If you’re keeping plants in your home and you need to flick the fans on, you might start to get concerned about whether this could be harmful to the plants you are growing.
Rapidly moving air, powered by electricity, is something that houseplants have not evolved to deal with, so it is critical you understand the effects fans can have on your plants.
So, Here’s If Fans Are Bad for Plants or Not:
Fans are not harmful to plants as long as they aren’t blowing directly at the plant and only producing a moderate breeze, without causing strong winds or major temperature fluctuations. However, a strong fan positioned to close or one that blows artificially chilled air can easily damage the plant.
There are many types of fans that can have very different effects. Luckily, we’ve compiled all the answers you need to know:
Are Ceiling Fans, Small Fans, Powerful Fans Bad For Plants?
On the whole, fans are not bad for plants, but there are many different kinds of fans, so it may make a difference what kind of fan you are using.
Be mindful of the plant’s proximity to the fan, as well as how strong the fan is.
Ceiling Fans
On the whole, ceiling fans are okay for plants that are not directly below them or kept in very close proximity.
A ceiling fan will simply create air movement inside the room, and unless your fan is extremely strong, the breeze will probably hardly affect your plants.
Powerful Fans
A powerful fan that is close to your plant could certainly be bad for it, yes.
Really powerful fans may cause:
- Reduced ability for the plant to photosynthesize
- Slow plant growth
- Risk of wind burn
- High rates of transpiration
Being aware of these risks should make it easier for you to keep your plants safe, but it’s important not to put a plant too close to a fan that outputs a powerful blast of air.
Small Fans
It’s unlikely that a small fan will be powerful enough to do damage to your plant, and indeed, it could even be helpful.
A gentle breeze may mimic the outdoor conditions and help the plant stay healthy by reducing the risk of mold.
Can A Fan Beat Directly On Your Plant?
It’s best not to let a fan blast your plants directly, even if it is a fairly mild breeze. This could damage the leaves and may cause the plant to dry out more quickly. Instead, direct fans to the center of the room, or turn the blast toward a wall to deflect the air and reduce the disruption.
While a little air movement is fine, a perpetual current of moving air could stress your plant out, as this is not mimicking a natural environment for it.
Do Fans Dry Out Plants?
Yes, a fan will cause a plant to dry out more quickly than if the air is still. This can lead to the plant constantly being thirsty, and you needing to water it more regularly. Be aware if you have a fan going and check that your plant is not getting too dry.
Even if the fan is only directed at the leaves, it will evaporate water from them.
If you’ve ever hung washing outside on a windy day, you’ll have witnessed the exact effect that the air is having.
The more air moves, the more quickly it will pull moisture from the surrounding environment, including the plant’s leaves and soil.
Will A Fan Dry The Soil?
Yes, if a fan is directed at the soil of the plant, it will dry this out too. It will not be able to suck moisture out of a deep pot very quickly, but it will gradually evaporate water from the surface.
Water from lower down will then soak upward, and also get evaporated.
It will take a long time for a fan to dry out a deep pot of wet compost, but it will gradually do so, especially if it is powerful and it creates a lot of air movement.
Can A Fan Kill Your Plant?
In theory, a fan could kill your plant, especially if the plant is small or other conditions are unfavorable. The constant air movement will stress the plant out and make it harder for it to grow, and will drain the moisture from the soil.
Furthermore, because fans may make it harder for plants to photosynthesize, in extreme circumstances, a fan could prevent a plant from growing, and this might result in death.
It’s not likely that this would kill most healthy plants, but it theoretically could happen.
However, a very strong fan pointed directly at the plant, coupled with low room temperatures can make even the strongest of plants sickly.
How Far Away Should A Fan Be From Your Plants?
Making sure that a plant is a good distance from the fans you are using will help to reduce the impact that the fan has on the plant.
Ceiling Fans
How far the plant needs to be from the fan ceiling fan will depend on how strong the fan is, but overall, a few feet from a ceiling should be reasonable for most plants.
You will probably not be able to reposition your ceiling fan, but you can choose to put a plant near the edge of the room instead of in the center.
You might wish to walk around the room and check where the breeze is strongest so that you can put your plant in a more sheltered spot.
Powerful Fans
The more powerful a fan is, the further you should put it from the plant. If you have a particularly strong fan, you should place it at least a few feet away from the plant.
A small current is fine, but if the leaves are constantly being disturbed by the breeze, it is probable that the fan is too close.
As a guide, check the movement of the leaves and if they are shaking even slightly, move the plant further away.
Small Fans
Placing a small fan near your plant should not be an issue. Because the breeze from most small fans is gentle, you probably only need to leave about a foot between the fan and the plant.
Again, check how much air movement is being caused by the fan’s breeze, and move the plant if its leaves are shaking.
How Long Should You Leave The Fan On Plants?
The length of time will vary depending on the plant and the fan, but as a rough guide, it’s probably a good idea to turn it off after an hour or two.
It’s best to only subject your plant too short breezes, as would be common in their natural environment.
Rainforest plants might be more sensitive to breezes, and you should limit how much air movement their leaves get – although they will still benefit from some.
Can A Fan Cause Windburn?
Yes, a fan can cause windburn. This will cause the leaves of the plant to curl under, and may make them dry out as the moisture is pulled away. In some plants, this will lead to crispiness and brown spots.
Windburn is a lot more likely to occur if the temperatures are low.
If the plant’s leaves are shaking under the air of the fan and they are starting to curl under, move your plant away immediately and it will bounce back in a few days.
Do Plants Like Moving Air?
Most plants will benefit from a small amount of moving air, yes. Plants do best under conditions that mimic their natural environment, so a gentle breeze surrounding them will help them grow.
Few plants really dislike breezes, although rainforest plants will be intolerant of cold winds.
Does A Fan Help Plants Grow?
A fan can have an indirect positive impact on a plant, because it will help to reduce the risk of fungal infections. Other than that, it is unlikely a fan will have any noticeable effect on improving a plant’s growth.
Sometimes, it can have the opposite effect.
For example, most rainforest plants require warmer temperatures than a fan will allow, so be careful about this.
A little air circulation is okay, but it’s important to keep the room warm and to prevent your plant from getting chilled, especially if it is native to a warm environment.
Can Fans Make Plants Stronger?
It is possible that moving air will encourage a plant to grow stronger stems, since weaker ones would get snapped.
However, little study has been done to prove this in indoor plants, and it is unlikely to have a noticeable impact.
When Do You Need A Fan For Your Plant?
You are unlikely to ever need a fan for your plant unless you have no natural air movement in the room and the plant likes humidity.
Humid environments increase the risk of fungi forming, and occasional air movement will help to prevent fungal infections.
Most plants will thrive without increased airflow, but the general movement of people in the room will usually be sufficient.
Fans Vs Fresh Air For Plants
Outdoor air is superior to air movement created by a fan because it allows CO2 and oxygen levels to balance, and prevents either one from getting too concentrated in the plant’s vicinity.
Keeping interior doors open will have a similar effect of helping the air to move around and balance out.
Many people prefer to open a window for their plants to provide air circulation, and they are not wrong, most times giving fresh air to plants is far superior to using a fan.
In winter, a fan might be a better option, especially if your plant is sensitive to temperature fluctuations.
Fresh air is far more important for houseplants than people think.
If you want to know more on the subject, click here to check out my very detailed article.
Final Thoughts
Fans are not directly bad for plants, and they can actually be good.
However, a strong and persistent breeze might be harmful to a plant, especially if it prefers warm temperatures and a humid environment.
As long as a fan is not directed at your plant but is just creating a gentle current and moving the air in the rest of the room, this should be beneficial to your plants.