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I’ve been a huge house plant collector since I got sober and suffered from anxiety. The shutdowns were bad times for me because everyone jumped on the bandwagon and I quit collecting because of the prices. Now I’m back at it. Over 200 different species of plants are in my plantroom ❤❤
I started my own plant store on wheels 2 years ago by converting an airport shuttle bus into a greenhouse on wheels. I kept my full-time job and sold plants on weekends. I had a blast selling plants I propogated and divided. Without huge overhead expenses I was able to keep them affordable. My starting point is to set folks up for success with healthy plants. My reasons for the business venture was purely for the experience and not the money. Hope to get back on the road this spring and sunmer. Best of luck to you and your family. I love Spain.
I completely agree with this. I have a tiny plant shop from home and it’s just so hard to compete with big sellers and TC. I switching gears in how I collect and sell plants. Breaks my heart to see the crash in our community. Best wishes for this new year for you and your family.
I work in a plant store, we hardly break even. My boss supports the business off of her day job. We have 4 employees and 2 store fronts. Selling home goods is the only reason we are not closing. People get a little plant, a local handmade ceramic pot, and a Christmas ornament or soap or lip balm.
I was at a Big Box (lowes) store on Boxing Day & found that all the Live Trends winter pots were considered Xmas & 50% off. Because this is seasonal, the pots need to look lush & full. They were stuffed with as many small plants as one could jam in there. I found a melanochrysum that has 8 stems crammed into a 3?-4?inch pot for $8! I was Very Happy to find it, but I also understand that THIS is why small plant shops don't last.
a lot of shops are struggling because hedgefund / investors are driving up rent, every shop owner should try to get rent free and really own their business.
I just have to say I’m sorry for all you’ve gone through and I do agree with a comment on here that you’ve made more of a positive impact on people than you know! As busy as you were I had questions about a Monstera Aurea that I found in a local shop that didn’t realize what they had…..and you were so helpful and took the time out of your busy days to answer my questions. I even sent pics to you. It meant so much to me at the time. Wishing you and your family a lifetime of love, health & happiness! As long as your posting I will still be here ❤
This is my first time on this channel and i’ve actually just gotten back into plants this past year. I went to a plant show that was packed and I went to a local small shop today and was happy to support them. There was a few people in there so I do still think there’s a market for them
I think one thing that’s not talked about is the addiction-esq aspect of plant collecting. It’s similar to like alot of other addictions and follows a similar cycle- the rush of getting new plants, the need to keeping getting more and more, the need for the newest plant, the social aspect of “doing “ it with other people. The list goes on and on. It gets to the point where then you have people with these massive collections and they are unable to take care of them- and their lives start to fall apart. Something that was supposed to be fun, becomes a chain. I have a group friends that all got super obsessed (myself included). Out of the 6 of us, that were buying tons of plants from influencers or online stores- I’m the only person who has my dumped thier collection. I also think alot of plant influencers are part of the problem with the encouragement of these massive collections- and then burnout .
I think a lot of the cravings comes from FOMO. I am deep into growing, collecting, and hopefully selling rare and unique cacti and succulents. The current trend is to do live sales via Instagram Live or PalmStreet. And biding or being the first to claim something is exciting for people and you end up almost always buying more than you should. The first year that I started collecting I was buying plants every few weeks. It was bad. And now I have to keep a greenhouse at my folks home. Fortunately they are extremely low maint so I dont even need to check on them more than twice a month. But every time i pop my head inside I see all the plants I impulse bought or plants that I quickly lost interest in. And i think the same burnout is happening to a lot of people. For me it was managable when I was WFH, but as companies are forcing people to go in more than 3x a week it now becomes impossible to keep up with treating gardening as hobby when collections are so big. Its why its usually older people that have these grand collections. They arent working so they invest all their time into it. Not something us normal people can keep up with when we barely make enough to afford rent
sorry to hear this...i still love all my plants i got from you and they're all thriving. hope theres way to continue supporting you and your family from afar
I’m pretty new to plants and plant videos. I’ve appreciated your wisdom and that of others. It’s wild to me to hear any of you get hate or harassment. I’m so grateful for the knowledge you share. I hope you’ll consider sharing your journey in Spain. I’ve lived in Europe and I loved it. Wishing you all the best success!!
Thanks for your clear reflection on your experience. I had a plant shop on Etsy, during the high margin phase, I decided to close the shop when prices started to fall. It was a great experience. This video resonated with me. Thank you.
It kind of breaks my heart to see all of these shops closing. I've already experienced this myself by studying and working in horticulture and eventually left the field at the end of last year because the salaries were too low. I now work in an adjacent field (greenhouse building) and finally make enough money to live and to collect plants at the same time. But I really miss being passionate about my job which is why I've been flirting with the idea of operating a small plant business from home in my free time, but now I'm thinking twice...
Not a plant seller, just a plant nerd and wanted to say thank you for the insights into your shop decisions - definitely interesting and bittersweet to see such amazing sellers needing to change course but staying resilient. Best wishes to your family's new journey in Spain; rooting for you! (um, no pun intended)
A few of the plant youtubers I watch have been talking about wanting to downsize their collections. For me personally I have to be extra mindful about which plants I buy simply because I don’t have the time or the space for more. I wonder if that’s what other people are going through right now. I learn so much through your videos, I look forward to seeing more in 2025!
I’m sorry for what not only you guys are experiencing, but a lot of us can’t make ends meet anymore. The corporate greed is out of control with no end in sight. I left Florida for Hawaii 6 years ago & had to come back to tend to my Airstream. The price of things in Florida now rivals the price of living in Hawaii. It’s pure greed! Can’t wait til the financial bubble bursts for all of them!!
The one in our town closed in East TN. Prices were crazy and quite frankly they were plant snobs...not everyone who wants plants wants the rarest plants
My favourites are botanical species, so I wasn't as affected by this fortunately because those were the ones that dropped in price the quickest generally speaking.
Thank you so much for being honest! I believe you. I've seen the decline myself. Been growing for about 6 years now and I have thought about opening a shop. This brings new perspective. New follower. Appreciate you❤
I’ve truly enjoyed following your content, your sincerity is palpable. I work in the medical field and started my plant shop as a side business. I have thought many times about scaling up but honestly it’s stayed profitable enough to split my time without consuming my whole life. I am one of those small shops you mention but it has been worth it because I do it out of my home. The business definitely has its ups and downs, slow months, and shipping costs are outrageous. Thanks for sharing your story! Sounds like you are making moves that will be hard in the beginning but worth it in the long run.
Best of luck to you and your family in your new home! And happy new year, too. I don't think I could ever purchase plants. I've grown houseplants for over 50 years now, and they are a huge part of my life.
2 plants stores in Brooklyn NY closed down in 2024. Their prices were high, so are the rents in NYC. But nice plants have always been available at Trader Joe’s or Lowes way before the pandemic. And tissue culture was already used. Many got obsessed with minor variegations in recent years. Now all of a sudden many seem to be obsessed with small cuttings of Hoyas. Plant turned almost into something comparable to fast fashion trends. One year one thing is in and another is out. I have been growing uncommon Ficus banyans from seed for years, that do great in an apartment. But the influencers and social media plant people seem really focused on some trending plants.
First time seeing a video of yours and I'm really happy to have done so. You sounded both blunt but determined. I understand the logic behind "people barely can pay bills, they won't buy plants", but I think it can be changed being in that situation and having plants lowering my stress levels, that's my only treat :) A huge hug from Italy and enjoy Spain, such a beautiful place!
Just want to say I appreciate your channel and your business. I purchased a LECA kit from you and when you were clearing out the last of your plants, I got a beautiful paraiso verde mother plant who is THRIVING. You have made a positive impact on more people than you know, and I hope you continue to make planty content!
Changes in the industry are a sad fact of life. 100 years ago, people never thought railroads wouldn't be the means of cross-country travel. 50 years ago, people never thought butcher shops would go out of business. 30 years ago, I never thought toy shops would go out of business. 20 years ago, I never thought tropical and marine fish trans-shippers would go out of business. 10 years ago, I never thought movie theaters would go out of business. The one thing I was sure of was that Glofish would be the death of the Florida tropical fish industry. I can remember sitting in a meeting 25 years ago and expressing that sentiment, that if we went forward with them, the genie would be out of the bottle and they would so saturate the market that sales of the "basic" fish would all but disappear. In less than ten years, they so displaced the sales of all other community fish, dozens of growers had to sell their fish farms because no one was buying them. And because of the patent, they couldn't just pick up growing Glofish to compete. I am dismayed every time I walk into a pet shop or aquarium store anymore.
There are some really big plant shops across the US that I am keeping my fingers crossed for. I have 2 jobs, and one of them is as an Anthurium Horticulturist. The owner has it all down to a science to keep the business going. Sometimes I feel like we (a team of 10) could do better (in terms of pay basically) but after I saw the KE video and now yours, I have more respect for the owner of the nursery. I have a lot of respect for people who work in the plant industry in general. You are right. It’s laborious. It’s not easy working in a hot/humid nursery. Heat and humidity can be tough. It’s quite the contrast in comparison to my big corporation job that gives me the pay, the benefits and the air conditioning that I need. Thank you for sharing. I am still a big fan!! I’m rooting for you and your family!
The struggle with the online and Facebook sellers that know nothing of plants, but don’t have overhead so they sell them cheap. Then they can’t give their customers guidance on how to care for them so I will have constantly people coming to me for help with their cactus they purchased cheap elsewhere, I want to help always but it’s hard when they’re not supporting my business
same here in our country. most affected are us that started even before pandemic. the situation now is so different. very hard to compete with sellers doing livelling directly from big nurseries
Interesting reflection. Thank you, Chris! Congrats on the relocation! Good luck to you and your family adding new memories living in Spain! Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! 🥳
Hello from northern Italy. Interesting that I did found you today. This morning I went to 3 nurseries in my region. A very large one owned by one family. The plants where looking miserable. The second one is a smaller place that is family owned. The plants and ambiance is always good but I did not find anything. The third one is a chain, very organized, lot of staff. I bought 2 plants on the smaller size because I have enough of trowing dead plants. I hope you will integrate well and quickly in Spain. You are giving something precious to your kids. You will make friends with your kids friends parents.
It takes a big man to share your struggles and finances regarding your plant shop the way that you do. Kudos to you. I am one of those “ tiny sellers” also based in California but with a greenhouse and plant studio in my backyard. I have met the most awesome plant people thru this journey. Great video. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to one of your videos being totally in Spanish. 🙂
Thank you for making yet another vulnerable, candid, and super informative video. As a small online plant shop owner this one hit me in all the feels! You painted a very accurate picture of what it’s like to own a plant shop, and it’s because of this talent of yours with words that I know you’re going to continue to be successful in all that you do. Goodbye plant shop overhead! Your voice will be heard now without it, and we are all better for that! I look forward to your next video as well. Signed, one of those tiny niche shops still chugging along, hardly paying herself , out of her home, as you described😂
That's sad. Crazy Plant Guy, who is a youtuber also closed his brick and mortar plant store in Toronto last month. Small plant businesses cannot compete with big ones like Costa Farm. All the best in your next venture!
Kaylee Ellen I think saw the writing on the wall when she had talked earlier about plant propagation techniques most specifically tissue culture. There was a rather dubious character who showed vast (and I mean on the scale of Dutch greenhouse scale) greenhouses filled to the brim with rows and rows of houseplants on one visit she was invited to see. She could not disclose any names in the video but it was awe inspiring. Even before she closed her shop I have a feeling she knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time before the trend in houseplants would run its course.
From a hobbiest point of view; hope that not all smaller plant growers go the wayside. Would hate to be stuck with only the selection and quality they have a most big box stores.
I’m not really a plant seller, but I have a lot of propagations from my own collection I do sell. I already own a brick and mortar business where I’m planning to set up a small corner with plants for sale. My rule is I’m only allowed to sell plants I already own. I’m not buying plants with the intent to sell. For me it’s a fun little side hustle but I do understand the stress and struggle of running a business and wouldn’t want my livelihood to rely on plant sales.
Part of me feels as if we've entered a phase of "fast fashion" with plants, and it's starting to gross me out. It seems like every week, there's some new variegate, and I'm growing very concerned about the future of the horticulture industry turning their focus onto, factually, genetically weaker plants. The death rates must be astronomical, especially as many sellers and businesses have turned to a "turn and burn" business model of plantlets in vitro.
I bought an albo monstera before I really knew what it was, but the more I learn about these plants the less I care about them. I love nature, I don't want genetically modified rare plants as a status symbol. Its vanity and goes the against the spirit of loving nature and plant keeping if you ask me.
@@phunk8607 a lot of plants become invasive sometimes though. So I think their point is going somewhere. The amount of English ivy I see in the stores to only catch a bus ride to the local forests to see the same English ivy take over is really disheartening.
I have had to cut weight back on my plant purchases just due to the fact that living to work (and still struggling big time) does not allow for “extras”. I love my over 200 plants in my collection and I am so grateful that I was able to get a few of my dream plants abt a year ago. Like all things, this too shall pass and we will be on the other side of things hopefully sooner than later. Hugs and prayers to you and your beautiful family!!!
On the one hand, I have empathy for the sellers and I'm sorry for everyone who has to close, but as a collector, a person on disability, the lower prices and trading with friends, has enabled me to have anthuriums, Thai and albo monsteras, as well as others. You have left the US at the right time. I'm 65, and while democracy and human rights will recover, it sadly may not happen in my lifetime. I enjoy the videos and my plants enjoy the Leaf Lux.
It has been my experience after spending tons of money, killed a lot of plants and finally got burned out. Until… discovered the IKEA cabinets where a recreation of a jungle is possible . Small and rare plants with minimal care. Vivarium keepers also looking for new and interesting plants for display. And shipping smalls is affordable. My cabinets are the best hobby I’ve ever had and now, obsessed, still buying plants.😊
Im so glad the hype trend chasers are leaving the hobby- I've been saying this for years, this is jist like tulip mania. They're just plants. No plant that doesnt produce a crop should sell for more than pocket change, but people get greedy and exploit the naive. Then you get a bubble.
@rdred8693 they were. All of the modern social media plant ops were trend chasers, and I'm not judging them- they were making money. I'm just saying, it was annoying as a plant enthusiast to see prices soar for PLANTS. It's a good thing for genuine plant people, this ewuo just wanted to build their IG profiles are better off following some other trend/hobby to ruin.
It’s so sad. I realize tissue culture makes plants more available, but I think they took an aspect of fun out of the hobby. Thanks for your contributions
I don’t have room for as many plants as I would like. I recently bought another plant Summer Glory). I have decided not to buy from Home Depot or large plates because for regular plants or plants I have even, they have spiked the prices sooo high.
I think it's just that a lot of people started keeping houseplants because they were having to stay home. I've always had a lot of plants and have no intention of getting rid of my plants. I don't have a plant shop though. I hope some of them keep going because I have a few more plants I want
I can see the plant business going down with less demand and more inventory. I'm glad you still have your YT for revenue. I highly suggest people enroll in a basic accounting course or business courses at an area college to gain knowledge on how to run a profitable business. We've run one for 22 years. Personally, you need to be very good in Math, imo.
Over the past few months I’ve bought a grow tent, heater, humidifier, and circulation, fertilizer, pesticides, and plant are ordered so I can start a plant business. Last week I just found your RUclips account and 2 days ago I saw Katy’s (forgive if name is misspelled) video for the first time and click her video you’ve mentioned yesterday but had to pause to take a call. Spent some thousands on this start up and on the fence about proceeding. The one piece of advice that will keep me going is when you say try to keep the business at home vs renting space.
One of the OG boutique plant shops in Denver is also closing. I got the email which was clearly a very emotional situation for the owner. It's really sad to see. We all lived through quite the boom didn't we?
I’m really sorry to hear you’re closing up shop. What’s behind your decision to move to Spain? I’ve actually had a house there for about a year now, and I’m loving it-got around 40 plants keeping me company! 🌱✈️
I have really enjoyed your channel. As an avid plant enthusiast, I’m constantly having to prune my plants. I hate to throw away the cuttings, so I usually stick them in some dirt, and grow another plant. But what to do with all those babies? I’ve already gifted plants to friends and family, who didn’t really want or appreciate the plants and they wound up in the trash 😢. Could you maybe make a video on amateur selling (eBay, Etsy, Amazon, FB marketplace, Palmstreet, etc.) or suggest other ways to gift or trade plants? I’m not really looking to get rich, I just want to know my babies are going to a good home. 😊
Local plant swaps. Good way to exchange plants you don't want for ones you do. Normally have a freebies table too for people who are just starting out but maybe can't not afford to buy or don't have plants to swap
Yup I thought and said the same thing. The old OG local greenhouses and/or plant shops keep running the same(ish) as before. Most never even sold online, so they survive mostly on locals that buy the common plants, seasons plants etc. Some have started selling online as well to keep up. I'm glad you are so close now, would be awesome to see you at some local plant expos (which are extremely small xD but ok, it is what it is). All the best for you and your family, I wish you the best for 2025!
Excellent video! It’s unfortunate how being mean has become more socially acceptable these days. So many keyboard warriors hide behind usernames to spread negativity.
Came across your channel as I'm studying plant science and was looking up totipotency. Enjoyed your clear explanation. But wowsers...so glad I listened to this video as have been considering switching careers. A reality check that perhaps grass is not always greener. Hope you and your family are settling in well. Lucky you to be in mainland Europe. I look forward to hearing how selling in Spain is different.
The only way to keep a plant shop alive is to diversify. Make it a plant shop and used book store with a nice seating area and a coffee bar. The sad truth is, I won't bother with going to a dedicated plant store for houseplants, I want a third space.
First time reader here. I’m sorry about your plant shop. Good luck in Spain. I now exclusively buy fro Gabriella plants their quality and packaging that comes with their plants is amazing.
I've been a house plant fan for years, I was a little sad that once people went back to work, I seem to hear less about new plant varieties. However, in the big box stores here, I've been seeing once rare and unusual plants showing up for extremely affordable prices. Pink Princess, Ring of Fire, Billi, ZZ Raven, to name a few. I can see why independent sellers aren't doing well but they remain one of the only ways to get truly unique or rare specimens where I live.
I am so sorry about your shop. I would love the next episode on the Pink Princess Philodendron - I found you watching the first video the history was fabulous to know.
Chris, as always, a really enjoyable and educational video. I was sad when you stopped selling plants. I still do buy the fertilizer and soil stuff from you. I was never successful when trying to purchase a plant/s from thre Rare PlantShop. I don't know if it was an issue of availability or their website wasn't working but as I said, I was never able to purchase. I'm still purchasing plants! I've been buying and growing since I moved here to Texas in 1992! so the love affair won't be over anytime soon! You are right, the Covid prices were out of reach for most people. I was able to temper the prices I paid by buying scratch & dent stuff. And I had fun trying to rehab plants. Best wishes for your future endeavors. It will be interesting whatever your fertile imagination comes up with. I was amazed at how mechanized and automated your plant productions were for Pretty in Green. 😅
Nellie, what a kind and thoughtful comment. I'm sorry its taken me til now to respond to it! Thank you for being a channel member!!! And thank you for supporting our plant shop when we sold plants, and for buying Leaf Lux too :) Rare Plant Shop always seemed to be sold out of most plants, which was a great thing for them! I love to hear you're still buying and growing plants in Texas!! I miss plants. There's something so special about the bond we have with taking care of them. I agree trying to turn a plant around and rehab it is quite a joy when successful!! Again, thank you so much for ALL the support! Your kind words really matter and make my day. I'm putting out a members only vid right now hopefully you can grab a secret from or two! All my best! -Chris
I always do my best to suppoet local nurseries. Occasionally home depot but still a lot of product sold their is local because im in Puerto Rico. Sonit still benefits local growers as too many rules to ship in plants
I’m very close, I’m not on RUclips but we really haven’t made enough money at my shop in the last year and a half to truly stay open. I’ve only kept in business by still doing photography and using all that money to poor in. People don’t understand how expensive it is to have a brick and mortar, and we don’t even have employees 😅
My monthly costs are $6-7K without any employees 😵💫 $3300/month rent in Dallas, $800/month for a truck, then the rest can go anywhere from $2-$8K in plants and pots depending on the month OOF. I also have some of the lowest prices for the species I carry locally
Meeting you and your wife was one of my coolest plant experiences! Seeing how excited and well informed you guys are with everything plant related was awesome. Enjoy Spain! Enjoy your new life and better quality of life
As I’ve gotten more into plants, I’ve gotten more into trading plants. My first year I bought almost 100 in a year. I think that was 2021. In 2024, I bought like 10 maybe
I'm not surprised at the implosion of the plant industry. It was sadly like a lot of things done during the pandemic a fad which turned into a weird investment. It reminded me of NFTs which drop out of the spot light just as quickly. If anything it allowed me ( and others) to get to know a wider range of plants. Although it frustrates me that so many plant shops are no longer around cause I really appreciaed the personal time I would get when I was there. You don't get that at the big box stores or when you buy it online.
I think this bust was inevitable given the ups and downs of trends in general. The covid plant boom had to level out. This would have been just a side effect of that. I remember in the 90s when frozen yogurt was all the rage. So many shops. But the trend died back and affected so many of them. The trend did come back 15ish years later, just to note. But with new players. That being said, you should be happy you can still provide so much to the plant community in other ways, and hopefully don't need to rely on that source of income alone. Some businesses probably weren't that lucky, and reinventing is probably the only way to move forward for them. Maybe moving from rare plants, to more common plants that don't have such a high price tag. There will always be an industry for houseplants, but less so for rare expensive varieties. So selling many more plain old monstera deliciosa for $40, instead of 2 or 3 monstera aurea variegated "Marmorata" for $600. Just my .02. Excited for more uploads. Congrats on the move, Chris!
Commercial growers and big shop chains kill small businesses, the quality and pest problems say it all.prefrr to bid on auctions or make my own. Lots of problems if you want a business and make money.
Well many Americans cant afford a home to plant and support the industry. However this gives an opportunity to sell and promote low light plants and plants not requiing a yard but maybe a kitchen counter or window. Just my thoughts
There is a steady decline all around. I haven’t been to the garden center in a while because they all had much of the same for months. Their rare plant tables never really changed as it was much of the same whereas they would have different inventory every couple of weeks. Even the little plug plants remained much of the same. Even in plant groups you can see that there are a lot of people selling their collection because they are stopping with the hobby. One even closed because the engagement wasn’t what it once was. And I don’t mean selling, the engagement on plant care help was non existent.
Thanks for reporting the fact that Kaylee Ellen had closed shop, it makes me sad to learn that since I spent a lot of time watching her RUclips videos in the early days of my plant collecting journey. I think that she's witty and funny but I've kind of stopped watching her videos because she uses too much clickbait and I swear she's already posted like 6 videos with ambiguous titles that were implying that she was closing down but anyway, still like her and the work that she did for the community. And I'm very excited to see what's next for you, I'm very interested in integrating houseplants and houseplants setups into our living quarters seamlessly. Since I rent and want to move out asap, I'm mostly growing in grow tents and prop bins at the moment but I'd love to learn more about automated setups, huge terrariums, etc. to eventually make my own. I'd love to see the meta shift towards a more balanced approach of how people spend their money when it comes to plants and gear, there is definitely an irony in seeing multiple hundred dollar plants growing out of Solo cups or people spending only on plants while not owning a single grow light, etc. I think that your Sansi lightbulb video really hit home for a lot of people because I've seen the same light fixture that you've mentioned popping up more and more on Instagram and Reddit since posting your video and kudos for that! That Sansi lightbulb is still not available in Canada, but I will definitely re-design my growing setups when it is so that I can get my ugly grow light back into a tent but also to add lights in my bathroom and living room.
I appreciated your video, as it provided more detail; Kelly struggled to express herself on her podcast. She made an effort, but didn’t include any financial details or other information.
It was less drama, more just entertainment for the viewers who were tuning in and interested in the plant hobby. Did that "drama" send everlasting reverberations into your life or something? I can't imagine it did. Though I also can't imagine a logical or sane reason for bringing any of that up here... Damn, is your life that miserable?
I feel like any “drama” that was started only reinvigorated Tech Plant’s channel. It was getting pretty snoozy so maybe a thank you from him is more fitting
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I’ve been a huge house plant collector since I got sober and suffered from anxiety. The shutdowns were bad times for me because everyone jumped on the bandwagon and I quit collecting because of the prices. Now I’m back at it. Over 200 different species of plants are in my plantroom ❤❤
Same!
I started my own plant store on wheels 2 years ago by converting an airport shuttle bus into a greenhouse on wheels. I kept my full-time job and sold plants on weekends. I had a blast selling plants I propogated and divided. Without huge overhead expenses I was able to keep them affordable. My starting point is to set folks up for success with healthy plants. My reasons for the business venture was purely for the experience and not the money. Hope to get back on the road this spring and sunmer. Best of luck to you and your family. I love Spain.
@@Nomasfor4years where you sell your plants?? Any social medias??
LOVE this idea! I’d like to have a summer-only mobile plant and veggie stand
That sounds like an amazing business.
I completely agree with this. I have a tiny plant shop from home and it’s just so hard to compete with big sellers and TC. I switching gears in how I collect and sell plants. Breaks my heart to see the crash in our community. Best wishes for this new year for you and your family.
I work in a plant store, we hardly break even. My boss supports the business off of her day job. We have 4 employees and 2 store fronts. Selling home goods is the only reason we are not closing. People get a little plant, a local handmade ceramic pot, and a Christmas ornament or soap or lip balm.
I was at a Big Box (lowes) store on Boxing Day & found that all the Live Trends winter pots were considered Xmas & 50% off. Because this is seasonal, the pots need to look lush & full. They were stuffed with as many small plants as one could jam in there. I found a melanochrysum that has 8 stems crammed into a 3?-4?inch pot for $8! I was Very Happy to find it, but I also understand that THIS is why small plant shops don't last.
a lot of shops are struggling because hedgefund / investors are driving up rent,
every shop owner should try to get rent free and really own their business.
I just have to say I’m sorry for all you’ve gone through and I do agree with a comment on here that you’ve made more of a positive impact on people than you know! As busy as you were I had questions about a Monstera Aurea that I found in a local shop that didn’t realize what they had…..and you were so helpful and took the time out of your busy days to answer my questions. I even sent pics to you. It meant so much to me at the time. Wishing you and your family a lifetime of love, health & happiness! As long as your posting I will still be here ❤
There is nothing more loved in town than plant shop. :)
This is a painful story for me, because I love independent plant stores.
@@tomdix8028 Ya there is so much love in those plant stores. Bless.
This is my first time on this channel and i’ve actually just gotten back into plants this past year. I went to a plant show that was packed and I went to a local small shop today and was happy to support them. There was a few people in there so I do still think there’s a market for them
I think one thing that’s not talked about is the addiction-esq aspect of plant collecting. It’s similar to like alot of other addictions and follows a similar cycle- the rush of getting new plants, the need to keeping getting more and more, the need for the newest plant, the social aspect of “doing “ it with other people. The list goes on and on. It gets to the point where then you have people with these massive collections and they are unable to take care of them- and their lives start to fall apart. Something that was supposed to be fun, becomes a chain. I have a group friends that all got super obsessed (myself included). Out of the 6 of us, that were buying tons of plants from influencers or online stores- I’m the only person who has my dumped thier collection. I also think alot of plant influencers are part of the problem with the encouragement of these massive collections- and then burnout .
I think a lot of the cravings comes from FOMO. I am deep into growing, collecting, and hopefully selling rare and unique cacti and succulents. The current trend is to do live sales via Instagram Live or PalmStreet. And biding or being the first to claim something is exciting for people and you end up almost always buying more than you should. The first year that I started collecting I was buying plants every few weeks. It was bad. And now I have to keep a greenhouse at my folks home. Fortunately they are extremely low maint so I dont even need to check on them more than twice a month. But every time i pop my head inside I see all the plants I impulse bought or plants that I quickly lost interest in. And i think the same burnout is happening to a lot of people. For me it was managable when I was WFH, but as companies are forcing people to go in more than 3x a week it now becomes impossible to keep up with treating gardening as hobby when collections are so big.
Its why its usually older people that have these grand collections. They arent working so they invest all their time into it. Not something us normal people can keep up with when we barely make enough to afford rent
sorry to hear this...i still love all my plants i got from you and they're all thriving. hope theres way to continue supporting you and your family from afar
Ugh! I’m so sorry! This is killing me, you have provided me with so much support throughout my plant journey! Sending love your way! ❤
I’m pretty new to plants and plant videos. I’ve appreciated your wisdom and that of others. It’s wild to me to hear any of you get hate or harassment. I’m so grateful for the knowledge you share. I hope you’ll consider sharing your journey in Spain. I’ve lived in Europe and I loved it. Wishing you all the best success!!
Thanks for your clear reflection on your experience. I had a plant shop on Etsy, during the high margin phase, I decided to close the shop when prices started to fall. It was a great experience. This video resonated with me. Thank you.
Thanks for being transparent about the cost of running a plant shop
It kind of breaks my heart to see all of these shops closing. I've already experienced this myself by studying and working in horticulture and eventually left the field at the end of last year because the salaries were too low. I now work in an adjacent field (greenhouse building) and finally make enough money to live and to collect plants at the same time. But I really miss being passionate about my job which is why I've been flirting with the idea of operating a small plant business from home in my free time, but now I'm thinking twice...
Thank you for your HONESTY…You spoke from your heart 🙏🏼
Not a plant seller, just a plant nerd and wanted to say thank you for the insights into your shop decisions - definitely interesting and bittersweet to see such amazing sellers needing to change course but staying resilient. Best wishes to your family's new journey in Spain; rooting for you! (um, no pun intended)
A few of the plant youtubers I watch have been talking about wanting to downsize their collections. For me personally I have to be extra mindful about which plants I buy simply because I don’t have the time or the space for more. I wonder if that’s what other people are going through right now. I learn so much through your videos, I look forward to seeing more in 2025!
I’m sorry for what not only you guys are experiencing, but a lot of us can’t make ends meet anymore. The corporate greed is out of control with no end in sight. I left Florida for Hawaii 6 years ago & had to come back to tend to my Airstream. The price of things in Florida now rivals the price of living in Hawaii. It’s pure greed! Can’t wait til the financial bubble bursts for all of them!!
The one in our town closed in East TN. Prices were crazy and quite frankly they were plant snobs...not everyone who wants plants wants the rarest plants
My favourites are botanical species, so I wasn't as affected by this fortunately because those were the ones that dropped in price the quickest generally speaking.
Thank you so much for being honest! I believe you. I've seen the decline myself. Been growing for about 6 years now and I have thought about opening a shop. This brings new perspective. New follower. Appreciate you❤
I’ve truly enjoyed following your content, your sincerity is palpable. I work in the medical field and started my plant shop as a side business. I have thought many times about scaling up but honestly it’s stayed profitable enough to split my time without consuming my whole life. I am one of those small shops you mention but it has been worth it because I do it out of my home. The business definitely has its ups and downs, slow months, and shipping costs are outrageous. Thanks for sharing your story! Sounds like you are making moves that will be hard in the beginning but worth it in the long run.
Best of luck to you and your family in your new home! And happy new year, too. I don't think I could ever purchase plants. I've grown houseplants for over 50 years now, and they are a huge part of my life.
2 plants stores in Brooklyn NY closed down in 2024. Their prices were high, so are the rents in NYC. But nice plants have always been available at Trader Joe’s or Lowes way before the pandemic. And tissue culture was already used.
Many got obsessed with minor variegations in recent years. Now all of a sudden many seem to be obsessed with small cuttings of Hoyas. Plant turned almost into something comparable to fast fashion trends. One year one thing is in and another is out.
I have been growing uncommon Ficus banyans from seed for years, that do great in an apartment. But the influencers and social media plant people seem really focused on some trending plants.
First time seeing a video of yours and I'm really happy to have done so. You sounded both blunt but determined.
I understand the logic behind "people barely can pay bills, they won't buy plants", but I think it can be changed being in that situation and having plants lowering my stress levels, that's my only treat :)
A huge hug from Italy and enjoy Spain, such a beautiful place!
I love that you're sharing this honest full scope of the industry!
Just want to say I appreciate your channel and your business. I purchased a LECA kit from you and when you were clearing out the last of your plants, I got a beautiful paraiso verde mother plant who is THRIVING. You have made a positive impact on more people than you know, and I hope you continue to make planty content!
brick and morter don't work on small scale. Best case scenario, you own the place and its more of a storage place for your online shop
Changes in the industry are a sad fact of life. 100 years ago, people never thought railroads wouldn't be the means of cross-country travel. 50 years ago, people never thought butcher shops would go out of business. 30 years ago, I never thought toy shops would go out of business. 20 years ago, I never thought tropical and marine fish trans-shippers would go out of business. 10 years ago, I never thought movie theaters would go out of business.
The one thing I was sure of was that Glofish would be the death of the Florida tropical fish industry. I can remember sitting in a meeting 25 years ago and expressing that sentiment, that if we went forward with them, the genie would be out of the bottle and they would so saturate the market that sales of the "basic" fish would all but disappear. In less than ten years, they so displaced the sales of all other community fish, dozens of growers had to sell their fish farms because no one was buying them. And because of the patent, they couldn't just pick up growing Glofish to compete. I am dismayed every time I walk into a pet shop or aquarium store anymore.
There are some really big plant shops across the US that I am keeping my fingers crossed for.
I have 2 jobs, and one of them is as an Anthurium Horticulturist. The owner has it all down to a science to keep the business going.
Sometimes I feel like we (a team of 10) could do better (in terms of pay basically) but after I saw the KE video and now yours, I have more respect for the owner of the nursery. I have a lot of respect for people who work in the plant industry in general. You are right. It’s laborious. It’s not easy working in a hot/humid nursery. Heat and humidity can be tough.
It’s quite the contrast in comparison to my big corporation job that gives me the pay, the benefits and the air conditioning that I need.
Thank you for sharing. I am still a big fan!! I’m rooting for you and your family!
The struggle with the online and Facebook sellers that know nothing of plants, but don’t have overhead so they sell them cheap. Then they can’t give their customers guidance on how to care for them so I will have constantly people coming to me for help with their cactus they purchased cheap elsewhere, I want to help always but it’s hard when they’re not supporting my business
same here in our country. most affected are us that started even before pandemic. the situation now is so different. very hard to compete with sellers doing livelling directly from big nurseries
It’s so sad this is happening to plant businesses. I wish you and your family much happiness in Spain 😀🇨🇦
Interesting reflection. Thank you, Chris! Congrats on the relocation! Good luck to you and your family adding new memories living in Spain! Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! 🥳
Hello from northern Italy. Interesting that I did found you today. This morning I went to 3 nurseries in my region. A very large one owned by one family. The plants where looking miserable. The second one is a smaller place that is family owned. The plants and ambiance is always good but I did not find anything. The third one is a chain, very organized, lot of staff. I bought 2 plants on the smaller size because I have enough of trowing dead plants. I hope you will integrate well and quickly in Spain. You are giving something precious to your kids. You will make friends with your kids friends parents.
It takes a big man to share your struggles and finances regarding your plant shop the way that you do. Kudos to you. I am one of those “ tiny sellers” also based in California but with a greenhouse and plant studio in my backyard. I have met the most awesome plant people thru this journey. Great video. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to one of your videos being totally in Spanish. 🙂
Thank you for making yet another vulnerable, candid, and super informative video. As a small online plant shop owner this one hit me in all the feels! You painted a very accurate picture of what it’s like to own a plant shop, and it’s because of this talent of yours with words that I know you’re going to continue to be successful in all that you do. Goodbye plant shop overhead! Your voice will be heard now without it, and we are all better for that! I look forward to your next video as well.
Signed, one of those tiny niche shops still chugging along, hardly paying herself , out of her home, as you described😂
Love your content! Always look forward to them! Thanks for all your hard work! It does not go unnoticed!
That's sad. Crazy Plant Guy, who is a youtuber also closed his brick and mortar plant store in Toronto last month. Small plant businesses cannot compete with big ones like Costa Farm. All the best in your next venture!
Kaylee Ellen I think saw the writing on the wall when she had talked earlier about plant propagation techniques most specifically tissue culture. There was a rather dubious character who showed vast (and I mean on the scale of Dutch greenhouse scale) greenhouses filled to the brim with rows and rows of houseplants on one visit she was invited to see. She could not disclose any names in the video but it was awe inspiring. Even before she closed her shop I have a feeling she knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time before the trend in houseplants would run its course.
Thanks!
Love your channel and thank you. Best of luck with the move!
Thank you for all your hard work. I learned so much from this channel 🙏
From a hobbiest point of view; hope that not all smaller plant growers go the wayside. Would hate to be stuck with only the selection and quality they have a most big box stores.
I’m not really a plant seller, but I have a lot of propagations from my own collection I do sell. I already own a brick and mortar business where I’m planning to set up a small corner with plants for sale. My rule is I’m only allowed to sell plants I already own. I’m not buying plants with the intent to sell. For me it’s a fun little side hustle but I do understand the stress and struggle of running a business and wouldn’t want my livelihood to rely on plant sales.
Part of me feels as if we've entered a phase of "fast fashion" with plants, and it's starting to gross me out. It seems like every week, there's some new variegate, and I'm growing very concerned about the future of the horticulture industry turning their focus onto, factually, genetically weaker plants. The death rates must be astronomical, especially as many sellers and businesses have turned to a "turn and burn" business model of plantlets in vitro.
I bought an albo monstera before I really knew what it was, but the more I learn about these plants the less I care about them. I love nature, I don't want genetically modified rare plants as a status symbol. Its vanity and goes the against the spirit of loving nature and plant keeping if you ask me.
@@PurpleFiiilth i doubt you understand what an albo is, it seem like you only just got into plant and your idea about the hobby is very skew.
@@phunk8607 a lot of plants become invasive sometimes though. So I think their point is going somewhere. The amount of English ivy I see in the stores to only catch a bus ride to the local forests to see the same English ivy take over is really disheartening.
Sorry for your lost of business❤ 1:11 - wishing you the best in this new year
Truly appreciate your content😊
I have had to cut weight back on my plant purchases just due to the fact that living to work (and still struggling big time) does not allow for “extras”. I love my over 200 plants in my collection and I am so grateful that I was able to get a few of my dream plants abt a year ago. Like all things, this too shall pass and we will be on the other side of things hopefully sooner than later.
Hugs and prayers to you and your beautiful family!!!
On the one hand, I have empathy for the sellers and I'm sorry for everyone who has to close, but as a collector, a person on disability, the lower prices and trading with friends, has enabled me to have anthuriums, Thai and albo monsteras, as well as others.
You have left the US at the right time. I'm 65, and while democracy and human rights will recover, it sadly may not happen in my lifetime.
I enjoy the videos and my plants enjoy the Leaf Lux.
It's great to see tissue culture killing off the price gouging but I can see why it sucks for those that were on that bandwagon. 😓
😑🌱💙. Best wishes sir. Good bless you and your family 🙏.
Thank you for all the informative videos.
It has been my experience after spending tons of money, killed a lot of plants and finally got burned out. Until… discovered the IKEA cabinets where a recreation of a jungle is possible . Small and rare plants with minimal care. Vivarium keepers also looking for new and interesting plants for display.
And shipping smalls is affordable.
My cabinets are the best hobby I’ve ever had and now, obsessed, still buying plants.😊
I carefully and thoughtfully hold your vulnerability with both my hands and salute the courage you had to present this gift.
That must be very difficult to do with both hands already full...
I'm sorry, I had to.
I apologize.
And I second the sentiment.
@@jordanschoffstall 😂. I lost track of how many hands I actually have. As a mom, I feel like I need 10 arms & legs to get things done…
@@CrossCultural-c7f no worries. I think my mom must've had/needed extra arms as I was growing up.
Im so glad the hype trend chasers are leaving the hobby- I've been saying this for years, this is jist like tulip mania.
They're just plants. No plant that doesnt produce a crop should sell for more than pocket change, but people get greedy and exploit the naive. Then you get a bubble.
I thought Planterina was a trend chasers
@rdred8693 they were. All of the modern social media plant ops were trend chasers, and I'm not judging them- they were making money.
I'm just saying, it was annoying as a plant enthusiast to see prices soar for PLANTS. It's a good thing for genuine plant people, this ewuo just wanted to build their IG profiles are better off following some other trend/hobby to ruin.
Best of luck on your new endeavors! Looking forward to whatever future plant videos you put out.
1st of all!!! Congratulations on your move to Spain!!!! This video is making me cry!!!!
We are loving Spain, Elizabeth!! Thank you for always being so supportive and for being a channel member!!! You're too kind 🫶
It’s so sad. I realize tissue culture makes plants more available, but I think they took an aspect of fun out of the hobby. Thanks for your contributions
I don’t have room for as many plants as I would like. I recently bought another plant Summer Glory). I have decided not to buy from Home Depot or large plates because for regular plants or plants I have even, they have spiked the prices sooo high.
I think it's just that a lot of people started keeping houseplants because they were having to stay home. I've always had a lot of plants and have no intention of getting rid of my plants. I don't have a plant shop though. I hope some of them keep going because I have a few more plants I want
Hang in there , kiddo! Thank you for your content and be well!
I can see the plant business going down with less demand and more inventory. I'm glad you still have your YT for revenue. I highly suggest people enroll in a basic accounting course or business courses at an area college to gain knowledge on how to run a profitable business. We've run one for 22 years. Personally, you need to be very good in Math, imo.
Over the past few months I’ve bought a grow tent, heater, humidifier, and circulation, fertilizer, pesticides, and plant are ordered so I can start a plant business. Last week I just found your RUclips account and 2 days ago I saw Katy’s (forgive if name is misspelled) video for the first time and click her video you’ve mentioned yesterday but had to pause to take a call. Spent some thousands on this start up and on the fence about proceeding. The one piece of advice that will keep me going is when you say try to keep the business at home vs renting space.
Don’t give up! I sell online and I’m not making 100k a year but I’m happy, and make enough. Keep pushing on! ❤
One of the OG boutique plant shops in Denver is also closing. I got the email which was clearly a very emotional situation for the owner. It's really sad to see. We all lived through quite the boom didn't we?
I’m really sorry to hear you’re closing up shop. What’s behind your decision to move to Spain? I’ve actually had a house there for about a year now, and I’m loving it-got around 40 plants keeping me company! 🌱✈️
I have really enjoyed your channel. As an avid plant enthusiast, I’m constantly having to prune my plants. I hate to throw away the cuttings, so I usually stick them in some dirt, and grow another plant. But what to do with all those babies? I’ve already gifted plants to friends and family, who didn’t really want or appreciate the plants and they wound up in the trash 😢. Could you maybe make a video on amateur selling (eBay, Etsy, Amazon, FB marketplace, Palmstreet, etc.) or suggest other ways to gift or trade plants? I’m not really looking to get rich, I just want to know my babies are going to a good home. 😊
Local plant swaps. Good way to exchange plants you don't want for ones you do. Normally have a freebies table too for people who are just starting out but maybe can't not afford to buy or don't have plants to swap
Yup I thought and said the same thing. The old OG local greenhouses and/or plant shops keep running the same(ish) as before. Most never even sold online, so they survive mostly on locals that buy the common plants, seasons plants etc. Some have started selling online as well to keep up. I'm glad you are so close now, would be awesome to see you at some local plant expos (which are extremely small xD but ok, it is what it is). All the best for you and your family, I wish you the best for 2025!
We actively and successfully monopolized all industries... I'm happy you're finding a new way of life in the old country ❤all the best
Excellent video! It’s unfortunate how being mean has become more socially acceptable these days. So many keyboard warriors hide behind usernames to spread negativity.
Came across your channel as I'm studying plant science and was looking up totipotency. Enjoyed your clear explanation. But wowsers...so glad I listened to this video as have been considering switching careers. A reality check that perhaps grass is not always greener. Hope you and your family are settling in well. Lucky you to be in mainland Europe. I look forward to hearing how selling in Spain is different.
We must adapt to how technology move, including how we shop.
We in Indonesia sell plant using e-commerce and IG from our home.
The only way to keep a plant shop alive is to diversify. Make it a plant shop and used book store with a nice seating area and a coffee bar. The sad truth is, I won't bother with going to a dedicated plant store for houseplants, I want a third space.
First time reader here. I’m sorry about your plant shop. Good luck in Spain. I now exclusively buy fro
Gabriella plants their quality and packaging that comes with their plants is amazing.
I've been a house plant fan for years, I was a little sad that once people went back to work, I seem to hear less about new plant varieties. However, in the big box stores here, I've been seeing once rare and unusual plants showing up for extremely affordable prices. Pink Princess, Ring of Fire, Billi, ZZ Raven, to name a few. I can see why independent sellers aren't doing well but they remain one of the only ways to get truly unique or rare specimens where I live.
I am so sorry about your shop. I would love the next episode on the Pink Princess Philodendron - I found you watching the first video the history was fabulous to know.
Well said!
We just moved to Portugal with 3 kids. You got this!☺️
I’m sad about what is happening. I would consider selling but it’s tough out there. Stay strong 💪
Chris, as always, a really enjoyable and educational video. I was sad when you stopped selling plants. I still do buy the fertilizer and soil stuff from you.
I was never successful when trying to purchase a plant/s from thre Rare PlantShop. I don't know if it was an issue of availability or their website wasn't working but as I said, I was never able to purchase.
I'm still purchasing plants! I've been buying and growing since I moved here to Texas in 1992! so the love affair won't be over anytime soon! You are right, the Covid prices were out of reach for most people. I was able to temper the prices I paid by buying scratch & dent stuff. And I had fun trying to rehab plants.
Best wishes for your future endeavors. It will be interesting whatever your fertile imagination comes up with. I was amazed at how mechanized and automated your plant productions were for Pretty in Green. 😅
Nellie, what a kind and thoughtful comment. I'm sorry its taken me til now to respond to it! Thank you for being a channel member!!! And thank you for supporting our plant shop when we sold plants, and for buying Leaf Lux too :)
Rare Plant Shop always seemed to be sold out of most plants, which was a great thing for them!
I love to hear you're still buying and growing plants in Texas!! I miss plants. There's something so special about the bond we have with taking care of them. I agree trying to turn a plant around and rehab it is quite a joy when successful!!
Again, thank you so much for ALL the support! Your kind words really matter and make my day. I'm putting out a members only vid right now hopefully you can grab a secret from or two! All my best! -Chris
I always do my best to suppoet local nurseries. Occasionally home depot but still a lot of product sold their is local because im in Puerto Rico. Sonit still benefits local growers as too many rules to ship in plants
Appreciate the honesty, wife just opened a shop in YYC.
Wishing her all the luck!!!
I’m very close, I’m not on RUclips but we really haven’t made enough money at my shop in the last year and a half to truly stay open. I’ve only kept in business by still doing photography and using all that money to poor in. People don’t understand how expensive it is to have a brick and mortar, and we don’t even have employees 😅
My monthly costs are $6-7K without any employees 😵💫 $3300/month rent in Dallas, $800/month for a truck, then the rest can go anywhere from $2-$8K in plants and pots depending on the month OOF. I also have some of the lowest prices for the species I carry locally
Meeting you and your wife was one of my coolest plant experiences! Seeing how excited and well informed you guys are with everything plant related was awesome. Enjoy Spain! Enjoy your new life and better quality of life
As I’ve gotten more into plants, I’ve gotten more into trading plants. My first year I bought almost 100 in a year. I think that was 2021. In 2024, I bought like 10 maybe
I'm not surprised at the implosion of the plant industry. It was sadly like a lot of things done during the pandemic a fad which turned into a weird investment. It reminded me of NFTs which drop out of the spot light just as quickly. If anything it allowed me ( and others) to get to know a wider range of plants. Although it frustrates me that so many plant shops are no longer around cause I really appreciaed the personal time I would get when I was there. You don't get that at the big box stores or when you buy it online.
Really good video; plenty of food for thought!
Wellcome to eu 👏👏
I think this bust was inevitable given the ups and downs of trends in general. The covid plant boom had to level out. This would have been just a side effect of that. I remember in the 90s when frozen yogurt was all the rage. So many shops. But the trend died back and affected so many of them. The trend did come back 15ish years later, just to note. But with new players.
That being said, you should be happy you can still provide so much to the plant community in other ways, and hopefully don't need to rely on that source of income alone. Some businesses probably weren't that lucky, and reinventing is probably the only way to move forward for them. Maybe moving from rare plants, to more common plants that don't have such a high price tag. There will always be an industry for houseplants, but less so for rare expensive varieties. So selling many more plain old monstera deliciosa for $40, instead of 2 or 3 monstera aurea variegated "Marmorata" for $600. Just my .02. Excited for more uploads. Congrats on the move, Chris!
Commercial growers and big shop chains kill small businesses, the quality and pest problems say it all.prefrr to bid on auctions or make my own.
Lots of problems if you want a business and make money.
Was going to get into plants but seeing these big collectors leave makes me want to avoid it.
I buy a lot of plants every month. I have a problem. But money is tight. You should do a video on how to move to another country
Enjoy Spain!
Well many Americans cant afford a home to plant and support the industry. However this gives an opportunity to sell and promote low light plants and plants not requiing a yard but maybe a kitchen counter or window. Just my thoughts
12:40 Awwwwwwww
There is a steady decline all around.
I haven’t been to the garden center in a while because they all had much of the same for months. Their rare plant tables never really changed as it was much of the same whereas they would have different inventory every couple of weeks.
Even the little plug plants remained much of the same.
Even in plant groups you can see that there are a lot of people selling their collection because they are stopping with the hobby.
One even closed because the engagement wasn’t what it once was. And I don’t mean selling, the engagement on plant care help was non existent.
Thanks for reporting the fact that Kaylee Ellen had closed shop, it makes me sad to learn that since I spent a lot of time watching her RUclips videos in the early days of my plant collecting journey. I think that she's witty and funny but I've kind of stopped watching her videos because she uses too much clickbait and I swear she's already posted like 6 videos with ambiguous titles that were implying that she was closing down but anyway, still like her and the work that she did for the community.
And I'm very excited to see what's next for you, I'm very interested in integrating houseplants and houseplants setups into our living quarters seamlessly. Since I rent and want to move out asap, I'm mostly growing in grow tents and prop bins at the moment but I'd love to learn more about automated setups, huge terrariums, etc. to eventually make my own. I'd love to see the meta shift towards a more balanced approach of how people spend their money when it comes to plants and gear, there is definitely an irony in seeing multiple hundred dollar plants growing out of Solo cups or people spending only on plants while not owning a single grow light, etc.
I think that your Sansi lightbulb video really hit home for a lot of people because I've seen the same light fixture that you've mentioned popping up more and more on Instagram and Reddit since posting your video and kudos for that! That Sansi lightbulb is still not available in Canada, but I will definitely re-design my growing setups when it is so that I can get my ugly grow light back into a tent but also to add lights in my bathroom and living room.
I appreciated your video, as it provided more detail; Kelly struggled to express herself on her podcast. She made an effort, but didn’t include any financial details or other information.
Was your shop or kaylee's shop brick and mortar meaning customers could come and shop there in person? Or were they online sales only?
Idk about Kaylee but Pretty in Green had a brick and mortar in West LA
Kaylee was online only
Tech Plant was right all along. No apologies were made for the drama yall started here. Karma I guess.
It was less drama, more just entertainment for the viewers who were tuning in and interested in the plant hobby. Did that "drama" send everlasting reverberations into your life or something? I can't imagine it did. Though I also can't imagine a logical or sane reason for bringing any of that up here... Damn, is your life that miserable?
I feel like any “drama” that was started only reinvigorated Tech Plant’s channel. It was getting pretty snoozy so maybe a thank you from him is more fitting
They'll be talking about this fascinating journey in business school...one of the effects of the COVID Plandemic...