Pikaplant

Fool-Proof Flora Care for Even the Laziest of Plant-Lovers

Ever had a house plant inexplicably die on you? Constantly forgetting to water that wilting desk plant? Amsterdam-based start-up Pikaplant’s new designs Tableau and Jar will be a breath of fresh air for you. The designs feature an innovative system that waters plants in the same way nature does.

“Pikaplant was born from the idea that indoor gardens are good for people’s health,” they tell us. “They reduce stress and recovery times, clean the air, and increase creativity and productivity. Despite this a lot of people don’t keep plants indoors.”

Jar consists of a specially selected plant hermetically-sealed within an upturned jar, which allows the plant to simply recycle the air and water inside. Tableau allows users to pick their own plants or herbs, having space for three, and keeps the plants well fed using absolutely zero electricity. At the time of writing it’s at about 60% of its Kickstarter funding goal. Both designs feature minimalist styling and a pleasing contemporary look.

We decided to delve a little deeper into these new designs by speaking to the guys at Pikaplant.

The Plus: Could you explain how Tableau works?
Pikaplant: Rather than slow-releasing water into the soil Tableau waters plants in a wet-dry cycle, just like nature does. This gives plants’ roots time to breathe between drinking phases, which is good for their growth. It uses a bi-valve ebb-and-flow system to control the wet-dry cycle. Your job as an indoor gardener is to make sure there’s water in the reservoir.

TP: What inspired you to design Tableau?
P: Our One vertical garden was received with a lot of enthusiasm. It was even named Best of Milan Design Week 2015. But we think that you should be able to grow herbs, crops, and beautiful plants anywhere, even if you don’t have the space or budget for a One. We designed Tableau using the same zero electricity irrigation tech as One, only in a more compact and accessible form.

TP: Tell us about Jar.
P: Jars are experiments run wild. They started as a ‘what if’. In the Netherlands, hospital patients in intensive care and long stay wards can’t have plants or flowers in their rooms. Intuitively people know that green surroundings help the sick get better. But because of a fear of infection, the people that can really use the help are excluded. So we thought, ‘what if we could put a plant in a hermetically sealed container?’