by Mike Ritchie 

PEOPLE forced to work from home are going potty for house plants to brighten their surroundings.

They have them on their desks, strategically placed in the background for Zoom calls and they photograph them for gleeful posting online.

But pots of bother for these plants arise when they are watered way too much – with thousands of gallons of water at risk of being wasted at the same time.

Today, home workers can tap into water tips that will keep their plants healthy and looking in tip-top condition and save water.

While people working from home because of lockdown certainly have a new-found love for desktop/workspace greenery, they are being encouraged to get to the root of house plants’ needs and that includes not watering them too much.

Some reports suggest sales of plants have gone up by 500 per cent during lockdown, fuelled by people wanting to add colour to their surroundings as they find a way to cope with the prospect of more weeks at their home ‘offices.’ A lack of plant care knowledge, however, could mean they are unwittingly over-watering their ferns and foliates.

Andrew Forbes, owner of GREEN.MEADOWS, a sustainable Scottish plant shop involved in rewilding the country’s highlands, is asking people to play their part in learning more about their house plants, how they can be best cared for plus their water requirements.

“In the process, they could help further protect the environment by reducing water waste,” said Andrew, whose business is a modern take on a tropical plant shop with social and environmental sustainability at its centre.

“There are plenty of ways plant enthusiasts can keep their plants green and healthy throughout winter while being conscious of water usage,” he said.

“One of the most common questions we get from customers and followers on social media is how much water to use and how often they should be watering their plants, especially during colder months.

“The number one problem people have is overwatering.

“We often try too hard to care for our plants and end up drowning them. If you overwater your plant, it’ll likely get root rot, and unfortunately that’s almost impossible to come back from.

“Take the Monstera Deliciosa, for example – you should water it when the top 50-75 per cent of the soil is dry and water it until the liquid flows through the drainage hole – which is a lot less than we might think.

“We all know Scotland’s tap water tastes great and so do our plants. “But only give them what they need.”

The Edinburgh-based 100 per cent renewably powered business is the latest to join the wave of support for Scottish Water’s ‘Your Water Your Life’ campaign, which showcases different ways the nation can appreciate its tap water.

Andrew features in a video with tips on plant care, including using a water globe and collecting drainage water for watering larger houseplants.

Ice cubes are a no-no as they shock the plants’ roots but collecting rain water, if possible, is a good idea.

The desire for home-workers to brighten up their home workstations is not surprising, though the surge in interest in house plants is also being attributed to people wanting to bring a bit of nature into their lives if they don’t have a garden or can’t visit parks for some reason.

The trend has also been matched by the ever-growing craze of people posting images of their elaborate and beautiful house plants on social media.

The ‘Your Water Your Life’ campaign aims to encourage people to top up from the tap to benefit the planet, their health and their pocket, and celebrate the country’s precious, natural resource.

Director of Corporate Affairs at Scottish Water, Brian Lironi, said: “Last September we released our route map to net zero emissions, part of which focused on protecting our water resources and reducing waste.

“Gardening and caring for plants both inside and out has played a big role in many of our lives during the various stages of lockdown as a positive outlet.

“This advice not only shows us how to care for our plants correctly, it also reminds us that we don’t need as much water as we might think.

“If even just 100,000 households in Scotland started over-watering their plants by say one litre a month – over a six-month period that could lead to 130,000 gallons of water being wasted.

“That’s the same as a large swimming pool being filled more than eight times over.

“Being mindful about our water usage, and saving it where we can, will go a long way in helping us become more water efficient and environmentally friendly.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApCGVPGhphg&feature=youtu.bea https://www.yourwateryourlife.co.uk/