Pick the best spots for office plants and lift the mood. Especially after more than three years of uncertainty thanks to the global pandemic. Whether your team is returning to the office for the first time, or you’re just looking to start the year off on a good note, adding some office plants into the mix can be a great way to brighten up the space, a natural way to clean the air, and generally help to boost morale as things start to pick up. Getting the most out of your indoor plants means picking the best spot for them too. Here are some of the factors to consider in your planning, as well as during final execution.
Enough Room to Thrive
Any office plant should always have enough room to thrive. This means keeping at least 15cm between your plants and surrounding furniture. The same goes for the pots they are in. Make sure these aren’t too cramped, and that the roots have enough room to take hold and grow to their full capacity. The portions of the plant that are above ground need enough room to expand. Some plants will eventually take up a large amount of space, so do some research first before buying them to know exactly what you’re working with.
Decent Air Circulation Matters
Aside from practical space considerations, it’s worth noting that the best spots for indoor plants usually include areas with good air circulation. Examples of these are the top surfaces of tables, rooms that have windows that can open (and are opened regularly), or hallways that typically have a lot of foot traffic. Air circulation promotes a few of the essential processes to help plants grow, including transpiration, evaporation and helping the surfaces of the leaves to minimise exposure to excess moisture, which prevents bacteria and fungi from growing and damaging the health of the plant.
Natural and Indirect Lighting
No matter where you put a plant, one of the most important considerations is the amount of natural lighting in the room. Some plants can tolerate a lot of it, others not so much. The first step to buying new plants is to find out exactly what their lighting needs are. Indirect light is generally found in an east-facing window. In summer, south and west-facing windows are good for making sure the scorching rays don’t come into direct contact with the leaves.
Building Towards a Green Wall
Once you’ve gotten the hang of taking care of all your indoor plants at the office, and are more aware of which ones thrive within the confounds of the space you’re working with, it’s worth considering adding a green wall into the mix. These not only send a strong message of professionalism, but will also have a drastic effect on the air quality in the workplace. Living or artificial green walls are great for hosting formal events too, which may even end up bringing a bit of extra income into the business at the same time. As they say, plants can truly do wonders for any and all spaces.