Silk plants are some of the most common most sought after home decorating element in the market today. More and more people are noticing the benefit of these plants even to the point of matching the same silk plant colors to the existing chair cushions. I must say right off the bat that these plants are not for everyone. There are a couple of things that most people do not think about or overlook when they are deciding to go with a house or office environment full of silk plants. Hopefully we can go over the main basics so you can get your research done and then decide if a silk plant is good for you or if you would prefer to have the real plants for your decorating uses.
Pros:
First off let’s start with the positives that silk plants really do have and can provide you with. The number one thing that people love about these plants is that they do not die. Some people have a hard time keeping live plant alive in the environment that they want real plants to live and with silk plants you do not have to worry about that.
Another positive is the fact that silk plants are allergy friendly. They do not have the pollen that many plants, especially flowering plants have, and some people cannot handle it. This is something to think about if you suffer with allergies and still would like an element in your environment that brings a feel of nature inside.
Again silk plants allow you to place them wherever you want inside. You really do have design freedom of placement. You do not have to worry about: sun exposure, humidity levels, shade, partial light in the summer, full light in the winter, hibernation, flowering, or pruning. All of these things you can throw out the window and know that what the plant looks like, when you bought it is what the plant will look like every day.
Another great thing about a silk plant is that along with the low maintenance you do not have to worry about watering it. This becomes an issue when many people are just too busy to remember to water the plant. The look will always be the same and you do not have to worry about any focus being put on keeping the plant alive. No worries about how much water, when, during what season, and if too much. Just make sure that you use proper garden lighting and illuminate your silk plants.
Cons:
Now let’s look at some of the negatives that you will get if you decide to buy a silk plant. Obviously the first issue that people have and struggle with is that they are not real plants. The main reason that many people want to use plants in an indoor environment is to bring the feel and experience of nature indoors. Most people can tell, even with the silk plant technology that is out there, the difference between a real plant and a silk plant.
The next complaint and negative that silk plants have are the fact that you do not get the smells and humidity that normal plants will give off. One of the things that people need to understand is the fact that one of the reasons that live plants give you that welcome room feeling is because plants do stabilize the air and provide smells and moisture to the environment. Natural plants do play with your senses and without thing you lose this benefit that a natural plant can provide that silk plants do not.
Another thing to think about is the fact that a bunch of silk plants tend to not only have the reputation for having a fake look but are serious dust collectors. Natural plants do not collect dust the way that a silk plant will. The fibers in the silk will grab anything that may be floating in the air and soon will collect in a foggy snow look. This adds to the maintenance if you want to always have a good looking plant.
Care:
Maintenance and care for these plants are not too bad. There are a bunch of products that are constantly changing in the industry to help you make sure that these silk plants consistently look good. The product that many like to use is a wax coating spray. Again they are always changing companies and formulas but the idea is that this spray you apply to the silk will coat it so that dust will not be able to collect on the individual leaves or pedals. I have used a spray called silk wax and it did help with dust until it wore off and I have to wash it and reapply it about three months later. They make sprays that also protect against UV fading which also can happen if these plants are left in direct sunlight. Cleaning these silk plants has been easiest by just simply washing them down in a shower and setting out to dry. I have also heard that you can take these plants out of their pots and put them in a dryer at home and the dust will be sucked off of them. I have never tried this but it is supposed to work.
Hopefully this has given you some tips and ideas about silk plants. They are great if they are what you are looking for and what you need. Most people seem to like them and they can provide your home environment with a certain element of comfort. They just do it in a different way than what a natural real life plant would. Silk plants can also be accented on a plant stand which can also provide your home decor with a perfect clean feel. Unfinished Furniture is also a great tool for you to use with silk plants in providing the feel you are looking for.
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