Plants are a great gift idea for business partners, as they not only add beauty to their workspace but also provide a number of health and wellness benefits.
1. Plants are the easiest way to improve mental health.
"A recent review of 42 studies demonstrates that even just being in the presence of indoor plants can improve mental and physical health.
The presence of plants saw better performances on cognitive tasks involving focus, sorting or memory recall, greater pain tolerance when holding hands in ice cold water, and lower levels of physiological stress. " World Economic Forum, 2022
2. Houseplants improve air quality
Plants can remove pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide (from nearby traffic), fine particles (from dust) and volatile organic compounds (from air fresheners, cooking and cleaning). To improve your chances, choose plants with big leafs.
3. Plants have a natural beauty that can enhance the aesthetics of any workspace.
They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, allowing for endless possibilities when it comes to incorporating them into the design of a workspace.
Additionally, plants can be used to create focal points, define spaces, and even serve as natural partitions, making them a versatile and functional element of workspace design.
Here are some tips on how to choose a plant as a gift for your business partner:
Consider their workspace: Before choosing a plant, consider the environment where your business partner will be keeping it. Will it be in a well-lit area or a dimly lit one? Will there be enough space for a large plant or is a smaller one more appropriate? Consider these factors before making your selection.
Think about their personality: Plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so it's important to choose one that matches your business partner's personality. If they're outgoing and energetic, a bold and colorful plant like a Banana Plant or a Ficus Lyrata may be a good fit. If they prefer a more understated look, a classic plant like a Monstera Deliciosa or ZZ Plant may be more appropriate.
Consider the care required: Different plants have different care requirements, so it's important to choose one that your business partner will be able to care for. If they have a green thumb and enjoy gardening, a plant like a Calathea or a Strelitzia may be a good fit. If they prefer low-maintenance plants, choose a plant from the Hard to Kill Collection.
Choose a plant with a special meaning: Some plants have special meanings, such as the lucky bamboo plant, which is believed to bring good luck and fortune, or the peace lily, which symbolizes peace and tranquility. Choosing a plant with a special meaning can add an extra touch of thoughtfulness to your gift.
Customize the pot or container: To make your gift even more special, consider customizing the pot or container. You can choose a pot that matches your business partner's style or add your company logo or a personalized message to the pot.
By considering these factors, you can choose a plant that your business partner will love and appreciate. And who knows? Your gift of a plant may just inspire them to incorporate more greenery into their workspace and reap the benefits of a healthier and more beautiful environment.
Still not sure what to choose? Let them decide by purchasing our digital gift card, or just ask us: hello@easypot.club.
]]>Earth Day is just around the corner, and it's the perfect opportunity to celebrate our planet and take action to protect it. At EASYPOT, we believe that even small actions can make a big difference. That's why we've put together a list of Earth Day activities that are easy, fun, and impactful. Whether you're looking to plant a tree, start a garden, or donate to an environmental organization, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Share your Earth Day activities with your friends, family, and coworkers, and inspire others to join the movement.
]]>Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd, and it's a great opportunity to celebrate our planet and take action to protect it. EASYPOT team has our own list of activities dedicated to this day we’d like to suggest.
But first, what is the Earth Day?
Earth Day is an annual event held on April 22nd to raise awareness and support for environmental protection. It originated in the United States in 1970. The first Earth Day was a massive success, with millions of Americans taking to the streets to demand action from their government. As a result, several significant environmental laws were passed.
Since then, Earth Day has become a global event, with people worldwide participating in various activities and events to celebrate the planet and raise awareness about environmental issues. Each year, Earth Day has a different theme, with the recent themes being "Restore Our Earth" or "Protect Our Species." This year, the theme is "Invest in Our Planet."
What can I do to commemorate the day?
Plant a tree: Planting a tree is a great way to give back to the planet and create a lasting impact. Consider organizing a tree planting event with your coworkers, or planting a tree in your own backyard. Earth Day organisers have their own initiative, for example.
Enroll in World Cleanup Day today: The event is held annually on September 23rd, but you can already sign up for it. During this day, communities around the world come together to clean up their environments from litter.
Start a garden: If you have the space, consider starting a garden. You can grow your own fruits and vegetables, which is not only good for the environment but also for your health.
Donate to an environmental organization: If you don't have the space or the time to start a garden, consider donating to an environmental organization. There are many organizations that work to protect the planet, from local groups to international nonprofits.
Gift a plant to your friends & business partners: Celebrate this day with your partners and friends, while showing them your gratitude at the same time. You can choose from a variety of plants from our shop, from small succulents to large potted trees, and add your personal note; or just choose a digital gift card.
Host a plant swap: Invite friends and family to bring plants they no longer want or need, and exchange them with others. This is a great way to refresh your collection of plants while also preventing them from going to waste.
Overall, Earth Day is an important reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting the environment, and that small actions can add up to make a big difference 🙌 .
]]>During the first wave of pandemic in 2020, they also became the founders of EASYPOT.
Alongside newborns and despite the outside world constantly changing, they realized that, as home is where we spend most of our time, it should be everyone's happy place.
“Making your own indoor plant garden is a brilliant hobby, both sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. Not many things are. Moreover – plants last. They are around regardless of the weather or drama of the outside world.” / Julia Belkina, co-founder of EasyPot and Findanode
EASYPOT is based in Riga, Latvia, delivering green love throughout all of the EU countries.
Hello Julia & Katya! Nice to have you here today. Can we please start with you explaining in your own words – what is EasyPot?
EasyPot is, first and foremost, an ONLINE plant store that also offers a lot of different services. Plant subscriptions, gift cards, bundles and of course, single plants. The main idea of EasyPot is to be a plant store for EVERYONE! Whether you're just looking for a unique gift to your mother-in-law or are truly dedicated in building your own botanical garden at home, we want to be sure EasyPot has what you're looking for.
How the idea of EasyPot was born? When was it, and were you & Katya the only two founders since the start?
Yes – Katya and I have always been and are the only two founders of EasyPot. The idea came to us during the first wave of Covid pandemic. At some point we got separated (just like everybody else) because of restrictions and sat at home for a couple of months. After two months of not seeing each other, we finally had a chance to meet for a coffee – I recall it was May 2020. And while drinking our lattes, we asked ourselves – what is it that people miss the most? E.g. being able to meet each other, buying all kinds of special food, travelling… And I remember, I said that I was upset I couldn't get plants anywhere – as I like plants and have a lot of them at home – and nobody ships them now. Ok, you can get a delivery, yes, but only from local stores, and they cost a fortune, and it's just a Covid solution, not a permanent one. To which Katya responded: probably it's because it's complicated to ship them! Let's google?
And around that time it was already our third latte, and we got so excited, because we had the same idea in mind: let's create an online store with plant delivery to your door!
“We know plants; we know how to talk to people, and we know customer service & international shipping – these probably are the pillars of what we are doing! It instantly was a match! Probably some sort of energy was flying around the room.” / Julia Belkina
So, to resume: yes, we are the only two founders. At some point, we were talking to investors, but we didn't want to sell out the business as such. Still – we are very happy and would highly appreciate it if somebody would come in and help us grow. But that is not the main idea; the main idea is actually called “boot strapping”. It is when we put our own money for starting up a business. And that's what we did – as we have our main business, communication agency Findanode, EasyPot is sort of our baby business. At the same time, it also serves as a great example to show our clients how to run an online store, in the age when everyone runs an online store!
Why is it a subscription-based service? What does it mean?
Subscription is a new business model for plants, especially in the Baltics – nobody has done this before. And our goal was to cater for what we call internally “average Maggie”. Basically, for someone who doesn't know plants; who doesn't really want to research or think much about it. But, at the same time, for the one who would like to have like 3,4,5,6…10 plants at home! As we see it, people start spending more time at home: working from home, etc., and at some point they realize – I live here. And I actually work here now, and I want to feel good – so I might as well have some plants around me, too. So for this “average Maggie”, who doesn't want to dive too deep into the plants' world, we offer a subscription.
It was a real hit at the very beginning – people didn't know about it; it was the best present for birthdays & weddings, and many other celebrations. Now it's been 2 years, and people mostly understand what a subscription is.
We are now entering the European market, and we believe the subscription base will sort of “relaunch itself”, as it is a really good opportunity for someone who is just starting his or her adventure in the plant world!
So the subscription works the following: we don't charge a customer every month; we charge on spot, for 3-6 plants, and they arrive to you in a 3-6 month period. So it is not something you have to cancel or think about too much; it's very user-friendly in that sense. As we have noticed – the favourite part for everyone is this monthly surprise concept. You have forgotten about it, and then the courier arrives and you have this plant, you haven't even thought about before!
We also choose the most appropriate plants for your home: prior order placement comes a survey, where you have to write about your lighting, pets, watering habits or any other conditions at home. So the plant we deliver suits well.
What were the biggest obstacles & challenges along the way?
First challenge is time. As EasyPot is not our main business, we still have to make money for the team we're hiring at Findanode. So we have to manage time efficiently – by combining main work and EasyPot.
After that I would say – all the competitors. As the plants became popular during Covid, there was a lot of competition. I must say, though, that the biggest part of them have closed by now; we struggled with sharing a not so big market (the Baltics). Then also budgets, budget for marketing in particular. Yet, since our main business is in communication, we kind of relied on doing organic marketing the most, so we didn't invest a lot in paid ads in the beginning.
For now – our brand is already quite strong, and people from the Baltics know us. The marketing budget still has to be there, but probably not as big anymore as for other businesses.
And what about the biggest successes so far? Maybe some pleasant surprises?
I'd say that the biggest pleasant surprise that we did not predict and could not have predicted is that everyone wants to talk about EasyPot. The amount of podcasts, interviews, events, articles – we even got into Forbes – that EasyPot has drawn into. It was not a big business; still is not, yet, everyone is very curious. It's a cute business to discuss, I guess. And I have done these lectures in universities in Riga – and every time people are like: it's the most beautiful business!
What about Latvians & Latvia? Did they welcome EasyPot well, as the business comes from here?
Well, I think we did one thing (which we could have not, but we actually had to) that Latvians did not appreciate. We spoke English from the very beginning. We positioned ourselves as being “the Baltic e-shop”, so we wanted to cater for Estonians and Lithuanians too, from the very beginning. And I must say that, currently, 60% of our market is Latvians, 35% is Estonians and only 5% are Lithuanians, so far.
So yes – we spoke English, and I think Latvians did not appreciate it that much. Obviously – we have not done it to hurt them; the decision was made purely out of love for everyone on the market. Other than that, I think Latvians enjoy a good competition. New energy and everything else that we bring to the table! We're fun, we are curious about plants, we are not too rigid – we don't have standardized procedures or corporate approach. We are very much 'ad-hoc' like, “let's do something cool” approach. And I think they appreciate it.
What about target customers, where are they based? And what about competitors?
Initially, we positioned ourselves as working for the Baltic States. And we have a couple of competitors here: 1-2 online stores in Latvia, and few others in Estonia and Lithuania.
What differentiates us from the others – we invest a lot in brand development and brand awareness. And as for clients, initially they were in the Baltics, too; then we started introducing ourselves elsewhere. Finnish market, the Netherlands (where our warehouse is located now, too).
As for the future, with our new warehouse in the Netherlands, our clients can be anywhere in Europe. Concerning language adaptations, we are thinking that with time we will see which are the most popular markets, and adapt for those languages.
So all the plants are stored now in the Netherlands, not Riga, is that correct?
Yes. We chose the Netherlands, because for us this country provides the best quality and service for the plants. And they also have this European approach, as we call it. They understand the differences of markets, they are honest, they have good quality standards. So it works for us. We work with several growers – who specialize in the things they grow, and are experts in their field.
Lastly – what about your future plans? And is there anything else you would like to share?
Well, it's a bit of a difficult time now – financially and economically. And we would really like to see EasyPot finding its place. Moreover, we are also figuring out who our clients specifically are. Mostly they are women, 25-40 years old. And we know that it is tough for women in all ends: be it work related matters, family related matters, and we want to be there for them. Our hope is to find our place, and that is the biggest challenge for now and for the future!
What I would like to share is that Katya is about to participate in one women-led initiative in Spain, called “The Brake”.
And we will actually be bringing EasyPot to table for the discussions, to see if other 200 participants are interested in adding EasyPot (as a female-runned business) to the program, too. This would also help launch or “relaunch” EasyPot in many, many countries in Europe. So, in a way, with EasyPot – our beautiful and feminine business, as many describe it – we are aiming at empowering women to start businesses all over the world, too!
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Kā šī programma darbojas?
✅ Ar katru pirkumu tu saņemsi uzlīmi, kas norādīs, kurš pirkums pēc kārtas tas ir.
✅ Ar katru piekto pirkumu tu saņemsi uzlīmi un 20% atlaižu kodu nākamajam pirkumam!
🌱 Pārliecinies, ka vienmēr norādi tās pašas kontaktdetaļas.
Ja esi veicis, piemēram, 4 pasūtījumus no EASYPOT, tad nākamais tiks skaitīts kā tavs piektais pasūtījums, ar kuru tu saņemsi arī 20% atlaižu kodu.
#EASYPOTturns2 🎉
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📐 Parasti abonementa augu augstums ir 20 - 40 cm.
Kas tev jādara?
Augu abonements ir visoriģinālākā un ilgtspējīgākā dāvana!
Laimētājs tiks paziņots aprīļa sākumā (tas nav joks).
Kas ir augu abonements? Pārsteiguma augs, piegādāts līdz tavām namdurvīm reizi mēnesī! Tas darbojas gluži kā žurnāla abonements, augs nu ir tavs! Tā nav īre.
Kā tas darbojas? Reizi mēnesī ap vienu un to pašu datumu tu saņemsi pārsteiguma augu. Pimais augs tiks izsūtīts trīs darba dienu laikā no abonementa iegādes brīža.
3 mēnešu atonements ir mūsu vispopulārākais augu abonements – trīs augi trīs mēnešu laikā. Pietiekami ilgi, lai spētu aizraut, bet ne pārāk ilgi, ja nevēlies ilgtermiņa saistības.
6 mēnešu abonements tie ir seši pārsteiguma augi sešiem mēnešiem. Šis ir ilgākais augu abonements, kādu vari saņemt, un mēs esam pārliecināti, ka vēlēsies vēl!
Augu abonementa ideja ir tāda, ka nezināsi, kādus augus saņemsi, līdz neatvērsi iepakojumu. Tas būs pārsteigums! Visi augi tiek izvēlēti, ņemot vērā tavus norādījumus.
]]>Padoms Nr1: Iepazīstiet savus augus
Lielākajai daļai augu nepieciešami gaisīgi un caurlaidīgi augsnes maisījumi, kas nodrošina augsni mitru, bet ne slapju.
Tomēr dažādiem augiem nepieciešama atšķirīga aprūpe - daži dod priekšroku izžūt (ZZ augi, sukulenti, kaktusi), citi dod priekšroku būt mitri (papardes, maranta, kalateja, utt.).
Dažus augus, piemēram, kalateju, ktenentu un marantu, nepieciešams laistīt ar filtrētu ūdeni.
Noteikti noskaidro, kas tavam augam patīk
Padoms Nr.2: Izvēlieties pareizo augsni
Tirdzniecībā pieejamie augsnes ražotāji piedāvā dažāda veida augsnes maisījumus, lai atvieglotu mūsu dzīvi - pat ja tie visi varētu šķist vienādi, pastāv būtiskas atšķirības, piemēram, drenāža, PH līmenis un aerācija.
Ņem vērā, ka dažās augsnēs jau ir pievienotas barības vielas. Ja izmanto šādu augsni, tad zini, ka nākamo pusgadu/gadu augam nevajadzēs papildus barības vielas.
Padoms Nr3: izmanto pareizos podus
Ja pods ir pārāk liels un auga saknes tam ir par mazu - tas nevarēs uzņemt pietiekami ūdeni un visticamāk sapūs.
Paturi prātā, ka dažādiem podu izmēriem ir vajadzīgi dažādi laistīšanas paradumi, piemēram, mazie podi ātrāk izžūs.
Materiāla ziņā - māla un metāla podi izžūst daudz ātrāk, jo tie ir poraini, tomēr bieži auga saknes piestiprinās pie poda apakšas un var tikt sabojātas pārstādot.
! Neatkarīgi no tā, kāda veida podu izvēlies, pārliecinies, vai tam ir drenāžas caurums.
Padoms Nr.4: pārbaudi mitrumu
Nelaisti pēc grafika, it īpaši, ja mainās sezonas. Augi izžūst dažādos ātrumos augšanas sezonā un ziemā, kad ir ieslēgta centrālā apkure. Mēs iesakām regulāri pārbaudīt augus, lai noteiktu, vai tiem nepieciešama laistīšana.
Vispirms apskati savu augu, pacel podiņu - sauss augs jutīsies daudz vieglāks nekā tikko aplaistīts augs - mēģiniet to izjust! Ja uzreiz pēc laistīšanas salīdzināsi podiņa svaru, tad tev būs ar ko salīdzināt, kad augs nebūs laistīts.
Ieliec pirkstu augsnē apm. 4 cm - ja augsne šķiet “auksta” un pielīp pie pirksta, tā joprojām ir pietiekami mitra.
Vai arī izmanto mitruma mērītāju, ja negribas likt pirkstus augsnē! 😊
Padoms Nr.5: pietiekami daudz ūdens
Ir svarīgi labi padzirdīt izslāpušus augus.
Laisti augu, līdz apmēram 10% no augam uzlietā ūdens sāk tecēt ārā pa drenāžas caurumiem. Neatstāj augu stāvam ūdenī.
Padoms Nr.6: Ūdens no rīta
Augu saknes ir jutīgākas pret ūdeni rīta stundās.
Vakara laistīšana var ļaut ūdenim sēdēt un neuzsūkties - rezultātā saknes var sapūt.
Padoms Nr7: laisti augsni, nevis lapas
Ja lapas ar ūdeni nokļūst tiešā saulē - tās var apdedzināties, tas attiecas arī uz miglošanu, kur ūdens pilieni darbojas kā palielināms stikls. Mitras lapas arī veicina sēnīšu problēmas.
Padoms Nr.8 - Neļaujt augsnei pilnībā izžūt
Augsne pārstāj absorbēt ūdeni, ja tā kļūst pārāk sausa un ūdens vienkārši plūst cauri. Šādā gadījumā tu domā, ka laisti savu augu, bet izrādās, ka nē.
Padoms Nr9: Nav ideālais laistīšanas biežums visiem
Augu laistīšanas vajadzības ietekmē daudzi vides faktori, piemēram, - augsnes veids, gaismas iedarbība, istabas temperatūra, mitruma līmenis un miera stāvoklis.
Katra māja ir atšķirīga, tāpēc labākais risinājums ir novērot augu, lai redzētu, cik ātri tas parasti izžūst, kādu gaismu tas iegūst, un mēģināt izjust vidi.
Padoms Nr.10 – izmanto istabas temperatūras ūdeni. Augiem nepatīk ledus auksts ūdens. “Laistīšana” ar ledus gabaliņiem ir mīts.
Autore: @augiem_buut
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Padoms Nr.2 – Kā pamanīt, ka ir laiks lielākam podiņam?
Padoms Nr.3 – esi uzmanīgs. Izņem augu no poda, turot podu uz sāniem. Tad viegli atdali saknes, noņem veco augsnes maisījumu, cenšoties pārāk neaiztikt saknes. Pievieno leca slāni (keramzīts) katla apakšā papildu drenāžai, tad pievieno augsnes slāni tā, lai neveidotos gaisa kabatas. Pārliecinies, ka augs būs podiņa vidū. Tad liec to podiņā un pievieno augsni, līdz augs ir nostiprināts. Pabeidz, aplaistot augu.
Padoms Nr.4 –Nepieciešamie materiāli:
Padoms Nr5 – mēs zinām, ka tas ir vilinoši, bet nepārstādi augu tūlīt pēc tā atnešanas mājās. Vides maiņa rada stresu, it īpaši, ja augs atceļojis ar piegādi. Pirms pārstādīšanas dod savam augam kādu laiku, lai pielāgotos jaunajai mājai, parasti ieteicams 2–4 nedēļas.
Tu to vari!
Autors: @augiem_buut
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Tāpat kā jebkuram hobijam, kas sagādā daudz prieka – augu turēšanai ir arī praktiskā puse. Laiks parunāt par ziloni telpā – kaitēkļiem.
Lai gan daudzi no mums baidās iegūt kaitēkļus, ir svarīgi saprast un pieņemt, ka tie ir dabas sastāvdaļa - ja mēs savās mājās ienesam dabu, mums jābūt gataviem ienest gan labo, gan ne tik labo.
Dabā viss ir līdzsvarā - ir labvēlīgi kukaiņi un ir slikti. Tomēr, ja augs dzīvo mūsu mājās, labvēlīgie kaitēkļi nav daļa no vides (piemēram, mārītes).
Ir daudzi veidi, kā kaitēkļi var iekļūt mūsu mājās, un ne visi no tiem ir mūsu kontrolē. Šajā rakstu sērija par kukaiņiem mēs dalīsimies paraugpraksē par to, kā identificēt, pārvaldīt un apstarot nevēlamo viesi, kas negatīvi ietekmē tavu auga izskatu un veselību.
No kurienes rodas kaitēkļi?
Kaitēkļu invāzijas pazīmes:
Bieži sastopamo kaitēkļu veidi:
Vispārējā apkope:
VIENMĒR jaunus augus ievieto karantīnā vismaz 6 nedēļām.
Regulāri tīri lapas.
Pārbaud savu augu, vai tajā nav iepriekš aprakstīto pazīmju
Raksta @augiem_buut
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By the looks of it, a fungus gnat resembles a fruit fly. It usually lives in the soil and is attracted to moisture. A single gnat can lay 200 eggs per day, which hatch in 3days to feed off fungi and decaying plant material. The lifespan of an adult gnat is 1 week, then the cycle repeats.
As pests, fungus gnats are harmless to humans, and in small numbers they can’t cause any real damage however, if the infestation explodes, the larvae can start feeding off the plants’ roots and stunt plant growth (especially seedlings and plant babies).
So, let’s KILL THEM (insert evil laugh :D )
Appearance: grey/black, max 3mm, spend most of the time on top of the soil, but can fly in one’s face, too.
Prevention:
Control:
Written by @augiem_buut
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