It’s hard to overstate just how transformative it is to have plants in your office.
You see, your leafy teammates aren’t just a nice little addition to the office – they’re borderline essential for a happy, calm work environment. In fact, a greener office can help reduce stress, boost productivity, and even help with concentration. So maybe it’s high time we gave our little green coworkers the care and attention they deserve.
But the office is a tough environment for most plants to thrive in. Fluctuating temperatures, artificial light, and often very dry air from the AC and heating leaves plants feeling all out of synch with the world they belong in. It’s a tough gig for a plant, but don’t worry – looking after office plants doesn’t need to be a tough gig for you!
It’s all about understanding their basic needs and establishing a simple routine. It makes for a good mindfulness break in your busy day, and puts you back in touch with the natural order of things.
Here are some of our top tips on how to have happy, healthy office plants – starting with plants that’ll thrive in your particular office space.
Choosing the right plants for your office
This is the most important bit, and the key is to match plants to your office’s different environments. The biggest challenge in most offices is light, with some having maybe one window, or one edge of windows – if any at all.
Low light plants
In internal offices, natural light can be rarer than hen’s teeth, and basically all light comes from artificial sources. And those are actually no good for most plants – they don’t have any significant UV output, which plants need to photosynthesise and make food.
For those darker corners, or for offices that rely mostly on fluorescent lighting, you need plants that are known for their resilience and low light needs.
And that’s snake plants – the undisputed champions of low-light tolerance. They’re super hardy, very low maintenance, and they look great. Zamioculcas zamiifolia, or ZZ plants, are another fantastic choice. Their glossy, dark green, almond-shaped leaves look beautiful and elegant – but these little brutes practically thrive on neglect, needing very little water and light.
Better light, better options
If you have a bit more natural light available, you’ve got more options. The humble pothos, also known as devil’s ivy, is incredibly forgiving, grows quickly, and its trailing vines look brilliant on a shelf or a filing cabinet.
Peace lilies are also a wonderful choice. They’re great at letting you know when they’re thirsty because they’ll throw a strop and dramatically droop their leaves, but they’ll perk back up again after a good drink!
Quick note if you have office pets; although peace lilies are not “true lilies”, they are toxic to both cats and dogs. They’re not fatally poisonous, as true lilies are (so avoid those especially!), but they will cause terrible pain and discomfort. Best not have them if you have four-legged friends at work!
For those lucky enough to have a sunny windowsill in their office space, you can’t go wrong with a collection of succulents. They love the sun and require very little water, making them a stylish and low-maintenance desk companion.
Classic office plants
For a generally well-lit office, you’ve got even more options. Classic cheese plants, ferns, palms – these are all pretty low-maintenance but really satisfying to have around, with great growth rates and bags of personality. Propagating cheese plants is fun, too – and you can share one with your whole team!
The art of watering
Now, let’s talk about the number one killer of office plants: kindness.
Overwatering is far more common and more dangerous than underwatering. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of watering on a schedule, like every Monday morning – but all that will do is guarantee root rot. Different plants have different needs, and their need for water will change depending on the season, the temperature of the office, and the amount of light they get.
So instead of a schedule, use checks.
The best way to know if your plant needs a drink is to stick your finger about an inch or two into the soil. If it feels dry, it’s time to water. If it still feels damp, leave it be and check again in a few days.
When you do water, give it a thorough soak instead of a “little and often” approach. You need the water to reach the entire root system, but it also needs to drain away effectively. So, if your pot is in a decorative outer pot with no drainage, be sure to tip away any excess water so the plant isn’t left sitting in it. It’s much easier to revive a thirsty plant than a drowned one!
To avoid the chaos of multiple people watering the same plant, it’s a good idea to have a designated office “plant parent”. It could be you, a volunteer, or a rotating responsibility – just make sure someone is consistently checking the soil to keep things on track.
Humidity, dust – and a bit of TLC
Watering is just one piece of the puzzle. Your plants also need a bit of a clean now and then.
Light is their source of energy, and if they’re not getting enough, they’ll start to look a bit sad and leggy. If your plant is reaching for the window, it’s a sign it needs more light, so you might want to move it closer. To encourage even growth, it’s a good habit to give your plant a quarter turn every week or so. That way, all sides get their fair share of the sun.
In an office environment, which is full of movement and people, dust settles on everything, including your plant’s leaves. A layer of dust will block sunlight and slow down the plant’s ability to photosynthesise, so to keep them breathing easy, you should gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or give them a gentle shower in the sink every couple of weeks.
This is also a great time to give your plants a once over, snipping off any yellow, brown, or dead leaves to encourage new, healthy growth.
If your office is air conditioned, the dry recirculated air will be problematic for your plants. Give them a spray with a mister or atomiser once a day if the AC is running – and keep it going in the winter when the heating goes on full blast!
Pests
Even the most well-loved office plant can fall victim to pests. The most common offenders are fungus gnats – annoying little black flies that hover around the soil.
They’re not harmful to humans, but they’re a clear sign that the soil is too damp. Once again, overwatering is to blame. The best first step is to let the soil dry out, then use fly traps to catch the adults and stop their breeding cycle.
Other pests like mealybugs or spider mites can sometimes appear – but a regular wipe down of the leaves will help you spot them early, and you can often treat them with a simple mixture of water and a drop of washing-up liquid.
If you ever spot a bug and aren’t sure what to do, isolate the affected plant to stop the pests from spreading to your other ones.
Looking after office plants isn’t about being perfect – it’s about being consistent and learning to read the signs your plant is giving you. But if you ever find that looking after a team of plants is just one task too many for your busy office, why not talk to a professional? They can even help you choose the right plants as well as taking care of the maintenance.
As for us? Well, let’s leave the plants to clear the air – and we’ll take care of the dust and muck!
Professional Office Cleaning
Get professional office cleaning from The Abbey Cleaning Service – and let’s transform your workspace. Call 029 2067 9323 today for a quote.
