Jo is from Germany, and she is used to keeping plants away from her cute cat Bob, who likes to investigate every new plant!
Interviewer: Hi Jo, feel free to introduce yourself to the plant community!
Hey! My name is Jo, I’m from Germany, I have a Master‘s Degree in Corporate Communication and, I have a beautiful cat called Bob!
Interviewer: And what's your story Jo, how did you started having plants?
I’ve always loved plants but I was never able to keep them alive when I was young and then my cat, Bob, came into my life.
Last year, while writing my thesis, I started following more plant related accounts and decided to finally get some plants myself. It’s been about a year and a half now and my plants and cat are peacefully coexisting.
Interviewer: During this year and a half, how many plants have you collected so far?
I would say about 30 plants plus lots of cuttings that are currently propagating successfully. I expect to turn them into adult plants!
Interviewer: What’s the thing you wish you knew when you started growing plants?
You don’t need to have every plant just because it looks pretty in someone else’s post. Try to really find out what kind of plants YOU like and make sure you know how to keep it alive.
Interviewer: That is so true! Many people buy plants because they look great in someone's else pot. Do you have a favorite plant?
Probably my Pilea Peperomioides. One of my first plants, very pretty and super easy to care for. It also let’s me share my plant enthusiasm with my friends because it constantly grows new pups.
Interviewer: You're lucky! Not everyone gets new growths so easily. Do you have any strategy for taking care of your plants?
Not really. I like to make my rounds in the morning, see how they are, give them love, and enjoys the views. Other than that I don’t follow a specific strategy.
Interviewer: You make plant care sound so simple! Is there any plant you can't keep alive?
In the beginning, I killed a lot of plants, mostly because I had no clue about their specific needs. Today I still struggle with most Alocasia, I can’t seem to figure out the right combination of light/water for them.
Interviewer: Having a cat makes traveling difficult, but plants make it difficult too. How do take care of your plants when you're going to travel?
I ask friends or family members to have an eye on my plants. If no one is available I am working with self watering methods. But I haven’t been gone for longer than two weeks at a time, so my plants have been mostly fine during my absence.
Interviewer: Have you got any bad experience buying somewhere?
A lot of times you bring home more than just a plant. They are accompanied by thrips, fungus gnats, and others. That’s not entirely avoidable, but I try to always check plants on site to try to minimize the risk.
I don't recommend taking the first plant you see in the store. You must inspect the plant, and assure that it's healthy. Otherwise, it can be a disaster. Not only for that one, but for the ones you have at home too.
Interviewer: Where do you usually get your plants from?
From plant pop-ups, little plant shops and garden centers.
Interviewer: And how people you live with deals with your plant obsession?
I don't share flat with anyone, but my sister is my direct neighbor. She doesn’t really understand it, but has become more supportive over time.
Interviewer: You've told us about bob, your cat. How do you keep him away from your plants?
About six years ago I had a little bonsai which Bob would constantly try to get to. As a result, he would feel unwell and the bonsai soon had to move out.
Last year I researched a lot about non-toxic plants and when I first started bringing plants home, the more "toxic" ones would be placed out of reach.
Somehow Bob just got used to them. He is curious about every new addition, but there are only a handful of plants he still shows REAL interest in. Real interest meaning he would like to chomp on the leaves once. Those plants are kept far away from him.
I think it also helps to have fresh cat grass around all the time.
Interviewer: What would you like to have that doesn't exist related to plants? It could be a tool, an app, something about the plant shops, the community, etc.
Let me think ... maybe an app to exclusively swap and sell plants? But maybe that already exists.😅
Interviewer: You mentioned that when you joined the plant community, you started following some social media accounts. Which are the plant related accounts you love most?
So many! I really love @alina.fassakhov, @felinejungle, @pileatis and lots of other great content creators.
Interviewer: And Jo, the last question! Where can people see more about you, Bob and your plants?
I keep sharing images of my plants and bob at @bobandplants. I'm sure you will love them!
And thank you Victor for having me!🐱❤️