Living Wall Maintenance

No, living walls do not require sunlight. In fact, living walls planted in shade require fewer irrigation adjustments as they are less prone to extremes of heat from the sun. Living walls do, however, require some amount of natural light to survive.

During the initial consultation and design process, we will carry out a light study measuring the photosynthetic photon flux density or PPFD levels (Not LUX as this is a measure of perceived light intensity by humans whilst PPFD specifically focuses on the light wavelengths plants use for photosynthesis) and offer you advice on the optimal placement in your office or on your building.

Interior planting may require additional artificial lighting to provide the correct PPFD levels. We will also advise you on which plants would be best suited for the amount of natural light available for the position of the living wall.

Living walls require regular maintenance to ensure they are healthy and the irrigation systems are performing optimally. We recommend short and frequent visits and regular remote monitoring that catches any issues with irrigation and plant health before they become larger issues.

Our living walls are watered by an in-built yet accessible irrigation system, which slowly waters plants to keep them healthy and reduce water waste.

How often your living wall needs watering depends on the types of plants, whether they are indoor or outdoor living walls, the amount of direct sunlight and the season. This is why we always recommend our automatic irrigation systems with moisture sensors, as this is all factored into the watering schedule.

If you choose not to have an irrigation system, then you will need to water your living wall by hand once or twice a week. Again, this will depend on the types of plants that make up your living wall, the season, and how much sunlight your living wall gets.

No living wall can survive without regular applications of water!

For a small DIY living wall, you can use a watering can or a hose with a spray attachment to spread the water over the living wall.

However, for the living walls that we supply and fit, a mains supply of water, typically from a tap, is required. Depending on the size and location, a tap timer may be sufficient as a programmer. Larger living walls will require a tank and pump with increased levels of automation to produce the correct pressure at the right times. When installing a living wall, we can also advise on automatic water and moisture sensors that prevent overwatering or underwatering.

The ideal maintenance schedule depends on factors such as the size of the living wall, plant species, irrigation system, and whether it's installed indoors or outdoors.

Our team will recommend a maintenance programme that keeps your living wall healthy and performing at its best throughout the year.

A typical visit may include plant health inspections, seasonal pruning, irrigation system checks, fertilisation, pest and disease management, plant replacement where required, and general cleaning to ensure the wall remains healthy and visually appealing.