Creating a Green Space on Your Desk with Small Pots
Why Put Plants on Your Desk?
Even without a spacious balcony or garden, one mini pot 7-9cm in diameter is enough. You can start with just 10cm of space beside your monitor, and when your eyes feel tired while working, simply looking at a bit of green can change the mood. If you choose a species that needs very little water, it will survive even through a weekend when you do not come into the office.
| Section | Key summary |
|---|---|
| Why Put Plants on Your Desk? | Even without a spacious balcony or garden, one mini pot 7-9cm in diameter is enough |
| Supplies and Budget | Short key point |
| Difficulty and Choosing Your First Plant | The difficulty level is one out of five stars |
| Getting Started | Short key point |
| Small Styling Touches | Keeping all pots white or gray makes the desk look tidy |
Supplies and Budget
- Mini pots, 7-9cm in diameter, 2-3: 2,000-5,000 won each
- Succulent soil or 1 bag of potting mix, 2L: 4,000-7,000 won
- Saucers for pots with drainage holes: 1,000-2,000 won each
- Spray bottle for dry soil or 200ml watering can: 3,000-6,000 won
- Beginner plants, 1-2 types among pothos, sansevieria, and succulents: 3,000-8,000 won each
Even if you buy everything new, the first setup can be completed for around 20,000-30,000 won. Soil and a spray bottle last more than 1 year once purchased, so from the second pot onward, you only need to pay for the plant.
Difficulty and Choosing Your First Plant
The difficulty level is one out of five stars. The key is choosing a plant that is harder to kill. If the spot gets almost no light, go with sansevieria; if your desk gets one or two hours of sunlight, choose a succulent; and if it is somewhere in between, pothos is a safe choice. Save flowering plants or large-leaf foliage plants until after you have grown a few plants two or three times.
| Plant | Light requirement | Watering | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sansevieria | Almost full shade OK | Once every 2-3 weeks | People who often forget |
| Succulent | 1-2 hours of sunlight | Once every 10-14 days | Sunny desks |
| Pothos | Soft indirect light | When the soil dries | People who like green leaves |
Getting Started
- Find the spot on your desk that receives light for the longest time, then place your palm there for 1 minute to check whether it feels warm.
- Add 1cm of small stones or coarse decomposed granite to the bottom of the pot to create a drainage path.
- Fill the pot two-thirds full with potting mix, place the plant roots in the center, then cover with the remaining soil.
- Gently press the soil with your fingers to secure the plant, then water slowly until water appears in the saucer.
- After 5 minutes, pour out any water collected in the saucer to prevent root rot.
- Mark the next watering day on your calendar in advance and observe the leaves for 1 week.
Small Styling Touches
Keeping all pots white or gray makes the desk look tidy. Instead of lining up two or three pots in a row, arrange them in a triangle with different heights for a better photo. Covering the soil with a handful of small white pebbles also reduces soil splashes and keeps the look clean.