way dehumidifying the air. |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 17:02:43 +0200, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 15:38:45 +0100, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote: On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 13:51:35 +0100, Tom Gardner wrote: 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? I think succulents absorb some moisture in the air by osmosis. Get enough of them and they will dehumidify a room. Can you get enough of them in one normal sized living room? It would be a bit of a challenge! Steve -- Neural Network Software for Windows http://www.npsnn.com |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 16:14:56 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 15:38:45 +0100, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote: On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 13:51:35 +0100, Tom Gardner wrote: 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? I think succulents absorb some moisture in the air by osmosis. Get enough of them and they will dehumidify a room. Steve AIUI they absorb moisture from the air around their roots, rather than by direct contact with moist soil, hence the need for well aerated open gritty compost with lots of air pockets. Can't see them being much use as dehumidifiers though! That's the way it gets absorb but it has to start somewhere. Steve -- Neural Network Software for Windows http://www.npsnn.com |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 15:32:35 +0100, Phil L wrote:
Chris wrote: I don't know what these things are called, but they smell terrible and look horrible; I cannot see what she sees in them. Well, that's wimmin for you. :-/ do they look like this?; http://tinyurl.com/z2nzy9c Sort of. I'm unable to post photos, but if I had to describe them I'd say they possess all of the aesthetic qualities of stinging nettles but smell even worse. I was at BnQ yesterday and saw some pretentious middle-class housewife proudly wheeling out a similar abomination to her car. Can't for the life of me see the appeal of these things which resemble weeds rather than flowers and smell like cat's ****. Wimmin!! :-/ |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 16:41:56 +0200, Martin wrote:
Does the living room look like this? https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media...s--S_u76l7J--/ c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/18qovhqglcnf8jpg.jpg No. Thank God! |
Houseplants causing damp!
Chris wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 15:32:35 +0100, Phil L wrote: Chris wrote: I don't know what these things are called, but they smell terrible and look horrible; I cannot see what she sees in them. Well, that's wimmin for you. :-/ do they look like this?; http://tinyurl.com/z2nzy9c Sort of. I'm unable to post photos, but if I had to describe them I'd say they possess all of the aesthetic qualities of stinging nettles but smell even worse. I was at BnQ yesterday and saw some pretentious middle-class housewife proudly wheeling out a similar abomination to her car. Can't for the life of me see the appeal of these things which resemble weeds rather than flowers and smell like cat's ****. Wimmin!! :-/ They're cannabis plants. does she smoke and have weird looking friends? |
Houseplants causing damp!
On 24/07/2016 17:19, Chris wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 15:32:35 +0100, Phil L wrote: Chris wrote: I don't know what these things are called, but they smell terrible and look horrible; I cannot see what she sees in them. Well, that's wimmin for you. :-/ do they look like this?; http://tinyurl.com/z2nzy9c Sort of. I'm unable to post photos, but if I had to describe them I'd say they possess all of the aesthetic qualities of stinging nettles but smell even worse. I was at BnQ yesterday and saw some pretentious middle-class housewife proudly wheeling out a similar abomination to her car. Can't for the life of me see the appeal of these things which resemble weeds rather than flowers and smell like cat's ****. Wimmin!! :-/ What might be sold in B&Q is Ricinis communis - deadly poisonous, but still a favourite in municipal beeding - and not normally a house plant. However Phil L was suggesting another species known for its medical and recreational uses which wouldn't be for sale in B&Q. -- SRH |
Houseplants causing damp!
On 24/07/2016 14:23, Chris wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 13:51:35 +0100, Tom Gardner wrote: 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? I can't see it, either. :-/ What about Tillandsia? -- SRH |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 17:52:52 +0100, Phil L wrote:
They're cannabis plants. I very much doubt it. does she smoke and have weird looking friends? She's never smoked a single cigarette in her entire life, doesn't drink any alcohol at all and her friends are totally normal AFAIK! |
Houseplants causing damp!
Tom Gardner wrote:
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. [..] I don't see how a plant can act as a useful dehumidifier in normal UK conditions. Nor do I. If they could, then where would the water go and what would be the physics/chemistry mechanism? You answered your own question above. School botany was a long time ago, but I remember that plants both respire (which gives off water) and photosynthesize (which consumes water). They do the latter more, so the overall effect is to consume water. But sadly for most plants you keep having to add more water to the system to keep them alive. Anyway, some plants can also absorb water from the air, so the only question is whether you could somehow harness this to make a measurable difference to humidity - presumably with a plant that requires minimal additional direct watering. I think not. The best solutions are to add less water and/or to ventilate. Quite. Peter |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 16:14:56 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:
AIUI they absorb moisture from the air around their roots, rather than by direct contact with moist soil, hence the need for well aerated open gritty compost with lots of air pockets. Can't see them being much use as dehumidifiers though! What the hell is this bullshit supposed to mean??? |
Houseplants causing damp!
|
Houseplants causing damp!
|
Houseplants causing damp!
On Mon, 25 Jul 2016 10:02:52 +0100, Janet wrote:
In article , says... On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 15:32:35 +0100, Phil L wrote: Chris wrote: I don't know what these things are called, but they smell terrible and look horrible; I cannot see what she sees in them. Well, that's wimmin for you. :-/ do they look like this?; http://tinyurl.com/z2nzy9c Sort of. Those are cannabis. The smell is a giveaway and may be noticed outside the flat. Your gf could put more than your wallpaper at risk. Definitely not! She's not that sort. Never in a million years. I'll find out the full name of these things from her and get a pic off the net for you. |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 16:19:29 -0000 (UTC), Chris
wrote: On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 15:32:35 +0100, Phil L wrote: Chris wrote: I don't know what these things are called, but they smell terrible and look horrible; I cannot see what she sees in them. Well, that's wimmin for you. :-/ do they look like this?; http://tinyurl.com/z2nzy9c Sort of. I'm unable to post photos, but if I had to describe them I'd say they possess all of the aesthetic qualities of stinging nettles but smell even worse. I was at BnQ yesterday and saw some pretentious middle-class housewife proudly wheeling out a similar abomination to her car. Can't for the life of me see the appeal of these things which resemble weeds rather than flowers and smell like cat's ****. Wimmin!! :-/ I didn't know B&Q have started selling "pot" plants. Steve -- Neural Network Software for Windows http://www.npsnn.com |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 18:08:00 +0100, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
What about Tillandsia? Dunno. You lot are the experts. I've found out what these plants are now: https://www.amazon.com/TROPICA-Umbre...alternifolius- involucratus/dp/B00RUDHZXU/159-5502168-3746260? ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&camp=2 025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00RUDHZXU&linkCo de=xm2&tag=duckduckgo- d-20 I suppose they do look a bit like the cannaibis plants some wag here posted. But they're not. Still f****ing eyesores, though! :( |
Houseplants causing damp!
On 26/07/2016 17:21, Chris wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2016 18:08:00 +0100, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: What about Tillandsia? Dunno. You lot are the experts. I've found out what these plants are now: https://www.amazon.com/TROPICA-Umbre...alternifolius- involucratus/dp/B00RUDHZXU/159-5502168-3746260? ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&camp=2 025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00RUDHZXU&linkCo de=xm2&tag=duckduckgo- d-20 I suppose they do look a bit like the cannaibis plants some wag here posted. But they're not. Still f****ing eyesores, though! :( That link is a bit of a mouthful. You can shorten amazon links like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RUDHZXU And it's a water plant? In a house??? Andy |
Houseplants causing damp!
On Tue, 26 Jul 2016 21:30:43 +0100, Vir Campestris wrote:
That link is a bit of a mouthful. You can shorten amazon links like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RUDHZXU THanks for that. And it's a water plant? In a house??? AFAIK (but I'm NO expert!) there's nothing necessarily wrong with that. HOWEVER, I've been doing a bit more research and it seems this species has a terrifically high water demand, which implies it must belch loads of water vapour out into the atmosphere. I'm guessing therefore that there will not be an alternative plant hygroscopic enough to be able to absorb all that vapour. :( Surely to god they can be put outside and still survive perfectly happily - at this time of the year at any rate?? |
Houseplants causing damp!
On 26/07/2016 21:38, Chris wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jul 2016 21:30:43 +0100, Vir Campestris wrote: That link is a bit of a mouthful. You can shorten amazon links like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RUDHZXU THanks for that. And it's a water plant? In a house??? AFAIK (but I'm NO expert!) there's nothing necessarily wrong with that. HOWEVER, I've been doing a bit more research and it seems this species has a terrifically high water demand, which implies it must belch loads of water vapour out into the atmosphere. I'm guessing therefore that there will not be an alternative plant hygroscopic enough to be able to absorb all that vapour. :( Surely to god they can be put outside and still survive perfectly happily - at this time of the year at any rate?? How the hell anyone can say Cyperus papyrus looks like cannabis I don't know Should have gone to Specsavers. Cyperus is a marsh plant in the wild but can be grown without standing in water all the time, it will grow outside in a sheltered spot over the summer, I've seen it growing around 100 yds from the sea in Tunisia well rooted into sand. Also there is a dwarf form Cyperus papyrus 'Nanus Next thing we know people will be keeping tropical fish in tanks of water in their houses, but then that would raise the humidity. They would have to be mad. |
Houseplants causing damp!
On 26/07/2016 22:57, David Hill wrote:
How the hell anyone can say Cyperus papyrus looks like cannabis I don't know Should have gone to Specsavers. You have to remember that not everybody can tell plants apart on any but the most superficial level - I once had club moss pointed out to me as juniper. -- SRH |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 04:05 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter