Maintenance keeps your living wall a long-lasting wall.
Every system, whether it’s custom or mobile requires regular care. A proactive maintenance plan keeps pests at bay, drains clog-free and water retention a non-issue. Both manual and automated irrigation systems need professional oversight to ensure that the plants aren’t over or undersaturated, both equally damaging. Faulty irrigation can disrupt the process of fertigation, jeopardizing the nutrient intake necessary for overall plant health.
Our maintenance crews are trained to detect early signs of plant stress and disease, providing simple, cost-effective treatments. Delayed intervention risks substantial plant loss and losing the value the living wall was built to deliver. With proper maintenance, the seeds sown reap long-lasting rewards.
Key elements to consider:
Budget for maintenance: this will ensure that the living wall stays healthy and performs as intended. We offer a range of maintenance plans.
Use an expert: vertical growing is a specialized skill, and working at heights requires proper safety practices, equipment and regulated procedures.
Building access: we may briefly disrupt occupants, but our crews are professional, efficient and spark curiosity from passersby wondering what we’re up to.
Enhances property value: maintaining a premium, well‑cared‑for architectural feature that protects the original time, design and installation investment.
Optimizes system performance: checking in on irrigation, nutrient delivery, plant health and lighting keeps all elements functioning as intended, eliminating costly repairs or plant replacement caused by neglect.
Sustains environmental benefits: improved air quality, acoustic absorption, and thermal regulation.
Biophilic design: the approach creates an environment of well-being with occupants more relaxed, focused and productive, elevating satisfaction in the space.
Why are my plants dying, I water them every week?
Plants are often overwatered causing them to experience a “drowning” effect. A moisture meter can help determine if the soil needs to be watered. The preference is to soak the plants in the sink and then let the soil dry down. The soil should be dry for the first top 1 to 2 inches before another soaking. The dry down period creates air pockets where the new roots can expand.
Why do my plants have bugs?
That white cotton fluff is called mealybug, and the sticky residue on plant leaves is called honeydew. The sticky parts are due to pests chewing through the leaf cuticle to get to the leaf juice. When plants are stressed for reasons like too little or too much light, water, cold or hot temperatures, this invites pests to take advantage of their weakened state.
Once the stressor has been identified and addressed, the pests can be managed with washing the plant, once a week for a 3-week cycle. Spray the entire plant, top and bottom with a diluted soap solution of 2 teaspoons of non-phosphate soap to one litre water. Leave the solution on the foliage for 10 to 20 minutes. Thoroughly rinse with water. Repeat this weekly for 3 weeks and then continue monitoring for any re-appearance of the pests. Remember to sterilize tools and pots, and quarantine plants once they’ve become pesty, so they don’t infect other areas.
How do I keep my plant from growing too big? It’s so tall and thin that I must tie it up to keep it from falling over.
Remove the terminal buds. These are located at the top of the stem where most growth happens. This should keep the plant bushy and manageable. You remove the terminal buds by “pinching” the end of a plant just above the node on the stem where the leaves are attached. When you remove the end set of buds your plant grows two new branches or lateral stems resulting in more leaves and flowers.
How do I know that the lighting is sufficient?
If you use supplemental lighting the grow light bulb could emit a “light” signal, but it may not be providing the right amount of light for your plants. The lighting needs for houseplants are quite different from vegetables or other production plants.
