8 Reasons your plants are dying

Indoor office plants bring lush colour and texture to the interior of your office – unless they’re yellowed, brown or shrivelled. Here are 8 reasons your office plants are dying, and why Frenchams indoor office plant hire and guaranteed maintenance solutions might be the answer to all of your problems!

Choosing the wrong plant for your office temperature

It will not surprise you: your plants need the right temperature to grow. Only at the correct temperature the photosynthesis takes place optimally. Few plants will survive in environments less than 12°C. In a similar way, above 24°C is too high for most plants indoors, although outdoors they’re fine. The main reason they are intolerant of higher temperatures indoors is because they don’t have the same conditions, such as air humidity and sun light, which promotes growth without confining the heat.

Not changing the soil frequently enough

Over a period of time, the soil within pot plants breaks down and compacts. All the air spaces previously in the soil are closed, preventing the roots from breathing and the nutrients in the soil start to deplete. This is why the soil in potted plants needs to be changed periodically, so that fresh organic nutrients and micro-organisms are available, and the plant can become healthy again.

Choosing the wrong pot size for your plant

A plant needs to be in a container that has enough room for it to grow, but isn’t too big for its size. If a plant is in a pot that’s too small, its growth will be stunted, roots will become pot-bound and the soil will dry out quickly. Conversely, if plant roots can’t reach the bottom of the pot, excess moisture will collect at the bottom of the container, leading to root rot and a dying plant.

Under-watering or over-watering

Symptoms of both over and under-watering can look very similar.  In both cases, the leaves will turn brown and wilt. Indoor plants generally require less watering than outdoor plants. It’s important to check the soil moisture at least once weekly. Only water your plants when the top 1 – 2 inches of the soil begins to feel dry, but before it dries out completely.

Not fertilising your plant

Over time, as your plants grow, they absorb nutrients and leave the soil less fertile. Unless you are growing plants in their natural habitat and returning all waste matter to the soil, the soil will need to be fertilised to replace lost nutrients. By fertilising your plant, you replenish lost nutrients and ensure that they have the food they need to flourish.

Too much or too little sun light

Not all plants require the same amount of sunlight, but all plants do require sunlight in general, since it is the key driver of growth. Keeping a plant in the wrong light environment will first lead to poor growth and then ultimately lead to death. All plants require different lighting requirements so it’s important to first, analyse the amount of light in your office, and second, choose the correct plant to thrive in that specific lighting environment.

Not grooming the plant

Most plants benefit from some sort of regular pruning and maintenance. It keeps them healthy and encourages fresh, new growth. Dead or dying plant parts need to be removed. They are not only unattractive but also harmful to the plant, as they can provide food and shelter to harmful pests and diseases that could spread to living plant parts.

Not protecting your plants from pests

Indoor plant pests can multiply rapidly and infest plant life throughout the course of a year. A plant and its soil can harbour common garden pests, like spider mites, aphids, ants, whiteflies, pill and mealy bugs, to name just a few, which will all easily kill your plant if you do not protect it.

WHY CHOOSE FRENCHAMS FOR ALL OF YOUR INDOOR PLANT HIRE SOLUTIONS AND MAINTENANCE?

Partnering with a professional plant hire team gives you the freedom to enjoy your piece of nature indoors, while we handle the work. At the Frenchams Group, we are experts on plants and understand exactly what it takes to keep them robust and flourishing for years to come. Our experienced and well-trained consultants can help you choose the best plants for your designated environment, after evaluating your lighting conditions and temperature/humidity levels.

Better yet, our guaranteed maintenance program means that all you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the greenery, while we take care of all of the work. You will never have to worry about forgetting to care for your plants or adding it to the end of your to-do-list. We’ve got everything covered, from watering to cleaning, fertilising, pruning, control of insects and diseases, as well as replacing plants to ensure your indoor plant hire is immaculately presented at all times.