Welp MagazinePlants can transform your workspace into a more peaceful, tranquil and engaging place, but if you’re not very green-fingered, your nice new desk plant could suffer an early demise…
They’re never going to die on you – i.e, they grow on – unlike your monitor sticking up, or your computer keyboard and mouse.
Office plants help to control indoor air conditions, lowering the temperature and lowering the relative humidity. They also help to create a more pleasant atmosphere in your workplace. If you use a plant, people will usually expect you to water it also.
This is a nice way of building client-customer relationships and gaining productivity, as good plants require regular attention helping to generate structure.
Best Office Table Plants
Devil’s Ivy
Aglaonema
Ficus Benjamina
Zamioculcas Zamiifolia
Bromeliads
Philodendron
Peace lily
Benefits of having office table plants
If you have a plant right by your workstation, you can provide your employees a place to unwind and recharge their batteries.
Having nature at their workstation also keeps their workplace clean and fresh.
New research has found that plants can also improve an individual’s productivity levels, while reducing stress levels.
And there are many studies which support the use of plants in the workplace (click here and here for two of them).
Why office plants are a good investment
We’ve all been there. Getting stuck in a boring job or working on something that, for some reason, is really hard to do.
A little bit of greenery in the office can really help to improve productivity. So, it all starts with choosing the right office plants.
Firstly, a desk plant should be well-established so that it will require less care and attention. It should also be relatively small in size (so it doesn’t block the rest of the desk) and relatively low in maintenance.
And if you’re really going to call it a desk plant, we’d recommend it should be a green plant.
It doesn’t matter if your plant is a bamboo or a fern, as long as it’s green, it’s going to promote the same positive benefits.
A green office plant doesn’t have to be expensive.
In fact, you can repurpose a flowering plant from your balcony or terrace as a desk plant. All you need to do is trim the floor-level branches, so the plant will sit at a height that’s suitable for the workplace.
If you’re lucky enough to have a balcony, a flowering balcony planter (we have two to recommend) will fit the bill perfectly.
If not, there are plenty of other cheap office plants on the market. Potted plants can be bought from garden centres or from online retailers like eBay.
Follow these few guidelines when choosing your desk plant
Growth stage (growth tip) – get a plant that’s small enough to fit on the desk. You also want it to be comfortable to work with!
– get a plant that’s small enough to fit on the desk. You also want it to be comfortable to work with! Species – go for a hardy, low-maintenance plant. Avoid any tender or tropical plants, as they will not survive your door, balcony or open windows.
– go for a hardy, low-maintenance plant. Avoid any tender or tropical plants, as they will not survive your door, balcony or open windows. Location – think about your schedule. Do you want the plant to stay in a pot on your desk? Or will it be in a pot on your window sill? Ideally, it should be in a pot that’s directly facing the window. A sunny room is chock full of vitamin D, which is good for your office plants.
– think about your schedule. Do you want the plant to stay in a pot on your desk? Or will it be in a pot on your window sill? Ideally, it should be in a pot that’s directly facing the window.
“A sunny room is chock full of vitamin D, which is good for your office plants. Decorate in advance – your desk should be left clear so your plant can breathe,”
Tim Hortons
Pots are available in various grades of materials and sizes. For tanks, go for the plastic variety which will be easy to clean and won’t leak.
Benefits of desk plants
While it may not be the most important element of the equation for making a good investment, there are a number of benefits to having desk plants.
The air quality in an office can be hard on plants, causing them to become stressed and to exhibit signs of indoor illness.
Plants also make a nice addition to a workplace. They’re attractive and look great on the desk, they serve as an extra slimming measure and they are cheap to look after.
Further, they can be an effective stress reliever and morale booster.
How to choose the best office plants
Choosing the best office plants for your environment is all about sustainability.
While some plants can tolerate a variety of conditions and environments, you should be aware that they will always require some care and attention.
A tropical plant that grows like a weed in the pot-filled room will not thrive if moved to a dryer environment.
The best growth tip is easy to find – if you kNow the right kind of plant for your workplace. The growth tip is a tiny area at the tip end of the plant that’s usually green or with a greener hue.
You will also need to choose the right pot. Try to go for a fairly flat container, as the beautiful cactus which works on your desk will look its most natural when displayed in a 7-inch pot.
Plant care
Determine your requirements:
- Does it need to display in the window? Or can it stay in a pot?
- Would it still make a good planter on your balcony?
- How tall is the plant?
- Will it be in a pot? Or in a glass jar on the windowside?
- What colour will you paint the container?
For plants that are going to sit in a terrarium on your balcony, you should ask yourself what the container is made of and how easy it is to clean.
The glass variety is definitely a good option. It will not have any issues with staying fresh and not leaving light reflect in the glass too much.
If the plant will live in a potted plant basket, you’ll be able to rotate it to get a different view of your air exchange system.
What work does the plant need?
If you’re using a desk plant in a window, you should make it a point to open the window all the way so the plant gets as much fresh air as possible.
If you have a plant on your desk, you should make little space so it can breathe freely.
Having a plant on the windowside works best when your office is in direct sunlight.
A desk plant works best when placed in a visibly patterned or dark background. A vibrant plant in a bright office is a problem.
When you have a plant on you desk, you should look for low, flat containers so the plant has enough height to display itself properly.
Be sensible when placing your office plant on the desk and place it directly in front of you.
Put it as close as possible to your workstation and not too close to your coworkers.
Inspect the plant regularly
Give your desk plant some of your time each week.
Give it a bit of TLC and it will respond.
When you notice any uncharacteristic behaviour on the plant, it’s a good idea to start checking what’s going wrong.
Vacuum the plant regularly. When the plant grows out, trim the structure. This will ensure that you have a happy office plant that works as hard as you do.
Advantages of Office Table Plants
Office plants help to control indoor air conditions, lowering the temperature and lowering the relative humidity. They also help to create a more pleasant atmosphere in your workplace. If you use a plant, people will usually expect you to water it also. This is a nice way of building client-customer relationships and gaining productivity, as good plants require regular attention.
They add color and mood to the room. Plants and trees help to create an oasis of calm and serenity in the workplace. Plants are often associated with de-stressing, peace and privacy.
They can reduce indoor air allergens. Indoor plants help to filter the air, increasing oxygenation and keeping the air fresh. Plant dust is less allergenic than pollen, meaning that small flowers or leaves can be just as allergenic as larger creatures such as dust mites!
They offer a physical solution to stress, obesity and climate change. Reduce the physical demand on your body by adding plants and trees to the office space. While your muscles are automatically engaged with the work, you can enjoy the relaxation of the musing pleasure of the tree or plant.
They add privacy and personalization to the space. Plants and trees in your workplace can help you to create a work environment that is specifically aimed at your needs. Large plants and trees can be used to give privacy in the space and open up the space for informal meetings and gatherings in the space.
They are eco-friendly. Planting trees and plants helps to minimize CO2 and humidity in your workplace. Keeping plants helps to reduce the carbon footprint in your workplace, meaning that the carbon released from the plants can be considered “neutral.”
Sprucing Up Your Office with a Flowering Plant
Create a lifestyle that includes working outside of the office! Whether it is in your garden, at the end of the street or wherever you feel is best for you, make it a habit to relax and unwind outside of work. Some plants like the Myeon or dwarf palm, can be great for offices. They produce a vast array of colors each year and even can appear differently in different seasons.
When you are working in an office environment, you are probably putting in long hours of intensive work. These stressful changes can leave your body on autopilot, causing you to develop problems such as fatigue and other symptoms. You could also be working from a home office, most likely in your living room or bedroom. Although these environments have been proven to boost productivity, there really isn’t a good reason to work for hours on end.
Another reason that you are thinking of switching to working from home is boredom. Stress and boredom are two big reasons why people often decide to work from home. You could take up gardening and Arborist work as a way of beating the boredom at home or you could brainstorm some ideas for unique decoration to brighten up your room.
Keep this in mind in your office space self-improvement:
Do you need to replace your desk? Perhaps you have too much paperwork on your desk. It is possible that your desk is too small for the amount of work that you have to do. Try creating a home office space with a small table and a work chair. Work on a small area for a while so that you can get used to working somewhere else. This will help you to think about how to best maximize your space.
By experimenting with different desk and work spaces you can come up with a space that can be easily overworked without affecting your productivity.
Managing your flowers can be a big job. Make sure that you have a pot that is big enough to hold your flower plants.
Some flowers such as poinsettias also need to be taken indoors in the winter. You may even consider a special electric heater.
It is always a good idea to check the soil and drainage of the pot. It is also good to periodically check the root system for signs of pest or disease.
Reduce the stress by getting away from your office. Instead of working at home, look for work spaces that allow you to exercise.
