How to Take Care of Your Garden’s Shrub Pruning

Shrub pruning can initially seem daunting, but once you delve into it, you’ll discover how thoroughly it can transform your garden. Mastering this essential skill is necessary if you desire abundant, healthy growth and vibrant blooms. The right gardening techniques can unlock beautifully sculpted forms in your backyard.

While different plants may have specific pruning requirements, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals, equipping you with the knowledge and expert tips to prune your shrubs successfully.

We will cover the following:

What is shrub pruning?
How to get started with pruning
Pinching
Thinning
Heading
Shearing
Light pruning vs. hard pruning
Which pruning method is right for me?
Key takeaways

What Is Shrub Pruning?

Pruning involves purposefully removing specific parts of a plant to achieve various objectives. It enhances the plant’s visual appeal, manages its size, promotes increased flower or leaf production, improves light penetration and air circulation, and contributes to overall plant health by eliminating dead or diseased sections.

When you remove the terminal shoot, pruning disrupts apical dominance, a term commonly used in horticulture. This process stimulates the growth of lateral buds, resulting in new shoots that contribute to a fuller and more robust plant.

How Do I Get Started Pruning My Garden?

Begin by pruning your woody plant in a specific order: dead, damaged, diseased, and structured. Removing dead, damaged, or diseased branches is crucial for the plant’s aesthetics and overall health. Next, eliminate any cross-branching or suckering branches that emerge from the plant’s base. Doing so allows the plant to channel its energy into your desired branches. Once these steps are completed, assess your plant’s needs, such as further pruning for shape, size control, flower production, or aesthetic appeal.

Different plants require various shrub pruning techniques based on their type, age, health, and size or shape concerns. However, a common plant care practice is always cutting back to just above a node. A node is a specific point on a plant stem from which one or more leaves emerge, often appearing as a slight swelling or knob. Keep reading for a brief introduction to the 4 most popular pruning methods.

Do you need help revitalizing your outdoor garden?

Browse Our Gallery

1) Pruning Method #1: Pinching

As the name suggests, pinching involves gently removing the terminal bud at the end of a stem using your thumb and forefinger. This action halts the upward growth of the stem, encouraging the development of bushier growth.

Pinching is typically performed on annuals, perennials, and certain small-leafed shrubs to promote compact and lush foliage.

2) Pruning Method #2: Thinning

Thinning cuts are commonly used during maintenance pruning and primarily focus on shaping the plant’s appearance. This technique entails completely removing a shoot or limb back to its point of origin on the main branch or lateral.

Implementing thinning cuts encourages new growth at the unaffected shoot tips while lateral bud development and regrowth are suppressed. Thinning cuts can help you shorten limbs, improve light penetration within the plant, reveal attractive branch structures and decorative bark, and direct the growth of shoots or limbs.

3) Pruning Method #3: Heading

Heading cuts are employed less frequently but are vital in controlling the plant’s growth pattern. This pruning method removes the terminal portion of shoots or limbs, stimulating the growth of buds located just below the cut.

Heading cuts are particularly refreshing, resulting in dense and compact growth, but they can also alter the plant’s natural form. This technique is commonly used for formally pruned hedges. Heading cuts also shape the plant, redirect growth in a desired direction, control the overall size, and increase density by promoting the growth of side stems.

4) Pruning Method #4: Shearing

Shearing is a variation of heading cuts that focus not on cutting back to a specific bud. Instead, this technique stimulates numerous buds to produce new growth, which requires regular repetition once you commence.

Since shearing involves cutting through leaves, it is best suited for small-leafed plants, as any resulting leaf damage is less noticeable. Regular shearing helps maintain a neat and compact appearance, but it should be noted that it may lead to a loss of the plant’s natural form.

Ready to upgrade your outdoor space?

Get In Touch

Light Pruning vs. Hard Pruning

While shrubs are generally resilient and unlikely to see severe damage from incorrect pruning, it’s important to get it right first. Let’s delve into some plant care terminology and distinguish between light and hard pruning.

Light pruning involves trimming back each stem to approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of its total length, aiming for a pair of strong buds or a bud facing away from the center of the plant. This method also includes the removal of any diseased stems and ensuring an open and airy center. Sometimes, a light prune may entail cutting out up to one-third of the total number of stems. This routine maintenance should happen every 3-4 years to promote healthy growth and shape the shrub.

On the other hand, hard pruning involves more drastic measures. It requires cutting back all the stems, leaving only 2-3 buds as close to the base as possible. Additionally, up to one-third of the least healthy stems should completely fall off. After a hard prune, you should nourish the shrub through feeding and mulching to aid in rejuvenation. Hard pruning is most appropriate when a plant has become overgrown or lost its desired shape.

Which Shrub Pruning Method Is Right For Me?

Now that we’ve clarified the differences between light pruning and hard pruning, let’s outline a standard procedure to determine which method your garden needs:

Always prune approximately 1/4″ to 1/2″ above a node, which is the point where a leaf joins a stem. Dormant buds, responsible for new stem growth, are located at nodes.
Avoid pruning below or between two nodes, as this leaves a stub. The internode section between nodes cannot generate new stems and is prone to infection, rotting, or becoming unsightly.
Choose nodes with buds facing away from the center of the plant, and in the direction you desire them to grow. This approach helps prevent cross-branching and encourages proper growth patterns.
Avoid cutting a branch off flush with the trunk or stem. Instead, leave a slightly swollen area known as the collar, where a branch joins the main trunk or a larger branch. The collar contains specialized tissue that quickly seals the pruning wound and promotes healing. Always ensure the protection of the collar during pruning.

Key Takeaways

Having the right equipment can make the task more efficient regarding shrub pruning tools. A hedge trimmer with extended reach and a pivoting cutting head is ideal for trimming tall hedges. That way, you can reach those difficult areas of the plant. Look for string trimmers that accept hedge trimmer attachments to maximize functionality.

For pruning mature and overgrown shrubs, start by removing the thickest branches. Cut them back to the base of the shrub to encourage new growth and rejuvenation. Hand pruners are perfect for smaller branches, while long-handled loppers provide leverage for cutting branches 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Explore gardening or hardware stores for various hand-pruning tools and gather more information.

Remember to cut with the branch deep in the pruner’s or lopper’s jaws to exert greater cutting force. Make clean cuts to promote quicker healing for the plant. If you live in an area that experiences regular snowfall, consider shaping your hedges and shrubs with rounded tops to minimize heavy snow accumulation.

You can maintain healthy and visually appealing shrubs and hedges with the right shrub pruning tools and techniques. Happy pruning!

See how we can transform your garden today!

View Our Other Plant Care Tips

Boston Fabrication Specialists

Foliaire is a full-service interior and exterior greenscape prefabrication firm in Boston’s historic South End. For over 40 years, we’ve provided award-winning urban landscaping services in the Boston Metro area.

We customize and plan our exterior landscape designs to fit your unique space and tastes. That’s how we’ve built a reputation of unparalleled style and elegance for corporate plantscaping and rooftop gardens.

In addition, we’ve received several environmental design awards and have appeared in several publications. You can find us in Architectural Digest, House and Garden, Horticulture, and Interiorscape.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

How Corporate Gardens Can Improve Your Workplace

With employees returning to the office after working from home for the majority of the year, you are no doubt wondering how you can improve their working experience. Adding a corporate garden to any office can do wonders for your employees and their well-being.

Our team knows that plants can transform any space. That’s why we create stunning corporate plantscaping designs that your employees will love seeing daily. Today we will discover how corporate gardens can improve your workplace and why you should consider investing in one.

What We’ll Cover:

What is a corporate garden?
Which types of plants appear in corporate gardens?
Reduce stress
Promote socialization
Improve attention and focus
Enhance air quality
Boost inspiration and creativity
Promote employee attendance
Absorb background noise
Key takeaways

What Is a Corporate Garden?

A corporate garden is an outdoor space designed and maintained by a corporation or business organization to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the office building, provide a space for employees to relax, and promote environmental sustainability. Corporate gardens can take many forms, ranging from urban landscaping and vertical gardens to ground-level gardens and courtyards.

The structure of a corporate garden is typically designed to create a sense of serenity and relaxation. Walkways and paths are often installed to guide visitors through the space, while benches and seating areas are strategically placed to encourage contemplation and reflection. Water features such as fountains or small ponds can also be added to create a calming atmosphere and provide a focal point for the garden.

The aesthetic of a corporate garden is meant to promote a sense of tranquility and natural beauty. Plants are carefully selected and arranged to create a harmonious balance of color and texture. At the same time, seating areas and water features are placed to enhance the overall visual impact of the space. Whether used for a quick break or a stroll, a well-designed corporate garden can provide employees and visitors with a much-needed respite from the stresses of the workplace.

Which Types of Plants Appear in Corporate Gardens?

Commonly, corporate gardens feature a range of plant species, such as perennials, shrubs, and trees. Often, the plant selection will be chosen based on factors such as hardiness, water requirements, and aesthetic appeal. Trees like magnolias, Japanese maples, and flowering dogwoods are popular in corporate gardens, while perennials like black-eyed Susans, lavender, and daylilies are also commonly included.

Additionally, succulents, herbs, and edible plants like tomatoes and basil may be grown in corporate gardens to promote a sustainable and eco-friendly workplace. The overall aesthetic of a corporate garden will depend on the business’s branding. Still, often it will reflect the surrounding environment, be designed to be relaxing and tranquil, and complement the building’s architecture.

Improve employee and client retention with plantscaping

Browse Our Gallery

Corporate Gardens Reduce Stress

Corporate gardens offer your team the chance to escape their desk and connect to nature at any point of the day. Getting outside for a walk or a proper lunch break can often feel impossible. This is particularly true in high-pressure companies with endless deadlines.

Your greenscaping design will play a huge role in reducing the stress your team feels. This visual stimulation will allow employees to ground themselves and reconnect with the world around them. In time, they’ll see that their problems aren’t as bad as they thought. They’ll be able to return to work in a better frame of mind.

Corporate Gardens Are a Social Hub

Depending on the size of your new corporate garden, you’ll soon find this becomes a central hub for social activity in your office. We’ve all spent so much of the past year in front of computers at home. Now, it’s time for everyone to reconnect.

When employees can speak to colleagues in a social setting, they’ll grow their relationships. This development positively impacts trust and teamwork, which benefits any organization. Thanks to your interior plant design, you’ll give your team a new place to interact.

Corporate Gardens Improve Your Employees’ Attention Span

One surprising benefit of adding a sophisticated interior planting design is that your team’s attention span will soon increase. Urban environments are full of overwhelming stimuli. These stimuli result in your team losing the ability to focus on even the most basic tasks. We often believe that every email we receive needs a reply straight away.

However, when you’re in the presence of calming office plantscaping like living walls, you can refresh your mind and focus. This simple stimulus works to overcome the constant sensory overload we feel daily while working in our offices.

Corporate Gardens Offer Improved Air Quality

As well as the improvements to your team’s work and well-being, a huge benefit of adding interior plantscaping to any office is the improved air quality. This quality is critical for anyone who works within a large city, as pollution is a common concern for business owners.

In the long run, your employees feel more energized and engaged. The addition of nature to their office space will promote focus. We can all play our small part in overcoming the current air quality issues. Plants are a great way to combat this in any office space.

Do you need help revitalizing your corporate office?

Browse Our Gallery

Corporate Gardens Will Inspire Your Team

Have you ever hit a wall when working on a new project? Tunnel vision can leave you unable to come up with creative ideas. When you add a luxury interior plant design, you’ll find that your team has something to gaze at during moments of daydreaming. Nature is one of the best ways to find new ideas. If you’ve ever been on a walk when you’re feeling stressed, you’ll know the feeling.

If your team cannot leave the office and go to a nearby park at lunchtime, your corporate garden is the next best thing. They’ll enjoy admiring it from a distance and then close up. The garden offers an alternative to adding artwork to an office for inspiration.

Corporate Gardens Create a More Welcoming Environment

After spending the past year working from home, many employees struggle to return to the office. They soon became used to the cozy feeling of working from home, and it’s been quite a challenge to transition back to work all day in the workplace.

You can help to ease this transition by adding interior planting design elements that resemble plants they have at home. Our team will work with you to select some of the most popular interior plantscaping solutions. Overall, our goal is to give your employees a sense of comfort every time they walk through the door.

Corporate Gardens Absorb Background Noise

Many employees complain that they cannot concentrate in the workplace due to the endless chatter and noise in the building. With more open-plan offices than ever, the number of distractions for your team makes it almost impossible to complete the most basic tasks.

Adding an interior plant design to your office will help to absorb some of this noise and create a calmer working environment. It’s a good solution for any space with exposed concrete floors and walls. This way, you don’t have other options to overcome this challenge. You’ll want to place larger plants around the space to experience this benefit. Most importantly, you’ll want to create a place where your employees enjoy working daily.

Key Takeaways

For many reasons, a corporate garden is one of the best investments any company could make for its employees. If you’re unsure where to start when it comes to interior planting design, our team can help. We can work within your current office setup to create office plantscaping designs that will offer all the benefits we shared above.

In time, you’ll find that your employees will notice a huge reduction in their stress levels and enjoy increased productivity and creativity. Interior plantscaping is useful to offices of all shapes and sizes. It’s never too late to start making your workplace a more enjoyable place to spend time.

Ready to see the benefits of a corporate garden?

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

Foliaire is a full-service interior and exterior greenscaping design firm in Boston’s historic South End. For over 40 years, we’ve provided award-winning urban garden and Boston fabrication services in the Boston Metro area.

We customize and plan our urban landscaping projects and interior plant design to fit your unique space and tastes. That’s how we’ve built a reputation of unparalleled style and elegance for corporate plantscaping.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

What Is Plantscaping?

As large segments of the American workforce continue to work in a hybrid office schedule, corporate plantscaping has become an emerging trend. If you aren’t familiar with interior plantscaping, we’ll explore how interior plant design can elevate health, morale, and productivity.

Adding interior planting design elements throughout your office space will create a more welcoming and sophisticated first impression for visitors and employees.

What We’ll Cover:

Installing a plantscape in your office
How indoor plantscaping improves air quality
Size
Location
Color
Repetition
Quality
Key takeaways

How to Add a Plantscape to Your Office

Plantscaping is another way to describe interior planting design. Any office can benefit from this solution, which offers aesthetic and environmental advantages. For the best office plantscaping solution, we recommend using a variety of plant species.

You can also include unique structures such as living walls. These walls often have practical benefits and can visually divide your office space. Tall plants can make a space appear even larger, whereas groups of plants go well where people congregate. You’ll also notice acoustic and thermal benefits after adding plants.

How Indoor Plantscaping Improves Air Quality

Poor air quality is one of humanity’s biggest issues when working in a busy city. Research suggests that the air you breathe daily at work immediately impacts your cognitive function. However, adding indoor plantscapes can help you play your part in improving air quality in your workspace.

Even buildings with excellent air filtration systems have areas to improve upon, where indoor plantscaping comes into play. Research suggests houseplants remove toxins from buildings within 24 hours of installation, as with urban gardens.

When considering plants to improve air quality, the spider plant is one of the top options for cleansing the air. Interior planting design solutions often incorporate this plant, which is easy to add to a desk or windowsill. The plant’s moisture can boost a room’s humidity while filtering out TCE, benzene, and other toxins.

Aloe vera and Boston fern are other options to consider, and their smaller size makes them perfect for the office plantscape. The more plants you can add to a space, the more you’ll notice the advantages of interior plantscaping.

Do you need help furnishing your office or storefront?

Browse Our Gallery

The 5 Key Elements of Interior Plantscaping

Regarding interior plant design, you should keep certain factors in mind. Interior planting design isn’t the same as updating your outdoor garden, so you must consider this when selecting the plants for your office space. The following are a few of the most important areas to consider when adding interior plantscaping to any space:

1) Size

One of the essential aspects of interior plantscaping is the size of the plants. The size of the plants you choose will depend on your working space. If the room is small, then you should choose plants that are smaller in size, such as ferns or succulents.

Larger rooms can accommodate bigger plants like palm trees or ficus trees. The size of the plants should also be in proportion to the size of the container they are in. The plant should not be too big or too small for the pot it is placed in.

Before selecting plants to add to your office, measure the size of your room. You don’t want to select a plant that looks excessively big in the space, as this can feel overwhelming. On the other hand, a small plant, such as a potted cactus, can feel far too small. Match your plant selection to the height of the ceiling and the size of the window.

If you are lucky enough to benefit from high ceilings in your office, living walls are an exciting feature to add. You’ll need enough space for the wall to fit safely without making the room look too dark and gloomy.

For example, the plants you choose should reach no further than halfway from the floor to the ceiling. You should avoid obscuring more than one-third of the window pane for window plants.

2) Location

The location of the plants in the interior space is another critical element of plantscaping. You must choose locations that receive adequate sunlight without exposure to extreme temperatures or drafts.

Different plants require different amounts of light, so choosing a location that suits the plant’s needs is essential. Additionally, consider the visual impact of the plants in the space. Plants can be used to create a focal point or to complement the existing decor.

One approach to plantscaping is assembling a group of plants that visually focus on the room and have a dramatic effect. This trend is popular where either the space itself is large or where there’s an oddly-shaped space that is otherwise underutilized. For example, this is the appeal of a living wall – where a wall or surface can become a real showpiece.

“Grouping” and living walls are great options when you have a generous budget for your plantscaping. A common approach is strategically placing individual plants to add life and interest to the space. Sometimes, adding only one or two plants to a space is enough to “fill out” the room’s décor.

In this method, you’ll want to place individual plants near focal areas, such as at the end of a hallway, a reception desk, or any other location where they’ll be consistently visible.

3) Color

The color of the plants is an important consideration in interior plantscaping. You need to consider the color of the plants about the colors in the room. If the room has many neutral tones, you can use plants with bold, bright colors to create a striking contrast.

Conversely, if the room has many bright colors, you may want to use plants with more muted colors to balance the space. Color can also create a theme in the room, such as using red and green plants for a Christmas theme.

Color has a huge impact on our mood. With the right plants and planters in your interior plant design, you can create an oasis of calm in even the most hectic workplaces. However, you don’t want to mix and match too many colored planters in your office.

You’ll find that this will create a disorganized and unprofessional aesthetic, which isn’t the first impression you want to make. Opt for plants and planters that complement the color scheme of your office and the furniture you currently have in place.

Depending on your company’s brand colors and your office’s floor plan, you may want to explore either matching or complementary colors. These color combinations can also include accents that highlight the vibrant, diverse nature of your plantscaping.

4) Repetition

Repetition is an underlooked element of interior plantscaping. It involves using the same plant or group in multiple locations throughout the space. This helps to create a cohesive and harmonious look.

Repetition can also be used to create rhythm and movement in the space. For example, you could use a row of small potted plants on a windowsill or a group of large plants placed strategically around the room. To create a simple and minimalist look, opt for a row of identical plants on the windowsill of the office.

Not everyone in your office will have the same taste for interior plant design. Opt for more neutral design solutions to create a space where everyone feels comfortable working daily.

When choosing plants for the office, focus on those that won’t be too distracting for visitors or employees. You don’t want staff to spend their whole day staring at your ornate new plants when they could be focusing on more important tasks.

5) Quality

Finally, the quality of the plants is crucial to interior plantscaping. You need to choose plants that are healthy, vibrant, and free from pests and diseases. Poor-quality plants can detract from a space’s overall aesthetic and be a health hazard if infested with pests or diseases.

Ensure the plants are well-maintained and cared for, with appropriate watering and fertilization schedules. Additionally, choose plants that are appropriate for the environment they will be placed in. Some plants are better suited to indoor environments than others, so research before purchasing.

We understand you might not have the time and energy to undertake an office plantscaping project. That’s why you may consider employing a professional for this task.

Many gardeners and interior design professionals offer interior plantscaping services. Look for a specialist in this area who will understand the size and shape of the plants you need.

Specialists will also know the plants that thrive in your lighting and environment. This expertise will help you avoid the cluttered look that often makes interior plantscaping look unprofessional and messy in offices.

Ready to see the benefits of a luxury plantscape?

Key Takeaways

When undertaking an office plantscaping project, we encourage you to either take your time to plan out the work yourself or consult with a professional. Plantscaping isn’t a task you want to rush, as you’ll want to ensure you have time to acquire premium plants and planters for your new interior plant design.

Living walls are our favorite office solutions because they impress anyone in the building. With the benefits of the air quality in your office, you’ll find that staff members will be happy to spend more time in the space. They’ll notice improved concentration, productivity, and efficiency in the office thanks to the addition of a great plantscape design.

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

We customize and plan our roof garden projects and interior plant design to fit your unique space and tastes. That’s how we’ve built a reputation of unparalleled style and elegance for corporate plantscaping.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

7 Ways That Prefabrication Can Save Your Deck This Summer

If you want to upgrade, improve, or renovate your deck or patio this year, it’s important to take the proper steps to complete this project. Prefabrication is something we recommend anyone does to save their deck. Today we will discover why this is critical for homeowners undertaking Boston landscaping jobs. Keep reading to learn how you can get a head start on your summer landscaping. That way, you can enjoy endless hours outside with your loved ones and improve the overall quality of your property.

We will cover the following:

Cleaning up after the winter
Deep cleaning your patio or deck
Deck repairs
Looking up a reliable deck construction company
Expanding your outdoor space
Sealing and painting
Deck furniture and accessories
Key takeaways

1) Clean Up After the Winter

After the winter months, taking the time to assess your greenscape or urban garden is important. Especially in parts of the country where the temperatures drop significantly, you’ll want to make sure that you clean up any debris and damage from the colder months. Leaves, branches, and sticks can all cause damage to your deck, so make sure you sweep the area in its entirety before even considering doing further work. No debris should be left over before going any further with your Boston landscaping jobs, as this may stop you from receiving the desired results.

2) Deep-Clean Your Patio or Deck

Once you’ve swept up the debris on your green roof or from living walls, it’s time to attack your deck with a pressure washer. You can rent these if you don’t have one, which is ideal for anyone not planning to complete this job regularly. Start at one side of the deck or patio, then spray over to the other. This will help clean off any leftover dirt or pollen gathered on the deck over the last months. You’ll then have a good surface to improve and be able to continue your patio prefabrication work.

3) Deck Repairs

Before you can consider painting or sealing your deck, make sure you inspect it for damage, cracks, or loose boards. Over time, moisture or sun exposure can result in the nails and screws coming loose. When left for too long, this can be a huge safety hazard, which anyone with kids and pets needs to be particularly conscious about. Closely look around your deck for any damage and try to rectify it before moving on to improving your prefabrication. Also, look carefully for signs of rotting wood. If the wood is disintegrating in any part of your patio, remove and replace it to offer your family a safe place to spend time this summer.

Do you need help revitalizing your outdoor garden?

Browse Our Gallery

4) How to Find a Reliable Deck Construction Company

We don’t recommend trying to attempt all of this work by yourself. Upgrading a greenscape and patio is much easier with the help of professionals. Many Boston landscaping jobs will be completed in a fraction of the time by a reliable deck construction company. Typically, these companies will be happy to help you get ready for the summer months. Review your fabricator’s online reviews to get a sense of their project scope. You’ll also find that you can ask to see images of previous projects, giving you an idea of their quality results.

5) Expanding Your Outdoor Space

Before the summer, you’ll also want to consider whether now is a good time to extend your outdoor space. As your family grows, you may find that you need more space. Especially if you are interested in adding living walls or a new patio set, you’ll find that extending your outdoor space is a great option. Ensure you use the highest quality material and secure fasteners that you can install carefully for long-lasting results. Always look for low-maintenance additions to your urban garden, so you don’t have to spend hours each week maintaining the area.

6) Sealing and Painting Your Deck

Once you’ve completed all of the maintenance work on your deck, it’s time to consider upgrading the stain or paint. Choose a high-quality stain or paint that suits the décor of your greenscape and will also help to protect your deck all year round. We recommend staining your deck again each season to offer protection from the elements. You could also consider painting your deck a different color, which you can do alongside a full deck renovation.

Ready to upgrade your outdoor space?

Get In Touch

7) Deck Furniture and Accessories

Once the main elements of the prefabrication work are complete, it’s time to kit out your deck. You’ll find endless ideas online today for creating a stunning green roof or urban garden, which will help you create a stylish addition to your backyard or roof. Ensure you invest in high-quality pieces that survive outside in the hot summer months. Add potted plants, kitchen equipment, and anything else you and your family will enjoy using in the summer months. The earlier you start prefabrication on your deck, the more likely you will find items you’ll be excited to display this summer and not have extended shipping times.

Key Takeaways

There’s much to consider when preparing your deck or patio for the summer months. The earlier you start work on this task, the easier it will be to enjoy summer with your loved ones. Any greenscape will need attention after the winter months. Foliaire can offer assistance with Boston landscaping jobs of any shape or size. We recommend contacting our team as soon as possible to start working together to renovate your urban garden or backyard this spring. Your family will thank you when the weather improves. Plus, you can enjoy endless hours outside bonding on your newly renovated deck. We can also help to install a new deck fully, so contact us today to discuss your requirements.

View Our Other Plant Care Tips

See how you can transform your deck today!

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

7 Reasons Why You Should Work in Plantscaping

Are you looking for a new challenge this year? If so, there’s no better time than the present to apply for a new job or career change. Here at Foliaire, we are excited to welcome individuals to work in plantscaping jobs with us. For over 40 years, we’ve been caring for office plants and building new outdoor landscapes.

Today we’ll discover the seven reasons you should work in plantscaping and the many rewards you’ll receive from working in this industry.

We will cover the following:

Feel a sense of achievement
Work with nature
Find a job role to suit your work style
Avoid monotony
Grow and develop your career
Make a positive impact on the environment
Work with a fantastic team
Key takeaways

1) Feel a Sense of Achievement Every Day

Boston indoor and outdoor landscaping jobs allow you to make a real difference in the lives of our clients. Every day your plantscaping work will take you to a variety of private clients and businesses, all of whom are looking to improve their interior plant health or exterior plant design. Projects may include indoor or outdoor living walls or rooftop gardens. When you finish your work, you’ll see the huge difference you’ve made to their property. Plantscaping offers many health benefits to homeowners and business owners – physical benefits, such as cleaner air, and mental benefits, like being more calm and relaxed. You’ll find that you will play a huge part in improving the lives of others in the local community with each job you work on.

2) Work With Nature

With so many job roles today requiring you to spend endless hours sitting in front of a computer, you’ll find that landscaping jobs allow you to move about and work with your hands and reconnect with the world around us. Working in nature is much less stressful than many other job roles, and you’ll go home each day with a sense of satisfaction after being surrounded by beautiful plants. Whether taking on a project indoors or outdoors, you’ll go home feeling energized and ready to head back to work the next day.

3) Find A Job Role to Suit Your Work Style

You may enjoy working as part of a team, accomplishing projects through group effort. If so, being part of an outdoor plantscaping crew may be your style. On the other hand, you may like having your unique group of clients that you take care of yourself – solely responsible for your client’s satisfaction. If so, you might find an interior plant design position rewarding. Either way, there is a place for all work styles to participate in the plantscaping arena.

Do you want to find a creative outlet for your skills?

Learn More

4) Avoid Monotony

In plantscaping, no two days are the same. The monotony of doing the same thing over and over again soon gets to anyone working in an office job. Still, landscaping jobs allow you to experience new properties and projects daily. In an indoor landscaping position, you’ll visit different clients every day. In an outdoor landscaping position, there may be shorter jobs that take a day or two or more extensive projects that could take weeks or months at one location. Even when working on a longer project, you can be sure that no two days on the site will be the same. One day you might be creating living walls for a new business, and the next day, you’ll be transforming the plantscaping of a first-time homeowner.

5) Grow and Develop Your Career

Taking care of plants allows you to work with various landscapes, soils, and plants. As a result, you’ll keep learning and expanding your career daily. If you like being independent with a predictable schedule, indoor plantscaping will probably be more to your taste. Alternatively, outdoor Boston landscaping jobs are well worth considering if you prefer to work with a team. Our outdoor plantscapers meet at different locations throughout the year. Finally, if you’re looking for a new challenge this year, we work with many clients. All of our clients can offer you a new opportunity during each project. We want our team to know that they are making a difference in the lives of our clients. That’s why we do all we can to engage new clients with as much variety as possible.

6) Make a Positive Impact on the Environment

Landscaping and plantscaping can help improve the local environment in Boston, which is another reason why it’s so rewarding to work in plantscaping. Oxygen is released into the air by the plants that are added to a space, which helps improve the air quality in the nearby area. Our team strives to be as eco-friendly as possible, and we always encourage businesses to create new green spaces for their employees. Foliaire has received the prestigious Environmental Improvement Award of Merit from the Associated Landscape Contractors of America in recognition of their efforts in improving the environment. In addition, plants help to attract animals, birds, and bees, whose habitats are often under stress by development in Boston. We can all work together to protect the local ecosystem and improve the planet.

Ready to apply your plant care skills at a new job?

Get In Touch

7) Work With a Fantastic Team

Foliaire has one of the top plantscaping teams in Boston, all of whom are very welcoming and experienced. As part of the outdoor crew, you’ll find that you constantly learn from the team, who have a wealth of knowledge to share about plant design and living walls. As one of the indoor plant technicians, you’ll be the face of Foliaire with each of your clients. We are actively searching for new teammates who will be fantastic assets to our company. Over time, you’ll also find opportunities for progression in the company. In an indoor role, no two clients are the same. In an outdoor role, no two projects are the same, which is what the team enjoys so much about working with us. You’ll improve your teamwork skills and continue to build great relationships within the local community when you work in plantscaping.

Key Takeaways

These are just a few reasons to consider applying for a job in plantscaping. It’s an ever-changing industry that we expect will increase in popularity. Now is the perfect time to apply to work with us. Our team has many years of experience in the industry and will be here to welcome and work with you to keep developing your plant care and design skills. It’s never too late to change your life, and starting a new adventure this year can help move your career to the next level.

Are you interested in working with Foliaire? Contact us today to learn more about our current job opportunities. We’ll be excited to hear from you and hope to have you on our team soon.

View Our Other Plant Care Tips

See how you can enter a career in greenscaping today!

Apply Today

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

Foliaire is a full-service interior and exterior greenscape design-build firm in Boston’s historic South End. For over 40 years, we’ve provided award-winning plantscaping services in the Boston Metro area.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

When to Bring Your Plants Inside for the Winter

Winter is again here, and during this time of the year, it’s more important than ever to think carefully about plant care and protecting your plants from the cold weather. A common question from homeowners and business owners is when is the right time to bring your plants indoors for the winter months.

Keep reading as we share some of our top tips for looking after your best indoor plants this winter so that you can enjoy the benefits of your greenscape throughout the year.

Indoor Plants vs. Outdoor Plants

The first thing to remember when discussing plant care during winter is the difference between indoor and outdoor plants.

You won’t need to make many adjustments to your greenscape when it comes to the tropical plants inside, as plants in the office will likely benefit from the heating and protection you have indoors.

Of course, you will need to ensure the soil stays hydrated and that the plants aren’t stripped of their moisture when you increase the heating during the winter.

Growing Zones and Hardiness Zones

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed the standard by which amateurs, gardeners, and growers can determine which plants are most likely to survive the winter outdoors at a location.

The Zone map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. These zones are numbered from 1 to 13 – with 1 being the coldest and 13 being the warmest.

For example, the Miami area is mostly Zone 10, the Boston area is mostly Zone 7, and the Burlington, Vermont area is mostly Zone 3.

Click here to view a map of plant hardiness across the U.S.

Tropical Plants

Many of the plants we keep as outdoor and indoor plants shouldn’t be subjected to cold temperatures unless they are plants that are hardy in cold weather in your area.

Researching a plant’s natural growth or hardiness zone will tell you where it can successfully spend the winter outside. For example, most red oak trees grow in Zone 5 to Zone 9, – and if you live within those zones, you won’t need to bring your oak tree inside for the winter.

On the other hand, many plants we keep are native to warm climates and won’t survive cold winters. Spider plants thrive outdoors year-round in Zones 9 to 11. If you live in Zone 8 or lower, you’ll need to protect your spider plant during the winter.

Relocation Timing

When the temperatures drop, you need to consider bringing outdoor plants inside for the winter.

As a general rule, for tropical plants native to Zones 9 to 11, when the temperature at night goes below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s time to think about moving your greenspace indoors.

Where you are in the country will greatly impact the work you need to do to preserve your plants. If the plant is native to Zones 9 to 11, and you live in Zone 8, you might only need to cover your plants. We recommend burlap to keep them safe from the cold.

However, if you live in an area where the temperatures drop below 45 degrees, you’ll want to bring your tropical plants inside.

Acclimation

As mentioned above, when the night-time temperature drops below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, tropical plants need protection to stop dying from the cold.

Remember that you must slowly subject your plants to the new weather conditions. They shouldn’t deteriorate because of the increase or decrease in light, moisture, and temperature.

To make the transition easier, we recommend bringing your tropical plants in only overnight, to begin with, and then taking them back outside in the daytime.

After a few days, they can stay indoors for the rest of the winter until the temperature rises again in the spring.

Soil

Soil often becomes quickly dehydrated inside – the indoor humidity is much lower when the heating is on in your home or office, and the water in the soil evaporates faster.

On the other hand, you won’t typically need to apply fertilizer. Your interior planting design can last the winter without it. Then, when you are ready to bring your plants outside in the spring, it is a good time to give them a nutrient boost.

Bringing your plants out in the spring is also a good time to consider if your plantscape would benefit from repotting.

Do you need help revitalizing your outdoor garden?

Browse Our Gallery

Light

A challenge for humans and plants during the winter is the reduction in sunlight. With the shorter days in most parts of the country, it can be harder than ever to give your best indoor plants the sun they need to thrive.

For that reason, ensure you follow the plant care instructions for your specific plant type. If they need direct sunlight, find somewhere in your home where the plant can receive the maximum sun. Ideally, it would be best if you used a south-facing window.

You may need to reposition your plants in the winter months to help them to receive the necessary hours of sunlight each day, and if they are still struggling to get enough sun, consider installing a grow light to provide them with extra light while they are inside.

Water

While the heating in your home can dry out the soil for your plants, don’t be tempted to overwater them in the winter.

Overwatering is the most common cause of indoor plant death. You’ll be surprised how little water they need in the winter.

Most tropical plants in the office and succulents don’t need watering as much as you might think. For example, you’ll likely be safe leaving them unwatered for a couple of weeks during the winter break if you aren’t going to be in the office as much.

Pests

Before moving any plants indoors, you must thoroughly check them for pests.

Over the summer, it’s very common for spider mites and aphids to make their way onto plants, so check under the leaves to see their condition before relocating them.

We recommend using an insecticidal soap and washing your plants with water before moving them so that you don’t have any issues or spread these pests to your other greenscape plants.

Ready to unlock your garden’s full potential?

Browse Our Gallery

Key Takeaways

Interior planting design is something that homeowners and business owners can benefit from throughout the year. However, even the best indoor plants need to follow different plant care instructions in the winter.

It’s best to move your plants indoors gradually. Look out for the key signs we’ve shared above to help make this process smooth for all of your plants.

By following the tips we’ve shared above, you can create a beautiful greenscape that will continue to thrive all year round.

View Our Other Plant Care Tips

See how we can transform your urban greenscape today!

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

We customize and plan our roof garden projects and interior plantscaping to fit your unique space and tastes. That’s how we’ve built a reputation of unparalleled style and elegance for corporate plantscaping and residential community projects.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

Holiday Decorating: How to Plantscape for the Holidays

There’s no better way to celebrate the holidays than by planning your holiday decorating in advance. But how do you start the holiday decorating process?

If you’re searching for a sophisticated holiday interior plant firm to enhance the beauty of your office environment, you should first understand the scope of your project. At Foliaire, we can design the perfect palette for your lobby or office to create an inspiring, memorable holiday aura.

You’ll maximize your enjoyment of the season by offering a high-quality selection of unique holiday décor. We have decorating to please every taste and situation. Whether you’re celebrating inside your office or preparing a festive lobby, we have the aesthetic expertise to exceed your expectations.

Keep reading for our best holiday decorating tips.

We Will Cover:

How to plan year-end holiday decorating
Step-by-step holiday decorating
When to unveil your holiday décor
Key takeaways

plant care, holiday plants, plants in the office, winter plants, pet safe plants - Foliaire Inc. Holiday Decor 1

How to Plan Year-End Holiday Decorating

Knowing how to approach your holiday display requires an eye for design. That’s where we come in. Combining bright and natural holiday décor creates a premium feel with our curated trees, faux/artificial wreaths, and lively poinsettia arrangements.

We arrange our décor in various color palettes and themes to suit any event or company brand. Furthermore, we have the capacity and personnel to deliver stunning results in time for your holiday plants.

Bring Holiday Spirit to Your Office

You’ll want to celebrate in style when it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Our design team will install themes and decorations throughout your workplace to ensure that your space is ready for maximum effect. Whether you’re seeking traditional holiday décor or a more avant-garde approach, we can tailor the installation of plants in your office.

Unparalleled Style & Selection

We pride ourselves on our beautiful selection of holiday plants and ornaments. If you’re part of a commercial office space, you can include plants like poinsettias, amaryllis, and cyclamen. White orchids and red bromeliads are also popular choices. We can custom-build any tabletop or desktop floral arrangement for common rooms and reception areas.

Our holiday decorations typically include the following:

Trees (with lights and ornaments)
Wreaths (for walls and doors)
Garlands (for fireplaces and railings)
Swags (diamond-shaped decorations to hang on the wall)

plant care, holiday plants, plants in the office, winter plants, pet safe plants - Foliaire Inc. Holiday Decor 2

Step-By-Step Holiday Decorating

By decorating your office for the holidays, you provide holiday cheer that guests and employees alike will love. We offer installation and takedown of all holiday plantscaping for both large and small businesses. We manage the design, installation, takedown, and storage of your holiday décor. When you hire Foliaire, you can expect the whole nine yards: gorgeous artificial trees, wreaths, and garlands, as well as specialty props and custom-made tableaux.

Poinsettias and Gift Plants

Traditional live poinsettias add warmth and color to office décor and serve as great holiday plants. We have the best floral quality in a wide range of sizes and colors– plus amaryllis, Norfolk Island pine, bromeliads, orchids, and much more.

Custom Holiday Décor

Some companies like to put up a tree with wrapped holiday boxes, simulating gifts under the tree. Not only can you customize the color palette, but you can also opt for a non-denominational display!

We’re pleased to offer appropriate cultural features, including traditional Christmas plants, Kwanzaa banners, and Hanukkah décor. We also help you see the potential in any office space – lobbies, cafeterias, conference rooms, and much more.

Fire Safety Precautions

There are comprehensive safety precautions we implement to reduce the risk of fire. For example, we don’t use cut, live, evergreen trees, wreaths, or swags, to protect your employees and guests against any fire risk. In addition, we follow all fire code regulations to protect your holiday plants.

Do you need help decorating your office or storefront?

Browse Our Gallery

When to Unveil Your Holiday Décor

Timing

Our holiday installations traditionally start right after Thanksgiving. After all, most people want to see their holiday installations immediately to have the longest time to enjoy them. Consequently, we recommend booking your installation date early. This planning will ensure that your installation happens on your schedule.

First, book your installation in August or September to allow ample lead time for your holiday decorating. Then, we will typically conduct an on-site visit or walk-through to describe your ideal holiday display. Overall, we help you design the layout of your decorations, including how many faux and live plants you’ll need.

Storage

It’s just as important to schedule when you want your décor taken down and stored. For all of the faux/artificial decorations you’ll want to use each year. We’re happy to offer storage for you between seasons. This storage can be at several locations: our facility, storage space at your site, or another local storage unit.

plant care, holiday plants, plants in the office, winter plants, pet safe plants - Foliaire Inc. Holiday Decor 3

Key Takeaways

In conclusion, now is the time to initiate contact to help design and plan a holiday display at your office or business. The splendor of the Christmas season requires meticulous plant care. Early booking ensures we’ll be ready to transform your office into a luxurious holiday wonderland. That’s why we have a stock room full of deluxe pieces ready for us to handcraft and tailor-fit to your property.

Are you ready to set up your holiday décor?

View Our Other Plant Care Tips

Boston’s #1 Holiday Decorating Plantscapers

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

Foliaire Inc. - best indoor plants for holiday decor, holiday decorating, holiday landscaping, holiday plants, indoor winter plants

What Are the Best Indoor Plants for Holiday Decor?

With the holidays coming up, you might wonder what the best indoor plants for holiday decor are. If you want to create a luxurious and festive atmosphere in your office this year, keep reading for our top indoor winter plants to brighten up your workplace for the holiday season.

Poinsettias

Holiday decorating wouldn’t be complete without a poinsettia, the signature holiday plant. With its broad red petals, you could place this plant in almost any room in your workplace. A collection of these best indoor plants will brighten up any office with elegant cheer. These indoor winter plants make the perfect holiday gift for coworkers and clients.

Poinsettia Plant Care Tips

Place these holiday plants in the office with plenty of sunlight. Make sure you don’t overwater poinsettias, as you’ll want to ensure they keep blooming throughout the holiday season and into the new year.

plant care, holiday plants, plants in the office, winter plants, pet safe plants - Foliaire Inc. Holiday Decor

Christmas Cactus

The Christmas cactus, also known as the schlumbergera, is another wonderful holiday landscaping option. They are very robust plants that are difficult to destroy, making them a good option for anyone who isn’t as experienced at plant care. Plus, they naturally flower in December.

Christmas Cactus Plant Care Tips

Since the Christmas cactus usually appears in rainforests or jungles, you’re best off putting them in a shaded spot. Common areas and conference rooms are the best homes for this plant. We recommend keeping the pot in a gravel-filled tray for a beautiful display of these plants for added holiday decoration. Overall, the Christmas cactus is a low-maintenance plant requiring minimum attention, which we all look for during this hectic season.

plant care, holiday plants, plants in the office, winter plants, pet safe plants - Foliaire Inc. Holiday Decor

Cyclamen

The variety of colors that cyclamen are available makes it one of the best options for holiday landscaping. They have flowers in various sizes, and many of them have a sweet scent or patterned petals.

Cyclamen Plant Care Tips

Try to keep these holiday plants away from direct sunlight or heating to avoid damaging them. They’ll add more personality and color to any office this holiday season, and you can use your creativity to create a beautiful indoor winter plant display.

Do you need help decorating your office or storefront?

Browse Our Gallery

Azaleas

Another of the best indoor plants for the holiday season is the azalea, which will brighten up any room in your business. While they’re normally springtime plants, they thrive indoors in the winter. Look for the Christmas Cheer variety, which offers an array of pink, red, and white flowers.

Azalea Plant Care Tips

Try to keep these plants away from sunlight and offer them moist compost. A humid atmosphere will help them to thrive inside during the holiday season, and they’ll soon become one of your favorite indoor plants for holiday decor.

plant care, holiday plants, plants in the office, winter plants, pet safe plants - Foliaire Inc. Holiday Decor

Moth Orchids

Another high-end ornamental plant option ideal for holiday landscaping is the moth orchid, the common name for the Phalaenopsis plant. Moth orchids are great year-round, but they’re especially well-suited for cold days when you spend a great deal of time indoors. Their elegant flowers will brighten desks and windowsills in your building for months at a time. Don’t be intimidated by their exotic appearance. They need very little to thrive inside. This plant offers a decorative touch to any workplace, and they have long-lasting flowers.

Orchid Plant Care Tips

Orchids grow well in a warm environment, and you’ll find that they thrive most in a sunny spot. Any orchid would be another wonderful plant for a holiday gift exchange. Your coworkers will love how sophisticated it looks on their desks.

plant care, holiday plants, plants in the office, winter plants, pet safe plants - Foliaire Inc. Holiday Decor

Holly

While you won’t want to add a tall holly tree to your indoor landscaping for the holidays, you can add small holly shrubs around your office. We recommend looking for the female varieties, as only these produce bright red berries. Use faux (artificial) holly for holly wreaths to avoid a fire hazard.

If you feel creative, you could try creating your wreaths using plastic, wood, and papier-mache. This activity is a fun, festive team-building exercise to get in the holiday mood. The deep green and red colors of holly add to the holiday cheer and will look great in offices with any color scheme.

Holly Plant Care Tips

It’s important to keep your cut holly in a cool environment, away from prolonged heat or cold. Cut holly will survive for much longer if the stems remain in the water, similar to other cut flowers. If you have cut holly arrangements that include a water containment base, you should add fresh water regularly. Bringing live holly plants indoors will contribute a lively accent to your décor, but live holly won’t last more than a couple of months indoors during the winter.

plant care, holiday plants, plants in the office, winter plants, pet safe plants - Foliaire Inc. Holiday Decor

Amaryllis

If you want to mix things up, switch out some poinsettias for amaryllises. These plants have become even more popular and are among the best indoor plants for holiday landscaping. Amaryllises have a beautiful bloom that requires minimal care yet still lasts a few weeks. They come in various colors to match your office décor, including red, coral, white, and pink.

Amaryllis Plant Care Tips

When you first purchase your plant, we recommend putting it in a more luxurious container instead of its original pot. This transition will help to add extra decoration to your space and highlight the beauty of this plant. Just plant the bulb in good potting soil, water regularly, and provide bright, indirect light. A support stake is handy for keeping the blooms upright, but you shouldn’t need to do much else. Most varieties will begin blooming six to eight weeks after planting, though some can take as long as ten weeks.

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe is another top indoor winter plant. They typically keep blooming for many weeks at a time. These holiday plants usually include white, red, or pink flowers, but you can also find yellow or orange varieties. Since the kalanchoe is a succulent plant, it will appreciate bright light or direct sun. The best rooms to place these indoor plants for holiday decor are your break room, conference room, or any condition with ample sunlight.

Kalanchoe Plant Care Tips

Regarding looking after these plants, they are very low-maintenance, so you’ll only need to water them when the soil starts to feel dry. Getting them to rebloom can sometimes be challenging, but they’ll still make a lovely addition to your office as an evergreen plant.

Are you ready to set up your holiday décor?

Key Takeaways

You’ll have no issue adding more holiday cheer to your office by combining these best indoor plants this holiday season. Always think about the best common areas to add holiday plants, as they’ll need to receive ample light and water they require to grow and bloom. Holiday landscaping is a wonderful way to lift your team’s spirits. Proper care is much more refined than adding typical holiday decorations. Enjoy mixing and matching these holiday plants this season and celebrating with your team in a beautifully decorated environment.

View Our Other Plant Care Tips

Boston’s #1 Holiday Decorating Plantscapers

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

Top 7 Benefits of Urban Gardening and Urban Farming

Urban gardening and urban farming have become much more popular in metropolitan areas.

Whether you’re a homeowner looking to add an urban garden to your property or a company hoping to develop corporate plantscaping for your employees, urban landscaping has many benefits. We are all looking for ways to improve our health and well-being at this current time. You may be surprised to learn that urban gardening is one of the top ways to achieve your goal.

Let’s examine the key benefits of creating an urban greenscape on your property.

We Will Cover How To:

Encourage Healthier Diets
Boost Food Security
Grow Safer Food
Develop Under-Utilized Land
Increase Sustainability
Build Community
Save Money on Groceries
Key Takeaways

Encourage Healthier Diets

We all need to strive to follow a healthy diet. There’s no denying that with restaurants on every corner, preparing healthy and nutritious meals can be challenging. You’ll have fresh ingredients when you add an urban garden to your home or workplace. You’ll be able to cook delicious meals for yourself and your family. The goal is to help you to stay on track with your fitness and health goals. No matter what diet you currently follow, you’ll be able to make little switches daily. That way, you can enjoy more fresh produce and colorful meals.

Boost Food Security

The past few years have shown us how quickly we can lose access to stores and products we rely on daily. You’ll boost food security using your urban garden, ensuring you always have access to fresh fruit and vegetables. Food waste is also a huge issue in many countrywide communities. For this reason, having access to a greenscape where you pick only the food you need to eat that day will help to minimize wastage. You won’t have to eat packaged food as much. Instead, you’ll take your produce straight from your garden to your kitchen. You’ll be ready to prepare a delicious meal for yourself and your loved ones.

Grow Safer Food

Urban landscaping offers full customization over the plants and food you choose to grow in your garden. You’ll be able to grow safer meals that you can serve to your family, knowing they are free from chemicals and pesticides in store-bought food. If you are looking to enjoy cleaner meals without any ingredients that could damage your body, you’ll appreciate this as one of the top benefits of urban gardening. You’ll no longer have to question what’s added to your food, as you can choose to use organic products to help grow your produce.

Do you need help revitalizing your outdoor garden?

Browse Our Gallery

Develop Under-Utilized Land

An urban garden allows you to use a space on your property that may otherwise sit empty indefinitely. We all know that roofs, in particular, are often under-utilized when they could otherwise create a beautiful outdoor space for you, your family, or your employees. You’ll find that when you plan your urban landscaping well, it could help to add to the value of your property in the future when you look to sell it. Find the best ways to maximize the available space and ensure you add all of the features that improve your property’s curb appeal, such as living walls.

Increase Sustainability

Food miles – how far away your food is sourced – gained more attention in recent years as one of the hottest topics in sustainability. By growing produce in your home or workplace, you can work to reduce your impact on the environment and stop food from traveling around the world to reach your plate. You’ll bring yourself one step closer to the food system when you grow your food and create a greenscape you enjoy tending. We all need to play our part to protect our planet, and this is one of the simplest yet most effective ways you can achieve this in the upcoming years. Urban plantscaping can ensure that you have everything in place to keep your gardening practices as sustainable as possible.

Build Community

One of the best features of urban landscaping is the sense of community this investment can create. An urban garden can become a central part of your work community, allowing people to meet, socialize, and exercise. Many companies encourage their teams to get involved with tending new greenscapes. This team-building offers a way to connect with nature and take a break from everyday work. Urban gardening also brings families closer when they work together to keep it in top condition.

Ready to unlock your garden’s full potential?

Browse Our Gallery

Save Money on Groceries

The challenges of the past few years have pushed up the price of groceries across the country. With shortages in the supply chain, many families have had to make different choices to stick within their food budget. When you grow food in your urban garden, you reduce the impact of these rising prices. This benefit allows you to spend your money in other ways. Workplaces can use the fruit and vegetables they grow on-site to reduce supply budgets.

Key Takeaways

There are many fantastic benefits of urban gardening and farming for individuals and companies across the country. Living walls and a beautiful greenscape can create an aesthetically pleasing addition to any home or workplace. You’ll find that they can help to offer you fresher produce and healthier cooking ingredients.

View Our Other Plant Care Tips

See how we can transform your urban greenscape today!

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

How to Take Care of Fiddle Leaf Figs - best indoor plants, plant care tips, exotic plants, interior plantscaping, indoor plant maintenance - Foliaire Boston MA

Plant Care Tips: How to Take Care of Fiddle Leaf Figs

Fiddle leaf figs are one of the best indoor plants for anyone looking to add a striking addition to any room in their home. With its larger size and beautiful leaves, you’ll want to ensure you understand the top plant care tips for this exotic plant.

Keep reading to learn the best ways to preserve your fiddle leaf fig. We’ll help you avoid common problems associated with this popular plant.

What You’ll Learn:

Light
Soil
Watering
Temperature
Fertilizer
Potting and Repotting
Common Problems
Key Takeaways

Light

When finding the correct position for your fiddle leaf fig, ensure your indoor plantscaping sees this plant placed by a window. It needs to receive some direct light daily, so ensure your window is unobstructed. The window doesn’t need to face any direction, so don’t worry if your window isn’t south-facing. Remember that you shouldn’t place it outdoors since full sunlight will be too much for the plant.

Soil

To look after your fiddle leaf fig, you’ll need to plant it in a well-draining potting mixture. It should ideally be rich in organic matter, such as peat-based soil. The soil should be evenly moist, which will help keep the roots hydrated without getting too wet.

Watering

When it comes to indoor plant maintenance and watering for fiddle leaf figs, ensure you water them roughly once a week. This step will depend on the size of your plant, so adjust the amount of water you give it. For example, a six-foot-tall plant may need about ¾ of a gallon weekly. If the top inch of the soil feels dry to you, it needs watering when looking after exotic plants. Slowly water all around the pot to effectively water the entire root ball.

Do you need help revitalizing your outdoor garden?

Browse Our Gallery

Temperature

The key to successful indoor plantscaping depends on many factors, including the average temperature of the place where the plant will live throughout the year. Keep your fiddle leaf figs in temperatures of roughly 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit for best results. The most important thing is to place this plant indoors so it won’t receive heat or hot air from a fan or heating vent.

Fertilizer

Applying fertilizer is a good idea when taking care of any of the best indoor plants, but you’ll want to be cautious with how much fertilizer you use on your fiddle leaf figs. Avoid using too much fertilizer at once on the plant, or you may find that you’ve undone all of the good work of the plant care tips we’ve shared so far. A slow-release “pelletized” fertilizer is a good option for the spring and summer of this type of plant. This type of fertilizer sits on the top layer of the soil, where it will last for a few months before you need to consider giving the plant more. Consult the instructions on the fertilizer for the correct amount to apply.

Potting and Repotting

Take great care when potting or repotting your fiddle leaf fig. You should repot your plant when it outgrows its previous pot, which is generally just every two or three years for this exotic plant. The best type of pot for a fiddle leaf fig is a tighter container with many drainage holes. This plant can easily adapt to any shape and type of planter, but make sure you water it generously upon repotting it to help it settle into the new pot.

See how we can transform your interior garden today!

Browse Our Gallery

Common Problems

It’s important to be aware of the common indoor plant maintenance issues that may crop up. Overwatering is one of the biggest issues we see with fiddle leaf figs, resulting in fungal infections or root rot. You may notice that your plant develops spots or dropping leaves, indicating a bigger issue with your plant care. If just the edges of the leaves are turning brown, that’s an indication that the plant isn’t getting enough water.

Drying Leaves

Many of the leaves on your fiddle leaf fig will eventually turn brown and dry. While this is part of the normal process of aging leaves, you should certainly be concerned if this happens to the whole plant at once. If you move your plant to a new area of your home, you may find that it may take a little time to adapt to its new location. You can pluck off any dried and old leaves, but consider whether you are following our indoor plant maintenance tips if you are concerned there is a greater issue. Ensure you are offering the plant enough water and not placing it in sunlight outdoors, as these two factors could be the reason for your browning leaves.

Pest Infestations

As with many exotic plants, pests may decide to give your fiddle leaf figs a visit at any time. You can treat the infestation if you catch this issue before it’s too late. The Chinese Black Armor Scale and mealy bugs are the two most common infestations. Pests may sometimes appear blemishes on the leaves, so use a magnifying glass to check out the issue. Smaller pests can easily blend into the leaf, but the sooner you treat this problem, the more likely you’ll be to preserve your plant.

Key Takeaways

By following these indoor plant care tips, you can ensure your plant lives for many years. These are very long-lasting and beautiful additions to any indoor plantscaping design. However, you’ll want to ensure you give them the correct water, sunlight, and temperature conditions to grow and thrive. While there are a few common issues you need to be aware of, they are generally quite low-maintenance plants that are easy to look after. You’ll find they make a very dramatic addition to any living space, which is why we are seeing more and more homes across the country put these plants on display.

Ready to unlock your garden’s full potential?

View Our Other Plant Care Tips

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

Foliaire is a full-service interior and exterior greenscape design-build firm in Boston’s historic South End. For 40 years, we’ve provided award-winning plantscaping services in the Boston Metro area.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

12 3