How to Care for Office Houseplants

Do you have houseplants in your office or business but aren't sure how to keep them looking green and happy?

Your office plants need ongoing care and maintenance to keep them looking healthy and happy. But when you have a lot going on in the office it can be easy to let things slip until leaves go brown, start to drop or look unhappy. 

Bringing nature into your workplace can transform not only the space, but people's wellbeing too. If you have invested in plants for your office workspace you'll want to keep them thriving.

There is some evidence that houseplants can help purify the air, and remove toxins. Although you'd need a LOT of plants to do this, just having them around can give a psychological boost.

A study conducted by Easy Offices even proved that green offices could even help with attendance too.

 

"A greener office space could reduce sick days per person per year by 1.6 days."

Research also suggests that greenery in the workplace can lead to increased productivity and creativity. It's a simple yet effective way to empower your team to do their best work.

 

• Plants can boost productivity by 15%
• 31% say that plants help them concentrate
• Offices with natural elements have a 15% higher creativity score

 

In this article I'm going to talk about a few ways you can keep your indoor plants looking good and growing strong in your office space. 

 

How to keep your office plants happy

 

Below our some of our top tips to keep your office houseplant collection thriving in your space.

Watering your office plants

Proper watering is the number one priority for your office plants. But don't just water when you feel like! 

1. Always check before your water

Don't stick to a watering schedule. Each plant has differing needs and the only way to be sure is to stick your finger in the soil and check. If the top inch is dry then it's time to water.

2. Water thoroughly

When you do water, give your plants a good soak until water starts trickling out of the pot's bottom. This ensures every root gets a refreshing drink. Make sure you remove any standing water from the inside pot. 

We prefer to stand some plants in a tray of water to let them soak up water from the bottom. This prevents mould build up around the top of the plant and can help reduce pests. 

3. Determine the office waterer

Consider designating an office plant water monitor. It could be you, a trusty team member, or even a rotating responsibility. Just make sure someone's checking soil moisture to keep things on track.

4. Use Good Water

Stick to room-temperature water for your plants. Cold water can shock your plants. If you're using tap water, let it sit for a day to let chlorine dissipate. Rainwater is the absolute best for your plants, but that can be difficult to bring into an office environment. However, if you have space in a courtyard for a water butt that would be ideal.

5. Keeping the humidity right

Office environments can get by quite dry, which won't be very good for your indoor plants. Most houseplants sold in the UK tend to be rainforest floor dwellers and therefore like things to be humid! This is hard to achieve when air conditioning and heating may be centrally controlled. But here are a few things you can do:

Huddle plants together

Try grouping your plants together. This will create a mini-humid micro-environment, which can be a lifesaver in dry office conditions.

Make your own water trays

You can also boost the humidity around your plants be sitting them on top of trays filled with water and some pebbles. As the water evaporates, it boosts humidity around the plant.

Try some morning mist

Misting can also help increase the humidity around your plants too.

6. Pest Management

Despite being indoors, your plants can still get pests like mealybugs, spider mites, or fungus gnats. You'll need to get on top of things to stop them becoming a nuisance. We recommend ensuring your plant pots have proper drainage, aren't overwatered and that plant hygiene is maintained. 

7. Light management

Different plants have different light preferences. You'll need to make sure that your plants are in the right location to optimise their growing. 

Low-light lovers

For low-light offices, consider plants like Snake Plants, ZZ Plants, or Peace Lilies—that can all thrive with minimal light.

Indirect sun fans

If your office has some light but not direct sun, go for plants like Pothos (Devil's Ivy) and Spider Plants. Place them near windows with sheer curtains to filter the light.

Sun soakers

If you have lots of natural sunlight in your office space then you could have sun loving plants like succulents and cacti—desert lovers that will enjoy the bright light.

Office houseplant maintenance from The Green East Northern Ireland

If this all seems a bit too much? Why not delegate the plant care to experts?

At The Green East, we offer a comprehensive plant care service tailored to your specific needs. We can come in on a regular basis to manage your office plants. From watering and trimming to pest control and health check-ups, we've got your plants covered.

We help businesses in Belfast and across Northern Ireland maintain lush green environments that their customers and employees love.

To find out how to keep your plants productive, healthy and lush, give us a call or drop us an email.