This air plant sea creature is amazingly simple to put together.
Will yours be a jellyfish, hermit crab or something in-between?

Cool fact: Air plants can live for several years but only bloom once in their lifetime.
Soon after flowering they will die, but when they die they release ‘pups’ which are baby air plants.

What you need:

• An air plant
  (you can get one at most garden centres)

• An empty shell

• String or fishing wire (optional)

• Spray bottle (to water your plant)

What to do:

1. Choose an air plant that looks like tentacles or sea creature legs. You will find them at most garden centers. They seem to be priced according to size, so the smaller the cheaper.

2. Find a shell that has a deep and small space to push your air plant into.
   Kina shells look like jellyfish tops so they work well, but you could also use any other shell.
   You must ALWAYS make sure a shell has no signs of life before taking it home.

3. Soak your shell in warm water to clean it, you can also scrub it with an old toothbrush if needed and then leave it to dry.

4. If there is a hole in your shell you can tie it to fishing wire ready to hang it, this is optional.

5. Put your air plant sea creature together by carefully pushing the roots and base of your air plant into your shell. That’s it!

How to look after your Air Plant:

Air Plants belong to a group of plants called epiphytes. They use their roots to attach to other plants and they get all of their nutrients through their foliage from the air.

Where to keep them

Air plants should be kept inside in a place with bright but indirect light.

How to water them

If you are someone that forgets to water your plants or if misting isn’t enough for your plant then you can try the soak method. Take your plant out from the shell and submerge it in a bowl of water once a week for about 5-10 minutes. Then place them upside down on a towel to drain and dry for several hours.

What to look for

• When an air plant is too dry its leaves may be paler, smaller, rolled or wrinkled.

• If your plant becomes brown on the tips of its leaves, this is a sign you need to water it a bit more, you can also trim these ends off.

• When they are happy and well watered they will have bigger leaves and may even be a more vibrant colour.