This quick blog breaks down the tangible steps you can take to protect your faux plants to ensure they have a long a fruitful life in your garden.
Choosing the right plant
Selecting the right plant from the off is really key. Choosing an artificial outdoor plant generally means it is UV protected and designed to withstand normal weather.
If you do decide to use an indoor plant outside, then the best advice we can offer is to keep it sheltered and out of prolonged direct sunlight.
Applying UV sprays
Some retailers advise and offer UV protection sprays for foliage. At this point in time, we haven’t tested these sprays so cannot recommend them.
The main issue with sprays is that it’s hard to cover 100% of the plant. If any is missed it could result in bits of the plant degrading rapidly.
Contrast this with our inherently UV stable outdoor plants, which have the UV protecting chemical added during the manufacturing process. This ensure an even amount of protection throughout the plant.
Drainage
When potting your artificial plant, it’s important to consider rainfall and how it’s going to escape the pot. Most outdoor pots have drillable drainage holes. We strongly recommend you do this.
If planting the faux plant into the ground, place some stones or sand in the ground first to aid drainage around the base of the plant.
Topiary
Some of our outdoor topiary trees feature a natural wood stem. Ideally try and treat them with a clear preservative each year to keep them in top condition. For more information, check out our guide to planting artificial trees in the ground.
Extreme weather
Extreme weather events in the UK are on the rise. While outdoor artificial plants, trees and flowers are designed to withstand the weather, there are occasions when extra steps should be taken to safeguard the faux.
Storms
Storms usually bring two major threats to your artificial plants; strong winds and heavy rain.
Rain is not usually a problem, however if there is a lot of it in a short space of time, the ground and plant pots become waterlogged. If your faux plant has a natural wood stem this will temporarily soak up the moisture. When the weather improves, the stem will dry out without issue. However when coupled with strong winds, the wet stem is more susceptible to snapping.
Strong winds can also cause artificial plants and trees to topple over. This can result in stems snapping and foliage getting damaged.
The best course of action is to move artificial plants out of harm’s way. If you can move them into a shed, garage or sheltered area it will dramatically reduce risk. If the plant cannot be moved, consider reinforcing it with supports or tying them to a nearby structure.
Heatwaves
The primary threat to your plants from heatwaves is the sun. Increase sunlight means more UV rays which will decrease the lifespan of your artificial plant. Products like hanging baskets and window boxes are particularly susceptible because of the bring petal colours.
During heatwaves, you should protect your artificial plants by moving them to a more shaded area or temporarily covering them.
Have questions?
If you have any further questions about using protecting your plants outside, please contact our knowledgeable team. Call 0800 9777 589 or chat with us.
