You’ve bought some brilliant Buxus and procured the perfect palm but now you need to secure your artificial plant in a pot. Stick around and you can find out how with this helpful, short guide on how to look after your new leaf baby!
Firstly, you’d be forgiven for questioning whether an artificial plant really needed rehousing. The answer is… of course! Just because you’ve opted for a stunning faux fern doesn’t mean it deserves to be left out in the cold. Spruce up your living space with an eye-catching pot.
One of the biggest deterrents of treating yourself is guilt. Choosing an artificial plant isn’t just an act of reckless self-gratification. With the increasing time spent indoors and working from home becoming popular, it’s important to keep your living space positive. Think of it as a small act of self-care instead.
Choosing an artificial plant
If you’re still unsure of what your space needs or are yet to unearth a stunning shrub, picking an artificial plant to pot is your first step.
Looking for a statement plant might take you in the direction of a colourful floral arrangement. A foxtail grass will help you achieve a wonderful autumn harvest aesthetic. It might also lead you to select a gang of greenery if leafy abundance is your bag. There are so many different kinds you’ll be spoilt for choice. Failing that, you can’t go wrong with a natural palm.
Repotting know-how
It’s all in the pot
If there’s anything about the mechanics of potting artificial plants you need to know, it’s that the pot is the most important thing. Not only is the style crucial, but the diameter of the pot is too. This will make your artificial plant look more natural and will leave you room to add the all-important finishing touches.
If you’re still unsure about populating the surfaces of your home with wonderful greenery, you should know there are many benefits of keeping plants around. Adding the perfect matching pot will make your artificial Croton shine that much more. Some artificial plants already come pre-potted in a small travel planter which can make re-potting even easier, and the decorative pot simply becomes a stunning sleeve around the base.
Instructions for Repotting
You’ve got your plant. You’ve located a wonderful planter. Now it’s time to make the two become one!
- Depending on where your planter is being displayed you may want to add some weight to the base. You can do this by adding brick, stones, sand or soil. This is not an essential step and only one that is required if you are displaying your plant outdoors or in a particularly exposed area.
- Fill the void of your planter up, you can do this using soil, sand, gravel, polystyrene chippings or waste plastic. This is also a great way of elevating your plant in its pot if required. If your plant sits too low in the pot, you may lose some of the stalks when you fill it, and nobody wants to see that.
- Now you’ve made your plant level; you can fill the pot with sand to just underneath the top of the pot. It’s important to make sure you don’t fill it up too much. If you fill it with too much sand, you won’t have enough room to add some decorative flourishes! For belt and braces security, you can use expanding foam in the top section of the planter instead. This adheres the stem of the plant to the pot and holds it firmly in place. This is a popular option in outdoor spaces or areas where theft is a concern.
- Your plant is now secure, safe as houses, and on terra firma! Covering the filling material is important to disguise any giveaway that it is artificial if you want the potted artificial plant to match your living space. Add slate chippings for an angular, moodier look or glossy grey pebbles for something a bit lighter. We use bonded stone finishes
Some useful alternatives
Doubling down on the natural look might well be what you are after. If so, then good news! Levelling up your artificial plant and making it look even more au naturalé is simple. All you’ve got to do is leave off the decorative stones and swap out the sand for some soil or earth.
Maybe you’re set on the decoration. Perhaps you’re a bit experimental. Instead of stones, take a trip to the beach and gather some shells for a coastal twist. Pine cones, however, are a personal favourite for that alpine vibe. You may have to leave a little more space at the top of the pot for this.
The bonus of this method is that your plant doesn’t need watering – so you don’t have to get too green-thumbed if your thrill for gardening is on pause. If your artificial plant is a bit heavier and prone to moving around in the pot, fixing it down with expanding foam might be an option. Be careful if you fix it down like this – it might be a bit more permanent than the suggestions offered so far!
Keep it Clean
Now that you know how to secure your artificial plant in a pot, you’ll want to make sure it looks great all the time. Staying on top of the dusting is a dreaded task for any home keeper, but your potted artificial plant needs attention from the duster as well. Use a microfibre cloth or even a tumble drier sheet to maximize dust pick up.
As well as this, wiping the leaves and shoots down will keep them clean and glossy. Be wary of using corrosive substances when you’re doing this. The synthetic materials that Artificial plants are made from may start looking a little lackluster if you don’t take care when cleaning them. Try a window cleaning spray for a shiny and lively-looking leaf.
As well as these homemade solutions, there are several purpose-built artificial plant treatments out there.
Hopefully, you now feel equipped to prepare a potted artificial plant and that you can go boldly and with confidence into this new terrain.
Let me reassure you. There’s a small but potent joy to looking after a plant. Becoming a plant parent is going to get off to a fine start by taking these quick and easy steps for looking after your plant baby!
