Boosting biophilia: Spring maintenance for healthier living walls

Spring is the season when nature comes alive. Your living walls should reflect that by bursting with colour and life.

As the season changes, it is the perfect time to refresh and rejuvenate your living wall. Ensuring its beauty and benefits remain intact. With just a few simple maintenance tips, you can help your living wall thrive all season long.

We will share with you the best practices to keep your living wall healthy and explain why maintaining it is essential for fostering a thriving, biophilic environment.

Why spring is the perfect time for maintenance

Spring is the season of renewal and is the perfect time to give your living wall the attention it deserves.

As temperatures rise and daylight increases, plants naturally enter a period of growth. This seasonal shift provides the perfect opportunity to assess the overall health of your living wall. To refresh any struggling plants and make adjustments to ensure optimal conditions.

Regular spring maintenance helps promote vibrant growth and sets your living wall up for success throughout the coming seasons.

Signs your green wall needs a seasonal refresh

After the colder months of winter you may see some signs that your living wall needs a refresh. These include:

• Wilting or yellowing leaves: Wilting or yellowing leaves may mean you need to adjust watering or fertilisation.
• Dead patches or sparse growth: A living wall that has noticeable areas with sparse growth might need a refresh with new plants. Ensuring your living wall is dense and vibrant for the coming months.
• Signs of dehydration: If your plants show signs of dehydration, the irrigation system may need attention.

Essential spring maintenance tasks for living walls

A few essential spring living wall maintenance tasks will help ensure your green wall continues to thrive.

• Inspect irrigation systems: Ensure all components of your irrigation system are functioning efficiently. This is particularly important to check after winter dormancy.
• Prune dead foliage: Remove any damaged or dead plants to encourage new growth.
• Fertilise strategically: Apply slow-release fertilisers to your green wall to provide nutrients for the new growing season.
• Check for pests: Treat any pest infestations early to prevent damage to your green wall.

Eco-benefits of a well-maintained living wall

A well-maintained living wall looks aesthetically amazing. It will also continue to offer numerous eco-benefits.

Some of the reasons you installed your green wall may have included the impact on air quality and biodiversity.

Biodiversity

Living wall systems support biodiversity by creating habitats for birds, insects and other wildlife. As well as providing pollinator support. Attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies is essential for plant reproduction and ecosystem health.

Air quality

Green wall systems act as natural air purifiers and absorb pollutants like carbon dioxide. This purification process improves air quality, especially in urban environments. Making them healthier for residents.

Maintaining your living wall is essential for the plants and the plant growth. It also helps create a healthier environment for both wildlife and humans.

Common spring pitfalls and how to avoid them

Improper maintenance can cause even the most beautiful outdoor green walls to face seasonal issues. Here are a few common pitfalls to look out for:

• Overwatering or underwatering: A failure to your irrigation system can stress plants. Regular checks to the irrigation system are key to keeping plants alive and healthy.
• Neglecting seasonal plant needs: Different plant species may require more, or less, attention as the weather shifts. Ensure you are attending to the plants when necessary.
• Ignoring structural elements: Check for signs of wear or water damage to the wall fixings and framework. This is critical for maintaining your living wall for years to come.

By catching these early you will ensure your living wall continues to thrive year on year.

Long-term care tips for year-round biophilic benefits

Spring maintenance is just one part of a year-round commitment to your living wall. There are other seasonal maintenance tips you can follow to ensure your living wall continues to flourish.

• Monthly health checks: Assess plant health, irrigation and structural elements at least four times a year. This will help you stay ahead of any issues. The Viritopia team can be part of your health check by visiting your living wall to ensure the plants are healthy and that there are no unwanted pests.
• Professional maintenance support: Consider partnering with specialists to ensure the highest care standard. At Viritopia, we provide and install your living wall. We also offer regular maintenance support to keep it healthy. We carry out monthly on-site health checks as well as twice yearly horticultural visits to ensure your living wall thrives for years to come.

Our professional exterior living wall maintenance would include:

• Checking for any pests and diseases
• Checking for airborne weeds
• Cleaning below the living wall
• Trimming and pruning where necessary
• Shaping plants
• Replacing any plants if necessary
• Applying biological control through the irrigation system
• Checking moisture levels
• Providing an irrigation system service

Trust Viritopia with Your Living Wall

If your living wall was installed by Viritopia, you're in excellent hands. Our expert maintenance teams anticipate plant needs, especially during seasonal changes, instead of just responding to them.

Our maintenance programmes tailor to each wall’s unique environment, addressing needs proactively instead of just responding to them. Ensuring your biophilic investment continues to thrive and deliver value for years to come.

The Viritopia promise is that with our maintenance programme in place the living wall will be kept in its original pristine condition.

Contact us today to learn more about how our maintenance programme can keep your living walls thriving all year round.