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Houseplant Reality Check with Emma Lee
70 Plays3 days ago
In this lively and laughter-filled midsummer episode of Hort Culture, the crew is joined by Emma Lee, UK Extension Agent from Estill County and the voice behind the popular UK Houseplant Education videos. The gang dives deep into the world of houseplants—dispelling myths, sharing war stories, and celebrating the trials and triumphs of indoor gardening.
Emma shares the origin of her houseplant video series, created as part of her graduate work and fueled by her newfound obsession with foliage. From low-maintenance starter picks like Tradescantia and heartleaf philodendron to the surprisingly dramatic Calathea, the crew debates plant preferences and pet peeves. Succulents? Not as simple as social media makes them seem.
Other topics include:
- The social media-fueled rise of trendy houseplants
- Why some plants just aren’t for you—and that’s okay
- Emma’s bioactive frog tank turned Calathea haven
- Bonsai tangents and plant pricing bubbles
- “Plants don’t read the books”: what really works at home
Whether you're team succulent or team “please stop mixing cactus with peace lilies,” this episode offers a down-to-earth and refreshingly honest take on houseplant culture.
Show Notes & Resources:
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Tie-Dye Stories
00:00:18
Alexis
Hello, plant people.
00:00:18
Emma Lee
Oh.
00:00:19
Alexis
Hello, friends of the pod. How's everybody doing today?
00:00:22
Plant People
Good. You're as high energy as your shirt. So anybody not watching the video feed now is missing it. Alexis has on some sweet tie-dye swag.
00:00:29
Alexis
Mm-hmm. I tie-dyed this myself, too, so I'm pretty proud.
00:00:32
Plant People
You did.
00:00:33
Emma Lee
look
00:00:33
Plant People
Is that for the podcast or is that the non-existent swag that we don't have?
00:00:37
Alexis
is
00:00:37
Plant People
We keep talking about.
00:00:38
Alexis
this is ah This is some other swag, support your local farmer swag um I have from back in the day.
00:00:42
Plant People
it. Love it.
00:00:45
Alexis
So, ah yeah, I was like I need
00:00:45
Plant People
Love it. Love it. Love it.
00:00:46
Brett
and Emma, when was the last time, was when was the last time, Emma, that you tie-dyed something?
00:00:52
Emma Lee
Probably when I was 12, but I did a really good job. Very memorable. Couldn't pop it. So I never did it again.
00:00:58
Brett
You peaked early as a tie-dyer.
00:01:00
Plant People
I mean, you did. i mean, straight UK one and done. That's, that's how we roll here in Kentucky.
00:01:03
Emma Lee
thank
00:01:05
Brett
Wow.
00:01:05
Plant People
Yeah.
00:01:05
Alexis
the Boyle County had like hardcore good tie dye that they use for like 4-H camp and stuff like that and when they would come back and they'd have leftover dye we just like all show up with our like dingy whites that we wanted to color something else
00:01:05
Brett
Okay. Okay.
Who is Emma?
00:01:24
Plant People
Over dirty t-shirts.
00:01:24
Alexis
and i have it have a tie dye party so ah yeah I got some really good tie dye that's like legit from that yeah
00:01:31
Plant People
Yeah. I love me some tie dye.
00:01:32
Brett
Yeah, i never I can never tell it apart from like Vietnamese dye and Laotian dye.
00:01:36
Plant People
No, is it tie or some other ethnicity?
00:01:37
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:01:39
Alexis
lowation Thank you.
00:01:39
Plant People
We don't know.
00:01:40
Brett
i don't i yeah i don't know the I don't know the regional variability, but ah yours loses looks nice.
00:01:41
Plant People
Norwegian dye. I want that. There's the Adobe version. The clay dyes.
00:01:47
Alexis
I appreciate that.
00:01:47
Plant People
Yeah. The clay clay is super cool.
00:01:48
Alexis
Yeah. um I appreciate that. Just channeling channeling that tie-dye stuff.
00:01:51
Brett
Yeah. Yeah.
00:01:53
Plant People
You're mid summer sunshine.
00:01:53
Alexis
Well, you know what? It's summer, baby. So if you've not tie-dyed yet this summer, you know what?
00:01:56
Plant People
It's high summer.
00:01:59
Alexis
Go do it. Go do it. You know the other thing that
00:02:01
Brett
It sounds like many summers have passed since Emetai died, so.
00:02:03
Emma Lee
yeah
00:02:04
Brett
You
00:02:05
Plant People
Minnie, I think it's, maybe she's overdue.
00:02:05
Alexis
Emma missing out, man?
00:02:07
Plant People
think she's overdue.
00:02:07
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:02:08
Alexis
Missing out.
00:02:09
Brett
should return to your roots.
00:02:09
Alexis
You got those grungy white things that you're like, hmm, this is stained, but it's super comfy, so I want to keep wearing it, but I shouldn't wear it in public.
00:02:09
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:02:16
Alexis
Tie-dye, baby.
00:02:18
Emma Lee
Yeah. I also like it when you can tie-dye like bags and random other white stuff.
00:02:18
Brett
Ah, wow.
00:02:22
Emma Lee
So I might get into that. Not the shirt business, but the knick-knack tie-dye business.
00:02:24
Brett
Okay.
00:02:24
Alexis
and
00:02:27
Alexis
Yep. Yep.
00:02:27
Plant People
you're you're You're approaching it from a novel angle.
00:02:28
Alexis
Yes.
00:02:28
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:02:30
Plant People
You're gonna corner the market on some novel angle, so yeah. It's good stuff. It's very appropriate for midsummer. I feel like that tada
Behind the Scenes: Emma's Cat Pep
00:02:38
Plant People
is.
00:02:38
Alexis
Well, as you all, our listeners, can hear, we have a ah different voice, another female voice. Thank goodness. I've been without without the the feminine energy here for a little while. So, Emma, why don't you introduce yourself to the to the listeners?
00:02:53
Emma Lee
Hey, everybody. So I'm Emma. I am actually an ag agent in Estill County, and I have only been at this for a little over three years, but I'm sure if you've seen the UK houseplant page, you're very familiar with my voice.
00:03:07
Emma Lee
I have worn it out making those houseplant videos. And if you haven't heard it, please go like it. I'm begging. So thank you. Thank you.
00:03:15
Alexis
We will put a link in the show notes to that. But I love your videos and I watch them as a houseplant nerd. So I appreciate you.
00:03:25
Plant People
Wait a minute.
00:03:25
Alexis
and
00:03:26
Plant People
ah that There's two different ones themed out.
Graduate Project: Accessible Houseplant Care
00:03:30
Plant People
Emma reminded me at the very beginning of the show, there is the main page and then there's a secondary page with a primary superstar, a fuzzy superstar.
00:03:39
Plant People
So yeah, more than one page.
00:03:42
Emma Lee
More than one page. My cat runs the other one by himself. its All the videos. He just records me. He just holds the phone. so
00:03:49
Brett
What's his name?
00:03:49
Alexis
Yeah, yeah.
00:03:50
Emma Lee
His name is Pep.
00:03:52
Brett
Pep.
00:03:53
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:03:53
Plant People
Pep.
00:03:53
Brett
That's awesome.
00:03:57
Emma Lee
Yeah, it started out
00:03:57
Brett
So you like you see, so he's like a he's like the director, you're like the onscreen talent and maybe the executive producer.
00:03:57
Alexis
Just pep behind the scenes.
00:04:04
Emma Lee
Yes, he knows exactly what's going on. He just holds up the little cards, you know, with the words and records the video for me, edits it, posts it, whatever.
00:04:07
Plant People
you
00:04:09
Brett
Mm hmm.
00:04:14
Brett
I like that.
00:04:15
Alexis
some good Some good teamwork right there.
00:04:16
Brett
So I'm i'm less less familiar with this. So if you were to if you were to pitch this or explain this to someone, like what what kind of stuff is on there? And I'm also interested in hearing like what made you start this in the first place?
00:04:31
Emma Lee
So I started my master's degree shortly after I started working because I figured that's one of those things that's better done
Houseplant Myths and Challenges
00:04:40
Emma Lee
sooner than later.
00:04:41
Alexis
Yes.
00:04:41
Emma Lee
And now we're at the later part where I have the master's graduate project. So I figured, you know, might as well pursue something that interests me, something I'm really into right now. And at that time, I had just started getting into houseplants.
00:05:00
Emma Lee
And now I'm in a deep houseplant pit, but at the beginning, beginning i was like, oh yeah, let's buy all these houseplants because it's for content.
00:05:11
Emma Lee
We're past that. We're past that. And if anyone needs any plants, please let me know.
00:05:17
Plant People
You're into the save me phase of the project.
00:05:17
Brett
I see.
00:05:17
Emma Lee
There's so many.
00:05:17
Alexis
Now have to take care of them all.
00:05:19
Plant People
Yeah. Yeah.
00:05:19
Emma Lee
ah There's so many, but yes, so there's a lot houseplant information when you start digging into it. So when I was trying to get into stuff, of course, I have a horticulture background, a degree in it, but that's mostly like vegetables and there's not a lot of emphasis on the indoor plants as much.
00:05:40
Emma Lee
So when I was digging around for information, it's that typical Facebook vibe where five different videos say, oh, you should do this. And then it's like, oh, you should never do this.
00:05:51
Emma Lee
And it's talking about the same thing. so I was like, you know, this is kind of something that's not been... really touch too much. And Extension, of course, has a present on presence on social media, but there's not as many just short little TikTok top link videos that are just quick, straight to the point for houseplants.
00:05:59
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:06:14
Emma Lee
And so my goal of this whole project was to first and foremost, make those videos that are easy to Access for housemate people straight to the point because I don't like watching YouTube videos for very long.
00:06:30
Emma Lee
If I need to know right now, like, okay, do it and tell me what I need to do. um so I tried to provide that. And then of course there's two different Facebook pages. One that's kind of geared more towards just your friend, your neighbor, just kind of hearing it from someone, you know, that doesn't have a background in this.
00:06:50
Emma Lee
And then the other page that is, more uk extension focused and kind of has the extension vibe so to speak
00:07:01
Brett
Well, as someone who does watch a ton of long form YouTube, um how dare you?
00:07:07
Alexis
On four times speed.
00:07:08
Plant People
Yeah, yeah.
00:07:08
Emma Lee
sorry
00:07:10
Plant People
three the yeah they They all sound like chipmunks on when um Brett's feed, yes.
00:07:11
Brett
How dare you? But as someone is into houseplants and appreciates the extension mission and knows that most of our clientele appreciate a short form video with good information, thank you.
00:07:15
Plant People
Long form video.
00:07:24
Brett
But I will not forgive you, but thank you.
00:07:25
Emma Lee
this this is not about yeah this isn't about the plant holes me i love watching those ones that like an hour long that's like watch me water all my plants this isn't about that this is about stuff that you need to know right now because i'm
00:07:25
Plant People
mean
00:07:27
Plant People
We like a good 12-minute introduction. Yeah.
00:07:42
Plant People
No ASMR, just straight to the point.
00:07:43
Brett
Yeah, I love that. I love that. if you actually watch videos, people will say things like, thank you for no, they'll say, thank you for no BS, no music, no, you know, stupid voiceovers, just got straight to the point.
00:07:44
Plant People
to the point
00:07:55
Brett
Thank you. there And there's like a thousand comments that are like that. And so,
Bioactive Enclosures and Exotic Pets
00:07:58
Brett
yeah, I think that that is the actual market for a lot of this informational stuff.
00:07:58
Emma Lee
Yeah. Yeah.
00:08:00
Plant People
Yeah. That's definitely the trend. Yeah.
00:08:03
Brett
Yeah.
00:08:05
Plant People
Yeah. Even though I love me some good long videos.
00:08:05
Brett
So can you take us...
00:08:05
Alexis
Thank you.
00:08:07
Brett
Like, so I i actually um not, I guess it was this past year. um My wife had kind of been into houseplants for a while. um i keep bonsai, but outside bonsai.
00:08:19
Emma Lee
ah
00:08:20
Brett
um And I was like, oh, you know, let's, let's get into some houseplants over the, over the winter. And I found myself sort of. I wouldn't say necessarily overwhelmed, but inundated. I could see that my wife was getting overwhelmed, but I was excited by the volume of information.
00:08:35
Brett
um But where did you start? Like, is there ah you know an on-ramp for houseplant people as far as the species at first kind of ah wigged me out a little because there were so many of them and they were so far outside of what I was used to.
00:08:51
Brett
But I found that there okay there are some that are like these on-ramp plants and then start to make a mental map of the you know light light needs and all that kind of stuff. But I'm curious, like if you're taking some noob like me and on-ramping us, where do you what do you start with?
00:09:08
Emma Lee
So my top picks, I know everybody says succulents are the easiest. I don't ever recommend that. I literally am on like a journey right now to learn how to keep them alive.
00:09:21
Emma Lee
And as someone who has hundreds of houseplants, succulents are not my easy one. I think that it's hit or miss.
00:09:28
Alexis
No.
00:09:29
Emma Lee
You're either a succulent person or you're not. um So you have to kind of look at that deep within yourself before you start.
00:09:36
Plant People
Yeah.
00:09:37
Emma Lee
And if you're not a succulent person, things like trade scantia that you can, you know,
Personal Preferences and Plant Communities
00:09:44
Emma Lee
basically try really hard to kill and it won't.
00:09:48
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:09:49
Emma Lee
It'll live through, persist through all conditions. I have one that I don't even think about water or care about. And it's still going. I'm like, okay, it's time to put it outside in the winter.
00:10:03
Emma Lee
ah But that is definitely some easy vining plants are always my go-to for new beginners because I think seeing all those leaves grow that fast and you're thinking, hey, I just got a new leaf.
00:10:04
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:10:19
Emma Lee
And then you get the excitement and everything and it kind of gets you into the houseplant hobby.
00:10:27
Brett
And so that would be that would be the Tradescantia that you mentioned would be an example of that?
00:10:32
Emma Lee
Yes, or philodendrons.
00:10:34
Plant People
Mm-hmm.
00:10:34
Emma Lee
I'm trying to think of the exact kind.
00:10:35
Plant People
Mm-hmm.
00:10:36
Emma Lee
The heartleaf philodendrons were one of my first plants that I was really excited about because it puts off leaves very quickly.
00:10:38
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:10:44
Brett
Mm-hmm.
00:10:44
Emma Lee
And so I like things that I can see a fast turnaround and make sure that I know it's healthy, there's new leaves, because that's my thing that I gauge everything off of, is this putting off new leaves.
00:10:44
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:10:57
Emma Lee
And so that's what I started with. Or spider plants even.
00:11:02
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:11:02
Emma Lee
um aloe is not not the vibe though a lot of people do that I can't keep aloe alive I don't know
00:11:09
Alexis
Thank Thank you Listen, aloe is way more difficult.
00:11:12
Plant People
but
00:11:14
Alexis
I have one that my aunt gave me and dug out from her like yard in Florida. And it's been slowly dying for probably eight years now. um it's It's not cute, but I still have it.
00:11:27
Alexis
And I'm like, what why do I still have this?
Emma's Future Plans and Project Goals
00:11:30
Alexis
But yeah, aloe, the other thing, um air plants.
00:11:30
Brett
And
00:11:34
Alexis
Air plants are my kryptonite.
00:11:36
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:11:37
Alexis
I've said it before.
00:11:38
Plant People
You're...
00:11:38
Alexis
I'll say it again.
00:11:38
Plant People
Well...
00:11:38
Alexis
If it doesn't grow in soil, i can't grow it.
00:11:39
Plant People
e Your problem is you're trying to take care of it and you shouldn't do that with airplanes.
00:11:41
Emma Lee
Right.
00:11:45
Plant People
You should just ignore them.
00:11:45
Alexis
Well, but then I forget about it completely and then it's all shriveled up and dead.
00:11:45
Emma Lee
Right.
00:11:48
Alexis
Like I just, I can't win with them.
00:11:50
Plant People
Well, you can't put them in the oven, Alexis. You shouldn't do that. I mean.
00:11:53
Alexis
I. i
00:11:54
Plant People
But but you know why do we see, like, i mean, I know there's social media.
00:11:56
Emma Lee
miss you.
00:11:59
Plant People
You've already kind of mentioned that you're on social media, but years ago, i mean, I would never see a succulent at a local box store, but now every single store that has a home and garden center, and and I love succulents, um but they're not the easiest thing in the world because people try to love on them and take care of them and ba and then they, you know, they have issues.
00:12:20
Alexis
Also, your house is not the desert. Like, the...
00:12:23
Plant People
Yeah.
00:12:24
Emma Lee
So yeah, yeah.
00:12:25
Alexis
Just... It's not the desert. Okay.
00:12:27
Plant People
Yeah. Yeah. But, but why do we see that? i mean, what what's the rise of some of these things? And I know they're, they're, they're definitely not the easiest just from personal experience of those. Is it kind of social media or what's, what's the theories here?
00:12:38
Brett
Well, i have ah I have a little bit of a theory. I have a theory of why in the marketplace.
00:12:43
Plant People
ah need to know.
00:12:43
Alexis
Why?
00:12:44
Brett
this is not This is sort of based a little bit on um on biology.
00:12:44
Plant People
I need to know.
00:12:44
Plant People
It makes money.
00:12:48
Brett
I think that if you think about most people's ability or interest in taking care of a plant and you put it at maybe like
00:12:54
Plant People
Mm-hmm.
Market Trends and Economic Parallels
00:12:56
Brett
four to six weeks at most,
00:12:59
Brett
There are certain plants that are kind of in, I mean, some of the really easy stuff that's going to make it that long, but the succulents can look that good and cute and hip for that long, even if they're dying.
00:13:08
Plant People
Her
00:13:10
Brett
And so by the time it dies, you've lost interest.
00:13:12
Plant People
short form plant.
00:13:13
Brett
And so it's sort of like fits a nice little market niche of, as opposed to like, if you don't, if you don't water at your peace lily for six whole weeks, you're probably going to, going to lose that.
00:13:16
Plant People
o
00:13:24
Plant People
Peace out.
00:13:24
Brett
um
00:13:25
Plant People
Yeah.
00:13:25
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:13:26
Brett
So that that that that's one of my theories is that it's just, it's, it's a, it's some supposed to be a consumable disposable good. Unlike some of us who that treat our plants like members of the family that we'll keep around for.
00:13:38
Plant People
Most of my succulents are like 12, 15 years old. I mean, I don't know what you guys are doing on those.
00:13:43
Brett
Yeah. Well, I do like the idea of, of referring to there are succulent people and non-succulent people. And when I'm asked to describe my body type, I might refer to myself as a succulent person in the future.
00:13:51
Plant People
but
00:13:52
Emma Lee
Thank you.
00:13:54
Brett
yeah,
00:13:54
Emma Lee
yeah
00:13:55
Brett
but
00:13:55
Alexis
I would say I can do succulents, I can't do cacti.
00:13:59
Brett
Okay.
00:13:59
Plant People
Cactus are different. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:14:00
Brett
I am curious what what what makes Ray the succulent guy versus not, you know, what do you think that is?
00:14:07
Plant People
for For me, probably i came to like this revelation. It's like, well, how what is what was I doing wrong? The first five, eight years, it goes all the way back to Berea when I was there at college.
00:14:19
Plant People
I tried to grow the dumb things and I didn't use any special potting soil and put them in just a container of deep soil. Way too much moisture all the time. And it's at some point a few years ago, I was like, well, how do these things grow in nature?
00:14:32
Plant People
Well, for me, it was using the correct soil, actually a well-drained soil with a little bit higher, you know, a succulent soil, cactus succulent soil. They're really easy to get. And the number one thing that helped me out personally, it may be different for you, but was floodwatering.
00:14:49
Plant People
when I water these things, I do it infrequently.
00:14:49
Alexis
Yeah.
00:14:51
Plant People
I put it in the sink and I just flood the thing with water and rinse.
00:14:53
Emma Lee
um
00:14:57
Brett
You didn't sync with it.
00:14:57
Plant People
you know Yeah. Get in there, get that water in there. And then that allows all the the dead stuff to float up and out because, you know, and once it dries, it floats out.
00:15:07
Emma Lee
yeah
00:15:07
Plant People
And I use gravel on the top of my succulents. I just always have, I want I want it to look like a desert. I want it to look cute. But between those two things, the right soil and flood watering, I mean, that's the trick for me. And then I don't water it again for a,
00:15:18
Plant People
period of time, good period of time. It's different for everybody.
00:15:20
Brett
Where are you keeping it? Where are you? What are you doing? Where are you?
00:15:22
Plant People
South facing windows for my succulents. And in the summer I put them out on ah the front of my home, which gets just the right amount of sunlight. It doesn't bake them out and cook them. But now my succulents I treat as an indoor outdoor sort of plant that gets moved in and out.
00:15:37
Plant People
um They just seem to do better when I, like Alexis said, you you know, our hot summers and if the storms come and I will protect them a little bit, but yeah. is I move the things in and out and there's lots of cool, like they're not the aloes Alexis talking about, which Alexis, I find very hard to grow the traditional aloe.
00:15:54
Alexis
Thank you. I appreciate that.
00:15:56
Plant People
But now the new, ah the new succulent type aloes, they, they look like they're from another world that are variegated red and spiky.
00:15:56
Alexis
Yes.
00:16:01
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:16:03
Plant People
I mean, the even the Haworthias, it kind of looks like aloe. They're a little different, but I love all of those, but yeah, yeah. The right soil and floodwatering. I mean, have you covered any of those, Emma on your, uh,
00:16:14
Brett
She said she's on a succulent journey. I'm curious what the journey is yielding.
00:16:16
Plant People
Yeah, I know. I want to hear about this. I need some tips
Educational Content and Social Media Strategy
00:16:20
Plant People
because they can be difficult to grow.
00:16:22
Emma Lee
So I did one recently about basic succulent care because that's one of the fun things about succulents is everybody's like, oh, you never have to water them. And even if you do, just a tiny little bit.
00:16:32
Emma Lee
And I'm like, no, every every video I make is pure like hate mail.
00:16:32
Plant People
um
00:16:37
Emma Lee
I'm like, hey, don't listen to these people that are lying to you.
00:16:39
Plant People
The feedback is all negative.
00:16:40
Emma Lee
i know
00:16:41
Brett
but
00:16:42
Emma Lee
You know, I mean, and they don't have to be watered very often, but when I do water them, I bottom water them maybe like once every month, unless it's my ones that I put outside that I just remembered about that I haven't watered in like four months, whatever.
00:16:48
Plant People
Yeah.
00:16:57
Emma Lee
But um they're out there.
00:16:57
Plant People
but
00:16:59
Emma Lee
They're hanging on. i'll only cover indoor plants.
00:17:00
Plant People
they thriving? Yeah.
00:17:02
Emma Lee
But yeah, so that's one of the big things is watering with succulents. Because you're not putting a dropper on there, you know you're soaking it.
00:17:13
Plant People
Yeah.
00:17:13
Emma Lee
But not very often. um Unless you're my wonderful boyfriend who learned how to take care of houseplants through um me going through this big houseplant journey. And he does everything, almost the opposite of me. And he actually takes care of them. And his are so much better than mine. And I take all my dead ones to him as a rehab. Yeah.
00:17:37
Emma Lee
And so I'm out here making these videos and meanwhile I'm killing all the plants and then taking them to his house. ah
00:17:43
Alexis
You're just figuring out what won't work so that you have good, you know, feedback. It's good. It's research.
00:17:48
Plant People
There you go, Alexis.
00:17:48
Emma Lee
Yes, i I'm fostering these plants until they get to go to their forever home, which is at his house.
00:17:49
Plant People
Positive spin, yes.
00:17:49
Alexis
Yeah.
00:17:54
Plant People
Yeah.
00:17:54
Alexis
Yeah.
00:17:56
Plant People
It sounded like he was a sick bay, yeah.
00:17:56
Alexis
You're like, I can tell you for certain that not watering it for six months is not the way to do it.
00:18:01
Plant People
No, no, you you don't want that.
00:18:02
Alexis
Yeah.
00:18:03
Emma Lee
Yes, I have a feeling those plants I forgot about on the back porch are going to be showing up on his back porch very soon.
00:18:04
Plant People
and
00:18:06
Brett
Thank
00:18:10
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:18:12
Plant People
And I see it's a lot, like a lot, even commercially available, like big succulent pots. Like they have different plants in there that have completely different cultural requirements, different light, different moisture, but they stick them in there because they look pretty together.
00:18:21
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:18:25
Plant People
And I'm like, well, those are getting ripped apart. And I and i see that all the time um to this very day, both of
00:18:30
Alexis
yeah
00:18:30
Emma Lee
yes
00:18:32
Alexis
That's my biggest rage when you go to a um a store or, you know, you get like a ah gift basket of, you know, plants or something like that. People will send them as as gifts from like a florist or something.
00:18:43
Alexis
And it's like a peace lily in there with a philodendron in there with a cactus.
00:18:47
Plant People
the
00:18:48
Alexis
And I'm like, none of this goes.
00:18:49
Plant People
A cactus, yeah.
00:18:50
Alexis
Like, no wonder people fail. Yeah.
00:18:52
Emma Lee
Yes, I saw one.
00:18:52
Brett
Well, I will just say one more time, it's not a good business model to sell someone a plant that's going to live forever.
00:18:52
Plant People
Yeah.
00:18:56
Emma Lee
Right, you're right.
00:18:58
Plant People
Not everything can be a snake plant. Not everything.
00:19:00
Alexis
He's got a point. He's got a point.
00:19:02
Brett
and just Just like the the dishwashers our grandparents have or the washing machines our grandparents have that lasted for like 68 years, not a great business model.
00:19:02
Emma Lee
Yeah, I saw a pot.
00:19:07
Plant People
No money in that. No money in it.
00:19:10
Alexis
Good point.
00:19:11
Brett
So just saying...
00:19:12
Emma Lee
Yeah, they they put the stupidest some combo things. I saw one in Lowe's and it had an alocasia, which has to be like pretty moist all the time with succulents.
00:19:22
Alexis
Very humid.
00:19:23
Emma Lee
like
00:19:24
Plant People
Yeah.
00:19:24
Emma Lee
You're going to kill everything.
00:19:25
Alexis
No.
00:19:25
Emma Lee
Like not even just one or the other.
00:19:26
Alexis
Yeah.
00:19:28
Emma Lee
It's all gone. It's all gone.
00:19:30
Plant People
Yeah.
00:19:31
Emma Lee
Mush.
00:19:31
Plant People
far succulent love, I mean, I see the appeal of that. I mean, first of all, you know, if you search for it one time on social media platforms, like your algorithms are skewed forever, that's all I see now is dish gardens.
00:19:41
Emma Lee
Mm-hmm.
00:19:42
Plant People
Um, but for the,
00:19:42
Emma Lee
Mm-hmm.
Conclusion and Future Enthusiasm
00:19:44
Plant People
you know, I see the draw on those because as I guess our population gets more urban or it was at a point, i don't know if that's still the trend, uh,
00:19:52
Plant People
But, I mean, they don't grow. Most succulents don't have this huge growth rate, some kind of do, that would be classified as succulents. And you have this container, and you could have a tiny little miniature garden, and you can put a fairy in there, a bridge, and you can embellish it.
00:20:07
Plant People
so i So I totally see the draw of that, and they look wonderful on social media. And I, you know, I still think that's the the rise and interest of all of these things, dish gardens and succulents and, and all of that, that, that angle of indoor plants, indoor, outdoor plants. um But I can see it.
00:20:25
Plant People
They don't like grow crazy. Like you would have pothos or something that may grow and take over. If you nap too long next to it, it may just crawl right over top of you.
00:20:33
Brett
can
00:20:34
Alexis
I wanted to
00:20:36
Plant People
Yes.
00:20:36
Brett
Can I ask you a controversial question?
00:20:37
Plant People
Hudson. Oh, always.
00:20:40
Brett
She didn't say yes. She just sort of.
00:20:42
Plant People
Oh, she's not going to say yes.
00:20:42
Emma Lee
me you can always ask me closer if i'm the last one if i can give you a controversial answer you can ask me
00:20:43
Brett
Yeah, I'm asking you, Emma.
00:20:44
Plant People
I was encouraging you.
00:20:45
Brett
Controversial question.
00:20:46
Plant People
She
00:20:47
Alexis
She said, I might not answer, but you can ask.
00:20:49
Brett
Yeah, you can ask.
00:20:50
Plant People
says, you can ask.
00:20:53
Brett
To a seemingly innocuous question.
00:20:53
Plant People
um
00:20:54
Emma Lee
but
00:20:55
Plant People
Yes, for this only loaded Yes.
00:20:57
Brett
ah we weren looking for Are there any popular plants, and this is not a not you know easy or hard to take care of, whatever, any popular houseplants that you are just like, nah, not for me, dislike that, overrated, basic, whatever other what other other judgmental words, you know your words, not mine.
00:21:00
Emma Lee
yeah
00:21:11
Alexis
Overrated.
00:21:13
Plant People
Mm. Now we're meddling. I love it.
00:21:19
Plant People
ah just plants you don't like.
00:21:20
Emma Lee
Mm-hmm.
00:21:21
Plant People
They may be good plants, but you have a bad attitude towards them.
00:21:25
Emma Lee
um Oh, there are one. Do you all know the prayer plants, calatheas?
00:21:33
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:21:34
Emma Lee
Everybody loves those and thinks that they're so cute. And I'm like, have you ever had one? Because they are the hardest, most dramatic things to take care of.
00:21:46
Emma Lee
Honestly, mine were hanging on by thread. And I think they're cute and everything. But I mean, if you look at it wrong, like it's like... leaves immediately down on the floor.
00:21:57
Emma Lee
And so I have a Pac-Man frog. And the only way that I got these things to live is to put them, plant them in the tank. Cause he has a little bioactive tank, you know, got to have all stops here, but his little plants are in there.
00:22:06
Brett
Oh, that's so awesome.
00:22:11
Emma Lee
and of course they're perfect. Like I'm going to have to take them out of the tank. And when I put them in there, they were like this tall and now they're busting through the lid.
00:22:19
Plant People
Now they're thriving.
00:22:20
Brett
So in the various quick side...
00:22:21
Emma Lee
So
00:22:21
Alexis
Yeah, they love to like brown, don't they? They're just like, the humidity is not exactly 85%, so brown.
00:22:24
Brett
Yeah...
00:22:24
Emma Lee
yeah
00:22:28
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:22:29
Plant People
Looking cute, made out of day.
00:22:29
Brett
Entire outer ring gone. So do you in the bioactive tank, do you have like the little arthropods and other little things in there and with the, well, you said what else, is what else goes into that tank?
00:22:36
Plant People
oh
00:22:39
Emma Lee
Yes. So he used to have his little isopods and
00:22:45
Brett
Isopods I meant, sorry.
00:22:47
Emma Lee
That was very tragic and they are no longer with us. But there are springtails in there that clean up stuff.
00:22:53
Brett
Cool.
00:22:54
Emma Lee
And I mean, you can open the tank and if there was anything left over, like a little crumb of food or something, springtails everywhere just doing their thing.
00:23:01
Plant People
Oh, wow. Mm-hmm.
00:23:02
Brett
That's so awesome.
00:23:04
Emma Lee
um And it's a amazing because usually you have to, which heck man, frogs, they don't, I don't know how they live in nature. This, they're just, I mean,
00:23:14
Brett
I think they eat go eat ghosts.
00:23:16
Emma Lee
I'm holding the food in front of his face for like 30 minutes every time I feed him. And he's just like, no. And then he tries to bite me. I mean, he hasn't eaten in like three months because he hates me.
00:23:28
Brett
Oh, buddy.
00:23:28
Emma Lee
um and he did So I just let him be free, you know, hang out. But yeah, he has this little plans, whatever.
00:23:34
Brett
just For those who aren't initiated, could you could you just give ah a real quick explanation of what a bioactive enclosure for an animal is
00:23:45
Emma Lee
Absolutely. So I'm big into exotic pets. I have tarantulas, ah everything that anybody's scared of. Basically, I've got one in a tank.
00:23:53
Plant People
Mm-hmm.
00:23:55
Emma Lee
So, but bioactive tanks are great options for pets because it kind of mimics their natural ecosystem and habitat. And it's also, it's a lot of money sometimes to get the initial bulk started, but it pretty much takes care of itself.
00:24:11
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:24:14
Emma Lee
So when you have a bioactive tank, you've usually got like carbon, um you know, or charcoal is what I'm thinking of, kind of at the bottom of it.
00:24:21
Brett
Yeah.
00:24:22
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:24:22
Brett
Almost like a biochar granule kind of thing.
00:24:25
Emma Lee
Yes, those little granules in the bottom. um And then like I use coconut fiber for all of my tanks. um And then you put plants in it, you put some kind of decomposer in it, whether it be isopods, springtails.
00:24:40
Emma Lee
I think there's some other options um that I'm not thinking of off the top of my head.
00:24:44
Brett
Yeah, yeah. Some sort of a little low on the, ah so like a saprophytic kind of low on the food chain totem pole decomposer kind of thing.
00:24:51
Alexis
Totem pole.
00:24:53
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:24:56
Emma Lee
Yes. So whenever you get food anywhere, the waste of whatever pet it is, those immediately go clean that up. Because if you don't have it bioactive, you're going to be, you know, it's kind of like cleaning a cat litter box, except it's a frog. And so you have to get in there and manage everything and change the dirt completely like super often, which is a lot harder than you would think.
00:25:13
Plant People
Mm-hmm.
00:25:21
Emma Lee
I don't like doing it. And that's why i made it bioactive.
00:25:22
Alexis
A
00:25:26
Emma Lee
But yeah.
00:25:26
Brett
That's so awesome.
00:25:27
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:25:27
Brett
And you've actually integrated some plants ah into it as well, which some people do that. Then it's kind of like ah this circle where the the plant makes waste and the the things, does decompose it or or eat it or whatever and turn that into then this nutrition for the plant.
00:25:34
Alexis
little ecosystem.
00:25:41
Brett
And then and the water cycle is also kind of happening within the enclosure. Man, that's so cool.
00:25:46
Plant People
I don't have...
00:25:48
Brett
That is so cool, Emma.
00:25:49
Emma Lee
Yeah, and it's a great option for houseplant people because it was more like, oh my goodness, the decor for these tanks, why am I having to cut my arm off to pay for, you know, like a little rock cod for a frog?
00:26:03
Emma Lee
um I was like, actually, I can just take a cutting off of a couple different plants and And I mean, I literally just took a cutting and stuck it in there. And the humidity and conditions that certain things are in, which you would have to kind of look and see which pets you have.
00:26:14
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:26:20
Emma Lee
If it's more deserty, then you would need different things, obviously. But the Pac-Man frog, very humid, very nice and warm in there. And so the plants go wild.
00:26:30
Emma Lee
And it's basically free minus your original plant cost.
00:26:35
Brett
Man, that's awesome.
00:26:36
Emma Lee
Just...
00:26:36
Brett
So, so so in other words, the bioactive maybe changed your mind on the Calathea.
00:26:43
Emma Lee
I still feel very strongly about the flag now.
00:26:46
Plant People
Not really.
00:26:47
Emma Lee
It's just doing its own thing now.
00:26:48
Plant People
in summary, not really.
00:26:51
Alexis
Thank you.
00:26:51
Emma Lee
I sacrificed it.
00:26:51
Brett
What about you all? Do you all Ray or Alexis, do you all have a like nah plant?
00:26:56
Plant People
i I mean, it almost sounded like as you were talking here, I mean, lower life forms, but like like the old bigger scale terrariums, I mean, that you would create the whole ecosystem minus, you know, frogs and higher life forms.
00:27:11
Plant People
But it sounded a lot like that, that I was into, you know, several years ago. I mean, ah to get a terrarium actually up and working and get the atmosphere in there and water recycling is kind of difficult, but It's kind of cool what you're talking about, Em and Brett, the conversation you guys were having because you have those higher order life forms in there.
00:27:27
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:27:28
Plant People
Frogs and things, and it's kind of cool.
00:27:28
Emma Lee
Thank you.
00:27:30
Plant People
And the little lid comes ah on and off there as you need to maintain that so you don't have to worry about that, which is pretty cool. Yeah. Oh, I got it.
00:27:38
Alexis
My nah plant would probably be alocasias.
00:27:40
Plant People
ah yeah
00:27:42
Alexis
I don't really get the hype. It feels like a lot of work for something. I mean, like, there's some cool ones.
00:27:46
Brett
I don't get it.
00:27:48
Alexis
There's some, like, sweet black ones, like, ah leaf ones, like, black velvet-looking ones. and But I just don't want something that difficult. I don't want to try that hard.
00:27:58
Alexis
And I have a lot of houseplants.
00:28:01
Emma Lee
Yeah, I'm going to have to quote Brett on that one. First of all, how dare you?
00:28:05
Brett
Wow.
00:28:05
Plant People
First of all, how dare you?
00:28:06
Emma Lee
okay Allocasia is my baby and I have all of them. Yeah.
00:28:12
Alexis
nice i like it i'm here i i support you it's just i don't want to try that hard
00:28:12
Brett
wow Wow. I can feel the tension developing in the room.
00:28:17
Emma Lee
Do they look good? No, absolutely not. um But the thought was there and I can see their potential I actually water them.
00:28:28
Alexis
do you have one of the like fancy ah ikea cabinets that people have been making
00:28:33
Emma Lee
ah No, but I thrifted glass cabinet. I just haven't put anything in it yet because I need to get the grow lights like put up under it.
00:28:41
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:28:42
Emma Lee
um But I do have like one of those old, you know, it's a curio cabinet. I have a curio cabinet that I got from my grandma.
00:28:48
Alexis
Hello?
00:28:51
Emma Lee
And I think she thought I was going to put, you know, like cute little figurines and important stuff in it.
00:28:56
Alexis
Nick-nacks?
00:28:56
Brett
Mm hmm.
00:28:57
Emma Lee
And now it's just full of plants.
00:28:57
Brett
Small like ceramic bells.
00:29:00
Emma Lee
Yes, there are no ceramic caps in there.
00:29:03
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:29:04
Emma Lee
It's just plants. And so, um but they love that. Like, in my best work I have done, my best allocations, I guess, I actually bought like a weird little closed container and I just keep it filled up with little water in the bottom and I leave them in there and I know you're not supposed to leave them in water but they really like it I don't know.
00:29:29
Alexis
Yeah. Yeah. ah There's a lot of plants that if you follow the recommendations online, you're just kind of like, you do that and then you kill them and then you keep killing them. And then one day you just don't, whether it's on accident or you're like, I just want to try it. I'm going to kill it anyways. And then it lives. You're like, what?
00:29:48
Alexis
Yeah.
00:29:48
Plant People
Why is it, why is it living?
00:29:49
Emma Lee
Yes. Yeah.
00:29:50
Alexis
What? Yeah.
00:29:51
Brett
That's the famous Sherry Dutton, Plants Don't Read the Books.
00:29:54
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:29:55
Plant People
yeah
00:29:55
Alexis
Planes don't read books.
00:29:56
Brett
Shout out Sherry.
00:29:57
Plant People
Sometimes they just live.
00:29:57
Alexis
just Just a reminder to people.
00:29:57
Emma Lee
yeah
00:29:59
Plant People
I always found it like um offensive when I would like go to Florida and there's all these orchids terrestrial non-terrestrial orchids that just live in ditches or in trees. And I'm like, how offensive, how rude that I've been trying to grow this, whatever bird of Eureka paradise, you know, South America.
00:30:14
Brett
yeah
00:30:16
Plant People
And, and here it is growing on the ditch in Southern Florida, a weed, how rude.
00:30:18
Alexis
The weed.
00:30:19
Brett
Yeah, some road comfort road maintenance people come out and just spray it with Roundup.
00:30:22
Alexis
Stackhorn friends.
00:30:23
Plant People
Yes. Staghorn that are so beautiful and just hanging there majestically. And I'm like, total fail, total fail.
00:30:30
Alexis
and
00:30:30
Plant People
everyone
00:30:30
Brett
Yeah, I remember Rick, Rick Besson talking about climbing trees and getting orchids out. It's like, all right, bud.
00:30:30
Alexis
and
00:30:35
Alexis
Oh yeah.
00:30:35
Emma Lee
Okay.
00:30:37
Plant People
Yeah. Public lands acquisition.
00:30:38
Alexis
Shipping them back.
00:30:39
Brett
In the and the world of in the world of bonsai, people who.
00:30:40
Plant People
Oh, oh yeah.
00:30:40
Alexis
Making some money.
00:30:41
Plant People
Yeah. That's super cool.
00:30:46
Brett
Like there's certain things we can grow here that can't really grow further north and vice versa. And they refer to it as zone envy that you have this, like, I really wish that I could grow it, you know, here, whatever.
00:30:53
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:30:54
Plant People
yeah wow
00:30:56
Brett
Of course, houseplants, it's little different because we keep bringing them inside. But yeah.
00:31:00
Emma Lee
Yeah, on the topic of bonsai, so whenever I took my boyfriend along with me unwillingly on the houseplant journey, he went the bonsai route.
00:31:01
Brett
yeah
00:31:08
Plant People
hmm
00:31:13
Emma Lee
And so do you leave yours like outside all year round?
00:31:18
Brett
i I do, but I have only hardy species. By the way, this guy sounds really cool. I would i would husband him up, you know what i'm saying?
00:31:24
Emma Lee
He is super great.
00:31:26
Brett
Because the bonsai world is...
00:31:26
Plant People
Lock that down.
00:31:27
Emma Lee
He is great.
00:31:30
Brett
Yeah, so i I have only species that would be hardy here outside in the ground.
00:31:36
Brett
And I do leave them generally outside. If it gets really, really cold and stays that way, I'll sometimes protect them a little bit. But in general, yeah, they stay outside most of the most of the year.
00:31:36
Emma Lee
Okay.
00:31:45
Plant People
awesome
00:31:46
Emma Lee
um My next bonsai question, have you been in any of the bonsai Facebook groups?
00:31:46
Plant People
you
00:31:52
Emma Lee
Oh my goodness.
00:31:53
Brett
Oh, yes.
00:31:53
Emma Lee
Facebook groups because I have been eating alive in there. Like, wow.
00:31:59
Plant People
It was probably Brett.
00:32:00
Brett
Hopefully not by me.
00:32:03
Emma Lee
I don't know. i don't, I think I would recognize your name and would have been like, are you kidding me? um But be here today.
00:32:10
Plant People
She came on the show with one purpose in mind, revenge, revenge.
00:32:11
Alexis
Excuse me.
00:32:11
Brett
Do you have a printout?
00:32:13
Alexis
Payback.
00:32:13
Brett
A printout of all my...
00:32:15
Alexis
She's like, this is payback.
00:32:18
Emma Lee
got some stuff we need to talk about. No, but I mean,
00:32:21
Brett
Airing of grievances starts at 32 minutes and 32
00:32:23
Plant People
Speaking of bonsai.
00:32:25
Emma Lee
I have never seen as much drama in a Facebook group as in a bonsai group. And I mean, like they were eating me alive until i was, you know, we're at like surface level knowledge. And then I get in there and when i see the beginners ask questions, I'm like, don't ask, just go go, Google this and delete your post before they get to you. Yeah.
00:32:47
Brett
Yeah, some of the bigger groups have a ton of drama. Yes, I definitely agree. And I try to stay out of those. I do try to be nice to people on the Internet. And so if I see people piling on, I'll be like, well, but I mean, this is redeeming about this.
00:32:56
Alexis
He doesn't.
00:33:00
Brett
Or like, I think this is a good attempt, but next time you're going to need to water it. ah And but um there that we do have like a central Kentucky group and it's generally quite positive.
00:33:07
Plant People
Occasionally, yeah.
00:33:09
Emma Lee
should
00:33:14
Brett
There's a central Kentucky one.
00:33:15
Emma Lee
I need to join that.
00:33:17
Brett
Yeah, please do. Central Kentucky Bonsai on Facebook. I'm in there. I post ah not super frequently, but somewhat frequently. There's also a Cincinnati area Bonsai group. um I'm not sure if they have a social media presence, but actually, if you know um Mark Maines, the director, he's he's into Bonsai.
00:33:28
Emma Lee
Okay.
00:33:34
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:33:36
Brett
um
00:33:37
Emma Lee
Okay.
00:33:37
Brett
So he yeah, he and are gonna he and I are going to get a coffee sometime and talk talk tiny trees.
00:33:41
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:33:41
Brett
But yeah, it is an interesting kind of outgrowth of similar to the house plant stuff. It's a tree. It's a tiny thing in a pot that fits what can fit well with like apartment living or reduced mobility and all those kinds of things.
00:33:56
Brett
um and And in that regard, it's really it's been really cool.
00:33:59
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:33:59
Brett
i'm I'm very, very into it. So I would be very into talking about it more. but our audience may be, I mean, I'll let them speak for themselves, but sometimes it's kind of like, oh yeah, bonsai, cool, man.
00:34:04
Emma Lee
yes
00:34:12
Brett
Can we get back to the houseplants? um
00:34:14
Alexis
Whoa. woe
00:34:16
Plant People
Um,
00:34:16
Brett
But yeah, so yeah, i i think what what kind of species does he have before we move on?
00:34:21
Emma Lee
so there, we're not professionals. And of course, there's the typical like umbrella tree tropical ones that we got um just because they're supposed to be indoor.
00:34:24
Brett
That's right, yeah.
00:34:29
Brett
Yeah, yeah.
00:34:33
Emma Lee
But we also have like the junipers.
00:34:35
Brett
Yeah.
00:34:36
Emma Lee
And we had a really expensive juniper we got that we were really proud of. And ah we don't know if it's dead. Like, It's brown and crispy, but I swear there's still something there.
00:34:47
Brett
Yeah.
00:34:49
Brett
Yeah. It just happens.
00:34:51
Emma Lee
And I don't want any opinions on that.
00:34:52
Brett
i've I've had junipers just go down and I don't understand why.
00:34:53
Emma Lee
it
00:34:54
Brett
And they're right next to one that got the exact same treatment and they just go down and you don't know why.
00:34:57
Emma Lee
Yes. All the other ones are alive except the expensive one. And I think it knew it's worth, you know, and it's like, I'm done.
00:35:03
Brett
Yeah. Yeah.
00:35:05
Emma Lee
um But don't know. This has just been a really interesting thing as someone who's always been into like vegetables and houseplants. Bonsai is a totally different thing where you have to start from ground zero learning about and like
00:35:18
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:35:21
Alexis
It kind of feels like a lot of things about bonsai, like, I mean, there obviously it's a plant, like there's some rules that are true, but then you really get into it and it's like the opposite of what we tell people for normal plant care.
00:35:34
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:35:36
Brett
Yeah.
00:35:38
Alexis
And it just, it like, it takes rewiring of my brain to to do that.
00:35:38
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:35:43
Alexis
Like the what all the root pruning and just like when you prune and it's just kind of some of those things,
00:35:46
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:35:48
Brett
Cutting in the middle of a leaf.
00:35:49
Alexis
yeah
00:35:51
Plant People
Yeah.
00:35:52
Alexis
It's the exact opposite and I'm blown away by it.
00:35:52
Plant People
Indiscriminately.
00:35:54
Brett
Yeah. Truly wild.
00:35:57
Alexis
Yeah.
00:35:57
Brett
Someone, somewhat one of the leaders of North in north American bonsai refers to, and it's something he's heard before and that he had passed on, refers to a that there is a rickety bridge between bonsai and horticulture.
00:35:57
Alexis
ah
00:36:10
Brett
There's connection, but it is not a tight ah connection.
00:36:10
Alexis
That feels right.
00:36:14
Brett
there's There's some things that are kind of crazy.
00:36:15
Alexis
It's not an easy trek across.
00:36:17
Brett
And at the same time, there's things you can learn about like pruning and and thinking about that stuff.
00:36:17
Plant People
It's more about breaking the rules. Yeah.
00:36:20
Alexis
Yeah.
00:36:22
Brett
um
00:36:23
Emma Lee
Mm-hmm.
00:36:23
Brett
So we talked about nah houseplants. um What about like ones that you wish, you know, if either because of the care or because they're cool, like the ones that are just a little maybe underappreciated that you'd like to see more people get into or give a try two
00:36:40
Emma Lee
um My always top pick will be philodendrons. There's so many different ones and I didn't even realize it until I started getting on the Facebook plant sales.
00:36:49
Plant People
Yeah.
00:36:52
Emma Lee
I am, I'm not allowed.
00:36:53
Alexis
Oh, yeah.
00:36:54
Emma Lee
I'm blacklisted from that.
00:36:55
Plant People
yeah
00:36:56
Emma Lee
I can't take any more children from the Facebook sales. um But cause they'll just sell a cutting for like $2 and then it turns into a big plant. So
00:37:06
Plant People
yeah
00:37:07
Emma Lee
But the philodendrons, I mean, there's so many different things and they're all pretty easy to take care of, in my opinion, which I mean, some of mine, they don't even see me for like weeks and they have new leaves everywhere.
00:37:11
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:37:22
Emma Lee
think it's tripartinum or some, I don't know how to pronounce it, but that's my favorite.
00:37:29
Plant People
like one the variegated ones or something.
00:37:31
Brett
The tripart mission of the extension or the land grant institution.
00:37:35
Plant People
Different thing altogether, different plant.
00:37:36
Brett
Oh, sorry. that My programming kicked in there.
00:37:38
Emma Lee
Yeah, yeah.
00:37:38
Brett
and
00:37:40
Plant People
Automatically.
00:37:40
Alexis
Is it philodendron? You're saying the species is ah is a try something?
00:37:44
Emma Lee
Yes, it is a trisomping.
00:37:45
Alexis
Okay.
00:37:46
Emma Lee
I wish I had um the name. I can't think of it.
00:37:49
Plant People
it
00:37:49
Emma Lee
But it has like three little leaves. But there's so many. And then there's also just so many different ones.
00:37:53
Brett
Tripartitum.
00:37:54
Emma Lee
Yes, tripartitum. That one is my favorite. And also, ah have one called a mottled dragon that I bought just because it was fun sounding.
00:38:02
Alexis
Okay.
00:38:05
Emma Lee
And it's turned out to be one of my favorites as well.
00:38:06
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:38:09
Emma Lee
So, i and
00:38:10
Alexis
how What's your vibe on ah like, just your your personal vibe on, you know, especially during COVID, we saw these, like, cuttings of, you know, different, you know, Pink Princess and all of these variegated ones that were going for, like, thousands of dollars.
00:38:10
Brett
That's cool.
00:38:29
Alexis
And and they're still expensive. I mean, you can get them now a lot more easily. I mean, even places like Lowe's carry some of those that have come, you know, off patent or, they're still in patent but they're mass produced now but they're still really expensive like what's your what's your vibe on that
00:38:44
Emma Lee
So personally, I don't go over like $20 to $30 for anything because of course, unless it's like a huge house plant, because of course that price is going to drop.
00:38:57
Emma Lee
I mean, we've seen it by the time when I first joined, i'm in the group called House Plants of Lexington.
00:38:58
Alexis
yeah
00:39:03
Emma Lee
That's where I buy like a lot of my house plants from the people in there. um a I mean, when I first joined, it was like a Thai Constellation Monstera.
00:39:14
Emma Lee
They were going for like $100 a cutting.
00:39:14
Alexis
Yeah.
00:39:17
Emma Lee
And I i was like, they're like, unrooted.
00:39:18
Alexis
Yeah, ah and an unrooted cutting. Like, wild.
00:39:21
Plant People
Of a Monstera.
00:39:22
Emma Lee
Literally.
00:39:22
Plant People
Yeah.
00:39:23
Emma Lee
Sometimes it's just a node.
00:39:24
Alexis
Like, you don't even know if it's gonna root.
00:39:26
Emma Lee
They're like, okay, node, $50.
00:39:26
Alexis
Yeah.
00:39:27
Brett
Gambling for houseplant people.
00:39:30
Plant People
I got out of the back of a van on Facebook.
00:39:30
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:39:31
Plant People
What could go wrong?
00:39:32
Brett
so are they have they stayed Have they stayed at that level?
00:39:33
Emma Lee
Yeah, no, I...
00:39:34
Brett
Have they stayed at that high level? Ooh.
00:39:36
Emma Lee
No. So I ended up getting one that's like this big for $30 that's completely rooted in everything. And so, i mean, in a pink princess, I bought for $2.
00:39:45
Alexis
and so
00:39:49
Emma Lee
Mine that I have, and it's growing really big now. um So I just kind of waited out is my theory.
00:39:56
Brett
Got to buy the buy the dip. Buy the dip, as they say in the trading world.
00:39:58
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:40:02
Brett
Maybe that could be.
00:40:02
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:40:03
Alexis
Yeah, I think for plants, like... that That makes sense.
00:40:05
Brett
Never mind.
00:40:07
Alexis
Yeah. Because they're eventually going to come down or unless you really are trying to make money off of it and you got to buy you buy one to you know make 50 and make your money back, I guess.
00:40:19
Alexis
But ah it's it's pretty fast. I mean, basically as fast as something roots is how quickly the market can drop.
00:40:24
Plant People
Yeah.
00:40:26
Emma Lee
I was going to say it'll be basically like worthless by the time you actually get it established.
00:40:31
Alexis
Yeah.
00:40:32
Emma Lee
I wouldn't know bank on that one.
00:40:34
Alexis
Right, right.
00:40:35
Brett
Have you all heard like the historic story of like the um but tulip bubble in Holland? where there were certain varieties of tulips that got more and more popular and more and more popular and more and more valuable.
00:40:50
Brett
And it got to the point where like one bulb was traded for like five cows and four, you know, uh, hogs and a bushel of multiple bushels of wheat and all this blah, blah, blah, blah.
00:40:54
Alexis
A house.
00:40:59
Emma Lee
Mm-hmm.
00:41:01
Brett
but And then they were like, hold up bubble burst. And then the whole thing kind of fell apart. Uh, some people have likened that to like the crypto world or the.com bubble or whatever.
00:41:11
Alexis
yes
00:41:11
Brett
um But it just made me think of the same the same kind of bubble, the houseplant bubble burst maybe in 2021 2022.
00:41:16
Plant People
anything that can be propagated easily, uh, only has a, a very small shelf life.
00:41:19
Alexis
Yeah.
00:41:22
Plant People
And, and I know there's patents and you can't, you know, like but obviously grow those things and propagate them and sell them yourself. But I mean, and that's a short shelf life sort of a business model and they know that.
00:41:34
Plant People
So I guess, uh, those novel cultivars or whatever that, you know, variegated this or that or double bloomed or whatever, the unique feature is I've noticed that over time it, it,
00:41:35
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:41:45
Plant People
Basically, it's kind of hot and fast. Get the money and get out.
00:41:47
Emma Lee
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
00:41:48
Plant People
yeah
00:41:48
Brett
Tulip mania. If anybody wants to look up that from the 1600s, people were still flipping out over cool looking plants.
00:41:50
Plant People
Tulip mania.
00:41:54
Brett
Uh,
00:41:55
Alexis
what's what's wild about the tulips especially is that these um the breaks and those like the fancier ones were from virus so it wasn't just it wasn't just breeding it was it was it was accidental virus which meant that those plants were gonna go down like right they're not gonna
00:42:02
Plant People
who Viruses. Yeah. It was accidental. Yeah.
00:42:14
Alexis
continue to spread because they have a disease so like that's the extra like crazy part about it like where we're talking about just a natural a natural variegation that the plant will continue to you know live on these plants were virus to begin with and and so like they were never gonna live very long uh and that's mm-hmm mm-hmm
00:42:16
Plant People
Yeah. It's a good thing.
00:42:31
Plant People
No, but they were really novel at the time. They were into the world and never seen anything like that. I mean, it was pretty awesome.
00:42:36
Brett
Rich people love stuff that doesn't, that goes away and is silly like that.
00:42:39
Plant People
I mean, i like weird plants. I mean, i'm not going to lie. I mean, any dragon form of anything, I'm going to go for that. any Or with the word dragon it, it may not even be a novel type.
00:42:49
Brett
dragon form.
00:42:50
Plant People
Yeah, dragon form, not water form, Brett, dragon form.
00:42:53
Alexis
Emma, I think we got a little like, like not off track because, you know, anything about houseplants is on track.
00:42:53
Emma Lee
no i did that
00:42:53
Plant People
That's right.
00:42:59
Alexis
But I want to hear a little bit more about your grad, you know, research and kind of what that looked like.
00:43:02
Plant People
Yeah.
00:43:05
Emma Lee
so um basically my project i have about 20 videos posted currently on both pages And they go by the same information. It's the same research-based information. The only difference is in the delivery and the vibe.
00:43:23
Emma Lee
So it's basically who do people want to hear from more? Are they looking for extension stuff or are they just looking for you know some trendy person with a cat to tell them what to do? And you know sometimes I understand that.
00:43:38
Emma Lee
I wanna hear it from a cat. and so he's not he's not always in the videos but trust me he's there holding the camera so um yes basically i have the 20 videos out this it is extension summer right now and so if you don't see me as active on there just know i'm in the trenches but hopefully in the fall we're gonna start um getting some more out but
00:43:41
Plant People
fun and functional.
00:44:08
Emma Lee
They're just edited and I've tried to keep the content as simple yet also on more detailed stuff on all levels.
00:44:18
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:44:19
Emma Lee
So there's propagation, you know, if you're more advanced and are getting your first plants established, want to make some more.
00:44:21
Plant People
Oh, cool.
00:44:26
Emma Lee
And there's also, you know, the basic succulent care, which is for me also as an advanced person, because I could not keep one the alive to save my life. So yeah.
00:44:36
Brett
So are you, you're, are you like intentionally comparing the vibes to see which one is a more effective, like extension delivery format? Is that the part of the idea?
00:44:48
Emma Lee
it's one of them is exclusively extension for people who are seeking out you know research-based information and although the cat account is still that same trusted research information it's kind of more what they're wanting to see the face in front of the camera who the who's delivering their information um are they trusting just anybody to you know say this are you looking for a more laid-back um environment kind of more laid-back personality or are you wanting more hey this person looks like they know what they're talking about you know because two things can be true at one time the cat he still knows what he's talking about he is well educated but um
00:45:29
Alexis
Professionalism. Good
00:45:40
Alexis
good for Pep.
00:45:40
Brett
on a On a personal note, I sincerely hope they don't want me to be professional because that's going to be hard ah hard for me to...
00:45:41
Emma Lee
Cheers for the heck.
00:45:48
Plant People
Big Bill.
00:45:49
Brett
So are you do you anticipate using some of this like to inform future programming or like tell other people, like might you might think about this style of programming or this style of communication instead of this.
00:45:49
Plant People
Big Bill.
00:46:01
Brett
i mean, is that part of what you're anticipating?
00:46:04
Emma Lee
So my main goal of this project was kind of to show our extension educators that, hey, this is an option. People like hearing um information in this way of, hey, just me getting in front of the camera, showing you how to do stuff.
00:46:21
Emma Lee
Because I know we have a lot of publications, but there's not as many um recorded publications.
00:46:26
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:46:27
Emma Lee
short to the point videos. It's not a program you have to go sit through for an hour and do a hands-on activity. You can kind of just watch a, I try and keep them about a minute or less.
00:46:38
Emma Lee
You can just watch a one minute video and do it. Cause a lot of the things that I do, I go watch a TikTok. Sometimes when people ask me to do something, I don't know how to do. I'm like, Hey, can I just go to the bathroom real quick? I'm in there watching a TikTok, you know?
00:46:52
Emma Lee
I'm just So go do it real quick. um But that was my goal is to be like, hey, you know, this is also programming. This is also helping community people as well as just getting people interested in houseplants. And I try and do a wide variety of topics.
00:47:12
Emma Lee
So even if you're not, you know, diehard houseplant like the rest of us, you can start maybe or at least pique your interest.
00:47:21
Emma Lee
So.
00:47:22
Brett
That's really cool.
00:47:22
Alexis
I love that.
00:47:22
Brett
I think that speaks to to some of what we've tried to do with our CCD stuff is to try to personalize it a little bit more, but it's very affirming and maybe, you know, even confirms to for us to keep pushing in that direction.
00:47:30
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:47:35
Brett
and what we try to do with this podcast is have some information, but have it also be like a conversation you wouldn't mind being a part of. um That's really cool.
00:47:42
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:47:42
Plant People
Yeah.
00:47:43
Brett
i'm I'm really, I'm looking so the dreaded question, is there a ah timeline of when you think you might be done with it or when you hope to go and tell the deans about it or any of that kind of fun stuff?
00:47:55
Emma Lee
So I am on track to graduate in December. So the project, of course, is on the end. It's towards the end, at least.
00:48:02
Brett
and Okay.
00:48:04
Emma Lee
However, i have really enjoyed this and I plan to keep the UK account going. When we started, my advisor was like, if you want to keep this going, you know, after the fact, that is absolutely an option, ah which not both pages, of course, but yeah,
00:48:23
Alexis
Thank you.
00:48:24
Emma Lee
one or the other whichever one and I do feel more strongly like the UK houseplant education is a better option that's getting more traction even though we love Pep and he's doing a great job he's just not getting the numbers so he's gonna have to be cut you know
00:48:40
Brett
Mm-hmm.
00:48:45
Emma Lee
But I do think this is something that I probably not as frequently, of course, as it was being posted like one or two videos a week, but every now and then. And then there's also a group attached to that Facebook account where people can ask houseplant questions and get research based answers because you don't always like picking up the phone and calling your extension agent. Everything's more you know, straight to the point nowadays. And so I've had some activity in there as well. Just people saying, Hey, what do I do about this?
00:49:18
Emma Lee
And other people share that same experience. And so it's kind of like a, we're all in this together, but we're also getting right answers, you know, not just 500 different answers.
00:49:24
Alexis
Support group.
00:49:27
Alexis
Yeah.
00:49:30
Emma Lee
So.
00:49:31
Brett
We have a whole group of people who would love to be in your videos at some point as I am great, as you can tell, as the like dumb guy that asks questions.
00:49:31
Alexis
Yeah.
00:49:41
Brett
ah And we also have other smart people on our team like Alexis and others who it would be. I mean, i I love being in the videos. I love seeing what you're doing. And man, that's so cool. That's just a really I just really like this approach of of thinking about it and and Trying a couple of things. that's That's really, really cool. I hope you do keep it up and I hope that other people are supportive of it.
00:50:02
Emma Lee
Yeah, absolutely.
00:50:02
Alexis
If you want to do any on like string of pearls or string of hearts or any of those, I feel like I've got that one down.
00:50:04
Emma Lee
I was
00:50:08
Alexis
So I'm pretty proud of myself. I killed so many in the past and i I have successfully propagated, kept those propagations alive.
00:50:11
Plant People
That is my kryptonite. I'm glad you have them down.
00:50:18
Alexis
I have a lot. Do you want some plants? Because I have a lot of string.
00:50:22
Emma Lee
here.
00:50:23
Alexis
I have a tricolored string of hearts. Do you want it? Yeah.
00:50:25
Emma Lee
Yes, I was going to say my little crispy brown string of pearls is in the side of my office right now i saying, please but help her.
00:50:32
Alexis
Yes, I think yeah I've got it down that, and I ah started a bunch of dragon fruit from seed from a dragon fruit I got in the grocery store.
00:50:33
Plant People
Take care of me.
00:50:40
Alexis
So I'm pretty proud of those two.
00:50:43
Emma Lee
Okay, we'll talk.
00:50:43
Brett
Alexis, you didn't have to flex so hard.
00:50:44
Plant People
good He's ending on a very high note.
00:50:44
Emma Lee
Okay, guys.
00:50:46
Alexis
Sorry, you were all flexing.
00:50:47
Brett
think I...
00:50:48
Alexis
I'm like, oh, bonsai. So I just i needed to release.
00:50:50
Brett
Oh, gotcha.
00:50:51
Plant People
Dragon fruit.
00:50:53
Alexis
Yeah, I needed to release that.
00:50:53
Brett
I just...
00:50:54
Emma Lee
okay guys
00:50:54
Brett
all all ah All I really said in the bonsai was that i I try to be nice to people online.
00:50:58
Plant People
That was your first mistake.
00:50:59
Emma Lee
That's the biggest.
00:50:59
Alexis
Well, in my world, that's a flex.
00:51:00
Emma Lee
like
00:51:00
Brett
And that was my flex.
00:51:01
Alexis
so
00:51:02
Brett
Boom.
00:51:03
Emma Lee
That is the biggest.
00:51:04
Alexis
I try to be nice to people.
00:51:05
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:51:06
Brett
Try to be nice. Yeah.
00:51:08
Emma Lee
You might be the only bonsai person um that knows how to do that from what I've gathered. Yeah.
00:51:15
Brett
Yeah, there it, it, it attracts, I don't, i don't know if house plans house plan seems less this way, but it attracts some of the oddest people on earth. And some of them just don't happen to come with social skills. And that is ah very apparent in some of the groups and some of the meetings and other stuff. And they just, yeah. um But our, our, our little central Kentucky group is good.
00:51:37
Brett
I hope that you're, you'll, you know, chime in there and and see stuff and yeah.
00:51:42
Emma Lee
Yeah, absolutely. I'm excited about it because I'm looking forward to making a post and not having the first comment be, are you kidding me?
00:51:43
Brett
yeah
00:51:50
Emma Lee
It's dead. you know like And it's a fully green plant. I post it like a green plant and they're like, it's dead. I'm like, are you kidding me?
00:51:57
Brett
dead.
00:51:58
Emma Lee
I'm going to be looking at it growing right now.
00:52:01
Plant People
It's making new leaves.
00:52:02
Brett
I, I was very proud. I recently in our, in our, um, so in that central, not that recently, but central Kentucky group, somebody posted a picture of, uh, his trident maple and it had a unknown pest on it.
00:52:14
Brett
And I, and I, deed it and he was able to take care of it. And, uh, it was a J it was Japanese maple scale on a trident maple.
00:52:23
Emma Lee
Oh, okay.
00:52:25
Brett
So that was pretty cool.
00:52:25
Emma Lee
You need to leave with that. A hard one to ID. Good for you.
00:52:28
Brett
Yeah, it was it was fun. I mean, it and it like, I don't know, if anything, it's just a little under like you aren't going to get a bunch of negative stuff. You may not get as much traction as you want, but um I'll certainly be in there being like, yeah, Emma, get them.
00:52:42
Alexis
Woo!
00:52:43
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:52:43
Alexis
Go girl!
00:52:43
Brett
right
00:52:45
Emma Lee
yeah
00:52:45
Alexis
He's a very good hype man. So i will I will say that. He is excellent hype man. So if you just need somebody in your videos in the background going, you go Emma!
00:52:51
Brett
Right, man.
00:52:52
Plant People
bringing the energy.
00:52:56
Brett
Yeah.
00:52:56
Alexis
Like, Brett's your man.
00:52:56
Brett
Yeah.
00:52:56
Emma Lee
but
00:52:57
Plant People
It's Pep, it's the Pep and Brett production crew.
00:52:58
Emma Lee
Okay.
00:53:00
Plant People
They're just back there. i ah
00:53:01
Alexis
like Like, you're talking about a pothos and he's in the background going, pothos!
00:53:01
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:53:01
Plant People
Yeah.
00:53:03
Emma Lee
Okay.
00:53:05
Alexis
Like, that's...
00:53:05
Brett
i woe
00:53:05
Plant People
Peace out, peace, Lily. mean
00:53:07
Brett
I've seen a lot of pothos in my time, but that's a pothos.
00:53:10
Emma Lee
yeah
00:53:11
Plant People
That's a hard trip, Pothos. I can watch it grow from here.
00:53:15
Alexis
but That's the vibe. That's the vibe. Awesome. Well, um Emma, remind us again how people can find your page and learn all of the cool things from you, the best way to find you.
00:53:26
Emma Lee
Okay, so the Facebook is University of Kentucky Houseplant Education. There's a cute little graphic that I made on Canva all by myself on there, so you can look for that.
00:53:35
Alexis
Mm-hmm.
00:53:37
Emma Lee
And also, there is an Instagram that is a little touch less active because I'm Facebook to the core, um off the record. The Instagram is UKY Houseplant Education.
00:53:52
Alexis
Perfect. we'll ah We'll tag you in our post about this. So if you do have any ah photos you want to share, maybe a plant you're super proud of, or if you want to share a video, we'd love to put it on our Instagram as well so people can get a little act see a little bit what they're what they're in for with your education.
00:54:07
Brett
Any pep bloopers, maybe?
00:54:07
Emma Lee
Yeah.
00:54:07
Alexis
So pet bloopers are very welcome.
00:54:10
Emma Lee
There's so many.
00:54:12
Emma Lee
Yes, he actually, he's holding the camera and screaming the whole time.
00:54:12
Plant People
It needs to be called pep talk.
00:54:12
Brett
Okay.
00:54:16
Emma Lee
So yeah, there's a lot of posters.
00:54:17
Plant People
Yes.
00:54:19
Brett
Save me.
00:54:19
Alexis
I'm going need that one specifically.
00:54:20
Alexis
Just like, please text me.
00:54:21
Brett
Save me.
00:54:22
Alexis
um
00:54:22
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:54:23
Plant People
Save me. The phone is glued to my paws.
00:54:26
Alexis
Yeah.
00:54:26
Emma Lee
Yes.
00:54:26
Alexis
So awesome. If you guys are interested in learning more about houseplants, I can tell you as a houseplant junkie, I have learned ah stuff from Emma's page and it's fun and awesome. So highly recommend going to check that one out.
00:54:38
Alexis
You can follow us on Instagram as well at Hork, UK, Hork. I forgot our Instagram.
00:54:45
Brett
No, Hort Culture Podcast.
00:54:48
Alexis
Thank you.
00:54:48
Emma Lee
this
00:54:49
Alexis
Horror Culture Podcast. I b blanked. I was so excited about Emma's. ah You can find us on there.
00:54:52
Emma Lee
Thank you.
00:54:53
Alexis
You can also shoot us an email. You can find that in the show notes. We do have a new Gmail. So if you've been using our um old one, make sure you're using the new Gmail one ah these days.
00:55:04
Alexis
And that comes to all of us. So if you've got questions, if you're like, I cannot find Emma's page, can you send it to me? We can absolutely do that. And we appreciate you guys being here. And we hope that as we grow this podcast, you will grow with us.
00:55:17
Alexis
We'll see you next time.
00:55:32
Emma Lee
Thank you.