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Modernization has its perks. From the internet allowing us to talk to anyone, anywhere in the world at any time to buying life’s necessities in seconds online, the modern world certainly has some benefits. However, there are also drawbacks. With the increased urbanization of cities, there are less and less green areas in places smothered by concrete. One way that companies in major cities are battling the overwhelming amount of concrete is through plants. Particularly, indoor plant walls are becoming more and more integrated into businesses around America. Indoor plant walls offer a large space to hold plants while not obstructing too much functional space in the office. However, as is the case with most things in life, for every pro, there is a con. Below, we highlight the pros and cons to plant walls. 
Plant walls in your small business can liven up a room for not only your guests but also your employees sourced via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mur_végétal_intérieur.jpg
Why do people get Plant walls?
There are a few reasons to why people get plant walls for their business. Plants instantly become the focal point of a room. When you walk into a room, your eyes are usually drawn to the greens, purples and yellows of plants. They can break up room overrun with greys, black and whites of office furniture and supplies. Not only do they provide good contrast to the typically bland colors found in office buildings, but they also can improve the air quality of the room. Check out our blog on the 5 Best air purifying plants blog to learn more about how plants can clean up your office air. On top of all of this, plant walls allow for decoration to exist while minimizing the space taken up by the plants. Many people want plants, but bigger ones like the Fiddle leaf fig or bird of paradise can take up a lot of space due to the pot and height they grow to. By placing plants on a wall, you will have more floor and table space to allow for maximum productivity in the workspace. Plant walls in offices are becoming more and more popular sourced via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ronald_Lu_%26_Partners_Green_Wall.jpg
What are the pro and cons?
Pros
- Creativity- There is no better way to show off your creativity than with plants. While art pieces and posters may be able to showcase more “art”, plant walls allow for the combination of any number of plants you desire. You can even try grafting plants on your wall, check out our blog on plant grafting to see if this could be for you!
- Unique- In a similar vein to the last point, the contents of your plant wall are entirely up to you. You can add whatever plants you want; you don’t have to have the same wall as anyone else out there. Make it as big or small as you want, just make sure its unique to your business so people can recognize it straight away
- Hot Topic- By being the focal point of your office, anybody who comes in will likely immediately start talking about it. As they are not in every office or home, your plant wall will get people talking and quite possibly allow for a more human connection on top of the business one you are trying to form.
- Consolidate space- By putting things on the wall, you are removing them from either the floor or tables. If you look up at the walls around you, either in your office or your home, what is one of them? Are they completely empty or do they have a couple of hooks for jackets and more? If you look around you at the tables in your space, are they overcrowded by plants? If you could free up that space by putting those plants in the empty space on the walls, you can have more space on the ground to be productive in.
- Improves Air Quality- As stated earlier, plants can improve air quality. The NASA study conducted to figure this out showed that many different plants can remove toxins and chemicals from the air. The air quality in your house is worse than you think, so many household products release chemicals that are not good for prolonged periods of time. By having many different plants on your wall, they can improve the air quality of your home or business.
Cons
- Price- These cost a lot of money. They can roughly cost up to $175 per square foot for installation. This may or may not include the price of the plants, depending on where you get it or how you get it installed. On top of this, the irrigation system and fertilizer are two things to consider when gauging the possible price of your plant wall.
- Maintenance- Maintaining one plant can be difficult enough but taking care of up to 20+ plants at once can be very time consuming. From watering to fertilizing to trimming and pruning, it may be in your best interest to hire someone to take care of this. You want to be productive at work and if you are constantly trying to care for this, it may be more financially sensible to hire someone to do it so you can continue to be productive at work.
- Water Damage- When you bring water into any area, it is always a possibility that it can lead to water damage. Whether that be from overwatering and overflowing or a pot breaking or being knocked over, water can affect the room it is in. This is not that common however, so just be careful and maintain it well and you should be fine.
- Care mistakes- There are many mistakes that you can make. From fertilizer mistakes to watering mistakes, these will lead to your plants being unhealthy and discolored. Check out our Reasons why plant leaves turn yellow blog to learn more about the mistakes you can make and hope to prevent.
What plants should I get for my wall?
The Residential Living Wall from Soltech Solutions
If after going over the pros and cons, you still like the idea of getting a plant wall, the next question you may have is “what plants should I get?” This can be entirely up to you, smaller plants to start may be smart. From succulents to smaller vegetable, to flowers and different types of perennials, the choice is really up to you. Check out this blog by LiveWall to learn more about what plants you should put in your wall. You should consider how much time you wish to put into caring for these plants. If you don’t have a lot of spare time to care for them, maybe get easy care plants. If you’re really dedicated to it, maybe get some more difficult plants to care for. At the end of the day, whatever you choose will be best for you and your plant wall. If you do decide to get a plant wall, consider the Residential Living Wall from Soltech. This 40” by 32” wall has 21 spots for plants and is good for creating a plant wall, while also providing good irrigation with its integrated watering system.
